Some Alternatives

Today's topic will be on using alternatives. People today are looking to trim fat and cut calories, we'll discuss calories in a later article. There are alternative choices for most foods we eat, many of which are healthier choices. The more you know about choices the better and healthier you and your family could be.

Milk is widely used in all forms from fresh milk, cream, butter and cheese there are a lot of choices. But what if your trying to cut out fat or have an intolerance to lactose? Maybe your a vegan? There's also the matter of health. Homogenized milk is linked to heart disease and it's high in fat.

If you cut milk from your diet that means no cereals, no milk and cookies, and no pudding. But... There are alternatives. For instance, we have found that Rice Milk actually tastes good. Not like Soy Milk, which you either like or hate. Rice milk actually tastes good. We use both plain and vanilla. The vanilla is best in cereals. Look for the brand that uses brown rice and not rice syrup, it has less sugar. Rice milk can be used as is or in cooking. I also noticed a new yogurt that was made from rice milk at the market.

Cheese is another story. Even though you can find good tasting non dairy cheeses in the veggie section of your local market. There are also imported cheeses that are made from sheep or goat milk. What, you think that's icky? Pecarino Romano cheese is made from sheep's milk and is widely used on pizza and pasta. Feta cheese is a goat cheese. Sheep and goat milk has lower fat than cow milk. There are some great tasting imported cheeses. If your lucky there may be a local cheese maker near you.

One of my favorite cheese is one made from sheep's milk. Manchego, a Spanish aged cheese, has the texture and taste of Cheddar. This is a wonderful alternative to cows milk cheese, but it is not cheap. If you have an intolerance to cows milk you may want to try sheep or goat cheese. Manchego will make a great mac and cheese dish.

Then there is butter. Many a cooks will use 'Crisco' in place of lard or butter. Margarine is another alternative that is becoming frowned upon because of its trans fats. By the way when they put on a container, no Trans Fats per serving, that does not mean that it has no Trans Fat. It just means the amount is below a certain percentage for the serving size. Now, where was I. Oh yeah... There are a few margarine's that are 100 percent Trans Fat free, but there is also another alternative.

Coconut Milk... Is an excellent alternative for fat in baking and other desert foods like pudding. Coconut milk has a very mild coconut flavor and is an alternative to the other fats normally needed with desert making, including frosting. Have you ever read the ingredients in a container of frosting? Coconut is highly nutritious, rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Super Walmart sells, next to the Crisco, a container of coconut oil for use in cooking. I just use a can of coconut milk. One that only has coconut milk and a stabilizer in it. If you shake the can and it feels solid, that's the one. We make tapioca and carob puddings, cream pies, cookies, cakes, frosting and stir fry with coconut milk.

There will be more on Alternatives in later articles.

Stay warm and eat well

Bill