Easy Dairy-Free Coleslaw

Yum

Super Easy Non-Dairy Coleslaw (and Bon Jovi!)

Hi guys! How is summer treating you so far? I hope you are having tons of fun! My boys are keeping me busy with swimming, sleep overs, parades, trips to the beach and the water park, and movies! It’s been so much fun so far! Last week we went out to go shopping (Target, Whole Foods, etc) and the most wonderful thing happened! (Well, I guess spontaneous world peace, or winning the lottery, might be the MOST wonderful thing, but this was regular day most wonderful…) When we were leaving Target, we heard Bon Jovi music, and as we listened closer, we discovered that it sounded live, and that it was coming from a small park next to the parking area. So we went over there, and they were having a concert in the park! Not the real Bon Jovi, but a cover band that LOOKED and SOUNDED just like Bon Jovi! They were really, really good! I have to say that the teenager in me was pretty darn happy. We stayed to watch them and had so.much.fun! Speaking for myself anyway.. I think the kids were like, ‘can we leave now?!’, but when they saw the huge smile on my face, they settled in. 😉 Little kids were running around, people were eating and drinking, playing with beach balls, women were taking selfies with the band in the background, and lots of people were dancing. When they started into “It’s My Life”, a beautiful 60 something woman went dancing by, and it just filled my heart with joy. It was a really awesome, summer fun scene! I’ve been a fan since I was 10 years old, so I was really happy to be there. It was the BEST shopping trip ever. And that’s just one of the reasons that summer is so awesome. Everyone is out and about, and everyone is ready to have some fun. BTW – the band was “Wanted” and they play all over the U.S., so you might be able to catch them somewhere if you love Bon Jovi too! Anyone else?

Of course no discussion of the awesomeness of summer would be complete without mentioning summer food, and I’m pretty sure that’s why you’re here! You know what I’m talking about – all of the wonderful fruits and veggies that are so plentiful right now, and definitely eating outside! So, in the spirit of not spending too much time in the kitchen, and helping you find that perfect summer food to bring to your next pool party, or outdoor ________ (insert your favorite artist) concert, I’m giving you my recipe for this super Easy Non-dairy Coleslaw! So, you level 5, professional vegans can just skip this next part, but for everyone else, let’s start this coleslaw discussion off, with a little non-dairy mayo 101. You are welcome to use any brand of non-dairy mayonnaise you like for this recipe, just know that each brand is a little different, and you’ll have to adjust the amount of liquid you add according to how thick you want your dressing to be. Don’t worry, it’s not difficult at all. So, if you are brand new to this, there are actually many brands of egg-free, non-dairy mayos out there. Most of them are really tasty and are indistinguishable from their conventional counter parts. Benefits of eating this over the regular stuff are that all vegan foods contain zero cholesterol, and you don’t have to stress over keeping your potato salad or coleslaw cold at a picnic because egg-free mayo won’t go all salmonella on you if it sits out for a little while. I recommend using either Vegenaise or Just Mayo. I tend to use Just Mayo because I know it’s easy for my readers to find. Vegenaise is a great product, and available at Whole Foods, health food stores, and at some grocery stores. In addition to that, you can find Just Mayo at Target and Walmart, and other big chains, they’ve done a great job at being everywhere! There’s other brands as well, including one called Fabanaise which is a new product made by Sir Kennsington’s that is made out of aquafaba (the liquid drained from a can of beans!). Speaking of aquafaba, you can make your own mayo out of it, if you want. In any case, we live in a time where there is a vegan alternative for just about everything and they are of high quality, so you have your pick. Now that you know that – on with the recipe!

To make this recipe even easier and get you out the door to some summer fun, buy your cabbage and carrots already shredded! At Whole Foods they have organic cabbage and carrots all ready to go, and I’m sure you can find it like that at other places as well. I’m telling you, this recipe is just so easy! Basically, just add your shredded veggies to a bowl, scoop your mayo onto the top, and add your spices. Add the lemon juice and a little bit of non-dairy milk. After you start mixing everything up, you can add more milk, a little at a time until the dressing is your desired consistency. I recommend using a non-dairy milk that has some body to it (rice milk is very thin – but you can use it if preferred), and a neutral flavor, like almond milk or soy milk. Make sure you get the unsweetened one that isn’t flavored (a lot are flavored with vanilla). You can make this the night before and serve it the next day, it will keep for a couple of days in the fridge.

This coleslaw is the perfect summer side dish, not only because it’s super easy to make, but because it tastes just like ‘regular’ coleslaw, so you can serve it to everyone, and no one will ever know it’s non-dairy. Also, it’s light and tangy, crunchy and cold, so it satisfies the senses on a hot summer day. I hope the rest of your summer is filled with magical, memory making moments with your family and friends, and that it includes some live music! I’ll be sure to report on more on our summer adventures (I’m going to see Guns N’ Roses you guys!! YES!!), and I’d LOVE to hear about what you’re up to too! Leave me a comment and let me know about your adventures! Are you camping or traveling? Concerts? Did your baby just try watermelon for the first time? Share your beautiful moments with us! The world needs more happy stories more than ever! Enjoy your summer, whatever you’re doing, and enjoy this recipe. Let me know if you have any questions. Take Care, Angel

Hungry for more Summer Recipes? Check out my Summer Celebration Tortilla Soup, Carrot Cake Bars, Southwestern Bacon Avocado Salad, Peach Banana Berry Smoothie, and these gluten free Strawberries and Cream Scones! All of the recipes on my blog are vegan and gluten free. If you would like to make sure you get more great recipes and keep up with my posts, get on my newsletter list by entering you email below.