Going Dairy Free, It's Not As Hard As it Used to Be

Living in the Bay Area, I am extremely lucky when it comes to alternative grocery shopping. There are countless co-ops and Whole Foods stocked with a variety of dairy and grain alternatives, making living dairy and grain-free much easier than in many other places. Recently, I discovered this the hard way when visiting family in Chicago. I was surprised with the lack of organic produce at the local Whole Foods and the sheer absence of free-range organic meats. And don't get me started on the organ meats...there were none to be found. While I was very disappointed, I was more disturbed. I am constantly being reminded about how difficult it is in this country to eat healthy, even when shopping at Whole Foods.

As I was complaining about the lack of organic produce, I realized this Whole Foods didn't even exist 8 years ago when I originally gave up wheat and dairy. In recent years, with the growth in Whole Foods locations, the amount of milk alternatives has also grown exponentially. Before, you were lucky if your local grocery store carried soy milk or rice milk, but nowadays having many dairy alternatives is a necessity for stores to meet the needs of their customers. Going dairy free has a huge following. Did you know that Zooey Dechanel and Kim Kardasian are both dairy free? So if you are considering joining the club, you are in good company :). With all the alternatives out there, here are some of my favorites to consider:

Great Alternatives to Milk

Rice Milk: Watery, light, but lacks protein and fat
Soy Milk: Good protein and fat content, contains phytoestrogens, use sparingly for men
Almond Milk: Sweet, nutty, good fat and protein content
Flax Milk: sweet nutty, good fat and protein content, contains phytoestrogens, use sparingly for men
Coconut Milk Beverage: good fat, rich texture, light coconut flavor, but lacks protein
Oat Milk: Rich texture, not always gluten-free, earthy flavor
Hemp Milk: Creamy texture, good fat & protein content

Many of these can easily be made at home by soaking the nut or seed in water overnight and then running them in a juicer or a Vitamix and then through a nut milk bag.

Many of these dairy alternatives are enriched with calcium, and if you are concerned about calcium intake, here is a great snack recipe:

Hummus with Kale Chips

Ingredients for Hummus:
1 16oz can of Organic Chickpeas
2 tbsp Tahini
1/2 lemon
3 tsp Celtic Salt
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Smoked Paprika

Ingredients for Kale Chips:
1 Bunch of Curly Kale
2 tbsp Sunflower Oil
1 tbsp Pilsen Latino Seasoning

Process:
For Hummus:
1. Put all ingredients into Vitamix or food processor

2. Blend/Process until desired texture
3. Sprinkle a little Smoked Paprika on top

For Kale Chips:
1. Tear leaves from Kale stems
2. Massage oil and spices into Kale
3. Bake on 350 for 20-22 minutes