Okay everyone, so we know that Christmas is over but I still have TON of baking left over in my house. Much got nibbled on, some got tossed (unfortunate I know, but there is only so many shortbread cookies one can eat) and some got given away. But there are a few I just am not ready to get rid of yet. So I thought if I love the treats so much I can't part with them, then I should at least share the recipes!
The first is a dairy free caramels recipe, that I found here Vegan Caramels.
I have tried several recipes over the years with different dairy alternatives and this one gave me the absolute best caramel. I followed the directions exactly, which I almost NEVER do, but I was desperate for home-made turtles so I sucked it up, read the recipe and pulled out my candy thermometer. It is well worth it. I know that everyone would tell me to use a coconut milk recipe, but I tried and I couldn't find one I liked. So soy milk it is.
Once I knew that the caramel was going to solidify nicely, I quickly pressed in pecans and let it cool completely. Once cooled I cut my sheet of pecan pressed caramel into small squared and hand dipped into melted dairy free dark chocolate and left to harden on parchment paper. They are simply AMAZING!! I am keeping them in the freezer so that I don't all of them instantly and they are just as good frozen! What a great treat.
The other recipe is a dairy free 'Bailey's' Irish cream wanna-be that I found HERE. I was always a little sad when my friends and family could pour that sweet creamy goodness into their coffee during the holidays and I did not want to miss out any longer. This recipe was surprising easy and so GOOD! According to my husband, it is almost as good as the real thing, but seeing I don't know what the real thing taste like, I am just happy that it is so delicious. There are a few differences from the dairy to non-dairy versions. First, you have to keep the non-dairy in the fridge and you don't (well we don't) have to keep the Bailey's in the fridge. And secondly, the cream in the coconut milk will float to the top, while the whiskey will sink to the bottom, so you need to give it a good shake before you pour it into your coffee.
I have to say, this will be a yearly tradition because it is so yummy in coffee or on ice. I will make it again!
So there you have it, two great and pretty easy dairy free treats.
ENJOY!
Showing posts with label dairy free. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dairy free. Show all posts
Thursday, January 7, 2016
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Dairy Free bran muffins
I love having home made muffins in the morning for my boys to have at breakfast, or to throw into a lunch kit for an extra snack at school or work. And let's be honest, I love to eat muffins too, all kinds, but if you suffer from a dairy allergy you know that muffins are something you normally should avoid. Most store bought muffins contain milk, often buttermilk, so I make my own.
I use almond or soy milk as my dairy alternative, depending on who will be eating the baking, and I fake the buttermilk component by adding a teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to my almond milk a few moments before adding it. You would never know the difference. I love this recipe because it can last well mixed in the fridge in a sealed container for two weeks so that you can quickly bake some up on a Saturday morning for a quick hot breakfast.
In my new house my fridge is pretty small, so I just make half a recipe and bake them all at once, then I individually wrap them and freeze them in a zip lock bag, ready to grab one to place in a lunch kit.
Originally I got this recipe from a friend, and I am unsure as to where she got it, but I have altered it over the years.
Bran Muffins (Dairy Free)
Pre-heat oven to 400
4 cups Flour
4 cups bran
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
4 tsp baking soda
2 cups white sugar
6 eggs
4 cups almond milk (add a tsp of white vinegar to your milk. Any milk alternative will work. Or if you don't want it to be dairy free, buttermilk)
2 cups oil (I usually use canola)
1/2 cup molasses (I like fancy molasses, but I don't think it matters)
2 cups raisins (or cran-raisins or a mix of both)
1. mix dry ingredients
2. mix wet ingredients in separate bowl and add to dry. Stir just until blended, Do not over mix.
3. add raisins.
4. bake at 400 for 10 minutes then lower oven temp to 350 and bake for additional 6-10 minutes. my oven only takes an extra 6 minutes.
You will know that they are done when they crack on top and are slightly firm to the touch. If you want you can test if they are done by inserting a tooth pick into a muffin and if it comes out clean they are finished. The muffins should be nice and golden brown and smell delicious.
I use almond or soy milk as my dairy alternative, depending on who will be eating the baking, and I fake the buttermilk component by adding a teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to my almond milk a few moments before adding it. You would never know the difference. I love this recipe because it can last well mixed in the fridge in a sealed container for two weeks so that you can quickly bake some up on a Saturday morning for a quick hot breakfast.
In my new house my fridge is pretty small, so I just make half a recipe and bake them all at once, then I individually wrap them and freeze them in a zip lock bag, ready to grab one to place in a lunch kit.
Originally I got this recipe from a friend, and I am unsure as to where she got it, but I have altered it over the years.
Bran Muffins (Dairy Free)
Pre-heat oven to 400
4 cups Flour
4 cups bran
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
4 tsp baking soda
2 cups white sugar
6 eggs
4 cups almond milk (add a tsp of white vinegar to your milk. Any milk alternative will work. Or if you don't want it to be dairy free, buttermilk)
2 cups oil (I usually use canola)
1/2 cup molasses (I like fancy molasses, but I don't think it matters)
2 cups raisins (or cran-raisins or a mix of both)
1. mix dry ingredients
2. mix wet ingredients in separate bowl and add to dry. Stir just until blended, Do not over mix.
3. add raisins.
4. bake at 400 for 10 minutes then lower oven temp to 350 and bake for additional 6-10 minutes. my oven only takes an extra 6 minutes.
You will know that they are done when they crack on top and are slightly firm to the touch. If you want you can test if they are done by inserting a tooth pick into a muffin and if it comes out clean they are finished. The muffins should be nice and golden brown and smell delicious.
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
5 ordinary products you would never believe contain dairy
I am one of the 2.5 million people in Canada with a food allergy. Mine happens to be milk and milk products. And before you ask, I am not lactose intolerant, I am allergic, there is a difference. I can not have any milk product or by product, whether they include lactose or not. If I do, I get a full range of symptoms that include more than intestinal issues. I won't go into the details. Thankfully my allergy is not overly severe, but it is bad enough that I read every label as often as possible to avoid the symptoms.
Over the years I have discovered that you just don't know what you will find dairy products in, so I have put together this brief list of products that always seem to surprise people when I turn them down. There are of course many other strange products that contain dairy, but these are a few that have been served to me most often in an attempt to make a meal safe for me to eat.
I have listed them in no particular order.
1. Luncheon meat. Well really processed meat of many kinds. This includes most deli items, sausages, breaded cutlets and even some canned seafood. The saddest for me is when I am celebrating Christmas or Thanksgiving somewhere and the host has used a pre-basted turkey, or a pressed ham, unfortunately I can not eat either *but cheat a little...you know I can't be rude and refuse all the food offered* Thankfully there are a few companies processing and packaging more natural meats with less preservatives and by products.
2. Margarine. That 'great' butter substitute contains whey, which is a dairy by product and will unfortunately will still trigger a dairy allergy. Many super kind people would bake for me using margarine thinking it was safer than butter, and because my allergy is not as severe as some I would still sample their baking, but it would still trigger an allergic reaction. There are a few companies putting out a vegan margarine which has a nice taste and is completely safe as allergies go. I personally bake using a vegetable shortening but use a vegan margarine on toast.
3. Chips. I know what you are thinking, 'oh good, those nacho cheese chips I love so much actually have some real ingredients in them'. Well they do have dairy, but so so some brands of salt and vinegar, all dressed, ketchup and even some hint of lime taco chips. Always read the labels.
4. Bread. Many store bought breads have some dairy or modified milk ingredients in it. I find this food one of the hardest to avoid, not only because I love bread, but because it is often the 'safest' item served at a meal. Without being able to check every label in a restaurant or a friend's house, plain dry bread will most likely contain less dairy than a pasta sauce or salad dressing. When possible choose a rye bread, as it has been my experience that they have little or no dairy in them. This of course varies from recipe to recipe and brand to brand. I have some great bread recipes that I make at home that are dairy free that I will share on this blog at a different time.
5. "Non-Dairy" alternatives. Many dairy alternatives still contain a milk by-product called casein, which does not have lactose, so is safe for those who are lactose intolerant but is not safe for those with a milk allergy. This includes some 'cheeses', frozen dessert products and whipped dessert toppings such as Cool Whip. Just make sure you read all of the labels, or look for products that are labeled vegan as they will definitely be safe for all levels of dairy allergies.
Now, listing all of these things that you should be careful with a dairy allergy (and these are just some of the 'sneaky' ones) always makes me sad, like I am missing out on so many yummy (if not unhealthy) foods that I thought I would list one food that you would expect to find dairy but does not, Oreo Cookies!! To the best of my knowledge of food labels, Oreo cookies are dairy free! So bring on the Oreos!!
Over the next while I will post some recipes, great alternatives and 'work arounds' that I have used to cook well dairy free. I will also share some of the online resources that I have found helpful as I have been working towards having a dairy free life.
Stay tuned.
Over the years I have discovered that you just don't know what you will find dairy products in, so I have put together this brief list of products that always seem to surprise people when I turn them down. There are of course many other strange products that contain dairy, but these are a few that have been served to me most often in an attempt to make a meal safe for me to eat.
I have listed them in no particular order.
1. Luncheon meat. Well really processed meat of many kinds. This includes most deli items, sausages, breaded cutlets and even some canned seafood. The saddest for me is when I am celebrating Christmas or Thanksgiving somewhere and the host has used a pre-basted turkey, or a pressed ham, unfortunately I can not eat either *but cheat a little...you know I can't be rude and refuse all the food offered* Thankfully there are a few companies processing and packaging more natural meats with less preservatives and by products.2. Margarine. That 'great' butter substitute contains whey, which is a dairy by product and will unfortunately will still trigger a dairy allergy. Many super kind people would bake for me using margarine thinking it was safer than butter, and because my allergy is not as severe as some I would still sample their baking, but it would still trigger an allergic reaction. There are a few companies putting out a vegan margarine which has a nice taste and is completely safe as allergies go. I personally bake using a vegetable shortening but use a vegan margarine on toast.3. Chips. I know what you are thinking, 'oh good, those nacho cheese chips I love so much actually have some real ingredients in them'. Well they do have dairy, but so so some brands of salt and vinegar, all dressed, ketchup and even some hint of lime taco chips. Always read the labels.
4. Bread. Many store bought breads have some dairy or modified milk ingredients in it. I find this food one of the hardest to avoid, not only because I love bread, but because it is often the 'safest' item served at a meal. Without being able to check every label in a restaurant or a friend's house, plain dry bread will most likely contain less dairy than a pasta sauce or salad dressing. When possible choose a rye bread, as it has been my experience that they have little or no dairy in them. This of course varies from recipe to recipe and brand to brand. I have some great bread recipes that I make at home that are dairy free that I will share on this blog at a different time.Now, listing all of these things that you should be careful with a dairy allergy (and these are just some of the 'sneaky' ones) always makes me sad, like I am missing out on so many yummy (if not unhealthy) foods that I thought I would list one food that you would expect to find dairy but does not, Oreo Cookies!! To the best of my knowledge of food labels, Oreo cookies are dairy free! So bring on the Oreos!!Over the next while I will post some recipes, great alternatives and 'work arounds' that I have used to cook well dairy free. I will also share some of the online resources that I have found helpful as I have been working towards having a dairy free life.
Stay tuned.
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