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Food 1-1
Published 12:52pm Friday, November 9, 2012Dear Food-1-1,
During the past year I have been diagnosed with severe lactose intolerance. I am unable to eat any milk, cream, buttermilk, sour cream, butter, cottage cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, or any other type of cheese, as well as the whey and other milk solids found in prepared foods.
Here is how I need help. I need a good cookbook with lactose free recipes. I would like a good whole grain bread recipe for bread machines. Also I would like to know if there are mixes that are specifically made for lactose intolerant diets. Are there sources for purchasing LI products?
The other need that I have is for some guidance in dining out. My experiences in this area have not been good. At this point I am pretty much limited to removing the meat from the bun and ordering a side salad with French dressing. Eating in a classy restaurant is impossible. They always have exotic sauces – containing dairy – that they add to the dish. A steak will come with a pat of butter on it, as do hash browns, and the breading on chicken strips or shrimp and other fish usually contains dairy.
Thank you for any help that you can give me.
Lactose-Free Lorraine
Dear Lactose-Free Lorraine,
Working around food allergies is no easy task, so I commend you for taking charge of your own health! The good news is that eating dairy-free goes hand in hand with eating healthy, as you are essentially avoiding many calorie and fat-laden foods. I have a few resources for you that will hopefully be helpful as you cook in your home, as well as eat out.
GoDairyFree.org is an extensive website created by someone such as you with a severe milk-protein allergy. The site lists grocery guides, product reviews, tips on eating out, thousands of recipes, and other news-worthy information regarding eating dairy-free. You can also purchase a cookbook, Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living on amazon.com.
You’re right, eating out is a real challenge for people with dairy allergies, in addition to other food allergies. Again, the website provides several general tips for eating out, but also lists recommended restaurants with links to their websites. Our only local chain (in Fergus Falls) listed is Applebee’s, but you’ll find their website (www.applebees.com) to be extremely helpful locating menu items that fit in your diet.
The site lists several brands/products of bread machine mixes that are dairy-free, but perhaps are not labeled “dairy free”. Many gluten-free items are also dairy-free (and/or vegan), but getting products labeled this way takes longer than consumers would like to see. Here is a basic bread machine recipe loaded with lots of whole wheat to meet your whole grain needs!
Honey Whole Wheat Bread
INGREDIENTS:
• 1-1/8 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1-1/2 cups bread flour
(may use whole wheat bread flour for a heartier bread)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
DIRECTIONS: Add ingredients according to the manufacturer’s directions to your bread machine. Use the wheat bread cycle and light color setting.
Dear Food-1-1,
Is pork considered a red meat or is it “the other white meat”? Does the cut or how lean it is make a difference for someone who is watching their cholesterol?
Just Curious Jan
Dear Just Curious Jan,
Great question! The 80s ad campaign from the National Pork Board was very successful in persuading people that pork is a white meat similar to that of chicken or turkey. Although convincing, the slogan is untrue. Pork is considered a red meat, due to the color that it is after cooking.
If you’re watching your cholesterol, the most important part of the nutrition label to watch is ‘saturated fat’. The best cuts of pork are from the tenderloin, whether a roast or chop, as the amount of saturated fat is very comparable to a skinless chicken breast, about 1-1.5 grams. Compare that to other cuts such as bacon with 3.5 g saturated fat or ribs with 5 grams. Upper limits depend on people’s calorie needs, but for example, someone who is to consume 1,500 calories a day should keep their saturated fat intake under 10 grams.
