Looking For gluten-free Dairy Substitutes

[chick2ba]

Soooo it looks like dairy will have to go, too. I will miss cheese and ice cream much worse than wheat and barley...

What common soy/corn based cheese, sour cream, yogurt and butter do lactose-intolerant celiacs buy? I'm having a hard time finding some brands that are for sure gluten free.

I just want to bake again without feeling ill. Thanks.

[eKatherine]

Are you lactose intolerant, casein sensitive/intolerant, or a combination?

When I was just lactose intolerant, I was able to eat all cheese and fermented dairy, and other products in moderation so long as they were part of a recipe and a meal. When I found that I was sensitive to milk, I stopped all the dairy products except for fresh butter on bread and vegetables, which doesn't seem to bother me.

I'm not into imitation food substitutes. They are a poor substitution and there are lots better foods around. I make and use almond milk in recipes.

[Lister]

for milk, sorry you did not ask for milk, but i use almond milk tastes great and works great, not sure about others sorry

[lorka150]

I am also awaiting the response of lactose intolerance vs. casein.

[AndreaB]

I personally don't recommend soy to anyone anymore but Soy Garden spread by Earch Balance is good for butter. Tofutti better than sour cream and better than cream cheese may be another one (you'd have to check ingredients). Yogurt check out Silk by White Wave. Cheese, follow your heart. You will find in very challenging to get used to soy cheese if you are used to cow cheese. Most "cheeses" have casein in them so you have to watch it. Follow Your Heart does not.

Recipe for Sunflower sour cream

Sunny Sour Cream

3/4 cup water

2/3 cup sunflower seeds

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (I have a note that says less lemon but I didn't use fresh)

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlice powder

Process all ingredients in a blender until very smooth. Adjust water and seasonings to taste and consistency desired. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container. For variations, blend in tomato and/or avocado for a salad sandwich dressing.

Recipe from Newstart Lifesyle Cookbook from Weimar Institute

Butter

Into the blender put:

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup carrot juice

OR 1 cup water and carotene

Add.

2 Tbs. powdered soy milk (I'm sure others would work)

1 tsp salt

1 Tbs coconut meal (optional)

Blend well then add slowly while blending

1/2 cup soy or safflower oil

Last blend in just to thicken:

1/2 cup coconut oil + 1-2 Tbs liquid lecithin

Spectrum coconut oil is great. I omit the lecithin. If you do add a little more coconut oil. I had also left out the powdered soy milk.

It makes a orange butter but if you use spectrum coconut oil it won't overpower anything. I got a different brand and everything I put it on tasted like coconut so make sure you get spectrum.

Recipe from Ten Talents by Rosalie Hurd

I have other recipes for butter that used millet and/or corn but aren't are good in my opinion. I'd be glad to post them if interested.

[jenvan]

My favorite gluten-free/cf "butter" alternatives are Earth Balance sticks and spread. Sticks work perfectly as a sub for regular butter in cooking. Both taste great! First and Fifth items on this page: Open Original Shared Link

Good soy yogurt, Whole Soy company. Read the back of the label--it will say gluten-free/cf: Open Original Shared Link

The only gluten-free/cf "cheese" line I've found in stores is Soyco's Vegan line. Nothing cf is going to be the same as real cheese, but this is pretty good. Open Original Shared Link

I also just found this gluten-free/cf soy-based whip cream that is really good! Great Rediwhip substitute: Open Original Shared Link

[momandgirls]

We use Earth Balance as a butter replacement - it tastes good and is just fine to cook and bake with. We only use rice milk. Tofutti makes a sour cream replacement - it also tastes pretty much like the real thing. Whole Soy and Co. makes a milkshake type thing that my daughter loves for breakfast. Our favorite "fake" ice cream is Sharon's Sorbet - it's totally delicious - we've tried lemon, raspberry, coconut (my daughter's favorite) and passionfruit (my favorite). As for cheese, we really don't eat it anymore becuase we can't find a soy cheese that tastes good but we do use Veggie Shreds for tacos or to use with pasta. Veggie Shreds do have casein but no lactose. I know that there are some people that do ok with aged cheeses or Lactaid (though neither of those work for us).

[chick2ba]

Hey thanks for all the great suggestions.. I'll be on the lookout for some of those brands. Not sure yet if I am lactose intolerant or reacting to casein. Is there any good way to tell other than eating something without lactose (but with casein) and waiting it out? Anything with loads of cream or milk sets me off, but I think butter and parmesan cheese have been alright.

Do you think all-veggie Crisco shortening (+water) would work in place of butter for baking?

Lister, do you make your own almond milk?

[AndreaB]

Sweet Nut Milk

1 quart water

2/3 c clean, raw cashews or almonds

4 pitted dates

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp vanilla

Process all ingredients in a blender with about 1 cup of the water until very smooth. Pour into a pitcher and stir in remaining water. Strain, if desired. Cover and refrigerate. Shake well before using. This milk is excellent on cereal and for cooking.

Variations (1) For Grain Milk , add 1 cup of cooked millet or brown rice and process until smooth; (2) Substitute 1 tablespoon honey or 1/3 cup coconut for dates.

From Newstart Lifestyle Cookbook by Weimar Institute

[Sarah8793]

I like and use Smart Balance's ORGANIC Whipped Buttery Spread. It is 100% vegan, Non-dairy, Non GMO, Gluten free, No Trans Fats, and etc.

But I've only seen the gluten free and dairy free in the organic version.

Sarah

[TimSpfd]

For Ice Cream I love the Soy Delicious line by Turtle Mountain. Their allergies page is Open Original Shared Link

But then I found I was soy intollerant to some extent too so quit soy. Now I eat Rice Dream by Imagine Foods. Their allergy page is Open Original Shared Link

It's not nearly as good and some flavors still have allergens in them I avoid, but it fills the need for me.

If you can have the soy go for the Turtle Tracks in the Purely Decadent line of Soy Delicious. Sooo good.

Almond Breeze vanilla almond milk by Blue Diamond is a nice milk substitute and pretty popular.

[jenvan]

Hey thanks for all the great suggestions.. I'll be on the lookout for some of those brands. Not sure yet if I am lactose intolerant or reacting to casein. Is there any good way to tell other than eating something without lactose (but with casein) and waiting it out? Anything with loads of cream or milk sets me off, but I think butter and parmesan cheese have been alright.

Have you tried eating dairy and taking a Lactaid? If it is merely a lactose issue the Lactaid can potentially really help with that.

Also--another great product is Vance's Darifree. It is a milk alternative made from potatoes. The nice thing about it is that you can use it to make homemade icecream that is really good...Open Original Shared Link

[tarnalberry]

Almond Breeze for sweet cooking/baking, Silk Unsweetened Soy Milk for savory cooking/baking, coconut milk for everything those two don't cover, and Soy Delicious "Ice Cream" or Sorbet for a frozen treat. (And dark chocolate to replace milk chocolate, or Trader Joes or Terra Nostra's Rice Milk Chocolate. You can develop the taste for dark chocolate over time, however.)