GoVeggie!: Do That Grilled Cheese Lactose Free!

Thanks for Moms Meet, I got to take on a challenge: get creative with grilled cheese. The tricky bit? I'm not using cheese. Well, not your average cheese, at any rate. THIS cheese.

Yep. GoVeggie! Slices. Made from rice, coconut, soybeans and potatoes. Seriously. All of them are lactose and gluten free, and some versions are dairy, soy and GMO free. There's shreds and cream cheese available as well. Read about the healthy benefits HERE. What I have above are the lactose-free Pepper Jack, American, and Mozzarella. So what grilled cheese fabulousness did I come up with?

For the Pepper Jack, I pounded a chicken breast super thin and grilled it in some cajun seasoning, then did up the grilled cheese. Yummy, eh? It was.

For the American, I tried a couple of options. First, a bit of egg and crumbled bacon, and breakfast is a happy time.

Plus, it was the perfect crowning touch to a classic tuna melt on whole-grain bread.

And now the Mozzarella. Well, the first thing that came to mind was the obvious for that particular cheese: pizza. But can you make a pizza grilled cheese?

Yes indeedy.

I used my homemade pizza sauce, but any will do. Butter the bread, spoon on a nice layer of sauce on the other side, place the cheese on top with a sprinkle of oregano, and top with another buttered slice. Bam. You can even serve it with a small cup of extra sauce for dipping if you like.

Getting bored with grilled cheese? Well, I'm not done yet. Are you a fan of mac and cheese, but dairy just doesn't play well with you?  Your search is over. You can make it with these.

You can use just about any flavor slices, though American and Cheddar are recommended. I used the Pepper Jack to add a kick. Check it out.

Rich, creamy, decadent...and healthy. I was inspired by this recipe HERE, and tweaked it a bit. My version:

1 pound elbow macaroni, or other small shape.
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
10 Slices (1 package) GoVeggie Cheddar Flavor Slices
4 Slices GoVeggie Pepper Jack Cheese (or American)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (you can use a dairy-free substitute for this, too. I used regular.)
Salt to taste.

Cook the macaroni to al dente and drain. Heat the milk in the same pot you cooked the pasta in, and add the slices and Parmesan. Stir until melted. Taste and season as necessary, then add the pasta back in and mix until fully blended. Good stuff.

GoVeggie impressed me, both with the flavor and the smooth, consistent melt, which has not been my experience with this kind of cheese. The kids even ate it without complaint, which is ALSO not my usual experience. It was a great experience for all, as it opened up a whole new world for those who had avoided cheesed in the past for whatever reason. There's nothing like a nice, hot, melty grilled cheese, and now even those to whom cheese is not a friend can enjoy it. Win-win for all!

I received free products for testing purposes from GoVeggie via Moms Meet. My opinions and utter cheesiness are my own.