Tasty & Dairy Free
Home > How to Get Started > Tasty & Dairy-Free
CAN I HAVE HEALTHFUL MEALS WITHOUT DAIRY AND EGGS?
Yes! All of the nutrients in milk and eggs can be easily
obtained from other sources, without the cholesterol,
saturated fat, and other health risks of animal products.
Protein: The American Dietetic Association says that
protein
needs can easily be met by consuming a variety of plant
protein sources over an entire day. As long as your diet contains a
variety of grains, beans, and vegetables, and enough calories to
keep you satisfied, you are getting enough protein. A diet high in
animal protein, because it contains too much protein, actually can
increase your risk of illnesses such as osteoporosis and kidney
disease.
Calcium: Green leafy vegetables, such as kale,
are better than milk as
calcium sources. They have more calcium per calorie than
dairy products,
and that calcium is more easily absorbed.
Fat Content and Heart DIsease Risk: Dairy
products-other than skim varieties—are high in
fat, as a percentage of total calories, and much of it is
saturated fat which is correlated with increased risk of
heart disease. Similarly, eggs get about 70 percent of their
calories from fat, and a big
portion of that fat is saturated.
Cholesterol: Eggs are also loaded with
cholesterol—about 213 milligrams for an average-sized egg. There is
no need to take in any cholesterol from foods, as the body makes
what it needs and extra cholesterol from foods tends to increase the
cholesterol level in your blood. Every 100 mg of cholesterol that
you eat (1/2 an egg) adds roughly 5 points to your cholesterol
level. (Neal Barnard, M.D., Food for Life, p. 36).
Diabetes: In a study of 142 children with
diabetes, 100 percent had high
levels of an antibody to a cow’s milk protein. It is
believed that these
antibodies may destroy the insulin-producing cells of the
pancreas. (New England Journal of Medicine [1992],
vol. 327, 302-7)
Cancer: Milk and dairy products have been associated
with an increased risk of cancer,
especially the reproductive cancers (breast, ovarian, and
prostate), probably because milk, even organic milk,
naturally contains high levels of growth hormones.
Iron-Deficiency: Cow's milk is very low in
iron. Milk also causes blood
loss from the intestinal tract, depleting the body’s iron.
For these reasons, the American Academy of Pediatrics
recommends that
infants below one year of age not be given whole cow’s milk.
(Pediatrics [2005], vol. 115 [2], 496-506)
Contaminants: Milk is frequently contaminated with
antibiotics, pesticides, and synthetic hormones. Because
eggshells are fragile and porous, and conditions on egg
farms are crowded, eggs are the perfect host to
salmonella—the bacteria that is the leading cause of food
poisoning in the U.S.
Lactose: Three out of four people from around the
world, including an
estimated 25 percent of individuals in the United States,
are unable to
digest the milk sugar lactose, which then causes diarrhea
and gas. (Journal of the American Dietetic Association
[1996], vol. 96, 243-6) The
lactose sugar, when it is digested, releases galactose, a
simple sugar that
is linked to ovarian cancer and cataracts.
Allergies: Milk is one of the most common causes
of food allergy. Often
the symptoms are subtle and may not be attributed to milk
for some
time.
Colic: Milk proteins can cause colic, a digestive
upset that bothers one
in five infants. Milk-drinking mothers can also pass cow’s
milk proteins
to their breast-feeding infants.
For sources and documentation on the health risks associated
with dairy and eggs, see The China Study by T.Colin
Campbell, Ph.D., or visit the following websites:
thechinastudy.com; janeplant.com; pcrm.org.
CAN I ENJOY DELICIOUS MEALS WITHOUT DAIRY?
Yes! Here are
some simple ideas to get you started:
- Top your oats or cold cereal with enriched plant milk, such as soy, rice or almond milk.
- Make smoothies with enriched vanilla-flavored plant milk, or drink an ice cold glass of your favorite soy, rice, or almond milk with your meal or snack.
- “Leave off the cheese, please.” Order your entrée or salad with no cheese. Many dishes can be easily made cheesefree. Ask for guacamole, rice, olives, or extra salsa in your burrito or on your tostada instead of the cheese. Put more vegetables on a dinner salad or add some beans, nuts, or baked tofu chunks instead of cheese.
- Or, try some of the new, delicious plant-based cheeses, such as Follow Your Heart and Daiya brands. We especially recommend Daiya, available at Abundance, Lori's, and also Nature's Marketplace in Wegmans. It comes in Cheddar or Mozzarella flavors, pre-shredded in packages; it is gluten-free and dairy-free, and it melts! Try it in a grilled cheese sandwich, or on a pizza you make with a frozen shell, a jar of tomato sauce, and lots of veggies.
- Most recipes calling for milk can be made with plant milk (soy, rice, almond, hemp, etc.) instead. If it’s a soup or other savory dish, be sure to purchase plain, not vanilla flavor.
- Make creamy dips and desserts using silken tofu in place of sour cream or cream cheese. Or try Tofutti Sour Cream or Better than Cream Cheese--they taste just the same as the products they substitute for.
- Sprinkle nutritional yeast on popcorn or pasta for a cheesy flavor, instead of parmesan. Nutritional yeast is still easiest to find in bulk at health food stores, but may be available in jars at Wegmans Nature's Marketplace.
CAN I ENJOY DELICIOUS MEALS WITHOUT EGGS?
Yes! Here are some tips and recipes that make things easy.
Replacing Eggs: Eggs are often used in baked
products because of their binding and leavening properties.
But smart cooks have found good substitutes for eggs. Try
one of the following the next time you prepare a recipe that
calls for eggs:
- If a recipe calls for just one or two eggs, you can often skip them. Add a couple of extra tablespoons of water for each egg eliminated to balance out the moisture content of the product.
- Eggless egg replacers are available in many natural food stores. These are different from reduced-cholesterol egg products, such as Egg Beaters, which do contain eggs. We recommend Ener-G Egg Replacer, available at Abundance, Lori's, and Wegmans Nature's Marketplace. Ener-G comes in a powdered form: the package directions tell you how to replace eggs in baking with a mixture of the powdered egg replacer and water.
- Use 1 heaping tablespoon of soy flour or cornstarch plus 2 tablespoons of water to replace each egg in a baked product.
- Use 1 ounce of mashed tofu in place of an egg.
- In muffins and cookies, half a banana, mashed, can be used instead of an egg, though it will change the flavor of the recipe somewhat.
- For vegetarian loaves and burgers, use any of the following to bind ingredients together: tomato paste, mashed potato, moistened bread crumbs, or rolled oats.
Scrambled Tofu
• Makes 2 1/2-cup servings
This nutritious golden scramble is especially good with
toasted English muffins. You can also wrap it in a whole
wheat flour tortilla for a delicious breakfast burrito.
2 teaspoons oil (try toasted sesame oil for a flavor kick)
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 pound firm tofu, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons soy sauce
Heat oil in a nonstick skillet. Add onion and cook over
medium heat, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Add tofu, garlic
powder, turmeric, cumin, black pepper, and soy sauce. Cook,
stirring gently, for 3-5 minutes. Nutrition information per
1⁄2 cup serving: 137 calories; 10 g protein; 4 g
carbohydrate; 10 g fat; 2 g fiber; 177 mg sodium
Dairy-free, Egg-free French Toast
• Makes 6 slices
This cholesterol-free French toast tastes great.
1 cup fortified soy milk (plain or vanilla)
1/4 cup unbleached white or whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
6 slices whole grain bread
vegetable oil cooking spray
Combine milk, flour, maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon in a
blender. Blend until smooth, then pour into a flat dish.
Soak bread slices in batter until soft but not soggy. The
amount of time this takes will vary depending on the bread
used.
Cook in an oil-sprayed nonstick skillet over medium heat
until first side is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Turn
carefully with a spatula and cook second side until brown,
about 3 minutes. Serve warm. Nutrition information per
slice: 129 calories; 6 g protein; 23 g carbohydrate; 2 g
fat; 4 g fiber; 191 mg sodium
Missing Egg Sandwich
• Makes 6 sandwiches
These sandwiches have the flavor and appearance of egg salad
without the saturated fat and cholesterol.
1/2 pound firm tofu (1 cup)
1 green onion, finely chopped, including green tops
2 tablespoons pickle relish
2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise (Nayonnaise or Vegenaise,
available in health food stores or Wegmans Nature's
Marketplace)
2 teaspoons stone-ground mustard
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
12 slices whole grain bread
6 lettuce leaves
6 tomato slices
Mash tofu, leaving some chunks. Add green onion, pickle
relish, vegan mayonnaise, mustard, soy sauce, cumin,
turmeric, and garlic powder. Mix well. Spread on 6 slices of
bread. Garnish with lettuce and tomato slices, and top with
remaining bread. Nutrition information per sandwich: 246
calories; 15 g protein; 38 g carbohydrate; 6 g fat; 6 g
fiber; 452mg sodium
Recipes by Jennifer Raymond
