Going dairy free, need help!

AskingTooMuch
AskingTooMuch Posts: 50 Member
in Recipes
Does anyone have some tasty dairy free recipes? I have to give up cheese and yogurt etc, and need some new inspiration!

Replies

  • StacyReneO
    StacyReneO Posts: 317 Member
    Anything specific you are looking for? Once I gave up those things and the enzymes were out of my system, I no longer craved them. I still haven't found replacements for yogurt or sour cream in recipes, but replace all milk with coconut milk.
  • ericcumbee
    ericcumbee Posts: 117 Member
    Anything specific you are looking for? Once I gave up those things and the enzymes were out of my system, I no longer craved them. I still haven't found replacements for yogurt or sour cream in recipes, but replace all milk with coconut milk.

    Coconut Milk is excellent. I've been using it in place of skim milk in my protein shakes.
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
    I have a dairy allergy, so I've been dairy-free my entire life. There are a lot of soy products out there that are intended to mimic dairy (soy milk, soy cheese, etc.), however, I am also allergic to soy (and you don't want to rely on soy anyway). So...

    I make my own nut milks (it's easy - just soak your desired type of nuts over night in water, blend the next day with more water (about 1:3 nut to water ratio), strain using a nut milk bag, and then blend again with your flavouring if you choose)...as for yogurt, I tend to go with coconut yogurt, but I don't eat a lot of it. I also rely on nutritional yeast for cheese flavouring in sauces and soups and things.
  • toothpastechica
    toothpastechica Posts: 250 Member
    Are you trying to cut out all dairy or just lactose...because for many the lactose is the problem and some dairy is good for you. You can buy lactose free yogurt, lactose free milk or soy/almond milk, almost recipes that use dairy can be substituted with the soy or almond alternative.
  • corgicake
    corgicake Posts: 846 Member
    I defer to East Asia as usual. In the event that you need to start including dairy for one purpose or another, do not attempt to do it by eating their traditional recipes - this is only slightly easier than attempting to find a Chinese dish that involves uncooked vegetables.
  • MyJourney1960
    MyJourney1960 Posts: 1,133 Member
    i went dairy free for about 3 years, about 10 years ago.

    I just went dairy free - i didn't look for substitutes etc. I focused on chickens, meat, turkey, beans and vegetables.

    I'm not a fan of "fake" cheese, toffuti "ice cream", dairy free "cheese cake" and so on - so i just didn't try those

    so just focus on embracing this "new way of living"
  • FlabFighter86
    FlabFighter86 Posts: 233 Member
    Just been put on a lactose intolerant diet last week and doing the same thing, looking for foods that I can eat. At the moment been stocking up on a lot of fruit, veg, meats, nuts and pulses.
  • acahane
    acahane Posts: 34 Member
    I have been dairy free for years as I have a allergy to it. I use soya milk (alpro) and soya spread (pure). I am from the UK. I have not found a good cheese alternative however sheep and goats cheese may work for you. Soya cream also works well for when a recipe callls for cream. There are many forms of milk out there, try a few and see what you like.

    There is very little you can't have these days and in the UK we have "Free From" sections in the supermarkets with loads of dairy free stuff.
  • lollypop114
    lollypop114 Posts: 31
    I have had to cut out dairy as that really messes up my IBS, but also cannot have soy for the same reason. As others have said, I stick to Almond milk on cereal etc and then use coconut milk for protein shakes, smoothies, cooking etc. I never looked for alternatives because I wasn't that fussed on it. I use grated mozzerella for anything with cheese because I seem to be ok with that, but other than that, all alternatives seem to be made from soy. Trust me, I never miss things like yoghurts.
  • Illona88
    Illona88 Posts: 903 Member
    I have been lactose intolerant for years. I can still tolerate a little bit of cheese or probiotic yoghurt, but prefer to play it safe and stay away.

    My recommendations:

    Stay away from soy products, they're usually horrid.
    Instead of milk: rice milk (my personal favourite), almond milk, hemp milk, oat milk. Oat milk has the most protein and often doesn't contain sugar.
    Instead of Parmesan: mix one part nutritional yeast (available in health food shops) with one part sesame seeds in a blender or kitchen machine with a sprinkle of salt. Chop to a powder like grated Parmesan.
    Instead of cream: use oat cream. If not available , there's usually soy cream.
    Instead of butter: sunflower / olive oil spread or vegan margarine.
    Instead of chocolate: dairy free chocolate from wholefoods or other health food stores (made with rice)
    Instead if yoghurt: coconut yoghurt or soy yoghurt.
    Instead if ice cream: wholefoods sell an ice cream brand that makes ice cream from cashew nut milk. It's delicious. Also really expensive, so a good motivation to only have it as a treat ;).

    You can make pretty much anything that has diary in it dairy free. You just have to replace it with substitutes. Only thing you can't replace is cheese (trust me, soy cheese is horrible). Basically just look for anything that says vegan and go to health food shops for the stuff you can't find in regular supermarkets.
  • louiloui123
    louiloui123 Posts: 22 Member
    Almond milk...
  • VeganLexi
    VeganLexi Posts: 960 Member
    Google "The Vegg" it is a natural plant based egg yolk replacer (use it in any recipe that requires an egg). Also, tofu, black beans, chickpeas (love hummus).. view my diary if you need some ideas :smile: I eat a lot of Indian, Chinese, Taiwanese and Thai dishes.

    Good luck!
  • VeganLexi
    VeganLexi Posts: 960 Member
    How could I forget...Rice milk!
  • sarahmoo12
    sarahmoo12 Posts: 756 Member
    great idea for parmesan
  • linzijoy
    linzijoy Posts: 109 Member
    If you're only lactose intolerant, there's a great brand in the UK called lactofree. I use their milk in my tea, their cheese when I get a craving and their cream and butter when I’m making desserts – it all tastes exactly the same.

    Almond milk in cereal and smoothies is delicious, but only the unsweetened version!

    I've also found mexican food (without the cheese!) thai and Indian are my favourites to cook at home and both Dominoes and Pizza Express will make pizza without cheese for you.

    On a side note, I ate at Pret the other day and was appalled that none of their foods have the ingredients displayed!
  • TheVeganFrenchie
    TheVeganFrenchie Posts: 61
    All the vegan recipes are made for you! :)

    http://www.vegetalou.com/

    http://vegweb.com/

    http://www.gluten-free-vegan-girl.com/ (this one is my fave)

    Good luck and have fun cooking!
  • gastlysmom
    gastlysmom Posts: 28
    Dairy is "the worst protein " that you can put into your body. I read the china study and it kinda freaked me out. I took myself off dairy a year ago and now I have very little allergy symptoms ( score !)
    Almond milk ( Blue Diamond Original tastes and acts most like cows milk) Soy is not especially good for you, especially in large qty's . It will mess with your hormones so tread lightly. You can also try coconut milk ( not coconut water which is not tasty but is really good for you and is good in smoothies as a base and to rehydrate )
    Go to any vegan website and you will find dairy free everything. A good health food store ( vita cost where i live) sells dairy replacements for all things. Daiya "cheese", Tofutti "sour cream and cream cheese" with no diary. start looking and when you find products you love ask your local grocery store to start carrying that product for you. Ill bet you arent the only one who wants it !
  • gastlysmom
    gastlysmom Posts: 28
    Are you trying to cut out all dairy or just lactose...because for many the lactose is the problem and some dairy is good for you. You can buy lactose free yogurt, lactose free milk or soy/almond milk, almost recipes that use dairy can be substituted with the soy or almond alternative.

    Dairy protein is the very worst protein you can put into your body. Consider plant proteins. No Im not an activist. I have just read the indisputable facts.
  • AskingTooMuch
    AskingTooMuch Posts: 50 Member
    Thanks everyone! I just tried 'Rice Dream', and it's great! I really liked it, although I was pretty nervous I'd just wasted some money. Coconut milk and Almond milk are next on my list to try! Thanks again everyone!
  • VeganLexi
    VeganLexi Posts: 960 Member
    Thanks everyone! I just tried 'Rice Dream', and it's great! I really liked it, although I was pretty nervous I'd just wasted some money. Coconut milk and Almond milk are next on my list to try! Thanks again everyone!

    I love Rice Dream!!
  • agdyl
    agdyl Posts: 246 Member
    i went dairy free for about 3 years, about 10 years ago.

    I just went dairy free - i didn't look for substitutes etc. I focused on chickens, meat, turkey, beans and vegetables.

    I'm not a fan of "fake" cheese, toffuti "ice cream", dairy free "cheese cake" and so on - so i just didn't try those

    so just focus on embracing this "new way of living"

    This is my method too. I have unsweetened almond milk in the house for rare occasions where I need something like that, but I seriously use like one little container every 3 months or so.

    Most things you can just skip the cheese or milk (or sub with water), but if it just has to have it for a recipe to make sense, I just don't bother making/eating it.
  • PheonixRizing
    PheonixRizing Posts: 131 Member
    I am not dairy free as some dairy products bother me since having gastric bypass surgery and some don't, and also being an on again off again vegan that used to work for Wholefoods I have picked up many, many tricks.

    Almond milk, hemp milk, oat milk, and coconut milks are all good substitutes for milk.

    For eggs: you can buy substitutes for baking i stick to 1:3 T ratio of ground flax and water. For eating: tofu mashed up sprinkle a little turmeric for egg-like color, nutritional yeast and preferred seasonings and add some veggies and you have yourself a tofu scramble, Amy's also makes a tofu scramble available at wholefoods frozen section

    Other baking alternatives to egg: Applesauce and pureed pumpkin. You just need a binder and these two fit the bill. Just google the amounts cause they vary also keeping in mind that pumpkin will flavor it pumpkiny. With applesauce you can't taste it at all.

    Nutrition yeast can be used to replace cheese. You can find a mecca of recipes for cheese sauces using this ingredient. There aren't really any good products on the market for sliced cheese replacements, I've tried most of them and nothing really is as good. I would just forgo it altogether.

    I try to stay away from soy but indulge once in awhile. Soy as it goes through processing isn't very nutritional by the end of it.

    There is a lot of information via the web, use google. Here are a few of my go to sites

    Fatfreevegan.com
    engine2diet.com
    Pinterest
    Google

    Good luck.

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