Trader Joe’s Non-Dairy Coconut Whipped Topping

FINALLY! A non-dairy whipped topping that tastes like real whipped cream!

For years I’ve been searching for non-dairy whipped topping that approximates Reddi Wip. (Yeah, I know it’s low-brow, but sometimes you just want to shoot whipped cream out of a can.) Last Christmas I tried a rice-based one called Soyatoo! that was awful. But I’d never seen a coconut-based one until I found this all-new offering from Trader Joe’s.

You may have noticed that Trader Joe’s is hit-or-miss. Some of their products are keepers, like their Oreo Cookie knock-off, Joe-Joe’s. Some, not so much — like their Indian papadum in a Pringles-like can. (Not surprisingly, that one went away years ago.)

But this one is a hit. It tastes just like whipped cream, except a little more coconutty. And although making whipped coconut cream isn’t that hard, you can’t beat the convenience of the nitrous-propelled stuff. The hissing sound it makes when you squirt it reminds me of old-fashioned ice cream parlors. In fact, I put some on a sundae topped with chopped nuts and a cherry, and it was a sight to behold.

Under the topping: Ben & Jerry’s Non-Dairy Chocolate Fudge Brownie.

If you want a midcentury throwback dessert that will delight people of all ages, make Jell-O and decorate it with this whipped topping. This stuff is perfect for Jell-O!

And you can always squirt some whipped topping on a mug of hot chocolate or coffee. Add a light dusting of cinnamon or cocoa powder, and you’ve got an Instagrammable beverage that puts Starbucks to shame.

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Daiya New York Cheezecake

The best thing about writing a food blog is it gives me an excuse to try stuff I’d otherwise feel guilty about eating. Like cheesecake! Excuse me, I mean “cheezecake,” which is the cutesy way of saying it contains no real cheese.

Daiya Foods is a brand that makes a lot of dairy-free products — some good, some not so good. Daiya Mozzarella, for instance, is the vegan cheese that Blaze Pizza uses, and I love it. But Daiya Cream Cheeze is awful. Which is why I was skeptical about the New York Cheezecake. Add to that a gluten-free crust, and I was ready to hate it.

But I didn’t. In fact, I liked Daiya New York Cheezecake so much that I ate two servings of it. (The servings are small; don’t judge.)

Its texture is smooth and creamy. It’s tangy like cream cheese. And the crust, although nothing to write home about, is pretty decent. Actually, considering it was frozen and defrosted, the crust is pretty damn good.

Now, I haven’t eaten real cheesecake in about five years, and sometimes I wonder how much my tastebuds have skewed since I started eating fake dairy products. So just to be sure I wasn’t crazy, I made my husband — an inveterate dairy-eater — try some of this cheezecake. Even he liked it!

It also helps when you make your cheezecake look like a Pac-Man.

Here’s some good news: Daiya makes a Pumpkin Spice Cheezecake. I won’t be getting that one because after taking a stand against the Pumpkin Spice Latte (read rant here), it would seem hypocritical to embrace the Pumpkin Spice Cheezecake.

But for those of you who enjoy pumpkin-flavored things, the Daiya PSC would be a super-easy dessert to serve at your Thanksgiving gathering this year. Just keep in mind you have to defrost it a day in advance. It’s also quite small; a whole cake is only four servings. So if you’re serving a big brood, get a few.

To all my American readers, have a lovely Thanksgiving. Thanks for being you!

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Progresso Tomato Basil Soup

It’s that time of year when I start eating a lot of soup. Of course, homemade is the best, but I like to keep a few canned soups on hand for those days when I don’t have the energy to cook.

I love a smooth, tangy tomato soup. Many have dairy in them, so I’m always on the lookout for ones that don’t. Progresso Tomato Basil is dairy-free and I was excited to try it, since their Chickarina soup is one of my favorites.

Unfortunately, this tomato basil soup was a huge disappointment. It’s a beautiful red color, but has a thin, watery consistency. And it’s way too sweet. I don’t understand why any soup should have sugar in it; soup should be strictly savory, in my opinion. This one tastes like ketchup.

To quote my favorite movie, Goodfellas, “I ordered some spaghetti with marinara sauce, and I got egg noodles and ketchup.” Nothing should ever taste like ketchup — except ketchup. And even that’s questionable.

So where can you find a good dairy-free tomato soup? They serve a fantastic freshly-made one at Tender Greens, a healthy California chain that focuses on sustainable ingredients and will soon be opening locations in New York and Boston. Their roasted tomato soup is vegan, and it’s delicious and easy on the eyes with a drizzle of basil oil floating on top.

In the meantime, stay away from Progresso’s tomato soup and always check the label on canned soups to see if there’s sugar added. If it’s the second or third ingredient listed, you can bet it’s going to be too sweet.

Know of any great canned dairy-free soups? Please share in the comments!

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Dairy-Free Wedge Salad

Like many people, I’m not a big fan of iceberg lettuce — or as my favorite YouTube food reviewer Daym Drops calls it, “crunchy water.” Pretty much the only time you’ll catch me eating iceberg lettuce is in a wedge salad, a classic that you find at old-school steakhouses.

A wedge salad traditionally consists of a wedge of iceberg lettuce (hence the name), smothered in crispy bacon, tomatoes, and bleu cheese dressing. Because I’m lactose-intolerant, when I order a wedge salad in a restaurant, I ask for Thousand Island dressing instead of bleu cheese. But I must admit I miss that cheese.

Recently I discovered Follow Your Heart Vegan Bleu Cheese Salad Dressing and knew I had to try it on a wedge salad. It worked beautifully. The recipe is simple, but there’s one part that can be tricky…

The key to a successful wedge salad is crispy bacon. After years of making limp, chewy bacon, I finally rolled up my sleeves and did some research. Here’s the trick: Start with a cold (not preheated) pan and add a little water before cooking.

Probably should’ve used a bigger pan, but you get the idea.

As the water evaporates, it renders the fat from the bacon, and you end up with leaner, crispy bacon that doesn’t get burnt — unless, of course, you wander away from the stove and forget about it. The water step doesn’t add that much cooking time, and it always results in bacon with that proper “crispity-crunch.” As Daym Drops would say, “This is how bacon is supposed to be.”

DAIRY-FREE WEDGE SALAD RECIPE

4 slices bacon (not thick-cut)
1 small head iceberg lettuce, cut into 4 wedges
1 cup Follow Your Heart Vegan Bleu Cheese Salad Dressing
1 vine-ripened tomato, chopped
1/4 cup chopped red onion (optional)
ground black pepper to taste

Lay the bacon slices in a cold (not preheated) skillet. Add enough cold water to cover the bottom of the pan. Cook over medium-high heat until the water evaporates, leaving melted bacon fat. Turn heat down to medium and continue cooking the bacon, turning frequently, until crispy. Remove bacon from pan and drain on paper towels. When cool enough to handle, chop the bacon into bite-sized pieces.

Place one lettuce wedge on each of four plates. Top with dressing, tomatoes, red onion (if desired), and bacon. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper. Serve with a fork and knife. Makes 4 servings.

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