dairy free

Dairy products aren't the only choices when it comes to high-protein snacks. If you're eating a diet minus milk, or you just want a low-cal snack that's high in protein, check out these 150-calorie snacks that don't contain a drop of dairy.

• One serving of spicy roasted chickpeas (one fourth of this recipe: 134 calories, 5.6 grams protein
• Twenty-one raw almonds: 146 calories, 5.4 grams protein
• Six-ounce container of vanilla O'Soy Yogurt: 150 calories, seven grams protein
• One slice whole-wheat bread (100 calories, four grams protein) smeared with half a tablespoon natural peanut butter (53 calories, two grams protein): 153 calories, six grams protein
• Two Mini S'mores Luna Bars: 140 calories, eight grams protein

Keep reading for five more dairy-free snack ideas.

Turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, gravy, pumpkin pie, oh my! Thanksgiving is not only a time to give thanks and surround yourself with loved ones, but it's also the annual holiday most known for its savory signature dishes. For some, this means gorging on yams, biscuits, and casseroles, but for others the day means worrying about food sensitivities and allergies that can be triggered by basic ingredients in a number of dishes. If you're lactose intolerant, Thanksgiving dinner can be overwhelming since so many delicious food items contain milk and dairy products. Here are some simple tips for surviving Thanksgiving and still indulging like everyone else if you are lactose intolerant.

Whether you're avoiding cow's milk for health or moral reasons, there are tons of dairy-free beverages to pour over your bowl of cereal. Not sure which is the best choice? Check out the chart to see how milk alternatives compare to skim milk, and then read the explanations below to see why you might want to choose one over the other.

We put skim milk on the top of the chart to help make the comparisons between dairy and nondairy milks.

Keep on reading to see how much protein is in hemp, oat, and soy milk.

Whether you're avoiding dairy for health or ethics, you can still enjoy dining out at your favorite restaurant. Keep these tips in mind so you don't end up accidentally eating dairy while out or if you're new to a dairy-free lifestyle and want to know what options are available to you.

Breakfast

Pancakes, waffles, and french toast are almost always made using milk, buttermilk, or butter, so avoid these items unless the menu specifically says that they're dairy-free. You may have to skip omelets and other egg dishes since they're often made with milk, have added cheese, or are cooked in butter, but ask your server if the chef can whip them up without dairy. If your meal comes with toast, make sure you specify that you'd like it dry. Home fries tend to be safe, but check with your server to ensure they're cooked in oil instead of butter. Fresh fruit with granola is always an option, and these days, many places offer soy milk in place of cow's milk. Call ahead to find out if that's an option, and if not, ask if you can bring a small container of your own dairy-free beverage.

Appetizers

When ordering soup avoid bisques, chowders, and cream-based flavors such as potato leek, opt for broth-based bowls of miso or vegetable (or meat) stock instead. If you enjoy salad before your main course, ask for vinaigrette or bottles of oil and vinegar. If your server places a bread basket on the table accompanied with the usual butter, ask for a small dish of olive oil. Skip the artichoke dip and choose hummus. If an item has a melted cheese topping such as flat bread pizza or potato skins, just as the server to hold it.

Continue reading for tips concerning lunch, dinner, and dessert.

In her YumSugar Community group, The Dairy Free Diva Recipe Exchange, reader girlA discusses all things vegan. Here, she provides a wonderfully in-depth review of Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust.

I've been wanting to try gluten-free pizza crust for quite some time now. I'd like to reduce to the amount of gluten I eat, so I was anxious to try this mix from Bob's Red Mill. The mix requires water, oil and eggs. However, it suggests using 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal and water as an egg replacement. I used Ener-G Egg Replacer. The package also comes with a yeast packet. The crust makes 2 12″ pizzas, or one 26″ pizza. Since The Husband is in San Francisco for work, the Sixth Grader and me decided to make a couple of pizzas tonight.

Check out the rest of her thoughts after the break.

Just because you're dairy-free or lactose intolerant doesn't mean you can't enjoy the good stuff, too. Here, be-healthful shares a sumptuous recipe for milk-free mac and cheese.
This dairy free mac n’ cheese is a real crowd pleaser. Keep the kids happy with the deep orange color of the “cheese” sauce and surprise the adults of the group with the smoky, crunchy topping. Or, prepare on the weekend and pop in the freezer for a weeks’ worth of healthy frozen lunches!

Want her recipe? Then read more.

Check out this recipe for vegan cookies by girlA from The Dairy Free Diva Recipe Exchange.

I am so relieved and happy that these cookies turned out. I found myself in a funk today . . . Missed my workout this morning and struggled some more with an essay I've been trying to write for the last four years. Yes, that's four years. Then, to add insult to injury, dinner turned out to be a disaster. Awful. By far the worst results of anything I've attempted since the ill-fated red velvet cake nearly a year ago. I could have easily called it a night, but instead, I picked myself up by my bra straps and dusted my vegan-self off because I'll be damned to go nighty-night after today.

These are my Redemption Cookies. I swaggered into the kitchen and started pulling stuff out of the pantry, grabbed a bowl and got to work. One bite and not only did I feel the fog lift, I felt redeemed after that horrendous dinner. Talk about cookies for the soul.

Keep reading for the uplifting (and vegan) recipe!