topic Re: Cooking with Milk alternatives in Kitchen

Cooking with Milk alternatives

granddi — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 13:53:06 GMT

Would some experienced cooks share how to use milk alternatives in basic and advanced cooking.

What type is best? Almond or other?

I'm not a baker but the question comes up in things like pancake mix or cornbread mix. Complete -just add water- mixes contain milk!

I am new to the lactose intolerance club! I'm a southern girl and miss my cream gravy.

Re: Cooking with Milk alternatives

Carmie — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 14:15:10 GMT

I am not lactose intolerant, but I can't have gluten. I haven't have been gluten free for 40 years.

Sometimes when you have digestive issues with certain types of food, you just can't eat some things. It's an adjustment.

Unless you can find just use water mixes made without milk, you will have to cook everything from scratch.

Since you can buy lactose free milk in the dairy section in your local grocery store, you could start there. I understand the lactose free milk tastes and works the same as whole milk and it is real milk.

If you want to use a nut milk...choose almond milk without sweetners or vanilla.

Re: Cooking with Milk alternatives

evelyner — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 14:33:54 GMT

almond milk even the one with no flavor had a taste. It's ok in sweet stuff only. You can use oat milk which has no taste.

Re: Cooking with Milk alternatives

wagirl — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 14:42:53 GMT

@granddi --DD and I drink almond milk--but I have found that oatmilk is fantastic as a subs for cows milk or any other faux milk in cooking and baking !! It does contain more sugar----I use the unsweetened kind but it still does have sugar because it is made from oats. For what ever reason it just works. Have used it in making white sauces, in mashed spuds--so good--- in puddings, desserts, would do great in mixes --muffins, cornbread, pancakes, I used it in my polenta too. There are even a plant based heavy cream subs that are very good too. One is by Country Crock and another is by Califia Farms. Have used them both. Just made a pesto/cream sauce using it, for over a chicken, broccoli, pasta meal. Makes a pretty good alfredo sauce too.

Re: Cooking with Milk alternatives

aroc3435 — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 15:26:45 GMT

@granddi Carnation Lactose Free Evaporated Milk is my solution. Substitute 1:1 in recipes calling for milk. Coomes in 11 ounce shelf stable packaging and doesn't have to be refrigerated until opened.

Also, aside from cooking, eating foods that have dairy has become much happier for me since they invented Lactiad brand pills.

I use the plain--no flavor--Fast Act tablets. The flavored ones have sugar substitute in them and therefore create the same problem for my gasto-intestinal tract as the one I'm trying to avoid!

Hope this helps.

Best,

aroc3435

Washington, DC

Re: Cooking with Milk alternatives

Imaoldhippie — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 15:33:36 GMT

@granddi .............Lactose free milk works.

Re: Cooking with Milk alternatives

RetiredATC — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 15:35:07 GMT

I have a Lactose problem even using Lactaid tablets and Lactaid milk. I use 3 tablets for one container of yogurt, and I still have issues. That being said, I use almond milk with coconut. I really do like that in cereals and to drink. Just be aware that if you want to make instant pudding, and probably the cooked boxed kind, the pudding will not solidify using the substitutes. It needs the actual milk.

Re: Cooking with Milk alternatives

rockygems123 — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 15:59:51 GMT

@granddi

How about Lactaid?

Yes, Lactaid is a brand of lactose-free milk made from real cow's milk:

Ingredients
Lactaid milk is made by adding a small amount of lactase to regular milk, an enzyme that breaks down lactose into glucose and galactose.
Taste
Lactaid milk tastes sweeter than regular milk because glucose and galactose are sweeter than lactose.
Nutrition
Lactaid milk is a good source of protein, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin B12, riboflavin, and vitamin D.

Uses
Lactaid milk can be used as a substitute for regular milk in cooking and drinking.

Re: Cooking with Milk alternatives

granddi — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 17:00:37 GMT

Thanks to everyone!

I'm a beginner at lactose intolerance.

This all started about 2 years ago. My eating and pooping was normal! I got food poisoning. When it did not get better in 2-3 weeks, my NP said "oh just a bland diet and lots of water"

My gut was never in balance after the infection. I'll keep my medical journey brief. History of food poisoning can be related to onset of IBS-D, SIBO, others. If you are an older person who encounters food poisoning ask for aggressive antibiotics. One in particular is very expensive.

I have been one month off lactose and caffeine. I'm better. Waiting for many other labs. I even had a small reaction to Lactaid milk? So the investigation continues. Gut issues are multifactoral so finding a patient, good listening, GI doc is imperative. My 3rd one might be the charm.

I use Almond milk for smoothies bc of the calcium. I definitely will try the oat milk.

Yall are the best thanks!

Re: Cooking with Milk alternatives

Pook — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 18:17:14 GMT

@granddi I use Almond Breeze Extra Creamy. That is the only Almond milk that works way better than milk and even tastier than milk- even for pudding.

Re: Cooking with Milk alternatives

CelticCrafter — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 18:42:38 GMT

@evelyner wrote:
almond milk even the one with no flavor had a taste. It's ok in sweet stuff only. You can use oat milk which has no taste.

@evelyner I made the mistake of using almond milk on cheerios. I was the nastiest thing I ever tasted. I had to throw the whole bowl out after a few spoons because it just kept getting worse.

Re: Cooking with Milk alternatives

Nightowlz — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 19:12:38 GMT

All I buy is unsweetened almond milk. Check the labels before you decide which you want to try. There's a lot of sugar in some.

We use it on cereal or anything that needs milk.

DH made buttermilk pecan pancakes this weekend. He added 2 tablespoons vinegar to the almond milk to make a cup of buttermilk. The pancakes are soft & fluffy.

It doesn't work on pudding. The pudding will not thicken.

So far that's the only thing I have found it doesn't work on.

I have also made hot chocolate with it with shaved chocolate & some espresso powder.

I even use it when I make creamed corn. It has a little different taste but still very good.

If you want creamy white country gravy McCormick packet's are pretty good. You add 2 cups water. It does list sodium caseinate & dry milk powder in the ingredients.

I don't know if I'm lactose intolerant or if it's just high fat?

When I eat ice cream I get a messed up stomach. I can eat frozen yogurt or Gelato with no problems. Ice cream has more fat? Homemade ice cream doesn't bother my stomach either?

I use the unsweetened almond milk in smoothies almost daily.

Re: Cooking with Milk alternatives

JeanLouiseFinch — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 21:48:11 GMT

@granddi wrote:
Would some experienced cooks share how to use milk alternatives in basic and advanced cooking.

What type is best? Almond or other?
I'm not a baker but the question comes up in things like pancake mix or cornbread mix. Complete -just add water- mixes contain milk!

I am new to the lactose intolerance club! I'm a southern girl and miss my cream gravy.

@granddi

You can still make your country cream gravy. I don't drink cows milk anymore. I make it with cream cheese, heavy whipping cream (both low in lactose) and plain, unsweetened almond milk.

To your boxed mixes, plain, unsweetened almond milk will work. Measurements are 1:1