OT: dairy-free cheese / paleo

This is only slightly off-topic for me because keeping my sinuses clear is a big part of the successful treatment of my SDB.

I just learned of a dairy-free soy-free "cheese," called Daiya. I thought it was the name of the cheese, but after reading up on it, it looks like the name of the company that makes it. It is made of cassava and arrowroot. I'm guessing it's high in carbs, so might not suit people following a low-carb diet. But they are both roots, so it might be an option for people on a paleo diet. It doesn't contribute a lot, nutrition-wise, and certainly cannot be considered a substitute for cheese in the sense of being a source of protein, but seems innocuous enough.

This might be the answer to my prayers for something that would contribute that gooey, filling feeling that dairy products provide—without clogging my nose and ears.

Does anyone know anything more about it?

No idea at all; I've tasted some vegan products; and there are some really good ones.
Some of the rest just make me grateful to be a carnivore.

chunkyfrog wrote:No idea at all; I've tasted some vegan products; and there are some really good ones.
Some of the rest just make me grateful to be a carnivore.

Yes. For a while we went dairy free, but speaking as someone brought up on Dutch cheese fresh from farmer, most of them were like eating rubber erasers.

For a cream cheese equivalent, tofu can't be beat. Add some lemon juice and blend in blender, with herbs, salt & pepper you get a herb cream cheese, also nice with pecans added to it. I have made wonderful chocolate cheese cake with it that nobody at work realized they were eating the despised tofu.

Sounds tasty; but some folks are sensitive to soy--(bad allergy for a vegan).

chunkyfrog wrote:Sounds tasty; but some folks are sensitive to soy--(bad allergy for a vegan).

Tell me about it! Just about everything has someone allergic/sensitive to it.

I just made my first successful and tasty gluten-free, soy free, dairy free, potato free, loaf of bread!

Some of the so-called "vegan" cheeses actually contain casein (milk protein) as sodium caseinate etc, so you have to read labels and look for any word that has "casein" in it...

I just ordered "Paleo Bread" from Julian Bakery (julianbakery.com & on facebook). It is dairy, yeast and gluten free. They have a coconut version and an almond version, zero net carbs. I am excited to try it as I haven't had bread since March!

RandyJ wrote: I just ordered "Paleo Bread" from Julian Bakery (julianbakery.com & on facebook). It is dairy, yeast and gluten free. They have a coconut version and an almond version, zero net carbs. I am excited to try it as I haven't had bread since March!

The person I am cooking for, my sister, can't do nuts or coconut. So my first breads have been rice flour based. Not Paleo but at least she can eat them. It has made an absolutely incredible difference in her health in one month.

I have made ablog post on it if anyone is interested.

Gluten Free Goddess is a great resource:

http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/

BlackSpinner wrote: The person I am cooking for, my sister, can't do nuts or coconut. So my first breads have been rice flour based. Not Paleo but at least she can eat them. It has made an absolutely incredible difference in her health in one month.

I have made ablog post on it if anyone is interested.

I read your blog post. I think it is GREAT that you have found some solutions for your sister, and that it is making such a HUGE change for the better for both of you!!

I've had a problem with bread since I am also avoiding yeast, so I can only do gluten free bread that rises with xanthan gum or something other than yeast.

BlackSpinner, I went to your blog and then to your web-site and I am well there aren't any words that come to mind, words can not describe how much I love it, your dolls are beautiful and so creative. I love the rebirth of the one you lost in the flooding of your apartment! I just had to tell you how talented I think you are, "AWSOME"

portiemom wrote:BlackSpinner, I went to your blog and then to your web-site and I am well there aren't any words that come to mind, words can not describe how much I love it, your dolls are beautiful and so creative. I love the rebirth of the one you lost in the flooding of your apartment! I just had to tell you how talented I think you are, "AWSOME"

BLUSH! Thank you!

Do you think she might do OK with cheese from other animals like sheep or goat? That might be worth a try.

Also, there's a lot of speculation that it's not so much the lactose or the casein, but it may be what happens to milk during pasturization and homogenization. A lot of people who thought they couldn't tolerate milk do OK on raw milk, fermented raw dairy products including raw and fermented cheeses.

She's having such great success I'm not sure now is the time to play around with things, but just a thought that she can try these things later if she's really missing cheese.

What awesome results she's having and how fortunate she has you working with her on this. Isn't it terrifying that no doctor ever recommended trying to change the diet to see if gluten intolerance might be an issue. In fact, researchers recommend AGAINST gluten free diets, when it really might help, simply because it bypasses the "official" diagnosis of celiac disease (which is very hard to diagnose!). http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/768473?src=nldne

Janknitz wrote:Do you think she might do OK with cheese from other animals like sheep or goat? That might be worth a try.

Also, there's a lot of speculation that it's not so much the lactose or the casein, but it may be what happens to milk during pasturization and homogenization. A lot of people who thought they couldn't tolerate milk do OK on raw milk, fermented raw dairy products including raw and fermented cheeses.

She's having such great success I'm not sure now is the time to play around with things, but just a thought that she can try these things later if she's really missing cheese.

I can use milk in cooking according to her so I will try to use milk powder at some point, but not yet. I want her to heal some more before we start stressing her system. About 20 years ago they had her in the hospital on elimination diets and I don't know whether wheat was tried, however the doctor who recommended it after the colonoscopy, said that sometimes the gluten reaction doesn't really show up until later in life.

What awesome results she's having and how fortunate she has you working with her on this. Isn't it terrifying that no doctor ever recommended trying to change the diet to see if gluten intolerance might be an issue. In fact, researchers recommend AGAINST gluten free diets, when it really might help, simply because it bypasses the "official" diagnosis of celiac disease (which is very hard to diagnose!). http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/768473?src=nldne

I really don't understand why they are so hung up on the exact official diagnosis, it is not something they can do anything about anyway. We are doing the blood tests for it this week. I checked and 4 weeks GF doesn't mater, 6 months is the cut off, which is good because she refuses to go back on gluten.

Well, I found Daiya at the health food store. I will report when I try it.

@ CF: Yes, it has to be soy-free too.

RandyJ wrote:I just ordered "Paleo Bread" from Julian Bakery (julianbakery.com & on facebook). It is dairy, yeast and gluten free. They have a coconut version and an almond version, zero net carbs. I am excited to try it as I haven't had bread since March!

Thank you for letting me know about this bread, RJ. I look forward to hearing your opinion of it. The nearest place that sells it where I live is 45 minutes away. But if I like it, maybe I'll have them ship it to my house. Pricey, but I'm eating no bread now, so I can eat it just as a treat. Thanks, also, for the link to the gluten-free goddess. The gluten-free, dairy-free page has a *lot* of recipes!

@ JK: You were the 3rd person to mention the raw milk thing in the space of about 2 weeks, so I went out to a local farm and got some. A few hours after I drank 1 cup, my ear clogged up—and the next morning my eye was swollen with an allergic reaction. I was bummed. I do love dairy. The raw milk tasted good, too. Much less sweet, and a little salty. But I was glad for the expedition out there; I now have a new source of grass-fed beef.

I found a couple of wonderful icecreams: One is by SO Delicious and is made with Coconut Milk. The other is made with cashews and I forget who makes it. They are outlandishly expensive at the Woodstock health food store, but I found them at the regular grocery store for about the price of Ben & Jerry's. YAY!

which is good because she refuses to go back on gluten.

Black Spinner, isn't that some great progress right there because a few weeks back she thought she could try a little and wouldn't have an issue. Sounds like she finally "GETS" it! Whoo Hoo! Progress!

As for the milk, I would not use powdered milk--the processing can really damage the fat and proteins so that they might cause worse problems. Goat or sheep milk might be OK, but I agree that it's way too soon to try any dairy.

Napstress, sorry the raw milk didn't work for you. From what I understand (no personal experience) when some people have been on the GAPS diet they are eventually able to reintroduce dairy if they are sensitive--once the gut heals, but you may need to give it a lot of time before you try again. And the grass fed beef was a score! We're surrounded by dairy farms around here, but you can't buy locally produced raw dairy anywhere. DH went to a men's club retreat at the home of someone who has a few cows (not a commercial dairy herd) and now I want him to stalk this guy and see if he'll sell us raw milk.

I 've been cutting out dairy lately and now I make my homemade ice cream dairy free from a combo of coconut milk and almond milk (almond milk is optional). It's yummy if you can tolerate at least the coconut milk. It's so nice having a home ice cream maker. DD#1 is lactose intolerant so she's making her own ice cream from lactaid milk. I make dairy and sugar free ice cream for me. The ice cream maker is also good for slushies on those beastly hot days when nothing else will cool me down (we don't have AC).