Vegan Yogurt Mousse for the 4th of July

This is a contributed post. You can read more about that here.

America’s most star-spangled weekend is right around the corner and with it the onslaught of meats, cheese, and sugars of all kinds. While we won’t say no to those in the right capacities, it’s hard not to head back to work coming out of a food coma after the holiday weekend.

Between that and the sheer amount of alcohol that will be everywhere, it can be easy to blow your diet on the 4th of July. However, if you’re somebody in charge of preparing a dish for a cookout, you should know that there are some delicious and healthier versions of Independence Day staples. Today we’re going to talk about one of our favorites in particular: vegan yogurt mousse.

The full-dairy version of this recipe has been around for quite some time, either in the form of a patriotic yogurt cup or parfait. In recent years, the buzz surrounding this recipe has mostly been about using all-natural, local ingredients, even spurring some enthusiastic dessert makers to learn how to make yogurt from scratch. In the spirit of individual freedom, we’d like to say more power to them. However, we’d also like to give our lactose-intolerant and plant-based friends a chance to join in the fun.

Enter vegan yogurt mousse. Let’s talk a little bit about the nutritional value of this dish.

Unlike most of the dishes and desserts you’ll probably see over the holiday weekend, this vegan yogurt mousse is both low-fat and low-sugar, making it both a delicious and healthier alternative to the various jello molds trembling on the picnic tables. Moreover, agave nectar is about 1.5 times sweeter than regular sugar, so you’ll get the same amount of sweetness for less dental and waistline damage. If that’s not enough to convince, then know that you won’t have to soak any cashews to get this recipe right; all you’ll have to do is blend the ingredients and stick them in the fridge.

And on that note, here’s what you’ll need. If you’re not a coconut fan, then other plant-based kinds of milk, like almond, oat, or cashew, will work just fine, too. Cashew lovers may find that cashew milk lends an almost cheesecake-y flavor to the concoction; consider that if you want this recipe to take a turn for the decadent. Also, don’t worry if you don’t have any lemons on hand; some lemon juice out of the bottle will do just fine.

Once everything is blended, pour the mixture into three separate serving cups and sit for at least four hours. However, letting it sit overnight will thicken it better and give it a more mousse-y texture. These yogurts will generally keep for three days in the refrigerator. If you want to shoot for a more frozen yogurt-style dessert, pop them in the freezer for a couple of hours before serving.

When the serving time comes, decorate your mousses with fresh, local summertimes berries like blueberries and strawberries. These little treats are sure to be a hit with dairy lovers and non-dairy lovers alike. Happy holiday weekend, and may your family have a safe and healthy weekend.