Book Review: Eat Dairy Free Cookbook

“My child and I are going dairy free, do you have any tips?”  This question probably was the most popular one I received in 2017.

Whether due to a newly diagnosed allergy, celiac/gluten intolerance or finding relief to bloating or skin issues,  I have been seeing more and more people avoid dairy products.

Back in the day, removing dairy from our diet was a challenging one because the kids consumed so much of it. Ice creams, cupcakes, pizza… almost everything a child likes to eat contains some form of dairy. Plus, the dairy free substitutes are very limited then.

A lot has changed since we first started going dairy free six years ago. Now, there are plenty of dairy alternatives – nut based, soy based, rice based, coconut based, pea protein based, quinoa based… the list goes on. Plus, there are so many resources available now – dairy free dedicated websites, books, researches and yes cookbooks.

Speaking of cookbooks, I’m so happy to get a hold of the latest cookbook of Alisa Fleming called Eat Dairy Free: Your Essential Cookbook for Everyday Meals, Snacks, and Sweets  . If you are not familiar with Alisa, she is the founder of GoDairyFree.org. She’s also an editor of Allergic Living Magazine and the author of another book Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living.

Personally, I’ve been a follower and reader of GoDairyFree for years. Not only is the site filled with recipes, it is also loaded with practical tips for both old timers and newbies to the dairy free diet.

The Cookbook

Over the years, I’ve collected quite a bunch of allergy friendly cookbooks. Here are the things I liked about this new cookbook.

• It contains over 100 recipes which included drinks, baked goods, vegetables, snacks and themed meals such as Asian, Mediterranean and classic American Comfort foods.

• It contains a three week menu plan. I find this very handy because it not only makes sure that we got all the meals covered, it also helps in saving some time and money.

• Almost all the recipes include cooking or baking tips, variation and healthy tidbit.

• If you need some inspiration to cook, this cookbook also contains beautiful pictures.

• Each chapter has an allergen checklist. If your family is like mine who manages multiple food allergies, this is very helpful because it tells you right away if the recipe is gluten free, nut free, egg free, peanut free, soy free or vegan. It also informs you if there is information available at the end of the recipe.

Cons

• The specific brands used were not listed. As we all know, the quality of the ingredients has a big impact on the final product. Since we are using substitutes, I think it is important to know the specific brands to avoid mishaps.

• Servings are on the smaller side. Majority of the meals are for 4-6 servings. I know it’s the right portion but for a family with growing children, the portions are quite small.

• Not hardbound. With the quality of the pictures, this is easily be a nice coffee table book.

To sum up, this new cookbook is one of the better ones available for us with multiple food allergies. While not all the recipes specifically free of gluten, egg, soy, tree nut and peanuts, majority are and the substitutes are there readily shown.

The recipes are easy to make and the ingredients are now readily available. Plus, the measurement of the salt and pepper is shown. Let’s just say, I have not a fan of recipes that say “salt and pepper to taste”. I want something that if I follow it to the tee, I’ll get the best results.

For $19.99 a copy, this cookbook is worth every penny and more.

(Note: I received a free copy of the cookbook to review. Also, this post contains affiliate links. This means that I get compensated when you make a purchase by clicking through the links. See my full disclosure here.)