I could toil in the kitchen for hours on end, laboring to create perfectly cute Halloween eats and treats to dazzle at upcoming parties. But let's face it - though I can create some scrumptious recipes (if I do say so myself), when it comes to artistic ability and creativity, my talent ceased to develop after kindergarten. I believe that was the year of the black cat for me.

Fortunately, there are already dozens of wonderful recipes and fun presentation ideas to make your party special. My job this week is simply to deliver them to you. 

All of the following are dairy-free (see my notes too!), some are vegan, egg-free, gluten-free, soy-free, and/or nut-free ... but whether it is for little ghosts and goblins or the more mature and life-size witches and vampires, there are bound to be some recipes in the selection below that will scare up some fun for this weekend's coming celebrations ...

Dairy-free cheese alternatives just began popping onto the market with fervor a few years ago, but surprisingly, the soy-free options have remained slim for vegans and dairy-free dieters. Until recently, Galaxy Nutritional Foods was the only option with their Vegan Rice "Cheese" Slices (keep an eye out for Daiya Foods, as they may soon give Galaxy a run for their money). But not everyone likes the velveeta-style packaging, so Galaxy has at last come up with a new Vegan Rice "Cheese" Block that, like their slices, is soy-free and dairy-free (use caution when shopping, as they also have non-vegan rice "cheese" products which are packaged similarly). This new cheese alternative is timely, responding to growing demand from the milk allergy and soy intolerant community.

The new cheesy blocks are not only soy- and casein-free, but they are also gluten-free, made with 55 percent organic ingredients, and made without preservatives, cholesterol, and trans fat. The company reports (though it should be tested) that their new cheese alternative offers a "smooth melt." The blocks will be available in Mozzarella and Cheddar flavors ...

A couple of weeks ago we announced the first five videos in a multi-part series on the topic, "A cure for milk allergies?" The health and science blog for Children's Hospital Boston has put together this video series to document the first milk exposure desensitization trial in the United States.

This week we are pleased to announce the final three videos in the series, which includes the results of the milk desensitization trial. Could there be a potential "cure" for severe food allergies? Let's find out ..

The Celiac Maniac Gluten Free/Vegan Bakery and Blog has released a calendar for 2010 featuring recipes and photos to entice you throughout the year.

The calendar is retailing for $10, and 10% from the sales of these calendars will be donated to The Gluten Intolerance Group of North America. Within the calendar you will find "Helpful gluten free tips and information, 10 original gluten free/vegan recipes, and mouth watering pictures!"

The Celiac Maniac website shares recipes, reviews, and more, as they prepare to open their bakery.

Most people change their diet for health reasons, whether it be weight loss, disease prevention, or simply getting on track. Others examine what they eat and how it impacts their environment and local community. While yet another large group is primarily concerned with animal welfare, shifting their focus to a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. But Alicia Silverstone tackles all three in her latest book, and she does it with celebrity power. The famous vegan starlette has just released The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet.

Silverstone's new book, which has surged into the best seller's list in its very first week of sales, focuses on a lifestyle and the reasons for transitioning your diet, more than simply providing recipes. She shares, "Eating "Kind" is about being really, really good to yourself and the planet via the foods you put into your body. A plant-based diet filled with whole and organic foods will give you tons of energy, mental clarity, gorgeous skin and a zest for life." ...

Tampa, FL, October 20, 2009 (PRweb) -- Viitals Specialty Bakery, of Tampa, Florida, recently won the prestigious Product Innovation Award from Baking Management magazine, for its exclusive use of gluten-free and other hypoallergenic bakery products - According to a recent survey in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, almost half of food allergy sufferers experienced reactions to food in a restaurant or other eatery. Viitals Specialty Bakery (http://www.viitals.com) is one of only a handful of hypoallergenic bakeries which addresses this issue.

Viitals Specialty Bakery recently received the Baking Management magazine Product Innovation Award for its use of milk free, egg free, nut free, soy-free and gluten-free bakery products. The annual award honors the best and brightest in the baking industry. The highly regarded magazine reaches thousands in the baking industry, with the latest product and service information.

Xan Confections, an all-natural and gourmet chocolatier in Irvine, California, has announced expansion of their product line into nine Bristol Farms locations throughout Southern California, and into specialty store Zehnder`s in Michigan. This far, Xan Confections has quickly moved into various West Coast and Midwest markets, with their chocolates available at 39 locations in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Michigan and Nevada.

So why do we care at Go Dairy Free? For one reason, we like our chocolate. For another, Xan Confections offers a satisfying selection of artisan chocolates to the special diet community:

Q: Julea - I discovered that I was dairy intolerant and have been feeling quite a bit better since removing milk products from my diet. But recently, I have noticed that some of my symptoms seem to return when I consume a significant amount of soy milk or soy cheese, and wondered whether it was possible to be intolerant of soy as well?

A: Alisa - It is not uncommon to discover soy intolerance to some degree after eliminating dairy from your diet. Soy protein actually causes intestinal distress to many people, regardless of dairy issues. The intolerance may have gone unnoticed, but seemed to “suddenly appear” if your consumption of soy was fairly low, but you began experimenting with soy alternatives (soymilk, soy cheese, soy yogurt, soy ice cream, etc.) on a dairy-free diet ...