Alternatives to Dairy

For those of us with dairy or lactose intolerances or allergies, the range of alternatives to dairy is ever increasing and more widely available than ever. There are even some you can even make yourself at home!

Even those without an allergy or intolerance will notice some amazing changes in their bodies just by giving traditional dairy a miss and trying out some of the alternatives available.

Milk Alternatives

Almond milk Nut milks are an increasing popular alternative to milk, but most supermarket brands also contain sweeteners. The good news is nut milk can be easily made at home. Check out this video link from My New Roots for easy to follow instructions to make your own nut milk http://vimeo.com/27840577 .

• Oat milk a creamy milk derived from oats is great for smoothies.
• Coconut milk ideally the fresh kind and not the canned variety is a great naturally sweeter alternative and is a great base for desserts like tapioca pudding or simply freeze with some frozen fruit in a mould for a delicious icy treat.
• Rice milk made from organic whole rice or rice flour is a great alternative to soy for heavy milk drinkers.
• Soy milk derived from soy beans and traditionally one of the only milk alternatives, soy milk’s popularity is in decline due to a wider range of alternatives now available.
• Goat milk closest in structure to human breast milk is much gentler to the stomach than cow’s milk for infants and those with milk protein intolerances.
• A2 cow’s milk A widely available alternative for those with cow’s milk A1 protein intolerances or allergies.
• Zimil Lactose free milk Great for the lactose intolerant crowd.

Cheese alternatives

Nut cheeses are a fabulous alternative to dairy cheeses. Cashew, Brazil nut and Macadamia nut cheeses are available at health food stores and are very versatile. There are also some soy cheeses available.

Yoghurt

Soy yoghurt and Lactose free milk yoghurt have been widely available for some time but another great alternative is Coconut yoghurt (CoYo is a great Sunshine Coast based brand). Once you try coconut yoghurt you may never go back! If you have your own yoghurt maker you can use a tablespoon of active yeast (a tablespoon of left over yogurt or starter culture), powdered coconut milk and water to make your own coconut yoghurt.

Sour Cream/Creamy dressing

Cashew cream makes a great creamy dressing or sauce for pasta and by adding one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to the recipe for Cashew cream below you’ll have an awesome dairy free sour cream alternative.

Cashew Cream

• 2 cups Cashews
• Juice of 1-2 lemons

Soak cashews for an hour than drain and rinse, then put cashews in a blender with lemon juice and blend until creamy. Add salt to taste if desired.

Krissy Hacker is a wife and SAHM of 2, mad gardener, crafty lady, confectioner and fabulous cook. She loves reviving old school ways of doing things and would do anything to get out of housework!