Ever since I knew this was possible, it's been one of my favorites! Whip cream is one of those things you miss most when you can't have dairy. This recipe is super easy to make-just like the original version of homemade whip cream. The only key is the can of coconut milk has to be in your fridge for at least a day before you make it...and if you're anything like me, that's hard to remember! My solution: I always keep a can in the fridge just in case I need it!
  

Coconut Whip Cream
(Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free and can be Corn-Free)

Created by jalene

Ingredients:

• 1 can of coconut milk (refrigerated at least 1 day, see tips!)
• start with 3 Tbsp Powdered  Sugar, you can always add more if you want it sweeter (see tips)
• 1 tsp gluten-free vanilla

Directions: 

1. Remove the can of coconut from the fridge and scoop the white thick & solid part of the can into a mixing bowl. Beat until soft peaks form, similar to whip cream. Add your vanilla and sugar and blend slightly more. 

Keep in an airtight container in the fridge. Keeps for at least 3 days if not more. 
After being in the fridge, the coconut milk whip cream will start to firm up. Simply stir it to get back the whip cream consistency. 

Here is another great Milk Alternative for you. It's one that I came up with after combining a couple of other different Almond Milk recipes. If you haven't ever researched it, there are a lot of different methods out there- some with blanching the almonds, some with not, some with soaking overnight, and some with grinding to a meal first... This is our favorite combination. 

This recipe is for Plain Almond Milk but you can easily make Vanilla Almond Milk by adding 1 & 1/2 tsp of gluten free vanilla.

Almond Milk 
(Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Corn-Free, Refined Sugar-Free)
Created by jalene

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup of raw almonds (with skin or blanched)
• 2 cups water
• 3 & 3/4 cups water
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 Tbsp 100% Pure Maple Syrup (optional)

Directions: 

1. Thoroughly rinse the raw almonds in a strainer. (See note)
2. Lightly dry and place the raw almonds on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes on 300 F.
3. Transfer the hot, toasted almonds into an airtight container with the 2 cups of water. Store in the refrigerator overnight or at least 6-8 hours. 
4. Drain and rinse almonds from soaking water. Place in blender along with 3 & 3/4 cups water, salt, and maple syrup. Blend on high for 1 minute. 
5. Strain milk through a metal strainer. Mine looks like this:

You may need to work the liquid through, scraping the pulp away. (SAVE THE PULP! I keep it in an airtight container in the fridge until I'm ready to use it. See below to find out 2 options you can use it for later.) 

Store milk in an airtight container in the fridge. Lasts about 3-5 days. 
Makes 4 cups Almond Milk with about 1/2 cup leftover pulp. 

We rinse and toast our almonds before making our milk due to alleric reactions by eating them raw. Reactions for me involve itchy ears and an irritated throat. Often times, patients will come to my husband saying they think they are allergic to different kinds of nuts, fruits, or vegetables when in fact, after being tested by my husband, are ACTUALLY allergic to the pesticides and chemicals they are treated with.  Washing your fruits and vegetables alone is not enough to remove these unwanted substances because they have ALREADY been power-washed before they come to you. Studies show they STILL have remnants of chemicals, hence the dirty dozen list. 

If you notice a slight reaction with something you are eating, try eating the organic version and see if you still experience the same reaction. For example, non-organic apples give me itchy ear and an irritated throat but organic apples, of the same variety, DO NOT.  Other possible allergic reactions may include: sinus problems, puffy or tingling lips, bloated stomach, stomach ache, diarrhea, headaches, and migraines. Remember, if you experience a SEVERE allergic reaction to a food, consult an allergy doctor FIRST before experimenting. 

My husband, Dr. Nielsen, says clinically, 95% of all headaches, especially migraines are caused by a food sensitivity (unless there has been severe brain trauma). Pretty interesting stuff when you start to learn more.   

I like to use everything I can from the almonds because the leftover pulp does have some great fiber and nutrients remaining in it. Plus, almonds can be expensive so it's a great way to not waste! Here are some options on what to use it in: 

Option #1: 
I use the pulp in my APPLE OAT PANCAKES. It fits in great! 

Option #2: 
I use the pulp in smoothies. Try this one: Super-Healthy Almond Smoothy

For some reason I never imagined that you could make your own coconut milk. I don't know why but it just never occurred to me. I guess the process seemed to hard and I was thinking in the wrong direction. Grab a coconut, hammer it open, scrape out the inside...etc. It seemed like a lot of work AND it would be, if one were to do it that way. But here is a serious more simple way to make your own equivalent can of coconut...with only 2 ingredients!
 

Coconut Milk 
(Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, etc.)
Created by jalene

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 2 cups of water

Directions: 

1. In a dry blender (I use a Blentec) grind the coconut down to a powder as much as you can. You may need to scrape the sides down. 
2. Add the water and blend on medium-high speed for 45 seconds. For a more creamy milk, blend 2-3 more times.
3. Strain through a metal strainer. Mine looks like this:

Makes about 1 & 1/2 cups of coconut milk; equal to 1 can.
This works great in soups or other like dishes. I have not tried it for making whip cream yet. 

Did you know you can make your own Soy Milk?! It is SO easy and saves you A LOT of money. Plus, you can make it Organic and non-GMO so it's even healthier for you than the regular Soy Milk on the shelf. This recipe below will fill a 4 cup mason jar just like my Rice Milk recipe. We love eating Soy Milk with our Maple Granola or using in various Gluten-Free recipes as a milk-substitute. 

You can easily make this Plain Soy Milk by leaving out the vanilla. 
 

If you haven't ever tried making your own milk alternative, you really should! It's SO easy and you save a lot of money! It's also a sure way to guarantee it is Gluten-Free and has no un-wanted added ingredients. 

This next recipe is one of the cheapest milk alternatives to make. It's also the least likely to cause any food-related allergies. The only downfall is it's also not the most nutritious. For this reason we alternate between Rice, Almond, and Soy milk in our home. Be sure to check out the notes below for another way to add protein to your Rice Milk. 

You can use white or brown rice to make this recipe. White rice has more of a neutral taste but it is less nutritional. You can easily convert this recipe into Vanilla Rice Milk by adding 1 & 1/2 tsp of gluten free vanilla. 
 

Rice Milk
(Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free, Soy-Free, Nut-Free)
Created by jalene

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup cooked white or brown rice, chilled
• 3 1/2 cups cold water
• 1 Tbsp 100% pure maple syrup (optional)
• 1/4 + 1/8 tsp sea salt

Directions: 

1. Place all ingredients into a blender and blend for about 45 seconds or until most of the rice is dissolved. (The longer you blend, the thicker your Rice Milk will be.)
2. Strain the milk threw a mesh strainer (you may need to use a spoon to scoop out excess rice if the strainer gets clogged).

My strainer looks like this:

Refrigerate and serve cold. Makes 4 cups, which fills 1 large mason jar. I use the plastic lids instead of metal because of the rusting issue. You can purchase the plastic lids wherever canning supplies are sold. 

1 cup of uncooked rice will yield 4 large mason jars of Rice Milk! Now that's some cheap milk!

*Note: 
To add some protein as well as dietary fiber, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron to our Rice Milk I sometimes add in Quinoa. I usually cook 1/4 cup Quinoa with 3/4 cup white rice. (Just be sure to wash your Quinoa super well before cooking to rinse off the strong taste.) If you have picky kids (or husband) you can start out adding in less Quinoa and gradually increase the amount with each batch until they get used to it. 

Milk Replacement TIP:

• Use Rice Milk in place of skim milk
  
• Use Soy Milk or Almond Milk in place of 1 or 2% milk
• Use Coconut Milk  in place of heavy cream