Changes

I long ago. ok not so long, 2 years? 3? Started this blog with ambitions of grandeur that life got in the way of. Such is the way of things. I am actually surprised I kept it up this long! I have a short attention span.

Anyways. Although I am geeky and crafty, I am not really one to make geeky crafts. The Geeky Craftser is gone.

I am a lot more into the reduce, reuse, recycle, re-purpose DIY, back-to-basics kind of environmentalist nut job. Naturalista was more tune in line with my philosophy and politics.
So I changed the name. Making Do is more me. New layout is for fun. I am not sure I like the title yet. It might change (the graphic not the name.)

Vegan cream sauce and bonus dairy free white russian recipie

Yes vegan. Because if you are going to make a cream sauce and can't consume moo juice, then that's what it will be. And it will be good.
I have been experimenting in dairy replacement in various foods: scalloped potatoes, soups, lasagna, baked goods. I am having a blast. The sciencey me loves experimentation and it keeps things interesting in the kitchen.

Last week I made a lasagna that was gluten and dairy free and I really did not miss the ricotta or mozzarella, it was good. The 'ricotta' recipe was good But I think I can do better. It was pine nuts nutritional yeast and salt in a food processor, basically. There are more complicated richer 'nut cheese' sauces like this to try that I think will be better but this was still tasty.

My research also led me to two interesting other paths to explore. Someone in a forum on food allergy/intolerant eating mentioned that bechemal sauce can be made simply by replacing alternative milks (like soy) in place of the milk and oil or vegan margarine in place of butter. Another was a recipe using such a sauce for scalloped potatoes. I happen to have many potatoes on hand so I tried this.

It was good, but rich and I felt too heavy with the nutritional yeast (more on this later) But good, hearty, comfort food potatoes. I was out of nutmeg, but it needed nutmeg and it would have been just fantastic, if a bit strong on the yeast. Also the brand of hemp milk I used was not very attractive, it was brown gray, so I don't recommend Hemp Dream. Living Harvest is much better. MUCH.I love it actually.

So I wondered if I could make a cream sauce for pasta, like an Alfredo and then started craving it. So today I tried it out and I am super pleased with the results.

Another advantage to this dairy free cream sauce that might make it worthwhile to you dairy happy folks, is that it's super low in calories and fat in comparison to the regular kind. Seriously less.

Before going into the recipe, for the uninitiated, nutritional yeast is good for you, and it makes things taste 'cheesy'. Not like cheese exactly, but it imparts a cheesiness to things. Or a dairy-ness to them, for lack of a better explanation. But as I mentioned before, I find that it can be over done and the flavor can be strong. So this time, I added a bit at a time to my sauce. And I tried it before and after adding the yeast and it makes all the difference in the world to make the cream sauce taste like, cream sauce.

Another important note: margarines often contain dairy derivatives, like casein(as to many fake cheeses) It's important to get one that is vegan and that it does not contain lactose, casein, whey, or any milk component. Non hydrogenated is also always a smart choice.

Also, hemp milk you ask? Yes, hemp. It's full of stuff like proteins and omega 3's and is not soy. I have many health and political reasons for not consuming soy. I do consume some. Such as the vegan margarine and the occasional tofu, traditional fermented soy things like tamari. But for the most part I avoid it like the plague and think most other people should too.

Rice milk is tasty but thin, almond milk is to, almond (but delicious!), same for hazelnut. Oat milk just sounds wrong but I haven't tried it. hemp milk is thick, rich, slightly nutty, and really satisfies in cooking and drinking as a milk replacer. Except in coffee. nothing seems to take the place that half and half once had in my life.
( I bet you never knew there were so many milk alternatives out there did you.)

My Mushroom cream sauce:

Half a stick vegan margarine. (I use earth balance) You can also use olive oil or another oil. I wanted the 'butter' flavor the margarine has.
1/4 cup flour or flour alternative ( I used half sorghum and half tapioca flours)
2 cups hemp milk (I use living harvest)
2 tsp or so tahini paste (can do without, it adds some texture and body)
3-4 tsp nutritional yeast (to taste)
1 cup crimni mushrooms
salt and pepper to taste
grate some fresh nutmeg in at the end. nothing goes with a white sauce like nutmeg.

make a roux with the margarine and flours cook a few minutes to cook out flour taste, stir constantly.
add milk slowly stirring all the while
add salt and pepper
add nutritional yeast
Add mushrooms
cook till mushrooms are done
(white wine would be good in this but alas, I had none.)

I couldn't tell the difference. it was so good.

OH and I was watching ace of cakes on my computer today, and they made a Big Lebowski cake and kept talking about white Russians, which I love. So I thought about how to make one sans cream. I have hazelnut milk on hand (which makes fantastic hot cocos that taste like nutella btw. So I went and bought some Kahlua. I can't afford both Kahlua and vodka and the one is really a treat enough so...mine were sans vodka. but here you go:
use chilled ingredients or add ice:
1 part Kahlua
1 part vodka
1 part hazelnut milk
mix and enjoy.