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Gluten Free/dairy Free Mac A Cheese

Nic

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Nic Collaborator
Nic
Posted

Hi, my son is a celiac and also dairy intolerant. He really misses mac and cheese and the only packaged one we could find was weird looking (cheese was dark) and he wouldn't eat it (he didn't like the taste either). So I have tried to make my own twice now. I used tinkyada pasta and a vegan cheese from the Galaxy brand of dairy free cheeses. What I did was mix the cheese with his rice milk and let it melt on the stove (well tried to melt it anyway). For the most part it melts but it won't melt completely leaving clumps of cheese that a 7 year old finds gross looking and therefore won't eat it or takes a bite and spits out the clumps of cheese. Is there anything else I could be doing to make it melt better?

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Ivanna44 Apprentice
Ivanna44
Posted
Hi, my son is a celiac and also dairy intolerant. He really misses mac and cheese and the only packaged one we could find was weird looking (cheese was dark) and he wouldn't eat it (he didn't like the taste either). So I have tried to make my own twice now. I used tinkyada pasta and a vegan cheese from the Galaxy brand of dairy free cheeses. What I did was mix the cheese with his rice milk and let it melt on the stove (well tried to melt it anyway). For the most part it melts but it won't melt completely leaving clumps of cheese that a 7 year old finds gross looking and therefore won't eat it or takes a bite and spits out the clumps of cheese. Is there anything else I could be doing to make it melt better?

Hi Nic,

I'm not sure where you are located. I'm presuming the States due to the "Tinkyada" pasta label, I've not seen that in Canada. As yet. This is link might help. I am new to the gluten free gang. But, this is a product line from a gluten free dairy free bakery that makes tons of stuff, even donuts! They have a good variety of kid appealing items like the mock oreo cookies, as well as mac and cheese (white cheese look) and baking mixes so on.

I've had their bread and cinnamon buns (bought frozen, shipped in to local grocer).. And they were fantastic :) . They even have a pop up menu where you can find a store near you that carries their products, based on USA or Canada shoppers. I am hoping tomorrow to find their baking mix products (dry form) at a local Organic Market. So I'll let you know how they turn out.

Anyhow here the link Open Original Shared Link

You may also want to look at sites that are for autistic children that are on a gluten free, casein free diet, I had one at one time, but lost the bookmark. Had a lot of ideas for home made recipes that had kid appeal.

hugs

Mom23boys Contributor
Mom23boys
Posted

I have been working with casein free for some time and have not found an agreeable sub. My kids will not eat any of the Gluten-free Casein-free packaged items.

The closest we get is to start like you are making "real" mac and cheese. Melt about a T of CF "butter" then put in about a T of gluten-free flour/flour mix then add a little (about a cup) CF "milk". It will make the creamy sauce. My kids prefer it w/o the fake cheese. A couple slices of chopped bacon work great in the initial stage in place of the butter. If they are not watching I will throw in a scallion or 2.

CaraLouise Explorer
CaraLouise
Posted

Another idea is to use "chreese" by Road's End Organics. It is made with lentil and does not taste too much like regular cheese, but it is not bad as a substitute. The website is:

www.chreese.com

Hope this helps!

Mango04 Enthusiast
Mango04
Posted

Some people like Annie's. Whole Foods carries a few different options. I think DeBoles makes one too.

Guhlia Rising Star
Guhlia
Posted

I use Tinkyada pasta, the best IMO. What about using nutritional yeast and/or cashews to reproduce the cheese flavor? And, if its ever the color he doesn't like, you could always use food coloring. i'm not a big advocate of artificial colors, but I have two kids and I understand how freakin' picky they can be. :) I have to admit, I've made pink eggs before... :)

dbmamaz Explorer
dbmamaz
Posted

I made one attempt which was . . . edible. I made the white sauce out of coconut milk - its called Basic Dairy-Free White Sauce on a website called Rachel's recipe box (I dont think links word?). She recomends a lot of seasonings. I added vegan gourmet cheese and put it over deboles corn elbows. I ate it, but didnt much enjoy it. However, I froze small servings of it - and later sliced one portion and rolled in gluten-free flour and fried it - it was actually yummy that way lol!

BUt if you make a white sauce, and stir shredded 'cheese' in, it will be creamier. You can add paprika for an orange color or turmeric for a bright yellow color. You can also use nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor in sauces.

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Wonka Apprentice
Wonka
Posted
Hi Nic,

I'm not sure where you are located. I'm presuming the States due to the "Tinkyada" pasta label, I've not seen that in Canada.

Hi Ivanna,

I live in Vancouver, BC and can easily buy Tinkayada pasta here. It is, by far, the best gluten-free pasta you can buy.

MaryJones2 Enthusiast
MaryJones2
Posted

Namaste makes a product called Say Cheez. It uses hemp and is my favorite with Road's End Cheddar Chreese being second. The Namaste mix is very hard to find though so you might have to order online.

Guest Lore
Guest Lore
Posted

Ooo Ooo Ooo!!!

Try the GLUTEN FREE & FABULOUS MAC AND CHEESE!! And make it with soy milk.

It really is sooooo good :P

Open Original Shared Link

Princess Incognito Newbie
Princess Incognito
Posted

My husband has celiac, I react to corn, and neither of us can have soy or dairy. We had the Road's End 'Chreese" on Tinkiada pasta and nearly cried. The kids ate it, but none of us thought is was Kraft quality, or home made with real chedar. You may have to go without for several years until the youngun is willing to take anything that has the 'fat' taste to it that life without cheese . . . um, what ever the word is. Well, I hope this helps a little. I'm going to look for the Namaste mix. Namaste is awsome.

Juliebove Rising Star
Juliebove
Posted
Namaste makes a product called Say Cheez. It uses hemp and is my favorite with Road's End Cheddar Chreese being second. The Namaste mix is very hard to find though so you might have to order online.

I love the Namaste. Don't like the Chreese stuff at all, but my daughter likes it so that's all that matters. When I make the Chreese, I often add cubes of ham for extra protein.

Juliebove Rising Star
Juliebove
Posted
Ooo Ooo Ooo!!!

Try the GLUTEN FREE & FABULOUS MAC AND CHEESE!! And make it with soy milk.

It really is sooooo good :P

Open Original Shared Link

But doesn't that have real cheese in it? I can't seem to find the ingredients.

ETA: I looked further and yes, it has cheddar cheese powder. So it's not dairy free.

Mom23boys Contributor
Mom23boys
Posted

My kids think the Namaste fake cheese is vile. They have been agreeable participants in sampling new and unusual foods but the 3 of them put their foot down at this.

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