Q: Jenna – I don’t like to order books from Amazon. Is Go Dairy Free available in stores?

A: Alisa - I receive this question quite often, and thought it best to add it to the Ask Alisa FAQ’s so it would have a permanent home on the website.

Though online ordering is readily available, it is perfectly understandable to want to view and purchase a book in a store or check it out via the library. Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living is available in bookstores (including Barnes & Noble, Borders, and smaller establishments), natural food stores (including Whole Foods and smaller health food shops), and libraries throughout the U.S. If you don’t see it in stock, simply speak to the store staff or a librarian and request that they order a copy in for you. Most are more than willing to accommodate since it is available in their systems.

Sweet Sundays: Alisa ~ If you simply jump to the Vegan Culinary Experience whenever I announce the latest issue of their free magazine, then you are actually missing out on some fantastic secret recipes. Every so often, Chef Jason Wyrick, the creator of the VCE, emails teaser recipes to loyal subscribers. These recipes are hints of the issue to come … and yes, the email subscriptions are also free.

Below is one of the most recent secret recipes emailed out. Yes, I am giving you a teaser of the teaser recipes. But to keep up with all of the great free recipes and free e-magazine issues from Chef Jason, just sign up on the Vegan Culinary Experience. You won’t be disappointed.

Now back to that recipe. Payasam is a traditional South Asian sweet dish that is made by boiling rice or broken wheat with milk, ghee (butter oil), and sugar, and flavoring it with cardamom, raisins, saffron, pistachios or almonds. Though it is often served with a meal, in Southern Bangladesh it is made with glutinous rice and coconut milk for a creamier, dessert-type dish. Chef Jason used this as his inspiration to create a delicious vegan dessert (sans dairy and eggs) that is optionally gluten-free and quite low in sugar ...

Alisa ~ Why is fall my favorite time of year? Let me count the chocolate reasons. The first big event of the “holiday season” is just around the corner, which means delicious confections are beginning to appear both in stores and online. It wasn’t long ago, perhaps just three years, when I looked on with jealousy, unable to consume a single Halloween chocolate at my local stores. But now, oh my goodness, the options are not only abundant for dairy-free consumers, but they are also positively delicious.

And really, who needs cow’s milk in their chocolate anyway? According to the studies, you reap more of those antioxidant benefits from the mighty cacao bean when dairy isn’t added. No joke.

But wait … you say nuts and gluten are an issue too? Oh, do I have the solution for you! Take a peek at the allergy-friendly Halloween offerings (dairy-, egg-, peanut-, tree nut-, and gluten-free … and of course, vegan) from two of my favorite sweets companies:

Frugal Foodie Friday: Just in case you didn't spot my little link on Facebook or Twitter, I've become a part of the "Tempt Community" - I was asked to be a regular contributor to the Living Harvest website and blog. They make various types of hemp products under the brand name Tempt - hemp milk, hemp ice cream, hemp protein powder, and hemp oil - all dairy-free of course, but also pretty darn close to allergen-free. Overall, I like their products, so I was game!

Hemp milk is a bit richer than most store-bought rice milks, almond milks, and soymilks, but it also has a slightly distinctive taste. I like to compliment the flavor (it goes well with other nuts and seeds like in the syrup below) or use it in baked goods where it simply adds a very slight flavor and some richness. If you can't find hemp milk, you can sub your favorite milk alternative as needed.

Anywho, when I asked if I could share the recipes I do for them with y'all here, they gave it two thumbs up. You can view my full post here on Living Harvest, but as promised, the recipe is also printed right here ...