How To Eat Dairy Free + An Easy 1-Minute Dairy Free Milk Recipe (2024)

Wondering how to eat dairy free, or reasons why you might consider a dairy free diet? Get the scoop in this post, along with a review of Eat Dairy Free by Alisa Fleming, plus a super easy recipe for 1-Minute Dairy Free Milk.

Got milk? This 1-Minute Dairy Free Milk Recipe from Eat Dairy Free by Alisa Fleming is so versatile and super easy to make. No need to make a last minute run to the store when you run out of milk! {Photo by Alisa Fleming}

Disclosure: I was given a free copy of Eat Dairy Free, however I was not compensated to write this review. This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting The Spicy RD Blog.

When Alisa reached out to me to review Eat Dairy Free last year, I was honored to do so. Here is my quote in her book…

Alisa makes going dairy free easy and delicious! As an integrative dietitian nutritionist, I love that the recipes in Eat Dairy Free are well balanced, nutrient dense, and adaptable for a wide variety of diets, including gluten free, vegan, nut free, and more. Whether you’re following a dairy-free diet for a food allergy or intolerance, or are simply choosing a diary-free lifestyle, you’ll love the nourishing and delicious whole foods-based recipes in Eat Dairy Free!

{Photo by Alisa Fleming}

The decision to eat dairy free is your choice…

Although I personally enjoy some dairy products, mostly organic and grass fed cheese and yogurt, and feel good overall when I eat them, I usually avoid drinking cow’s milk, as I’ve noticed it tends to make me congested.

You might have different symptoms consuming dairy, or you might have no trouble eating it at all.

Just as I don’t think everyone needs to follow a gluten-free diet like I do, I also don’t think {nor does research suggest} that everyone needs to eliminate dairy products from their diet. But, there are reasons you might want to…

Reasons you might follow {or try} a dairy-free diet…

1. You’re allergic to cow’s milk.
2. You follow a vegan diet for health, environmental, or animal welfare concerns.
3. You want to include more plant based foods in your diet.Not only is a flexitarian diet, which emphasizes eating more plant-based foods, a delicious way of eating, there is emerging evidence showing benefits for weight control, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer prevention. In addition, because a flexitarian diet tends to be high in fiber, it may also help promote a healthy gut microbiome.
4. You’re lactose intolerant.Lactose intolerance, where you have trouble digesting the natural sugar {lactose} in milk, is quite common, and is a reason many people avoid milk. It’s important to note, however, that you can still enjoy some lower lactose dairy products, such as hard cheeses, if you arelactose intolerant.
5. You have a sensitivity to cow’s milk {or suspect you have a sensitivity}. Although the research in this area is limited, {indeed, this review of 52 human studies found an anti-inflammatory response associated with consumption of dairy products} I have worked with many clients, including those with IBS, IBD or an autoimmune disease, who feel better after removing {or cutting back} dairy from their diets, so a dairy free trial is definitely worth a try.

The good news, if you decide to eat dairy free, is that you can get all the nutrients cow’s milk provides from other foods, and you can still eat deliciously! Here are some tips for eating dairy free…

How to Eat Dairy Free

Nutrition Matters

Make sure you are getting the key nutrients provided in milk {calcium, potassium, phosphorus, vitamin D, vitamin B12, and riboflavin} from other food sources, or supplements, if needed. If you need help coming up with a balanced dairy-free meal plan, get in touch with me~I’d love to help!

Give dairy free a try

If you are trying a dairy free diet due to a suspected dairy sensitivity, cut out all dairy products for at least 2 weeks, then try adding different forms of dairy back into your diet one at a time {i.e. milk, yogurt, cheese, whey, etc}. Wait 3 days before trying each new food, as food sensitivities can show a delayed response.

Be sure and keep a food journal during this time to record any change in symptoms {i.e. gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, congestion, fatigue, acne, eczema, etc.} both during the elimination and reintroduction phases.

Depending on your results, you may choose to keep dairy out of your diet permanently, eat certain forms of it, or simply limit the amount of dairy in your diet, and have fun adding more plant based foods to your diet.

Get creative in the kitchen

A dairy-free diet is not a “delicious-free” diet. While you’ll probably want to try different dairy free milks, cheeses, and more, that you can buy in the grocery store, the basis of your dairy-free diet should start in the kitchen. Have fun and experiment with different dairy free recipes. I’ve got lots of recipes here {vegan}, and here {paleo}.

Oh, and you’ll definitely want to check out Alisa’s book which has over 100 dairy-free and allergy-free recipes including options for gluten-free, egg-free, peanut-free, and soy-free diets.

In addition to the 1-Minute Dairy Free Milk Beverage I’m sharing below, you’ll find smoothies, breakfast & brunch goodies, easy dairy-free snack ideas, comforting main dishes, nourishing Mediterranean meals, and more in Eat Dairy Free.

Like this Roasted Carrot Bisque {vegan, nut free, gluten free} and this Easy Chicken Alfredo {gluten free & vegan options}. Yum!!!

{Photos by Alisa Fleming}

As for this 1-Minute Milk Beverage, I am in love with it’s simplicity, not to mention you can make it with pretty much any nut, seed, or grain you have stocked in your house~no more last minute trips to the grocery store when you run out of milk!

1-Minute Milk Beverage

Out of your favorite dairy free milk? Whip up a batch of this easy 1-minute milk beverage with whatever nuts, seeds, or grains you have on hand. It works wonderfully in smoothies, atop cereal, or in recipes that call for milk.

4.67 from 3 votes

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Prep Time: 1 minute minute

Total Time: 1 minute minute

Servings: 2 cups

Ingredients

• ▢ 1/4 cup unsalted nuts, seeds, or grains (see Nut, Seed, & Grain Note below) or 2 tablespoons nut or seed butter
• ▢ 2 cups water, or as needed
• ▢ Pinch salt, omit if using salted nut or seed butterOptional Add-Ins
• ▢ Vanilla: 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ Sweetener: 1 or more teaspoons of your favorite sweetener, such as honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, or coconut sugar or a few drops of pure stevia extract
• ▢ Fruit-sweetness: 1 pitted and soaked, softened date
• ▢ Spices: 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon or other warm spice
• ▢ Omega-3s: Grind up to 1 tablespoon of flax seeds with the nuts or grains. Ground flaxseed doesn’t make a good base on its own, as it isn’t very “milky.”

See Also

Vesper Martini co*cktail Recipe | The James Bond Drink

Instructions

• If using nuts, seeds, or grains, put them in your spice grinder or small food processor and whiz until powdered or beginning to take on a thick butter consistency, about 1 minute.

• Put the ground nuts, seeds, or grains, or the nut or seed butter, in your blender and add the water and salt (if using). Once you get used to this recipe, you can adjust the liquid amount up or down to suit your desired consistency. Blend for 30 to 60 seconds, or until creamy.

• If desired, pour the liquid through a sieve lined with cheesecloth or a nut milk bag to remove any remaining nut bits.

• If using any optional add-ins, return the milk beverage to your blender, add your chosen ingredients, and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds.

• Store in an airtight bottle or container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It will settle and thicken as it sits. Simply thin with more liquid, if needed, and give it a quick blend.

Notes

Nut, Seed, & Grain Note: You can customize the milk to suit your smoothie, breakfast, baked good, or meal recipe. {Alisa} My go-to “milks” are cashew and oat. Other nuts that work well as a base include almonds, macadamias, and hazelnuts. Hemp seeds also blend nicely, but they do have a more pronounced flavor. For sunflower seed milk, I recommend using sunflower seed butter rather than the seeds.

EA’s Note: I had fun experimenting with this recipe and tired it with with almonds, hazelnuts, oats, and pecans. You’ll also want to try different ratio’s of ingredients. Start with 1/4 cup nut/seed/grain to 2 cups water, but add more if you like a creamier beverage like I do.

Because I didn’t have a small food processor, I just poured the nuts {or oats} into the blender with the water, blended on high speed for about 45 seconds, then strained the mixture through a nut milk bag ~it worked really well!

Also, you can expect the milk to separate, so it’s easiest to store it in large mason jars, and simply shake it up before serving.

Low FODMAP Option: Use any low FODMAP nuts, seeds, and grains.

Paleo Option: Use any nuts or seeds of choice.

Nutrition Information: Based on making milk with 1/2 cup of almonds to 2 cups of water.

Nutrition

Calories: 102kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 126mg | Fiber: 2g | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 0.7mg

EA Stewart, RD | Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Course Beverage

Cuisine Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Low FODMAP, Paleo, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword homemade almond milk, non dairy milk recipe

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BUY THE BOOK

Eat Dairy Free is available on Amazon in the US, Canada, and U.K., and the Kindle version is available worldwide. I hope you love it as much as I do!

P.S. If you need some dairy free treats to go with your milk, here are a few of my favorites…

OATMEAL PEANUT BUTTER CHIA CHOCOLATE CHIP BREAKFAST COOKIES

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES W/ RAW COCONUT PECAN FROSTING

Let’s Chat!

1. Do you follow a dairy free diet?
2. If so, did you have any health issues or symptoms that led you to try a dairy-free diet, and how has it helped?
3. Have you ever made homemade dairy free milk? If so, what are your favorite ingredients/ratios to use?
4. Do you have any questions I didn’t address about how to eat dairy free?

If you enjoyed this post, I’d love for you to share it with your family and friends, and give the recipe 5 stars.Thank YOU so much for your support in helping me spread the word that healthy IS delicious!