Are you trying to “green” your grocery list?  First, cross off beef ‘cause it has one of the highest environmental footprints. Then the next item to go might be dairy. Many farms grow soy, oats and other grains for livestock feed and in the process emit greenhouse gases and use vast amounts of water and land. Instead, you can skip the middleman (or “middle–cow”) and consume these plants as dairy alternatives. With a healthy diet of leafy greens, legumes and beans along with a daily dose of Vitamin D from the sun, your body won’t miss that dairy.

But… a lot diary substitutes on the grocery store shelves are heavily processed, not all that palatable and not particularly sustainable. Think squeaky soy “cheddar” or almonds grown in California’s drought conditions. Here are two recipes that may change your mind about going dairy-free and you too will say, “Wow! No Cow.”

First, stop by your local farmers market to source oats. Then whip up some yummy, homemade oat milk for your morning coffee.

Or try this easy Parmesan “Cheese” recipe:

• 3/4 Cup Raw Cashews Pieces
• 3 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
• a few hearty grinds of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)

Throw all ingredients into a food processor and pulse to a fine meal. Pop into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 months.