Help! Dairy (casein)/Gluten Free Cheese

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booplouise
booplouise Posts: 15 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So - due to some blood work, and needing to just get myself healthier (besides being overweight I have at least 3 autoimmune conditions)... I've restricted beef, gluten, and dairy out of my life. The beef and gluten I can do. I've done gluten free before, and I don't mean I buy a bunch of preprocessed stuff, I mean have a few preprocessed things, but make my own... but the dairy is getting me. It's no casein, so whey should be off the table, as well as goat milk. I tried to vegan, casein free, cheeses, and I just can't. At $5 a bag this is getting to be an expensive venture for food I'm not going to eat. Any ideas? I've heard that hard aged cheeses lose their lactose as time goes by, but anything else? Are there recommendations?

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  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,641 Member
    edited March 2015
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    I'll be captain obvious, but I'd just learn to eat things not associated with cheese.

    My son had some food sensitivities (aggravated his acid reflux) and the alternative to dairy products are just no very palatable.
  • jkwolly
    jkwolly Posts: 3,049 Member
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    _John_ wrote: »
    I'll be captain obvious, but I'd just learn to eat things not associated with cheese.

    My son had some food sensitivities (aggravated his acid reflux) and the alternative to dairy products are just no very palatable.
    Lulz, my thoughts exactly.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    If you don't like commercial dairy/casein free cheese (have you tried Chao Slices by Field Roast, by the way? They're brand new and probably the best out there), have you ever thought about making your own?

    The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook by Jo Stepaniak is a collection of easy "cheesy" recipes based on various plant-foods (and it includes lots of clearly marked gluten-free options). Reviews vary on how "cheeselike" tasters find the recipes. I've made some I have really liked, as well as some that haven't worked so well.

    Artisan Vegan Cheese by Miyoko Schinner is a collection of more challenging (but also, I think, more "true to life") plant-based cheese recipes. It also include many gluten-free options.

    There are lots of people who can't stand commercial dairy/casein free cheese who are pleasantly surprised when they begin making their own.
  • bigblondewolf
    bigblondewolf Posts: 268 Member
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    Before I give my two cents, I have to ask. Are you cutting out gluten because the blood work has come back positive for Celiac?
  • brendak76
    brendak76 Posts: 241 Member
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    Nutritional yeast can be used in some dishes to replace cheese. We just do without cheese here. I've ordered pizza on a gf crust with no cheese before and it's surprisingly good!
  • booplouise
    booplouise Posts: 15 Member
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    Lol. I know that captain obvious, but this whole denying oneself of 3 very yummy things all at once is putting me Ina bit of shock, and I love having cheese on my corn tortillas with ground turkey. Oh. I also have to limit my intake on the basic lettuces, bell peppers, other toppings. Though I'm just minimizing those, not denying completely. I did find some amazing dairy free chocolate though. As a stereotypical woman that was a small joyful moment... So I was hoping for the same thing with cheese.
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
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    Goat dairy.

    You'll have to give up your left arm for a tiny block of goat cheese, but it's actually very good.

    There's also sheep cheese, if you can find it, but that will cost you one of your kidneys.
  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,641 Member
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    booplouise wrote: »
    Lol. I know that captain obvious, but this whole denying oneself of 3 very yummy things all at once is putting me Ina bit of shock, and I love having cheese on my corn tortillas with ground turkey. Oh. I also have to limit my intake on the basic lettuces, bell peppers, other toppings. Though I'm just minimizing those, not denying completely. I did find some amazing dairy free chocolate though. As a stereotypical woman that was a small joyful moment... So I was hoping for the same thing with cheese.

    chocolate is MUCH better dairy free...assuming you like dark.
  • booplouise
    booplouise Posts: 15 Member
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    Yeah. These were semisweet by a company called enjoy life. I'm not a huge dark chocolate fan, but, I'll get more accustomed to it.
  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,641 Member
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    booplouise wrote: »
    Yeah. These were semisweet by a company called enjoy life. I'm not a huge dark chocolate fan, but, I'll get more accustomed to it.

    we gave my son some of that...good stuff. We used the chips in a lot of deserts and dishes for him.
  • jkwolly
    jkwolly Posts: 3,049 Member
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    chivalryder wrote: »
    Goat dairy.

    You'll have to give up your left arm for a tiny block of goat cheese, but it's actually very good.

    There's also sheep cheese, if you can find it, but that will cost you one of your kidneys.
    Costco has decent prices, actually.
  • booplouise
    booplouise Posts: 15 Member
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    jkwolly wrote: »
    chivalryder wrote: »
    Goat dairy.

    You'll have to give up your left arm for a tiny block of goat cheese, but it's actually very good.

    There's also sheep cheese, if you can find it, but that will cost you one of your kidneys.
    Costco has decent prices, actually.
    I think my mom has a Costco card, I can't do goat cheese, but it may be a good place to look for other low priced items.
  • booplouise
    booplouise Posts: 15 Member
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    _John_ wrote: »
    we gave my son some of that...good stuff. We used the chips in a lot of deserts and dishes for him.

    Yeah. I tried these carob chip things from the health food store first... They supposedly taste like chocolate and are a good replacement. I call bs. Fortunately our Kroger's has a growing organic/health type section, so they had these there.
  • bigblondewolf
    bigblondewolf Posts: 268 Member
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    My personal fave is Alter Eco. This one tastes like a Crunch bar and it's vegan, no soy, no GMO, and gluten free!

    http://www.alterecofoods.com/product/dark-quinoa/
  • BeginnersBootcamp
    BeginnersBootcamp Posts: 90 Member
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    I'm casein and gluten free and i just gave up cheese all together :( its pretty easy!

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