Dairy free and healthy cooking mums.....I need your help please

[Aimsmum]

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[jampots]

ive just cut out dairy from my diet aimsmum and i use Alpro soyamilk but instead of using it on its own i chop a banana or strawberries up and add about 250ml of milk then blend and it makes really thick creamy milkshakes - honestly delicious.

As for the cheesy thing, you can get vegetarian cheese - would that be helpful?

[BubblesDeVere]

Jampots, I will second the smoothies, I have also changed to using Alpro soya after watching 'You are what you eat'. the chocolate alpro soya is divine, my kids love it.

Another favourite smoothie of mine is banana, peach and honey dew melon, hmmmmmmmmmm yum

[Aimsmum]

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[jampots]

Just tried Pure organic in place of butter - once again - cant tell the difference

[Aimsmum]

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[Aimsmum]

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[Aimsmum]

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[foxinsocks]

you must get the dairy free ice cream - I forget what it's called (may be glace or something like that?? I think there's a thread on it somewhere).
Dd was milk allergic (outgrown now thank goodness) and that dairy free ice cream is devine - you can get it in Sainsburys normally.

For pasta - we tend to have a lot of meaty/tomato sauces. Other non dairy pasta - tuna and sweetcorn with a spoon of olive oil to make it a bit more runny (instead of the cheesy sauce).

I'll put my thinking cap on for some more.

[foxinsocks]

Other non-dairy meals we lived off were meat and 2 veg style meals e.g. pork/lamb chops + veg, roast chicken and veg etc. We also had loads of casseroles especially bean casseroles (with tins of flageolet and butter beans with assorted veg + tin of tomatoes). Mine were never overly keen on lentils but I used to bung them in some casseroles and they used to eat them.

Have you tried her with sardines? They are good for calcium and mine love them on toast.

Other faves were tomato based curries.

[WideWebWitch]

Here you are:

Lentil mousakka from Carol Timperley's veg baby cookbook. There's cheese but if you find a substitute you could use that:

"Puy lentils are small black lentils which have a superior flavour and texture to other varieties, but other lentils could be substituted. Makes enough for mum, dad and baby, or 6 portions

225 g/8 oz puy lentils
I teaspoon dried mixed herbs
I large aubergine, wiped and trimmed
50 g/2 oz sun-dried tomatoes, drained of oil
15 ml/1 tablespoon olive oil. plus a little extra for brushing
350 ml/12 fl 02 passata
I small onion, peeled and finely sliced
50 g/2 oz Cheddar cheese, grated
I small red pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
25 g/1 oz wholemeal breadcrumbs
I clove garlic, crushed

Wash the lentils thoroughly. Place them in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Boil rapidly for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until tender, then drain. Slice the aubergine into rounds and place on a grill pan. Brush lightly with olive oil, grill until golden, then turn over and repeat the process. Set the cooked aubergine aside. Heat the oil and gently fry the onion and pepper until soft. Stir in the garlic and turn off the heat. Place half the lentils in the base of an ovenproof dish, top with half the aubergines, half the onion and pepper mixture and half of both the sundried tomatoes and passata. Repeat the layers. Mix together the cheese and breadcrumbs and sprinkle them over the top. Bake in an oven preheated to 350°F (180°C) Gas Mark 4, for about 30 minutes, or until golden and bubbling. Puree coarsely before serving

Lentil hot pot, also Carol Timperley:

"In our house this dish is irreverently known as 'bottom of the fridge stew', because it invariably appears when I have put off going shopping and am left with a few store-cupboard standbys. Despite the frugal ingredients, it tastes quite sumptuous. Makes 10 portions.

15 ml /1 tablespoon vegetable oil
225 g/8 oz red lentils, washed and picked over
1 onion, peeled and chopped
400g/14 oz can chopped tomatoes
1 clove garlic, crushed
10 ml/2 teaspoons tomato puree
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
1 bay leaf
2 carrots, peeled and diced
½ teaspoon dried oregano
2 celery sticks, washed and chopped
600 ml/1 pint vegetable stock

Heat the oil and fry the onion and garlic until softened but not browned. Add the potatoes, carrots, celery and lentils, and stir to coat the vegetables with the oil. Now add the tomatoes, tomato puree, herbs and the vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 40-45 minutes, or until the lentils and vegetables are very tender. Remove the bay leaf. Mash the lentils and vegetables using a fork before serving."


Beefless bolognase, from same book:

"I've yet to come across a child who isn't enthusiastic about this tasty sauce, whether it is served with pasta, or in shepherd's pie or as a filling for baked potatoes. The quantity is rather generous because it makes an excellent freezer standby. Makes 8 adult portions

60 ml/4 tablespoons olive oil
175 g/6 oz button mushrooms, quartered
1 large onion, chopped
30 ml/2 tablespoons tomato puree
2 cloves garlic, crushed
150 ml/5 fl oz red wine
1 tablespoon chopped basil
15 ml/1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
scant teaspoon dried oregano
salt and black pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
225 g/8 oz can chopped tomatoes
1 carrot, peeled and diced
2 x 400 g/l4 oz cans brown lentils, drained
1 stick celery, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped

Heat the oil, add the onion, garlic, basil, oregano and bay leaf and fry until the onions are transparent. Add the carrot, celery and red pepper, cook for a few minutes, then add the mushrooms. When the mushrooms begin to wilt, stir in the remaining ingredients, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for approximately 40 minutes. Allow to cool. Transfer to a food processor and blend coarsely (if you prefer a chunkier texture blend only half the mixture). Before serving, reheat and check seasoning."

[chatee]

swedish glace is the dairy free ice cream,
alpro also do a dairy free custard in normal yellow custard flavour and a chocolate flavour too.
trufree make dairy free biscuits like bourbouns and custard creams(although some cheaper made bourbons are actually dairy free!!)
walkers ready salted and chicken flavour crisps are ok too.
my dd is 4.5 and is dairy free and these are just a few of the things she has(that i can remember of the top of my head)they are all available in tesco
will think of some of the others later
ps: we prefer the yellow pure

[Punnet]

We eat a lot of the Provamel custard desserts (I am dairy free as is DS1 and DS3). We also eat a lot of those baby fruit purees you can get in yoghurt pots now- some brands aren't logo'd up, so DS1 doesn't say 'yuck baby food', he thinks they are great!

On desperate days we rely on mashed banana and dairy free cream blended!

There's a lot more stuff now than when I was diagnosed 6 years ago, but you have to look hard to find it.

[bundle]

the swedish glace is lovely, i buy it because it's one of the few smallish tubs i can fit into our freezer, not for non-dairy reasons and we all like it

[Punnet]

Sorry forgot to say I never found nice dairy free cheese- they seem to get the texture wrong and it all goes to pot! However, I find that for some reason they get the same savoury kick out of marmite.

[WideWebWitch]

You can cook with the Pure dairy free spread too, it's fine in cakes.

[Aimsmum]

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[FIMAC1]

I second the Swedish Glace Icecream! Tesco's do it - the vanilla one is gorgeous and like others have said its actually nicer than normal icecream. The Alpro Vanilla desserts are like little containers of custard, really yummy!

Why don't you experiment with making milkshakes (soy or rice milk, bananas and a blob of Swedish glace on the top). It does take a while for them to adjust to the taste but they do forget what cows milk tastes like after a while this is coming from someone who's ds wouldn't eat something when he was younger 'cause its the wrong colour'

[FIMAC1]

Aimsmum

How did your dd allergy testing go today?

[Aimsmum]

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[ionesmum]

The Vegetarian Society and Vegan Society have lots of info on this on their websites.

[Aimsmum]

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[tiny01]

I found a dairy free cheese sauce for maccaroni cheese and other pasta. It was from Holland and barrett and is yummy (Free & Easy Dairy free cheese flavour sauce mix). They also do a dairy free cheese but I cant remember the name, it comes in a round shape and has two flavours, my ds loves it as he is cheese mad. I quite like it too. Sainsburys do a free from range with cakes and biscuits that are lovely, also their 'Free From' butter is nicer than the 'Pure' soya butter and goes well in cooking.

[Aimsmum]

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[WideWebWitch]

Aimsmum, I thought of you today, look at John Briffa in today's Observer

[Aimsmum]

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