Q: Rachel - I was wondering if goat and sheep products, such as milk, cheese and yogurt, were considered dairy? Are they ok to eat or not?

A: Alisa – This is one of our most frequently asked questions on Go Dairy Free. In general, all mammal milks (sheep, goat, camel, etc.) and their related products (cheese, sour cream, etc.) are classified as dairy. In fact, if you look up goat milk and sheep milk online, you will probably come across the American Dairy Goat Association and the Wisconsin Sheep Dairy Cooperative.

So, why all of the confusion? The milks from different mammals have slightly different compositions, which is why some people may be allergic to cow’s milk but able to tolerate goat’s milk. Human milk is obviously the least allergenic milk for humans, as it is “designed” specifically for our bodies. The closer a milk is in composition to human milk, the lower the probability of allergenicity.

I elaborate on this in Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living. Here is an excerpt from the section in that book on goat milk:

Sweet Sundays: This past week I received a copy of an interesting new book, Vegan Unplugged. It’s a collection of tips and recipes on how to be prepared for, and eat well during, emergency situations. Of course, foodie that I am, I leaped right into the recipes, which were all created by the famed Robin Robertson. Beyond emergencies, this is a great collection of pantry recipes.  Really, no fresh foods are required, though you can opt to use them.

I’m still working my way through both the text and recipes, so a full review is forthcoming. But for now I wanted to share a fun little recipe from this guide/cookbook that I whipped up two nights ago in mere minutes - the Sweet Treat Chocolate Truffles (from p153). Since I have power, I opted to let them chill and firm up before diving in, but if you are sans power, simply eat them as is (the fudgy mixture is still nice and thick and the peanuts on the outside prevent them from sticking to your fingers) or let them sit in a cool place for just a bit.

I made half a batch of this recipe, which the two of us devoured in about twenty-four hours – just a warning! ...

Oh come now, you've already seen it at your local grocer ... orange and black decor and scores of bagged candy littered the shelves before we even crossed the end of summer marker, Labor Day weekend. So who am I to turn down a Halloween press release in September? Especially when the treats in question double as an all natural lunchbox snack in a pinch. But keep in mind, these are still "treats" ...

September, 2010 – The Trick to a Healthier Halloween - Pesticides, chemicals and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in Halloween goodies seem more like a trick than a treat.  So, this year Nature’s Path is making the holiday a little healthier for all the ghosts and goblins with 100% USDA certified organic Treat Size EnviroKidz Peanut Choco Drizzle Crispy Rice Bars.  

Parents can feel better about passing out these new Nature’s Path treats on Halloween: in addition to being organic, the bars are whole grain, low fat, low sodium, and non-GMO verified.   And, for the growing number of trick-or-treaters who are avoiding gluten – whether it is due to celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or a restrictive diet for other conditions – the Treat Size bars are also certified gluten free by the Gluten Free Certification Organization.

Frugal Foodie Friday: Today's recipe was adapted from the new Free eCookbook, Smart School Time Recipes: The Breakfast, Snack, and Lunchbox Cookbook for Healthy Kids and Adults. It was by my good friend, the fabulous non-dairy diva, Sarena. Her version is vegetarian. Yes, I masacred it by putting a little bit of bacon in it. But I knew the very word "bacon" would get my husband excited about this soup. And it did. And he loved it. I think he would have loved it sans bacon too (that was just the icing on the cake, the motivation, the ... well, you get the picture), so feel free to go with her original recipe or maybe add some vegetarian / vegan bacon? I mean seriously, why not? In fact, I think I will probably give the vegan bacon recipe a go the next time around.

For Sarena's original version, go download a copy of Smart School Time Recipes. Now. 125 Recipes. It's Free. I Swear. Okay, I'm done nagging. For my version of the recipe (a pinch more of this and a little more of that), read on ...