Girl Crush & Vegan Chef Chloe Coscarelli Shares Her Healthy Vegan Swaps

July 31, 2018

This article was previously published on February 3, 2017.

Girl Crush & Vegan Chef Chloe Coscarelli Shares Her Healthy Vegan Swaps

Can you say, Sono vegana? It means “I am vegan” in Italian! Thanks to restauranteur and Cupcake Wars winner Chloe Coscarelli, there are now dozens of classic Italian recipes we can enjoy come un vegana with the help of a few simple and healthy swaps.

I have personally made several of Coscarelli’s recipes—and I often turn to her genius when I have non-vegan company coming because whether I’m making a hearty pasta dish or a batch of her decadent cupcakes, the food is always met with happy, astonished looks—and, “Is this really vegan?!”

While it may be impossible to completely recapture Italian cuisine (and who says we need to?), Coscarelli will get you pretty darn close—and your plate will be healthier for it! By avoiding all of the animals fats present in traditional Italian cuisine, you’ll be saving yourself calories and the ethical baggage of dairy. It’s a win-win! Read on for her delicious tips.

Chef Chloe Coscarelli’s Yummy Vegan Swaps

Animal product: Cheese

Vegan swap: Nutritional yeast. “Full of B vitamins, low in calories, and it has a nutty, cheesy flavor,” she told Marie Claire.

Animal product: Alfredo sauce

Vegan swap: Almond cream—“Avoid a food coma, and you’ll be able to do a yoga class after.” Cashews also make an amazing base for a vegan pasta cream sauce

Vegan Sauce Recipes: Sage and Pomegranate Fettuccine Alfredo

Animal product: Sausage

Vegan swap: Mushrooms, walnuts, and seasoning. “Place walnuts [1 cup] in a food processor, and process until a fine crumbly meal forms. Add mushrooms [8 ounces], flour [3 tablespoons], basil [1 teaspoon, dried], red pepper [pinch, powdered], salt, pepper, and maple syrup [1 tablespoon], and pulse about 25 times.”

Animal product: Whipped cream

Vegan swap: Coconut cream. “A great ingredient for replacing just about any kind of dairy.” To make whipped coconut, simply open a chilled can of coconut milk (it must be canned). Do not shake or stir. Scoop off the solid top half and deposit in a bowl. Use a whisk to whip, and sweeten to taste. Try it in Raw Coconut Cream Berry Tarts.

Raw Vegan Recipes: Coconut Cream Berry Tarts

Animal product: Bacon

Vegan swap: Shiitake mushrooms. You’ll need 1 pound shiitake mushrooms (thinly sliced), ¼ olive oil, 1 ¼ teaspoons sea salt, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper. “Toss mushrooms with oil, salt, and pepper. Bake for about 30 minutes, turning frequently with a spatula, until lightly browned and crisp.” See also: Shiitake Bacon Breakfast Hash.

Vegan Brunch Recipes: Shiitake Bacon Breakfast Hash

Animal product: Mozzarella

Vegan swap: Tofu tossed in olive oil, salt, and pepper. “Skewer 1 cube of tofu, 1 half carry tomato, and 1 basil leaf.” Voila, super quick vegan Caprese! You may also be interested in Vegan Eggplant Caprese

Vegan Appetizer Recipes: Eggplant Caprese

Check out more vegan Italian cooking tips in Chloe Coscarelli’s Chloe’s Vegan Italian Kitchen: 150 Pizzas, Pastas, Pestos, Risottos, & Lots of Creamy Italian Classics.

Girl Crush & Vegan Chef Chloe Coscarelli Shares Her Healthy Vegan Swaps

What are your favorite vegan swaps?

Related: 10 High-Protein Vegan Foods You Should Be Eating

15 Easy Vegan Meals with Common Ingredients

Vegan Cooking Tips: Creating Easy Vegan Side Dishes

Get more like thissign up for our newsletter for exclusive inspirational content!

__

Photo: ChefChloe.com, Mary Hood Luttrell, Peaceful Dumpling, Quincy Malesovas

Avatar
Peaceful Dumpling Beauty Editor and creator of Bisou du Jour, Mary Hood Luttrell lives with her husband in Corpus Christi, Texas. Mary is a freelance writer and writing and blogging consultant. A lover of whole foods, Mary delights in learning new ways to prepare vegan dishes. Mary also enjoys reading and writing poetry, art journaling, running, and practicing yoga and ballet. Follow Mary on her blog Bisou du Jour, Instagram and Pinterest.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

always stay inspired!



[class^="wpforms-"]
[class^="wpforms-"]