Lactose-Free Cooking

!±8± Lactose-Free Cooking

Along with 30-50 million Americans, I am lactose intolerant. My digestive system cannot break down the milk sugar, lactose, that is found in dairy products.

As I developed lactose intolerance a few years ago, I quickly learned that I have to give up my favorite foods in order to be symptom free. Milk gave me gas, after eating sour cream I would wake up in the middle of the night with abdominal pain, yogurt would leave me bloated for days, so I reached for soy products. After having tried several types of soy milk, and other soy products that are not even close in taste to the real thing, I was ready to just give in and stop enjoying rich and creamy dishes.

One day, one of my co-writers told me that she had enjoyed being lactose-free for a while and has modified many of her favorite recipes so that they do not contain milk, but taste as if almost nothing changed! She even teamed up with a nurse practitioner to write a cookbook with a collection of rich and creamy lactose-free recipes. Once the book was in print, I bought a copy and sceptically opened it up. I was was pleasantly surprised to find suggestions on milk substitutes, tips on dining out, and above all a collection of recipes that sounded very inviting and RICH & CREAMY!

I tried most of the recipes in the cookbook already. I want to share a couple of my favorite ones in this article:

YOGURT TORTE

3 (6 ounce) vanilla soy yogurts, custard-style
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
½ cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons gelatin
4 tablespoons water

1 small box strawberry-flavored Jell-O
1 cup water, divided
1 cup sliced strawberries

In a mixing bowl, combine yogurt, vanilla flavoring, and powdered sugar until smooth.

In a small bowl, pour 4 tablespoons of water over gelatin and let sit until hard. Microwave the hardened gelatin until it becomes liquid, then add to the yogurt mixture. Stir until smooth.

Pour the mixture into a small spring-form. Refrigerate until set. When the yogurt is set, arrange sliced strawberries on top.

Dissolve Jell-O in ½ cup boiling water. Add ½ cup cold water. When tepid, pour Jell-O over the strawberries and refrigerate until Jell-O is set.

Serve with Cool-Whip.

THE ULTIMATE SPLIT PEA SOUP

1 pound thickly sliced bacon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely sliced
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cups split peas
8 cups vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
salt, pepper to taste
2 small cans od green chilies (optional)

In a medium skillet, cook the bacon until done. Transfer onto a plate covered with a paper towel, and set aside.

In a large soup pot, add olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until slightly softened. Add the carrots and celery, and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add potatoes, peas, stock, and bay leaf, season with salt and pepper, and bring to simmer. Cook for about 45 minutes, until peas are soft. At the end, stir in bacon and chilies and cook for another 5 minutes.

For a creamy twist, add a bit of Sassy Sour Cream. For how to make two versions of this sour cream, consult the cookbook.