Life without cheese and dairy

darabbit

Hi there,

I just found this veggie thread and decided that I could offload my thoughts on you and maybe get some support in the process. I have been a veggie for the last 20 years but I love my cheese and dairy. I have had several sinus problems in the last 2/3 years and after going to many medical practicioners my homeopathic doctor has put me off cheese, dairy and ....wait for it wine!!! :eek:
My social life revolves around wine and cheese as I love dinner parties.

Anyhow, since I gave up the cheese, dairy and wine, my sinus problems have disappeared!

I am having trouble feeding myself however as 80% of the protein I consumed came from cheese. Can anyone recommend some nice veggie lunches/dinners that I can prepare that doesn't include cheese or dairy?

Thanks for reading:-)

sweet-rasmus

I have also heard many a time about dairy being related to sinus problems. Didn't realise the wine affected it too. I guess be prepared to widen your diet - make a variety of beans and pulses. Cous cous is also a good source of protein. I don't have any particular recipes for you. Basically, being one of many vegans on the forum all I can say is that there are loads of alternatives to try. Have a look at some of the dinner thread/lunch threads/sandwich threads to get some ideas for cooking.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

There are dairy free "cheeses" that you can get in healthfood shops, unfortunately they're some of the vilest tasting things you can ever eat without actually vomiting on the spot

There is a cream cheese replacement called tofutti which I've heard plenty people saying good things about (I've never actually gotten around to trying it though, because it's a bit too expensive for little studenty me).

As for dairy free lunches and dinners-experiment with tofu, lentils, beans, grains like cous-cous and quinoa, and introduce more nuts, plenty protein and good fats you can get almond butter, cashew nut butter etc in healthfood shops, or just snack on them raw, throw pine nuts or toasted seeds into pasta/rice dishes etc!

maameeo

oooh i was afraid you wer goin to say that op, iv had sinus problems most of my life too, and i get massive headaches/sinus headaches from wine and im cheese mad! probly the main reason i never tried the vegan route tbh.

i dont think i could live without cheese so i feel your pain! thinking now it may be the same for me if i stop eating cheese!

iv tried vegan cheese, me no like. i suggest the fake ham/chicken slices for sambos, oh or toasted banana sambos yum!
wud goats cheese have the same effect on sinus? i duno

good luck!

taram

I feel your pain! I'm lactose intolerant and was very very sick until recently because I ate so much cheese.

You can buy the soy equivlent of easy singles, they're okay with some ketchup poured over in a toastie, but wouldn't eat them by themeselves. The other vegan cheeses I tried made me gag :P For protein I try to throw stuff like quorn mince into pasta sauces, anything to bulk up my protein intake. There's also soy protein shakes. I also eat peanut butter on celery, or as a dip for carrot sticks, tofu for stir-fries (or deep fried with soy sauce and garlic dip is SAVAGE), I put rice milk or soya milk into my poriddge too, and try eat a soya yoghurt a day. Also when I was diagnosed I was told to watch my calcium intake too Good luck! I know it sucks, but to give up something and feel so much healthier after rocks

Getwellsoon

I don't miss dairy at all! I love making my own veggie, bean and tofu burgers and sausages. I also like to go to the asian market and buy loads of different things I've never bothered cooking before like lotus root and okra and put them into stir fries and curries. The asian market also has lots of interesting fake meat alternatives and sources of protein. I love making my own polenta chips and having them with soya mince and vegetables in mexican tacos. I make my own veggie sushi too. I used to hate cooking but now I love experimenting in the kitchen and bake loads of stuff too, I've become so adventurous since giving up dairy and I love it. I used to love camembert, st. agur and goats cheese, but I've gone back to them a couple of times in the past and it really just does taste wrong and gone off! I also have come to love soya and rice milk more than real milk, and alpro does amazing custard type desserts and yoghurts that are just as nice as the real thing! Oh and incorporating nuts into cooking is also really healthy for you too!

Mary-Ellen

I'm thinking of trying a dairy and wine free week next week.
My nose is always congested and I'm not even sick.

So the plan is to start monday.
so far I'm thinking of making spagetti, a stir fry with quorn chicken pieces and noddles and an omlette (without cheese )
I'll have to come up with some more ideas if I want to eat for the week.

Went to holland and barret yesterday and got some almond milk (they've a buy one get another half price on everything) and it's quiet nice in coffee.
So that's one thing sorted

Post if you come up with any other ideas please and I will too.

Hoping this doesn't work

CDfm

My daughter has the same problem and recently we had a scare cos her favorite kelkin jam tarts were out of stock

There is a supermarket in swords called JCs in Swords and the managers will order stuff and put it in the reorder book that visiting sales reps and suppliers see - ask for Barry.

They have a fairly large range of products for lactose, gluten and veggie

Details and Map here and they do a huge range

http://www.locallink.ie/view.php?i=110994