Lactose Intolerance and Scoring Big in the Dairy Aisle

Being Lactose-Intolerant and Scoring Big in the Dairy Aisle

Originally published for the Midwest Dairy Blog:  Dairy Makes Sense on February 2nd, 2016 https://www.midwestdairy.com/being-lactose-intolerant-and-scoring-big-in-the-dairy-aisle/

Now that the holidays are over, February, my favorite month, is just around the corner. My customers are excited for 2 things:  The Big Game and Valentine’s Day. As a Registered Dietitian, I am excited for February because it is Lactose Intolerance Awareness Month.  All of these February themes mesh perfectly together because many of my customers suffer from lactose intolerance and feel they will suffer enjoying the food at football viewing parties or special Valentine’s Day dinners. When heading to the Dairy Aisle to prepare for these special events, there are many low-lactose foods available to make all food taste good and tummies feel good. Here are my tips for tackling the Dairy Aisle:

1. Cheese, Please! Cheese is delicious on everything and luckily, there are a variety of cheeses with a low-lactose level, especially aged cheese. When a cheese is aged, the lactose diminishes. I encourage you to choose high flavor cheese because individuals will tend to use less of it, but still get the flavor and oooey gooey goodness in a recipe. My favorite choices are Sharp Cheddar, Monterey Jack and Asiago. My favorite game day appetizer is a whole-grain pizza crust, topped with tomato sauce, fresh vegetables, Asiago cheese and fresh basil.
2. Delicious Dips – Who doesn’t love dips?  Unfortunately, sour cream is one of those higher lactose foods. An easy substitution is mixing equal parts low-fat ricotta cheese and plain Greek Yogurt as your dip base. Ricotta is lower in lactose because during processing, the whey is separated from the curd and with it goes most of the lactose. Greek yogurt is more easily tolerated because of the live and active cultures and lower lactose content.
3. Sweet Indulgence – A party or special dinner would not be complete without ending it with something sweet.  Did you know there are creamy and delicious lactose-free ice cream varieties?  I recommend topping it with your favorite fresh or frozen fruit and sliced almonds or drizzling with warm peanut butter and toasted coconut.

If you have lactose intolerance, never be intimidated by the Dairy Aisle. There are many friendly foods that fit in with your health needs and the special and fun events in your life.

~Crazy 

Dairy Inspired Vacation Getaway

Summer is all about vacations and making lasting memories. June has been a whirlwind of crazy cool travels and some amazing friends and food.

 

One of my favorite people and my best friend, Carlena and I had the joy of a girls trip to Florida. You might be asking why in the world would we travel to Florida during the hot summer month of June? Because we love the beach and we love the sun! 

 

While in Florida, we soaked up the rays at New Smyrna Beach and the Siesta Keys. We went on a nighttime bioluminescent kayaking tour and saw the life under the water glow in the dark and made friends with a few Dolphins. One of my "must- dos" in Florida was dine on key lime pie. Key lime pie is one of my top 3 favorite desserts and there was no way I was passing it up on my trip. 

 

Upon my return, I wanted to take my inspiration of the warm and sunny citrus flavors of the key lime and recreate a healthier version of my favorite sweet treat. I was inspired by celebrating my trip and the memories I made with one of my favorite months being June: National Dairy Month. 

Key lime pie is traditionally a lot of sugar, so I wanted to health it up a bit. With the flavor of the fresh key lime juice and the protein packed creaminess of Greek yogurt, I created a key lime pie dip that I can eat when not on vacation. 

 

 

It is refreshing and so easy to do!  All you do is combine the key lime juice, yogurt, marshmallow fluff and fat-free condensed milk and stir. But it must be fresh squeezed key lime juice to get the true flavors you would on vacation. By combining the juice with yogurt, you also get protein and calcium for a healthier and more satisfying treat. Using nutrient-dense dairy foods in recipes boost the nutrition in anything that you make and while I am eating my delicious sweet treat, I want to share with you my "Top-10" Reasons that I love dairy:

 

1.  Dairy foods are full of 9 essential nutrients that I need to get from the food I eat, in a pinch, I always can find milk in any situation, especially at convenience stores.

2.  Yogurt saves me from the hungries as my afternoon snack. The protein keeps me full and focused during a busy day. 

3.  Fat-free milk is my go-to to make my oatmeal creamy and delicious in the morning. 

4.  Cottage cheese mixed with salsa and served with homemade tortilla chips, is the appetizer I take to many events for a healthy and tasty alternative to nacho cheese dip. 

5.  Fat-free chocolate milk is a great way to curb a sweet craving (and trust me, I have them often!)

6. The more cheese the merrier!  I keep a variety of 2% milk cheese sticks in my refrigerator for a perfect portion size of cheese for snacks and for various recipes I make.

7. Yogurt is packed with probiotics that help keep our tummies happy and our immune systems strong. It is one of few foods that has this incredible benefit.

8. I have a secret obsession with marscapone cheese. I use this creamy cheese on fruit and whole grain bread and then sprinkle cinnamon all over this twist on cream cheese.

9. Mozzarella is the cheese I recommend to most of my clients as the healthiest choice of cheese because it is made with part-skim milk and melts amazingly in a variety of recipes.

10.  After I have a morning workout, I start out each day with a protein-packed drink of fat-free milk, spinach, frozen blueberries and whey protein powder. I love it for breakfast!

For other ideas and suggestions for dairy foods, check out some of my fellow dietitians and my favorite dairy farmers share their own ideas for the versatility of dairy:  Dairy Makes Sense Blog. This recipe also shows how versatile dairy foods are. I like to serve the dip with graham crackers (Star Wars character grahams were a must for this dish) or it is also delicious with apple slices. It makes a generous amount so it would be a great dish to take to a weekend barbecue or picnic with family and friends.

 

All You Need:

• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup Greek vanilla yogurt
• 1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed key lime juice (this is around 10-12 key limes)

 

All You Do: 

1. Mix all ingredients together with a whisk and until smooth.
2. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. Serve with fresh fruit and graham crackers.

 

Cheers to summer; vacations; friends, the deliciousness of dairy, lasting memories and the food that reminds us of it all! 

~Crazy

 

Do Not Ditch Dairy!

Ok what fad diet have you been following since January 1?  I went into a book store this weekend and I cannot believe the shelves and shelves of fad diets out there. I decided to skim through a few and there is one common theme in all of them:  they eliminate a good group. 

When you remove a food group out of your eating life, it makes it that much more difficult to stick with the plan. One food group getting the boot right now in these fad diets is dairy. 

There is nothing as refreshing as an ice cold glass of milk. Milk and dairy foods have always been a very important part of my healthy eating plan. I know, there is a lot of talk about dairy, but I believe it fits into every healthy lifestyle (yes, even if you're lactose intolerant! But that's for another blog post and a great reason to talk with your dietitian!) 

Why choose dairy foods?  Dairy is full of so many wonderful nutrients. Not a lot of foods can carry such a vast nutritional profile.  Where can you get calcium, protein, phosphorus and Vitamin D in a convenient little package? What I love about Greek yogurt and milk is that it is a perfect balance of carbohydrate and protein. This is important for all healthy individuals wanting to maintain a healthy weight because it helps your satiety and keeps blood sugars more stable. Low-fat or fat-free Chocolate milk is the perfect recovery drink for all ages who perform physical activity and does a better job for keeping your body healthy than sport drinks. You can also find dairy good products at convenience stores and gas stations when you are on the go, which makes them a much healthier choice than many items in these stores. Many fast food joints are also removing soda off their kid menus and offering low-fat milk options a standard. 

What dairy products should you choose? I always recommend low-fat (1%) or fat-free (skim) milk, 1-2% fat on cheese items (including ricotta, cottage and cream cheese) and choosing fat-free Greek yogurt for the extra protein. You will still get all the fantastic nutrients and flavor (and cheesy, melty goodness), without the extra fat. 

How much should you have?  I recommend consuming up to 3 servings a day (8 ounces of fluid milk or 1 cup, 5-6 ounces of yogurt or one small container and 1 ounce of cheese or the equivalent of a piece of string cheese) are serving sizes. 

And don't be scared to use these amazing foods as healthier substitutions in recipes. Fat-free plain Greek yogurt does a fantastic job filling in for sour cream and have you had homemade hot chocolate with fat-free milk?  Talk about dreamy!!! 

This is my all-time favorite dairy recipe that you have got to try! I add 3 scoops of whey protein powder to boost my protein and freeze the other 2 servings to have later. I take it out of the freeze before my workout and it's ready to drink when I get home! 

The recipe is courtesy of dairymakessense.com: 

Banana-Caramel Smoothie

     

• Servings: 3
• Prep time: 5 mins
• Total time: 5 mins
• Created by: Midwest Dairy Association

Ingredients

• 2 medium bananas, peeled, sliced and frozen*
• 2 cups fat-free milk
• ¼ cup purchased caramel sauce
• *Note: Use frozen banana slices to chill and thicken your smoothie. Just peel and slice each banana and freeze in a separate zip-top plastic bag. This is a great way to use ripe bananas and have them ready for your next smoothie.

Preparation

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth. Serve in tall glasses or on-the-go drink containers.

Cheers! (wearing a milk mustache with pride!)  ~Crazy