Ayesha Curry has teamed up with So Delicious to create dairy-free alternatives of her top recipes.
Courtesy of Ayesha Curry/So Delicious
Plant-based lifestyles in the Black community have often, for years, served as a way of liberation and empowerment to combat the unjust system that was built to destroy them. Vegan and other plant-based diets have also proven to be effective in reducing health risks in Black communities.
It should then come as no surprise that Black people are the fastest growing group of vegans in the country. Black women like Tabitha Brown, specifically, who are among the most powerful trendsetters, are leading this wave.
Recently joining the fight to promote better eating habits is Ayesha Curry. The New York Times bestselling cookbook author and restaurateur is one of the latest driving forces behind the dairy-free movement. Curry, who is no stranger to championing communities of color via her lifestyle magazine Sweet July, recently teamed up with So Delicious Dairy Free to create dairy-free versions of her most popular recipes. For the last 30 years, the company has boasted an entire line of products that are certified vegan including frozen desserts and beverages.
Curry’s journey to living a dairy-free lifestyle started when she realized the benefits for her and her family.
“I initially started going dairy-free for my son, but soon realized it could help the rest of the family feel better too,” says Curry. Her favorite dairy-free recipes include the Chicken Parm Burger, for which she swaps out the traditional mozzarella for the So Delicious Dairy Free Parmesan Shreds. “Many people assume that when you give up dairy you can’t make traditional comfort foods, but most of the time it’s not until after the meal that I even mention the meal was non-dairy. Nobody notices the difference.”
As a mother of three, healthy eating habits are a top priority for Curry.
“Having a job that revolves around food, means I’m in the kitchen a lot and cooking every meal during this time got to a point where I was just plain exhausted,” says Curry. “One thing that helped was including the family in the process. Making it not just about getting the meal on the table, but also spending quality time with them.”
Alongside Curry, Black women like Pinky Cole, founder and CEO of vegan restaurant franchise Slutty Vegan, and Denise Woodard, founder of allergy friendly snack brand Partake Foods, are examples of how Black women are leading the charge in providing healthy food alternatives accessible to Black communities.
