Of course my first thought as a person that has a food allergy to cow’s mik was, “cream, that’s not something I’m going to be able to try.” Most times when I see “cream sauce” on menus I go running for the hills. But I am also not the type to give up that easily, so I ventured to Oprah.com to review the recipe details, which can be found here: You won’t be single for long vodka cream sauce.

Listed within the ingredients: ½ cup of heavy cream and 1 tablespoon butter. I immediately went to my fridge and started looking through all the staples I keep on hand for myself so I don’t have to feel deprived that I can’t always enjoy the same goodies that others can. One of my favorite alternatives for butter is a product called Earth Balance buttery spread; I saw Alicia Silverstone using it as well during a segment talking about her diet – the Kind Diet. It has the same consistency as butter with a very mild taste; I use it for all my cooking needs.

For heavy cream on the other hand that posed a bit more of a challenge, but with my experience in finding just the right alternatives I no longer feel restricted to following only diet-specific recipes and can now open up a variety of cookbooks and make my own version of the recipes listed.

My recommendation to substitute heavy cream is as follows:

1) Coconut Cream
Allow a can of coconut milk to settle (about 20-30 minutes). The coconut cream will rise to the top, which can be removed once accumulated. Substitute equal parts of coconut cream for the cream that is requested in the recipe.

2) Soy or Rice Milk plus Oil
Combine 2/3 cup of soy or rice milk with 1/3 cup melted dairy free margarine. This combination will equal 1 cup of heavy cream for recipes that you are following. Keep in mind this option cannot be whipped.

3) Silken Tofu
Blend Silken Tofu until even. There are various firm levels that can be purchased. Select a medium firm or a variation to develop a thicker “cream.” Pureed tofu can also be used as a replacement for heavy cream using a 1:1 ratio. This is a great healthy and lower fat alternative

After several attempts to make this famous “you won’t be single for long” vodka cream sauce, which I should add were all tried on my husband, I can confirm that he is still around. If you asked him, not all versions were top on his list and I wondered if I might be losing some of my credit as a good cook at home. My attempt using the Silken Tofu turned out to be our favorite, but depending on your taste buds you might like another option provided. Each is worth trying, so best of luck and let me know your favorite version.

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Dairy Alternatives to Rachael Ray’s Famous Vodka Cream Sauce

Image via Oprah.com

Tune in this Wednesday, January 27, 2010 to The Oprah Show when food activist and writer, Michael Pollan, gives you the truth about where your food actually comes from.

From cereals to lunch meat and from bagged lettuce to a carton of eggs, before you grocery shop you have a listen to what food guru Pollan has to say about the foods that we normally don’t give a second thought to when we toss them into our grocery cart.

If you’re at all concerned about eating healthier and safer for you, your family and the planet, this is a tune-in you don’t want to miss.

Pollan is best known for his books, In Defense of Food, The Omnivore’s Dilemma and his recently released, Food Rules. Check out DietsInReview.com’s reviews of Pollan’s books, if you’re not already familiar with his breakthrough research and ideas.

Also making an appearance on the show will be Alicia Silverstone discussing how the vegan diet has changed not just her eating habits but her appearance and body image issues. You can read more about Alicia and her vegan lifestyle in her book, The Kind Diet.

Pollan is a contributing writer to the New York Times Magazine and the Knight Professor of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley.

Check your local listings for show times.

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Tune In: Michael Pollan on The Oprah Show

On hand to promote Silverstone’s debut as an author with her just-released The Kind Diet, an informative and accessible guide to leading a meat- and dairy-free life. The actress-turned-activist doesn’t just dish with Rach about her plant-based lifestyle, but she also dishes up a batch of her delicious Crispy Peanut Butter Treats with Chocolate Chips made without eggs or butter and with only five ingredients.

If you’re looking for a healthy and non-processed treat to serve at Halloween, check out Alicia’s recipe on the Rachael Ray Show.

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Tune In: Alicia Silverstone’s Kind Diet on Rachael Ray

The Kind Diet is the actress and environmental activist’s own recipe for how a plant-based diet can knock pounds off of your waistline and contribute to the health of the earth.

In the book, Silverstone outlines three simple approaches for gradually incorporating a greener diet into your lifestyle. The actress shares her passion for green living and eating with the ladies of The View and she also cooks a few recipes from it.

Here is DietsInReview’s sneak preview of The Kind Diet will be released on October 13, 2009.

Check your local listings for The View air times.

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Tune In: Alicia Silverstone’s The Kind Diet on The View