February is Lactose Intolerance Awareness month. People who are lactose intolerant suffer from digestive symptoms (like gas, bloating, diarrhea) which are caused by lactose malabsorption, a condition in which your small intestine cannot digest, or break down, all the lactose you eat or drink because of the absence of lactase enzyme, or an intestinal injury that leads to a lactase deficiency.
In other words, consuming lactose, the main sugar present in milk and dairy products leaves you feeling uncomfortable and unwell.
It can be hard to cut dairy from your diet, but half the battle can be finding dairy alternatives that make your transition to dairy-free living easier.
Dairy is in many recipes and foods – but I find that breakfast is often the hardest meal. It can be tough to skip the yogurt and milk in your coffee or smoothie and in your pancake recipe, cheese on your omelet all at once.
So here are three of my favorite breakfast recipes to help keep you on a successful path.
Peanut Butter and Strawberry Banana Quesadilla
This breakfast from the Ambitious Kitchen is perfect for someone who is looking for something sweet and savory that will leave you feeling full. Plus, it takes only minutes to make, leaving your morning feeling less rushed and chaotic. Bonus, this is a breakfast even your kids will enjoy. It offers the opportunity for antioxidants, protein and healthy oils like coconut. I encourage you to add some raw pumpkin seeds for added iron, zinc, vitamin K, manganese, and magnesium to start your day.
Egg-free Paleo Bowls
It’s important to start your day with a healthy meal that’ll fill you up and keep you full until lunch. These breakfast bowls from Zen Belly are egg-free, dairy-free and nut-free. But what they’re not free of is flavor and nutrients. This blog offers four recipes, including smoky sweet potato and bacon, sausage, pepper with Zucchini and more!
Vegetable Omelet
While adding milk to scrambled eggs or omelet mixture does add moisture to the recipe, it’s not necessary. Skip the milk and just scramble as is! Throw in some vegetables into the skillet before cooking your omelet too, for an additional healthy bonus. This recipe from Yummly has eggplant, mushrooms and tomatoes, but you can sub in peppers, onions or olives too.
Going dairy-free doesn’t have to be a struggle
Dairy is in so many recipes, hidden in product labels and such a part of our culture that it can be overwhelming and challenging to even know where to start. That’s why I’ve designed this complementary workbook to help you through your dairy elimination journey.
In this workbook you’ll:
Understand your “why” behind this change to your diet
Identify small, sustainable changes you can implement right away
Transition to a better understanding about wellness in your body
Learn how to easily replace temptation on your shelves and pantry
Celebrate small victories along your journey