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So, you’re at a party and the cheeseboard comes out. There are all sorts of great looking cheeses on there but which one to choose and how will my dairy intolerant gut handle it?
Rule No. 1 – Always ask to read and labels. What is in it? Is it cow, goat, sheep, buffalo or vegan?
Rule No. 2 – Understand your intolerance? Is it lactose or casein and what’s the difference?
Cow’s milk makes up most cheese and there are two types: A1 and A2. These are proteins. A1 is the little bugger that causes all the tummy upsets in the dairy intolerant. It is also much higher in lactose (milk sugar) another culprit.
A2 on the other hand is a different protein and similar to human breast milk, goat, sheep and buffalo milk. Incidentally these milks are much lower in natural sugars and these sugars are better tolerated. The A2 protein and lower levels of lactose are the reason you can eat goats’, sheeps’ or even buffalo cheese without embarrassing yourself in public or having to run to the bathroom constantly.
If lactose intolerance is your only problem, you can probably stick with low lactose milk. But for the rest of the dairy intolerant community, you could try goat, sheep or plant based milk products. Goat milk is an acquired taste if you have been raised on cow milk and sheep milk is similar and harder to come by because it is so high in fat and not produced in the same volume.
Again, I cannot impress upon you how important it is to read the label. Many cheeses contain cows’ milk when the label says goat cheese. Buffalo mozzarella in many instances is all cows’ milk.
Investigate plant based cheeses.
Personally, I have made, and have some recipes on my website for nut cheeses. And, even if I do say so myself, they are pretty darn good. I have also purchased several different kinds of plant based cheeses and most of my guests quite enjoy the flavours and say that they are not dissimilar. Cheese making animal or vegan is quite the art form and requires a lot of skill especially with what is being produced today. I have recently discovered there is even a blue vein plant cheese. It’s next on my list of cheeses to try. I’ll let you know how it goes.
As for food pairing, all the vegan cheese that I have tried goes well with crackers (wheat free, gluten free) fruit, fruit pastes, artisanal bread (if you can eat it), and your favourite glass of wine if that’s your thing.
Of course, if you are more about saving the planet than your gut you will win on both fronts. Plant based cheese is kinder on your stomach, unless you have a problem with legumes (cashews, yes, they are a legume!). You can stick to other nuts or plant based mylk cheeses. There is also a much lesser impact on the environment, especially with green house gases and the production of methane and that’s not just from the farm animals. Also, there is less water usage from all and sundry. Less flushing!
And if all else fails you can always bring your own cheese but take two different kinds because invariable those without allergies always seem to gravitate to the allergy free food because it tastes so good.
I’ve got to go, here comes the cheeseboard, time to tuck in.
Enjoy!
Lee x

So, there I was at the Greengrocer the other day and I couldn’t resist the offer of two bunches of Coriander for $5.00. The smell provokes the cook in me and even before I reach the checkout, I have prepared several meals … in my head. That’s all well and good but it’s a lot of coriander to cook a meal for 4 people, even several meals. What to do with the leftovers?


Being one of 7, we never had a lot of anything as kids, so waste was never an option and still isn’t. The small hungry child in me just couldn’t throw out anything of use, especially not such a beautiful herb. I know not everyone loves coriander but, it really is so very good for you and especially when there are colds and flu around. It is anti-microbial, loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and is useful for high blood pressure, anaemia and even mouth ulcers.

And just think of all those amazing Thai and Indian style dishes you can prepare. So, back to the not being wasteful part. I decided to dry the leaves and keep the roots. The roots are great to use for a base in a soup or casserole style dish and the leaves can be sprinkled throughout dishes or even used as a garnish. Not only is it easy but you now have some freshly dried herbs to add to your cooking arsenal. I love Coriander sprinkled over my fish tacos or in a fish curry.

The choices are many and it’s up to you to decide how to use it, but drying your own herbs feels liberating and at the same time, borderline heroic because you are saving the planet by not buying something wrapped in plastic or even glass with a plastic lid.
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Give it a go. 

​Enjoy your day.
 
Lee x

School is back and with the return of school comes dreaded head lice.

Getting rid of head lice can prove to be a near impossible task and just where do you draw the line? Do you hope that some of the shop bought treatments will do the trick and risk poisoning your family or do you try to work it out for yourself only to become frustrated that those pesky little buggers keep coming back.

Time to chill out and use the No Milk No Wheat No Sugar OODL Natural Head Lice Oil treatment. Mix up the treatment, apply to the offending scalp and sit back and relax for 1 hour and let the treatment work it's double magic; killing lice and making hair beautifully soft.

And don't forget you will need to wash all bedding and hats, hoodies, scarves and anything else that has come into contact with hair from the infected person. Arrrgggghhhh! I hear you say, but this treatment really does work and feel free to pass the website address around the school community so you can all be nit free.

Good on you, keeping the school world nit free one kid at a time.

Enjoy your day.

Lee x

School is well and truly back and most kids are excited about their new teachers and busy making new friends. For the teenage student things can appear to be quite dull and boring. This is evidenced by the usual response when asked how their day was. It is either just "good" or "grunt" and nowhere in between. Worse still is when they make it out to the kitchen for an after school snack and we hear the familiar cry from the pantry or fridge "There is nothing to eat" followed by the accompanying stomp back to the bedroom or couch.

Whilst the above might be a regular scene in most households it doesn't happen at our place anymore. I have started my children on a food romance with the humble chia seed and my delicious Chia Seed Pudding. The great thing about chia seeds is that they can hold up to 25 times their weight in liquid, have plenty of fibre and some much needed protein so those little and big tummies are easily accommodated.

In summer I make it up the night before and put it in the fridge so it can be eaten cold on a hot day or if you live in Melbourne where it's hot for 2 days and cold for the next week, I serve it warm with a dusting of cinnamon. But in our house it gets eaten morning, noon and night and these days my kids are a lot more talkative even if it is "Is there any Chia Pudding?".

Enjoy your day.

Lee x

Well 2014 is almost at a close and with the final exam done and dusted it would seem that everything is falling into place as one big race towards the end of the year;everything except the weather that is. Down here in Australia the weather is hotter than any barbeque I've ever experienced one day and cold enough to warrant putting the heater on the next because the temperature had plummeted overnight.

The upside of all this crazy weather is that it allows us all and me in particular, to experiment with both summer and winter foods. So this week I am well and truly looking forward to my Garlic Prawn Salad and next Tuesday, if the weather predictions are correct I will be thoroughly enjoying a cup of Yultide Hot Chocolate.

Another problem with all this bazaar weather is that the power bills are bigger than Ben Hur and you find yourself trying to find ways to trim the 'fat' as it were. Because many of the recipes I have created are easy to prepare, you will find that there is no need to cut down cooking times or appliance usage.

My biggest dilemma these days is restricting the long teenage showers. Whatever happened to the days when kids used to be ready to go in 15 minutes? These days they haven't even got into the shower after 15 minutes because they are doing God knows what in the bathroom for hours on end. Meanwhile I have to go out in 20 mins and (what is my problem?) geez mum! 

One sure fire method of getting my teenagers out of the bathroom is telling them that a batch of my Blueberry Bites are ready and on the kitchen bench. Fortunately for me and unfortunately for them, we have a two way kitchen so while they are munching away I am showering and getting ready to go out. The things we do.

Whatever the weather and no matter who you have to feed, check out the No Milk No Wheat No Sugar website for a stack of enjoyable recipes that are sure to please all of the allergic bodies in your home. Feel free to leave a comment below and remember to like and follow my page so you can receive regular updates and current blogs.

Enjoy your day

Lee xx

Melbourne is in thick of its Spring Carnival which means horse racing and lots of champagne lunches. In fact the Melbourne Cup is just over a week away. Whilst I am excited about the long weekend and the pageantry of the race, the big question for us allergic folk is what to bring to the lunch.

Fortunately, I have put a bit thought into your requirements with a dish that is just as fabulous and colourful as your outfit. The No Milk No Wheat No Sugar Prawn, Peach and Mint Salad will be so popular that all eyes will be on you and your salad. Don't worry though; all you have to do is make enough for the non-allergic guests. It's been my experience that they all enjoy the "healthy food". Just make sure you get in there first so you don't starve or worse, eat what everybody else is eating. Talk about taking a gamble, pun intended.


This year we will be heading out for the big day and I plan to take at least one of salads on the No Milk No Wheat No Sugar website and I just might make some of the Sweet Treats (click on the tab on the website for the drop down menu of recipes) to enjoy as well.

Last year we had a nice relaxing day at home and we all dressed up, even the dog. I think she felt very regal in her fascinator; she even posed for the shot. Scroll down for the picture.

Happy Spring Carnival!

Enjoy your day!


Lee x

As I write, Glasgow is hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games. In our house we quite enjoy watching sport and especially Australia winning Gold, Silver or Bronze for that matter. The patriot in me would like to happily announce that we, as a country are dominating and have been bagging gold in many events.

I must confess that I think this amazing physical prowess comes from a great diet and let's not forget the long hard hours, all the coaching and support from family and friends that they receive. If, however you ask the experts, they will tell you that it is all in the recovery and a high protein one at that.

Enter the No Milk No Wheat No Sugar Coconut Almond Brownies, the answer to all your recovery prayers. They are high protein, chocolatey and nutty. So whether you are recovering from sport, shopping, a break-up, your 100th viewing of The Notebook or you are trying to keep your carbs down (Melbourne is freezing today), this is the high speed answer for what ails you. No comfort food rolls here and definitely a junk free trunk.

So what are you waiting for? You are a champion in the making and remember it's all about the recovery.

Enjoy your day!

Lee x

The views portrayed in this blog may not be those of Commonwealth Games Committee or any Australian athletes unless of course they have tried the No Milk No Wheat No Sugar Coconut Almond Brownies.
  

On this side of the globe, Melbourne and the rest of eastern Australia we are rapidly descending into winter and what looked like a poor ski season is turning out to be a great one; the last 48 hours have seen some enormous dumps of snow. I am definitely feeling the cold start to creep into my bones and I don't seem to be able to wear enough clothes. I'm seriously contemplating walking the dog in my ski gear.

With all this cold weather I find my appetite increasing and a yearning for warming foods. I think that translates to "need comfort food". In the world outside No Milk No Wheat No Sugar comfort food spells disaster and makes you feel sluggish and less inclined to move. Fortunately not all comfort food makes you feel sluggish, especially if you put a new twist on an old favourite.

In our house we love our smoothies as a quick meal, a snack and as an energiser before training and playing sport. The trouble is that smoothies are usually something that you make in the warmer months. I needed a smoothie even if it was winter but I just couldn't come at an ice cold drink on a freezing day. So I decided that I was going to make a Hot Banana Smoothie. The result was a resounding "delicious" and "wow". Needless to say I am buying bananas by the case now. 

And for those of you in warmer parts of the world you can still have this smoothie cold but I urge you try it hot/warm. You'll be glad you did.

I would love to hear your feedback, especially on the hot version so feel free to leave comments below.

Enjoy your day!

Lee x

Over here in the southern hemisphere it is officially Autumn and whilst the days are a little slow  to come to terms with the time of year, some days are still reaching 27 degrees, the cooler nights are a reminder of what is to come.

Ever noticed that when the cooler weather arrives the appetites in the house double. Constant cries of 'is there anything to eat?" and "I'm starving" can be heard echoing around homes worldwide. Never one to back down from a challenge I decided that I could probably make a snack that would silence those cries and replace them with phrases like "can't speak, eating" or "Wow mum these are really good". They, the stomachs on legs that are my family, are referring to my latest speedy snack; Sweet Potato Chips with Black Salt.

Now whilst it might not sound that exciting and you're thinking sweet potato chips need to go in the oven and take an age to cook; blah blah blah, I would encourage you to have a crack at rustling up some of these tasty morsels for an afternoon snack and with a little supervision even the kids could make them.

Nutritionally these chips are low G.I., contain only good fats and you can manage the amount of salt applied. The key words here are quick and tasty. By the way, Child No. 2 assures me that these are equally as good cold and perfect after a hard day at school.

So now you have an afternoon snack that is only 3 ingredients, it isn't fruit, its not "boring" and it might just encourage young would-be chefs into the kitchen. I'm happy to help and you are the clever one for finding this recipe.

Enjoy your day.

Lee x

Happy Thanksgiving to all the Americans out there and especially my beautiful American friends. Whilst Thanksgiving is an American tradition, it is a good and timely reminder that we should all be grateful for all the good in our lives. We live in an age of acceptance and change and yes it's true that we all could be a little more accepting of others and we can help make changes for the better and for common good.

So now I'm going to step down from my soapbox and encourage those of you cooking for Thanksgiving or even just a family gathering to visit the other pages of this website for some great recipes; in particular the Tropical Turkey Marinade and the Pear, Cranberry and Pistachio stuffing.  Both sensational and I'm sure you will be grateful when you taste the end result of your efforts.

Speaking of efforts I have been working on a Festive and Holiday ecookbook all year and I am very hopeful that I it will be out in the world by 1 December, 2013; it will be released on Smashwords. I have spent the last 12 months trialling and testing (that was the best part) all the recipes to give you an ecookbook that you can use for all occasions, special or even everyday because you might just like to treat yourself; after all you deserve it.

That said, my thanks really should go out to my family, they give me love, support and honest feedback (which has always been surprisingly good), and those of you that have visited my site, passed on my business cards and generally encouraged me. So thank you for being part of my journey.

Enjoy your day.

Lee xx