Friday, February 27, 2009

A Successful Dairy-Free Recipe Search

Looking for a dairy-free recipe for tonight's dinner?
There seems to be quite a selection of gluten-free resources out there, but what about us dairy-free eaters? I recently came across the Epicurious website which allows you to browse through recipes and EXCLUDE dairy from the food search!

When I did a search with only "exclude dairy" selected, 5000 recipes appeared before me with interesting options like Potato-Wrapped Halibut with Sautéed Spinach and Thai-Style Chicken Soup with Basil! Definitely a website to bookmark as a favorite...

Check it out yourself - and if you happen to try out a recipe from the site, please do share! Epicurious website

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Recipe: Homemade Almond Milk

Most people are aware that having a handful of almonds every day will help you lower your cholesterol and lose weight, but did you know that just 1/4 cup of these nutritionally dense nuggets offers you nearly 10% of your daily calcium needs? This is great news for those of us who can't/choose not to consume dairy and are looking for other calcium-rich foods to to eat.

So you like munching these tear-shaped nuts...but have you tried DRINKING them? Most of us have not experienced the refreshing, smooth experience of quenching our thirst with almonds. Just last week, for the first time I made a quart of homemade almond milk - and not only was it the freshest tasting milk I've had since I can remember, but it was also extremely easy!

To make homemade almond milk, start out by soaking a 1/2 cup of almonds in water. Make sure the almonds are fully submerged in the water and cover the bowl with a paper towel. I soaked the almonds overnight (though I've head that you don't have to wait that long). While the almonds soak, you will begin to see them plump.

When the soaking is over, place the almonds into a blender along with 4 cups of water. Blend it on high until you feel that the almonds won't grind any further. At this time, pour the liquid through a sieve into a container and throw away (or store) the almond meal. Take the container of liquid and pour it back into the blender. (During this time, you may want to taste the liquid to see if you like the consistency. Some people will like it thicker, others will prefer a lighter milk. I chose to add one more cup of water.) At this time, you can add any preferred flavors such as vanilla, cocoa powder or a sweetener like honey. My preference is to add 1 tsp of vanilla to the blender as well as 1/2 tbsp of honey for each cup of milk. Blend until the flavors have been mixed well.

That's it - you're done! Before you drink it, I would recommend refrigerating the almond milk until it is cold. Room temperature milk is never very pleasant, no matter what kind of milk you are drinking! Enjoy this new alternative to other dairy-free milks, knowing that what you are ingesting is raw, fresh and free of added, unnecessary ingredients.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

A Love Affair with Restaurant Max

It was our first valentines day as a married couple, so of course my husband and I had to go out for an evening of fine dining despite the cold Minnesota weather, the possibility of crowds and a long wait. We decided on Restaurant Max, a newer restaurant located adjacent to The Hotel Minneapolis in downtown.

We hadn't heard a thing about the restaurant but had walked past it several times and were impressed with what we saw (modern decor yet the old framework of the bank which used to reside there). We made reservations and I crossed my fingers that they'd be able to work with my dairy-free dietary restrictions.

Despite being valentines day, we were seated within minutes of arriving in a cozy booth where our server was quick to say hello. We mentioned to him immediately that I was severely lactose intolerant and asked if this would be a problem. He smiled reassuringly and said they can work with me and that if I wanted suggestions from the chef, he'd be happy to go back and talk with him. I immediately felt at ease and began to look at both their regular menu along with the special aphrodisiac menu they had put together for the holiday.

I'm huge on ordering fish when dining out and was excited to find many different options such as Sesame Scallops, Roasted Black Cod, Shrimp Angel Hair and Broiled Arctic Char (which I was told is the cousin of Salmon). I was especially interested in trying something new, so I told the server that if the Arctic Char could be prepared without dairy, that would be my choice. Despite the full dining room, he went back immediately to confirm with the chef that this was possible. According to the chef, this dish is usually prepared with butter, but that they would be happy to leave it off given my condition. My husband was happy to see that the menu included many red meat selections and decided on the pomegranate marinated rack of lamb.

While we waited for the food to arrive, we ordered from their menu of specialty drinks and yes, they had some fun ones!! My drink, which ended up being one of the best cocktails I've ever sipped, was named Gatsby's Daisy. This included green tea vodka, lavender simple syrup, tarragon and both red and white cranberry juices. I was tickled to find real cranberries floating in my glass! My husband ordered a straight up martini which he says they got "just right".

I was flabbergasted when the food arrived not 10 minutes later....on valentines day?! I can recollect in years past waiting for close to an hour, even with a reservation. The food was simply to die for and the portions were just right. If the server hadn't informed me of the relation between Arctic Char and Salmon, I would have thought that the fillet on my plate was Salmon without a doubt. The fish was accompanied by roasted white asparagus and artichokes covered in sauce that was so good I had to double check that they hadn't snuck in a little dairy. The server explained that this special sauce was made by pureeing lobster, egg and chives together. It was one of the most delicious sauces I've ever eaten...to me, it almost resembled caramel. No butter, you say?!?! I couldn't believe it, and I secretly wondered if I would be sick later. I am happy to report that I remained free of any stomach upset for the rest of the weekend. According to my husband, the lamb was also incredible and he wished I could share in it's delight if only there wasn't the butter...
What valentines day doesn't include a little indulgence in dessert?? I had to hold back the tears as I read over the desserts I would have jumped on in the past...butterscotch oatmeal cookie or the chocolate peanut butter whopper cake?! According to the menu, these options are presented in a shot glass - so fun! My husband was quick to choose the creme brulee and I was pleased to find a nice selection of sorbets - watermelon being my flavor of choice.

The only glitch of the night was when my sorbet came out dressed with white clouds of whipping cream and placed upon a suspicious looking ice cream cone. The server apologized and mentioned that the cream was there before he could stop it. I was a little disappointed that he hadn't requested another bowl to be made of uncreamed sorbet, but it was okay...I shrugged it off and ate around it.

Overall, a nice restaurant with a chef that is willing to be flexible and work with food intolerances and allergies. Note: They advertise that during the week of your birthday, you can get a bottle of wine at the price of your age. To check out the menu at Restaurant Max, go to: Restaurant Max and if you do happen to try the place, let me know how it goes!

Monday, February 23, 2009

A "Purely Decadent" Frozen Dessert - The Name Says it All


Just a few weeks ago, I was roaming through the aisles at Whole Foods, looking for an exciting new dairy-free dessert. As I peered through the frozen food section, I came to the various pints of ice creams, sorbets and...to my surprise, coconut milk frozen desserts. Turtle Mountain's Purely Decadent was displaying a new line of products made with coconut milk! Coconut, Chocolate, Cookie Dough, Mint Chip, Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl, Mocha Almond Fudge, Passionate Mango and Vanilla Bean were the flavors I found at this particular store.

"These coconut milk frozen desserts are to die for," a woman exclaimed standing next to me. "I just can't get over how much they taste and feel like real ice cream." She grabbed a container of Passionate Mango and Mocha Almond Fudge, whispering "My favorites!" with a smile and left me standing there convinced. I was sure I wasn't leaving without a pint of my own. I grabbed a container of the coconut flavor and left.

My first spoonful was the sort of experience where you have no choice but to say "Mmmmmmm!" outloud, even if you're alone... The woman from the grocery store was right - the texture and flavor of this product was so much like full fat, real ice cream that I had to check the ingredients twice. Would you believe that my husband (who consumes dairy) chose to eat his brownie with MY new dessert rather than his real vanilla ice cream?! This is incredibly smooth and creamy with tiny coconut flakes and sweetened only by the coconut itself and agave syrup, all organic. My decision to taste just a spoonful straight from the container turned into a couple of scoops in a bowl. These purely decadent folks don't mess around!

I've seen these new pints of pure delight located at Whole Foods, of course, in addition to most of the co-ops in the Twin Cities metro area. For nutrition/ingredient information, check out: Purely Decadent.
Have you tried this product? Let me know about your experience, what flavor(s) you've tried and where you bought it.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Eating Can be Pleasureable - Even Without Dairy

For five long years, I worried about every morsel of food that I ingested. I couldn't understand why I constantly suffered gastrointestinal distress. The doctors seemed to be just as confused as I was and misdiagnosed me with Irritable Bowel Syndrome one year and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) another. I even went through a colonoscopy only to be given two prescriptions that left me broke and never offered me the relief I needed to enjoy food again.

And then it happened...a friend suggested I try avoiding dairy for two weeks. I was blown away when my symptoms left almost immediately. It has been four months since I went dairy-free and I feel and look better than I have in years.

Creating a new dairy-free diet for myself has been challenging, to say the least, since lactose seems to be in practically everything! I've had to say goodbye to some of my favorite foods like coffee ice cream, cheese pizza and milk chocolate. I am happy to report, however, that through my researching I have been pleasantly surprised with the amount of dairy alternatives and dairy-free products out there.

I am hoping that this blog will be of some help to others who have recently found out they cannot or choose not to consume dairy for one reason or another. I have been busy trying out many of the dairy-free products at our grocery stores. I have also been eating out quite a bit and have many restaurant reviews for lactose-free dining in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. I encourage you to let me know about any products you've come across or restaurant reviews you would like to share - both the good and bad. Together, as a dairy-free community in the Twin Cities, we will find that eating can be pleasurable again. :)