And Let them eat Cake!

After having a wonderful birthday (the 4th) and yummy cake that my mom was nice enough to create for me(swirl red white and blue)...I thought it would be nice to let you in on which brands are typically lactose free. A lot of the Betty Crocker ones are (like yellow,cherry chip (one of my favorites) brownies, and German chocolate) and most of their frosting's are too. Pillsbury you really have to read each box and I mean each dang box. The chocolate fudge says it contains milk in the allergy statement but if you read it there is no milk listed...I can it this one and be just fine. Frosting is the same way.Another great brand is Baker's Corner from Aldi. If you have never been to Aldi you better go! They label their food if it's lactose (and gluten) free! It's a wonderful tool. I bought some cheese from there and it said lactose free on it. Yes it was normal Colby jack cheese but as most of you know cheese has no lactose in it due to the enzymes used to make cheese (cancels out sugar/lactose in the milk). Aldi's is such a wonderful store and you can save a ton of money. I buy their lactose free milk (2% and Skim) they also sell Organic soy milk too. Plus they are starting to sell more and more organic products. Another thing I love from Alid is the Live G (gluten)free double chocolate crunch granola. Now Enjoy Life makes the exact same product but the one from Aldi is about 1/2 the cost. I compared the ingredients and they are the exact, I mean same order and everything, ingredients. A lot of the Live G free line is also lactose/dairy free. The soft cookies are ok but leave a bit of a gritty after taste...probably due to the use of different flours. Well that's my rant for Aldi for now! Hope you enjoy!

Watch labels!

Hello everyone! Sorry for the super long gaps in post. I just want everyone to know that you really must read the labels! I just discovered that the off brand (Equate) of ibuprofen  has lactose in it! You would be amazed at how many medications have lactose in it! the only brand that does not is the name brand of Advil! Be sure to read those labels! Look for a yummy angel food cake with chocolate and caramel (yes it's lactose free) recipe to come soon!

Sorry for such a time laps...

I really need to get better about updating this. Now I have a bit more time at home so maybe I can keep up easier. I have had several people ask me if I know of any cake mixes. Pillsbury cake mix does say on the box that it contains milk...but I have never found it in the list on most cakes. Also their frostings, except of milk chocolate, are safe. Duncan Hines are pretty safe as well. My favorite is the Cherry Chip with Cherry frosting! All dairy free! Yumm! Did you know that Hershey's Chocolate Syrup is also dairy free? I was shocked to find this out and I am so happy about it. I did find a good recipie for a "healthier" version of syrup from a Biggest Loser cookbook. I can't remember the exact amounts off hand but will let everyone know soon! Another great desert food is the Betty Crocker Fudge brownies. Also pumpkin bread is also safe. I buy the Aldi's brand, Baker's choice, and use apple sauce instead of the eggs and it is sooo good. I make them into muffins and for 2 is about 90 calories, if I added it correctly. Aldi's is also pretty good about labeling things that are lactose free. I will try and write again soon! Good Luck!

Butter and Such

It's been a while since I have updated this blog! Just a quick update today however. There are a few things I wanted to share that are Lactose free. Most cheeses are. Now I can have dairy products, just not the sugars, a.k.a lactose. So cheeses are now back on the menu. I buy the lactose free milk and ice cream. Trader Joe's coconut milk ice cream is also very good. Now as for butter...I only use Smart Butter with flax seed oil. It is completely dairy free, vegan, and lactose free. It has a wonderful flavor and I have no problem cooking with it. Another thing that may surprise you has having no lactose is heavy whipping cream. I was really missing whipped toppings and found out that whipping cream has no sugar! You have to add it when making topping! I also found out that there is a gadget out there that you can add whipping cream and shake it and it makes whipped topping! Just like the canned stuff! I am waiting to order one of those bad boys! It's not terribly hard to make whipped topping using a stand mixer! All you need to do is chill the bowl and whisk for about 10-20 min. Add the cream and begin to mix. Slowly add sugar until it's sweet enough and add a splash of vanilla. Most cartons of whipping cream will tell you this basic recipe! I will be posting some yummy lactose free recipes here soon, I promise!

Just thought I would share some great dairy free quick dinners! One of my favorites that my Mom use to make, before the whole no dairy, was pepper steak. Its super simple you need about 2 cups cooked rice. In a skillet cook strips of steak or stew meat . Add chopped green pepper and mushrooms. Cook until green pepper is tender. Add 2 jars (glass) of Beef gravy. I found that they Hyvee brand has no dairy in it! Another great one that we had last week was Shrimp Linguine. All I did was defrost some shrimp, added some parsley and butter to a skillet and sauted the shrimp. Obviously you need to cook the noodles. Once its all cooked pour the shrimp over the noodles....C.J added cocktail sauce to his, just a few drops, and it was really good! I have some new items I am wanting to try! I will keep you all posted!
Stephy

Hello and welcome! My name is Stephanie and this is my blog about my journey with lactose intolerance. I have not always had lactose intolerance, in fact I went 24 years before my intolerance kicked in. I did not start having issues with dairy until late spring of 2011. I was getting very bad tummy aches and some not so pleasant trips to the bathroom. I summed some up to my acid reflux and my monthly cycle. May and June passed with the same symptoms off and on. I also figured it was something I had eaten...like spicy food or maybe not fresh food. I was camping that July and had gone into town since it was raining for dinner. We ate Chinese food...my favorite! As we were heading back to our camp my tummy did its normal cramping, gas and quick stop at a bathroom. Once we got home my husband asked me if I had eaten any of the the same foods that weekend. I told him not really, since every meal was different. We thought for a moment and he said you had some kind of milk at each meal right? I said yes and he told me to try going without diary for a week or two. I was horrified. I would have been the president of Milk-aholics anonymous. I would drink about 2 gallons of milk in a 7 day time, lots of cheese, ice cream, and a lot of other dairy filled products. Needless to say I tried it and within the first week my symptoms had almost disappeared. SO...I began my search for foods and recipes without the use of diary. I had a major shock how many of the products I consumed had dairy in it. I had to read every label of every food I would put into my cart. I had many trials and errors on what non-dairy cheeses, milks, and foods that tasted OK to me. One thing I did learn from my Mother is that when I was a baby I was on Soy formula because of colic and other formulas not agreeing with my system...I have wondered if this was a first touch of the intolerance but then again for it to go away for almost 24 years seems a bit odd. And yes I have been to the doctor and asked if there is a test for lactose intolerance. She told me I did the best test possible which was taking dairy out of my diet and since the symptoms went away, then obviously my body can not handle dairy. I am able to use lactose tablets but was told not to use them at every meal. The one bonus about taking dairy out of my diet is that I lost about 20 pounds in 1.5 months. Luckily I have the best husband in the world and has been very patient with me and my journey. He does try some of my foods but generally stays away from them. He has adjusted to changes in brands of foods, especially in breads. This brings me to my plan. I am wanting to share my story with others. I am wanting to share what kinds of substitutions you can use, which non-diary foods are half way decent, recipes, and other info on this condition. Thanks for visiting my blog and look forward to adding much more!