Hello everyone!
I posted something on Facebook last week, curious to see what everyone recommended for dairy-free alternatives and didn't get a lot of feedback. I was surprised, but excited because I knew I wanted to write a post on my recommendations, but didn't want to be redundant. I mean, if I see one more informational post about Keto on FB, I might scream. But, after seeing Kim, I learned I most likely have a sensitivity with dairy. Because my breakouts are systematic breakouts, that means something within my daily diet or routine is causing them.
She mentioned that dairy is a sensitivity for a lot of people and then, it dawned on me - when I went dairy-free for 2 months awhile back, my skin completely cleared up. I mainly did it for the weight loss benefits (let's be real), but I remember not having one breakout in that time.
Now, my fiance thinks I am crazy - maybe I am, but at this point I am almost 30 and still have breakouts, so I am willing to try anything at this point. I decided as of last week to make the change for good. Anytime I can, I am going to make a valiant effort to eliminate dairy from my diet. I'll be honest - when I first thought about doing this from here on out, I got scared. I mean what would possibly taste as good as ice cream in summer? Then, I remembered it's basically 2019 and science is super cool.
I am going to let you know of my favorite non-dairy items or alternatives. Here are a few products that will play serious tricks on your mind.
1. Halo Top - Non-Dairy Ice cream
I have been a fan of Halo Top since my Keto days. It's high in protein, low in sugar, carbs and actually tastes like ice cream. I'm sure everyone is aware of low-carb ice cream, but when I saw they have dairy-free options now, I did a little dance. My favorite is the peanut-butter cup, but they have a candy bar flavor I am dying to try. After looking up a few stores in my area, it looks as though almost every major grocery store carries it. Double win!
2. Go Veggie! "Cheese"
I have tried Ciao, Go veggie! and Daiya brand vegan cheese -- Ciao and Daiya seemed very cardboard-like. The Daiya does melt well, but with it not tasting great cold, why bother? Sometimes I like to eat shredded cheese out of a bag, ya know? The Go Veggie! slices are amazing - I tried them on a grilled cheese and they taste/melt almost identical to Kraft Slices. The shreds are are awesome too. I also need to mention their cream cheese - it is so good. The strawberry tastes like the real thing. SO GOOD. Basically, just try it. You won't regret it. So far I have found the shreds at Kroger, but they don't stay in stock long. I try to get there on weekend mornings to pick up whatever I need to be sure I can snag some. On their website it says that Health Foods Unlimited (Centerville) carries most of the items!
3. The Perfect Bar
So, when I started back on Weight Watchers, I was surprised how many points these bars are. I mean they taste like fudge, so I should have known better, but fat is a huge no-no on WW. With that said, my points will not stop me from eating these bad boys. To be honest only a couple of flavors are actually completely dairy-free, but I love these because they remind me of a soft peanut butter cookie, but are full of whole ingredients. The macros really aren't that bad, as long as you count one bar as a meal replacement. I love eating these when I leave work on the way to the gym - but I try not to keep them out of the fridge too long - they are so so good cold. Most health food stores carry these, but Trader Joe's and Kroger have them for cheap! I typically can buy a bar for around $2.00. So freaking good.
4. Pure Blends Avocado Oil Plant-based Butter
Say that 5 times fast - whew! No, but seriously I have been trying to find a substitute for butter that wasn't nasty-oil based for awhile. I saw this at Kroger and it was on sale and decided to give it a try. It's great! I use it for everything - cooking eggs, buttering up a pan, homemade hollandaise - honestly it smells just like butter too. I was surprised at how close this was to the real thing! Kroger has it on sale for $4 which is a steal (it's a wittle pricey).
5. Coffee-mate Almond Milk Creamer
Creamer is the ONE thing that will upset my stomach. At work, they have these huge "creamer" pumps. Ew. I decided to find something healthier way before I started my dairy-free journey, and you can't even tell a difference. I love it! So far I have tried Vanilla, Hazelnut, Caramel and Maple. Caramel is by far my favorite, but Maple is pretty awesome too. It's like your drinking pancakes for breakfast - I mean, not really, but it still tastes amazing!
6. Vegan cake from Purely Sweet Bakery
I never in a million years would think that I would ever recommend someone to try a vegan cake. Never. I am here today to share with you the most decadent mind-trick in the world - Purely Sweet Bakery. A co-worker brought a cake in for another's last day and I was like "no way in hell." Boy, was I wrong. I am going as far to say that this almost tastes better than the real thing. I couldn't tell a different, besides I could have ate half of this cake on my own. It was a chocolate/white cake swirl with vanilla icing (I'm drooling as I type this). It was moist and the icing was creamy. Who would have known? No one. I looked up the owner of the bakery and she owns a bakery in Dayton off Dayton-Xenia Road, and if you are lucky you can grab some of her items at Dorothy Lane Market. I'm using my lunch break to stock up on her vegan cinnamon rolls for the holidays!
Honestly, I'm still new to this, so please share your dairy-free secrets with me! Comment your recommendations or questions below!
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