Dairy alternative

The questions that I most often get asked when I put my clients on a dairy free, gluten free, and soy free eating plan for 30 days are, what am I to drink on my cereal, or use in my shakes?  And how can I live without cheese or yogurt?  What can I use instead of cows milk, if I can't use soy milk.  
Well, here are what I think are the best alternatives:  Goats milk and cheeses and nut milk and cheeses.  Trader Joe's has quite a nice variety of goat's and sheep cheese these days, so I hope you will check them out.  Farmer's Markets also have  great cheeses but sometimes at pretty steep prices.

A little bit about goat's milk.  The protein in goat milk is easier to digest than cow's milk protein, so easier on the stomach. The fat content is a little bit higher than whole milk but the type of fat mainly, CLA (Congugated Linoleic Acid) is very healing to the digestive system and may help ward off estrogen driven cancers as well. 

If you don't like the taste or the idea of goat's milk then nut milks are a great alternative.  Below are recipes for a quick 30 second version and then the more traditional version.  I would recommend making your own nut milks, if possible, as the ones available in the stores are often full of sugar and chemicals and besides, it can be easy and fun too!

30 Second Nut Milk:  Use this if you don't have time or don't feel like making the real McCoy.

Serves 2

2 heaping tablespoons raw almond or cashew butter
2 cups filtered water
Pinch of Real* Salt or sea salt
1 Tablespoon Sucanat**  or raw honey (optional)
1/2 Teaspoon vanilla extract

The Real McCoy Almond Milk Recipe:

Serves 2-4

1 cup raw almonds, soaked 4 hours or more
4 cups filtered water
1-2 Tablespoons Sucanat** or raw honey (optional)
Pinch of Real Salt or sea salt
A few drops of natural almond or vanilla extract (optional)

In a high power blender, blend the nuts and water on high speed for about 2 minutes, to make sure the nuts are thoroughly blended.  Strain the milk through a nut milk bag or multiple layers of cheesecloth twice for smoothness.  Rinse the blender cup and place the milk back in it with the remaining ingredients.  Blend to combine thoroughly and taste for sweetness.

**Sucanat is a sugar that has been very minimally processed. It is cane sugar that has been dehydrated, not heated and it maintains it's molasses content, as well as vitamin and mineral content.

Our tastebuds can change

As I was throwing together a spinach salad the other night, I picked out a leaf and popped it in my mouth and could not believe how sweet it tasted.  And I thought to myself, I wish everyone else could taste what I am tasting.  I know, I'm strange but that is what happens when we side step processed foods which are full of sugar and salt and start eating real food.  Our taste buds change and all of a sudden we are able to taste the slight sweetness of a piece of lettuce. Now, don't get me wrong, I am no angel nor a purist but compared to the average American, I probably eat about 75% less sugar and salt than most Americans. 

Our taste buds have been hijacked by the big food conglomerates such as Coca Cola, General Mills and we need to get our taste buds back.  So,  I would like to invite you to do a fun little experiment. and track how many grams of sugar you consume over a two-three day period. This could be a really fun thing for your kids to be a part of as well. To track the amount of sugar in all of your foods including fruits and veggies, you will have to use the internet for the items without labels.  My favorite source is myfitnesspal.com or there are many others to choose from and have apps available for the iphone. 

1. Here it the drill, track your sugar intake for at least 1 day but preferably 2-3 days to get an average. 
  
2. Next, look at your main sources of sugar intake and see how you can cut your intake of sugar to 100 grams per day without using any sugar alcohols (xylitol, erythritol, sobitol) or sugar substitutes other than stevia.  That means no splenda (aka sucrulose), aspartame, or truvia (it has erythritol, a sugar alcohol in it).  If the label says no or low sugar and it tastes good, more than likely the item has one of these artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohol in it.  You have to read the ingredient label.  

3. After you have determined how many grams of sugar you consume, then try eating only 100 grams per day for seven days and notice how you feel and how your food tastes.  This is a great way to get awareness and of getting back to the basics and eating more like our ancestors ate.  

Have some fun with this!!!

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To your health and well being,
Cindy D