Eating healthy and eating happy can also be eating good! I have held myself to all sorts of eating practices my entire life, from not wanting to drink cows milk when I was very young and not wanting to eat any kind of meat except for chicken growing up; to full fledged vegan (I know more now). I have spent many parties picking at food, only to look like a crazy woman, surely with people wondering why I wasn’t eating and what the heck I was doing (if you are reading this you know what I am talking about). Having some years under my belt and a lot more confidence now, I’ve learned a few tricks I want to share with you all.
At our house our eating style is a little bit of everything. I’m dairy free and gluten-free for health reasons and eat only sea food for personal ones. My kids are slowly going gluten-free due to health (gut issues) reasons and between them and my meat heating husband we try to raise, grow or buy from people we know and trust our house hold meats.
But when you have food restrictions either by choice or because your well-being depends on it, doesn’t mean you can enjoy what you are eating.
I have spent much of my life eating cardboard, and thankfully food has come along way (some for the good and some for the well….). But one of my husband’s and my favorite snacks is taco dip. For the longest time there was nothing I could use to make it, so I just never had it 🙁 but thankfully the food alternative god is watching down and decided to help a girl out!
If you have food allergies, considering cleaning up your diet, interested in trying something different or want to surprise a family member or friend who would enjoy such a dish, check out my easy recipe.
Ingredients:
1 package of taco seasoning (gluten-free) and make sure you read the back to see how much junk is in it, less is more here!
- 2 containers (8oz) of daiya dairy free cream cheese
- 2-3 long pieces of chives (fresh from your garden maybe?)
- 1/2 – 2/3 cup water
- 1/T lime juice
- 1 head of romaine lettuce, cut thin (don’t use iceberg lettuce it turns to tar in your gut–gross right?)
- 1 jar of salsa (read the label, buy a jar that only has real words on the back) or FRESH!
- 1 block of almond cheese (I use Lisanatti Foods ‘The Original Almond Cheddar Style’)
- 1 large tomato
- 1/2 c finely cut fresh cilantro
- optional: 1 can of sliced olives
- 1 bag of gluten-free, all natural tortilla chips (I like EL MILAGRO, non-GMO, no preseratives, artifical coloring or additives with Sea Salt chips).
- Using your mixer put one container of cream cheese in the mixer and (start with) a 1/2 water. Blend until the consistency changes from stiff to sour cream like (fluffy and slightly soupy). If necessary add the rest of your water (total 2/3 c).
- Add 1/2 cup of your salsa to the cream cheese (this will help keep the consistency from getting too firm once chilled).
- Cut and add in chives and 1 T lime juice.
- Once the consistency is sour cream like add in gluten-free taco mix and second cream cheese container and blend well.
- Chill for 1-hour in container in frig. This is to check the consistency of the mix to make sure it’s not too firm (remember we made our own sour cream).
- Once chilled, spread in pan.
- Cut lettuce and spread across mixture, covering nicely.
- Cut and spread tomatoes.
- Grade cheese (you will probably use 1/2 to all of the block depending on how much you want) spread evenly over dip.
- Sprinkle salsa on top, be generous.
- Sprinkle your cut cilantro on top.
- Add olives if you so choose.
There you go! Yummy, delicious, filler free, no junk, gluten-free, dairy free, soy free taco dip! Most people won’t even know the difference, some may ask about the cheese but it taste great (my kids prefer that cheese).
I use to use Tofutti brand sour cream and cream cheese, however daiya does not have all the hydrogenated soybean oils or other not so good stuff (read the label see for yourself, you’ll see).
Where to get these alternatives?
Whole Foods: When I get there I usually buy the cheese (they have different flavors) in bulk and I get a discount then, this cheese freezes really well. You can also find the cream cheese there too.
Local SE Wisconsin people: Good Harvest Market and for my super local people Organic Market in Slinger, WI sells what you need.
Looking for more good healthy alternative recipes? Let me know, did you enjoy this recipe? Comment below and let me know!