If you missed yesterday’s chat with Marilu and Dr. Neal Barnard (founder and president of Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine), don’t panic!

Read the chat transcript here.

Stop by next Tuesday, March 9 at 10 PM Eastern/7 PM Pacific for another chat with Marilu and Dr. Barnard. These chats are a collaboration between Marilu.com and PCRM’s 21-day Vegan Kickstart program.

Everyone likes dip. Dip for chips, dip for veggies, dip for wings or grilled tofu or chicken, and dip for breads (think pita, naan, baguette slices, sourdough cubes…).

Dairy-free dips are easy, and they can taste as good as (or better than) the dairy ones. Here are a few of our favorites. Enjoy!

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Ranch Dip
Green * Makes about 2 cups

1/2 box Morinu firm silken tofu
3 heaping Tablespoons Vegenaise or Nayonnaise
1 large garlic clove
1 Tablespoon dried parsley (or 2 Tablespoons fresh)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
a few shakes of salt-free veggie seasoning (try Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute or Spike)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Blend in food processor then add in enough soy or rice milk to thin to desired consistency.

Honey Mustard Dip
Yellow * Makes about 2 cups

1/2 box Morinu firm silken tofu
2 to 3 Tablespoons of honey mustard dressing (I use Kozlowski Farms, no sugar)
1 6-inch length of celery, cut into chunks
freshly ground pepper to taste

Blend in processor until smooth and then add a little soy or rice milk to thin to desired consistency. Add a touch more honey if you like it sweeter.

Artichoke Hummus
Green * Makes about 2 cups

1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts
1 cup chick peas, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup tahini
1/2 cup parsley
1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Cut artichoke hearts into pieces. Combine all ingredients in bowl of food processor and pulse to blend to desired consistency.

Peanut Sauce
Yellow * Makes about 2 cups

2 cups soy milk
1/2 cup sweetened coconut
1 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
1/2 teaspoon caraway
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon coriander
2 anchovies (option)
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons peanut butter
1-2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice

Blend all ingredients together.

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Coach Heather is talking about the health benefits of being dairy-free today in the No Excuses online class.

Hey! You can still join the class! Sign up here!

Here’s a video that talks about some of the reasons dairy is unhealthy.

For more information, check out Milk – The Deadly Poison by Robert Cohen and Brian Vigorita

Or visit Robert Cohen’s website www.notmilk.com

Every three minutes, another woman learns she has breast cancer.

There are several strategies that can help reduce your risk of breast cancer. And there’s no good reason to NOT do these things.

• Get moving. Regular physical activity (at least 30 minutes on most days) has been shown to be protective against breast cancer.
• Get the girls checked regularly by a professional. Do your own monthly self examinations, too. Women between ages 20 and 39 should have a clinical breast exam performed by a health care professional at least every three years; women 40 years of age or older should have annual breast exams and talk with their doctor about mammograms.
• Talk to your doctor. If you have a family history of breast cancer, your doctor may want you to start mammograms (or other screenings) earlier.
• Supplement wisely. Folic acid, vitamin D, and antioxidants all may help decrease risk. Stay informed about supplements, and always tell your doctor everything you’re taking.
• Reduce exposure to xenoestrogens. These chemicals with estrogen-like activity are found in common pesticides and industrial pollutants, and as hormone residues in meat, poultry, and dairy products. Meat-free and dairy-free menus are best. If you eat animal protein, be sure to get hormone-free varieties.
• Avoid exposure to radiation, especially chest x-rays. Yes, sometimes they’re necessary. Ask if there are alternatives, especially for children and young adults.

Don’t think dairy when it comes to building strong bones, say proponents of the low-acid diet. Focus instead on a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, these nutrition scientists say.

The low-acid diet (also called the alkaline acid diet) has been the subject of scientific debate of late, as doctors and researchers question what, precisely, it takes to keep bones strong. The thinking behind the diet goes like this: Blood is slightly alkaline, with a pH just above 7. If the diet is rich in acids, the body tries to restore alkalinity by eliminating minerals, including potassium, magnesium and calcium, which the blood essentially pulls from the bones.

Following a low-acid diet doesn’t mean avoiding vinegar and citrus fruits. On the contrary, it means not overloading on proteins, which are made up of amino acids that, as the name suggests, are acidic in nature. Low-acid diet adherents point out that because humans did not evolve on a diet heavy in meat and dairy, the modern Western diet, which is rich in animal proteins, may be contributing to illness and disease — including osteoporosis.

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The primary virtue of a low-acid diet may be its emphasis on fruits, vegetables and whole grains, says Joan Salge-Blake, a nutrition professor at Boston University and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Assn. “A plant-based diet is not only good for bones, it’s good for a lot of other things too,” including lowering the risk of hypertension, stroke and heart disease, she says.

~ Fruits and vegetables, good for the bones? by Elena Conis, in the Los Angeles Times

Find the whole article here.

Another reason to be RIPE AND JUICY!

Two themes consistently emerging from cancer research: Vegetables and fruits help reduce risk, while animal products and other fatty foods are frequently found to increase risk.

When the terms “fiber” and “fat” are used, it is easy to forget the foods from which they come. When you hear about the dangers of fat, think meat- and dairy-based diets, aided and abetted by oily foods. Fiber is found in whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and beans. There is no fiber in any product from an animal.

A vegetarian menu is a powerful and pleasurable way to achieve good health. The vegetarian eating pattern is based on a wide variety of foods that are satisfying, delicious, and healthful.

 

~ from Healthy Eating for Life, published by The Cancer Project, Dr. Neal Barnard, founder

Get the booklet free.

A few suggestions from Marilu and Marilu.com members…

Butter –> Earth Balance margarine. Earth Balance is the THMers hands down favorite! Non-hydrogenated. Melts, cooks, and tastes like butter. Great in baked goods (chill cookie dough before baking). Skip the “whipped” version – it contains too much water. If you can’t find Earth Balance, read labels to find the best fit for you. Soy Garden is also popular. Smart Balance contains dairy.

Mayonnaise -> Veganaise or Nayonnaise. Okay, normally mayo doesn’t contain dairy, it contains eggs. Both of these are free of eggs and sugar. If you’re a fan of mayo, try the Vegenaise. If you like Miracle Whip, try Nayonnaise. Or use a mashed avocado or hummus as a sandwich spread instead.

Cheese -> Vegan Gourmet, Soya Kaas, Soyco Vegan Parm or Rice Parm, or nutritional yeast. Vegan Gourmet has no casein and melts. Soya Kaas is widely available, but contains casein (a milk protein), so it melts beautifully. Vegan Parm or Rice Parm by Soyco are good in lasagna and other Italian dishes (but don’t use too much). Almond cheese makes a great grilled cheese sandwich. Tofutti is available in “singles” slices, but also contains casein.

Sour Cream -> Tofutti Sour Cream. Use it just as you would dairy sour cream.

Cream Cheese -> Tofutti Cream Cheese. Give this non-dairy cream cheese a try; it comes in several flavors. Look for the one made without hydrogenated (trans) fats. Try the flavored ones, too.

Nutritional yeast is yellow-ish flakes (NOT brewer’s yeast and NOT baker’s yeast), and contains vitamin B12. Add it to soups, sprinkle it on pasta, mix it into things to get that B12, especially if you’re vegan.

Check out Joanne Stepaniak’s Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook: Delicious Dairy-Free Cheeses and Classic “Uncheese” Dishes for ways to use nutritional yeast and for recipes for cheese subs.

So – if you’re not eating dairy anymore (who wants to be a 300 pound cow???), what do you drink?

Water. Hands down, the best thing you can drink.

Tea – preferably herbal (doesn’t contain caffeine) or decaffeinated green tea. Of course you can choose other teas – try to find it without caffeine, or added ingredients (sweeteners, chemicals). If you’re a Southern sweet tea drinker, switch to agave or stevia for the sweetener.

Juice – sometimes. Remember that it takes a lot of oranges to make one glass of oj – so you get all the sugar from those oranges with none of the fiber that helps it digest more slowly. You can add more water to the juice to make it less sweet.

Decaf coffee – sometimes. Even decaf has some caffeine in it. If you’re a hardcore coffee drinker, wean yourself from coffee slowly, adding a greater percentage of decaf to your cup each week. Use a non-dairy (low-chemical) creamer, like soy milk or soy creamer. Use stevia or agave as a sweetener.

Spritzers and “sodas” – sometimes. Organic soda is still empty calories and hard on your teeth. Read the label and choose a brand made from juice. Go easy on your wallet, and consider it a rare treat.

Bottled juice blends – rarely. They look tasty, but they pack in a load of calories and sugars. Even if all the sugars are from fruit, they’re in there.

Milk subs – soy milk, rice milk, almond milk, and oat milk are all generally available. There are many brands, many flavors, many origins, and they all taste different. Some are found in aseptic cartons on the shelf; others are in the refrigerated case. You may not like it at first – give it another chance, and try a different brand. Some tips about milk subs –

• For gravy and savory sauces – plain soy creamer
• For chocolate milk – try chocolate almond milk (especially warmed up!)
• For ganache – soy milk or soy creamer (can use vanilla here, since it’s dessert, but plain works great)
• For mashed potatoes – soy milk or soy creamer (decadent!)
• For your coffee – soy creamer or soy milk (rice milk tends to separate)
• Powdered – Better Than Soy Milk® and Better Than Rice Milk® – available in health food stores
• Buttermilk – make this quickly by putting 1 Tablespoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar in a 1 cup measure, and filling with soy milk. Let it sit for a minute. Doesn’t work as well with rice milk. OR – start with 1/4 cup of plain soy yogurt and add soy milk. Stir gently and let sit. Thicker, but not as sour.
• Rice milk is naturally a little sweeter, and much thinner in consistency. If you are used to 1% or skim on your cereal, this is for you. Does not bake as well because of consistency, and does not do as well in savory dishes because of the sweetness. Check grams of sugar with brands – again, it’s sweet from the rice, you don’t need any added sugars.
• For soy milk, know that some brands taste more “beany” than others. Those may not be as drinkable, but do really well for making gravy or “buttermilk.” Some of the more processed brands have some chemicals in them, but they may be more drinkable.
• Remember, you don’t have to drink milk to be healthy. But it’s handy to have in the kitchen for cooking.

Feel free to share your favorite beverages in the comments!

Become a label reader, and you’ll find dairy hiding in all kinds of places.

Here’s a list of some of what you can look for when avoiding dairy –

ammonium, butter, artificial butter, buttermilk, butter oil, butter solids/fat, calcium, caramel color, caramel flavoring, casein, caseinate (ammonium caseinate, calcium caseinate, hydrolyzed casein, iron caseinate, magnesium caseinate, potassium caseinate, rennet casein, sodium caseinate, sodium caseinate solids, zinc caseinate), cheese, cottage cheese, cream, curds, custard, flavoring, ghee, goat’s milk, half-and-half, high protein flour, hydrolysates (casein, milk protein, protein, whey, whey protein), kefir, koumiss, lactate, lactic acid, lactalbumin, lactalbumin phosphate, lactoferrin, lactoglobulin, lactose, lactulose, magnesium, margarine, milk (buttermilk, milk, milk derivative, evaporated milk, milk fat, milk protein, milk solids, skim milk, low-fat milk, non-fat milk, whole milk, malted milk, powdered milk, milk powder, dried milk, dry milk solids, sour milk solids, milk protein, hydrolyzed milk protein), milk chocolate, natural flavoring, nougat, Opta (fat replacer), paneer, pudding, rennet, rennet casein, Simplesse (fat replacer), sour cream, sour cream solids, sour milk solids, whey, delactosed whey, demineralized whey, whey protein concentrate, whey powder, sweetened whey, and yogurt

whew!

Kosher labeling may help you identify dairy –

• A product marked Parve or Pareve is certified dairy-free.
• A circled U on a product, with no other letters or symbols is Parve.
• A D or DE next to a circled K or U indicates that the product may contain dairy / milk protein.

After giving up dairy, people report having more energy, better digestion, better skin, less puffiness, and less stuffiness in their sinuses. Seriously – you’ll look and feel better. And you’ll smell better, too.

Antibiotics are frequently used to treat the multitude of cow ailments that come from the common and unnatural dairy production practices such as hormone therapy, force feedings, and steroid use. If you’ve ever breastfed a baby, you know that whatever YOU eat, the baby also eats. Same thing works with the cow’s milk – whatever goes in the cow comes out in the cow’s milk. More antibiotics (and hormones, and steroids) for you.

Milk and dairy products are not a necessary source of calcium. The type of calcium in cow’s milk is too coarse for absorption in the human body. Most of us get enough calcium through other foods like salmon, sardines, soybeans, tofu, nuts, sesame seeds, spinach, broccoli, and other dark green leafy vegetables. (Pssst – where do you think cows get calcium? From grasses, of course. Green grasses. Unless they’re only eating some kind of feed – then the calcium is a supplement. Learn from the cows! Get calcium from greens!)

Photo by D B