A few months ago, when I joined Twitter, my initial plan was to get the news out about the Dairy Free Baby and Me Blog - there's no point in writing a blog unless there are people reading it! I was keen to get out there, to pass on what I'd learned, so that others who struggled with Cow's Milk Protein Intolerance (or similar issues) would have some kind of starting point - which is what I would have liked, when I began this 'journey'. What I didn't expect, however, was that I'd find companions, friends even, to share the 'journey.'
One such, is 'Sugarpuffish' - a beauty blogger who has grown up with eczema and various food allergies. Having grown up with these, she has a wealth of experience behind her. She is, moreover, able to do something that I cannot - which is tolerate soya. So, following my own post about dairy free cheese, she has very kindly agreed to write contribute this post about dairy free 'cheese' made with soya.
Thank you, Sugarpuffish, over to you!
I was diagnosed with allergies during my childhood. In
those days there were no Free From aisles at the supermarket, soya milk was
prescribed by my GP and I simply went without cheese. I have watched the Free From market developed and the most exciting part for me has been the invention of dairy free
cheeses. Unlike Dairy Free Baby and Me, I can tolerate soya so I am
going to tell you about my favourite dairy free "cheeses". Before I get started people
will moan at me that dairy free cheese is not very nice and tastes nothing like
the real thing. I do not disagree there are some grim alternatives but
for me the real thing is a distant memory and I think that what makes them easier for me to digest. Plus manufacturers are
always improving techniques. I always say forget about what you are trying to replace and you can then embrace the alternatives.
My favourite hard/block cheese replacement is Sheese and I buy it at an independent health food store. There are eleven styles to choose
from – Blue, Cheshire, Cheddar with Chives, Edam, Gouda, Medium Cheddar, Mild
Cheddar, Red Cheddar, Mozzarella, Smoked Cheddar and Strong Cheddar. I
personally like the Medium Cheddar style. I enjoy the stronger flavours as the milder varieties taste a little bland. I use hard cheeses for pizzas, sauces and topping off dishes like spaghetti bolognaise
or nachos. Sheese also have spreadable varieties which I enjoy.
Tofutti is the brand I have known the longest and its from the USA. The choice of products
available in the US is larger than here and makes me rather jealous. Tofutti is available to buy at Holland &
Barrett or Goodness Direct and they usually stock spreadable cheese, slices
and grated mozzarella style. Let’s start with the spreadable varieties. This is the one I
most enjoy on crackers and I love the Garlic & Herb. My Holland & Barrett also stocks Original and Herbs & Chives but I see Goodness Direct also offer French Onion, Country
Vegetable, Chopped Olive and Sour. I
think it’s the flavouring that makes this dairy free cheese more enjoyable than
others on the market. I have been told the
Original version is excellent for Vegan cheesecake recipes.
Tofutti slices are similar to dairy counterparts. It
tastes and looks fake so for that reason I think its best suited to sandwiches
and burger buns. I am not going to lie it does have a distinct flavour and I have
learnt to love it over the years. It is a convenient alternative to grating or chopping. It will melt but it does smell unpleasant
and will affect the flavour so I do not recommend using it in this way.
Other brands to look out for are Cheezly
and Vegusto.
I buy Cheezly when I cannot get hold of Sheese. I think that Sheese is
slightly superior in taste and texture but they are fairly similar. One problem
I do have with Cheezly is it goes mouldy quickly. As for Vegusto, I tried
this at the Allergy & Free From Show and found the texture grainy and not
to my liking. Others do rave about their cheeses and it has won awards. It retails online or at independent stores so
not the easiest for me to get hold of. This is
a plant based cheese alternative which is gluten, dairy and soy free.
I hope you have enjoyed reading. Thank you to Dairy Free Baby and Me for the opportunity to guest post on her blog.
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I hope you have enjoyed reading. Thank you to Dairy Free Baby and Me for the opportunity to guest post on her blog.
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