Dairy Free Soy Free pt2 

Now it is time to emlimate obvious milk products….

So lets see options for milk…

Almond, cashew, and coconut milk.

All deliciously great. Pick your choice or mix it up. The best way to know is to try them out.

I drink and use almomd milk, the vanilla and the chocolate are great tasting.

The chocolate almond milk taste just like chocolate milk! The vanilla has a almond taste so I like it with my Honey nut cherrios.

To cook and bake most recipes that use non dairy will tell you which milk to use. Quite a few use the unsweeten vanilla milk. (Taste bland by itself)

What is your favorite non dairy milk?

Stop n Drop Dairy/Soy

Quick easy simple way to still eat and eliminate Dairy/Soy.

Cook

The only way you will know for sure you have eliminated dairy is to cook with simple ingredients.

 All of these can be found in Walmart, Publix, Target and other fresh markets or bigger chain grocery stores.

The item that I use to replace soy sauce is Coconut Aminos. I like the teriyaki!

Below is a link to my Pinterest where I have saved easy recipes:

Stop n Drop Dairy and Soy

OR start simple. 

Fresh vegetables sautéed with olive oil and spices of your choice.

Chicken baked with vegan butter or olive oil and spices of your choice. 

Honey Nut Cherrios with almond milk ( or your choice of coconut or cashew milk)

Scrambled eggs with vegan butter and garlic powder.

Most bacon has no soy. Read the ingredients first. 

That’s just a start. The picture above was my starter kit of how to cook my food. More tips to come! 

Dairy Free Soy Free Week 1 – No Rush 

Let’s get it!

Before we make any major changes let’s see what should be eliminated. 

Disclaimer: If you are like me and had to stop cold turkey on dairy/soy please check out Stop n Drop Dairy/Soy. 

For your first week I want you to write down what you are eating and drinking each day. At the end of the day take your list and read the ingredient labels on the back of your food. 

Use the list below to pick out dairy ingredients  (soy will say soy):

http://www.godairyfree.org/dairy-free-grocery-shopping-guide/dairy-ingredient-list-2

Put a X by the items with dairy/soy ingredients and circle the foods without them. 

Easy enough right?

The items that you X will be dismissed from your diet. What else did you find? 

Do not panic if your entire list is out. There are many surprising ways to keep your favorite foods around with some tweaks. 

Change is coming! Next post will continue your next step to Dairy/Soy Free living. 

Dairy Free Soy Free

I stopped eating dairy when I was breastfeeding my daughter Mini. 4 months into breastfeeding we found out that her body was not properly digesting dairy protein. My choices were to stop breastfeeding, buy expense formula to feed her or I would need to stop eating all forms of dairy.

My heart was already set to breastfeed for as long as possible. Immediately I thought I’ll stop eating dairy, I was already drinking almond milk because I’m lactose intolerant. How bad can this it?


Week 1 


What has dairy in it? EVERYTHING! I lost 20lbs with a week between breastfeeding and trying to feed myself. I was lost, confused and starving. 


Week 2


Fruits and vegetables were the obvious go to food but as a “healthy” eater my diet and taste buds were accustomed to a select few of each. Plus I was a foodie! Full favored meals with cheese, bread and any new restaurant I could find. Japanese food, Mexican food, Thai food, Southern Carolina soul food. I knew there had to be a way to cook without being a vegan. Which I may go to eventually with baby steps!

Week 3 

I started reading labels and I visiting the site http://www.godairyfree.org which provided great assistance but again I learned I need to stop soy protein too. What has soy protein? Everything! 

Week 4

No fast food. Why?

No eating what others at home cooked. Whyyyyyyy?

No more food trucks. Sad!

I can make a long list of no mores… let’s roll on to why.

This is the part that I learned slowly, the hard way and for those who want to go dairy and/or soy free or have to then stay tune. I will post building blocks quicker than my journey took me. Below are major eye openers. 

1. Keep it simple when starting.

Do not try to cook a full out dairy/soy free meals you will be lost and hungry. Small snacks throughout the day and think foods without labels. Single spices and oils. 

2. No more Vegetable oil

This is why most fast foods are no longer in my diet. Vegetable oil is soy bean oil. I use:

Canola Oil (Frying), 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (baking), 

Peanut Oil (Turkey whole) 

3. You must change the way you see food. 

Instead of living to eat, you must eat to live. We are conditioned to crave junk and greed for more and more food. But be real….what is really needed to survive? 

Are you ready to be dairy and soy free? It is not an easy journey but it will change alot. I’m not a professional nutrionalist so I share my journey as a new mom, as a friend, as a daughter and as a sister.  

Let’s go! 

Ladies.. am I the only one

One of my new year goals is to get out of the house more and reestablish my social life. Since the birth of my daughter, the break up of my boyfriend 5+ years, and the new stress from a old job, I’ve been keeping myself inside and away from people. 

Before knowing I was pregnant I rode motorcycles. If you are a rider then you know the drastic change between jumping on a bike at anytime vs being out of the scene and watching others enjoy random sunny warm days in February.

Before my lovely daughter I was a girlfriend. Date nights, dinners, gaming system, movie night.  

Before my daughter I would not mine spending an extra hour at work to clean up and get ahead. 

Well it’s time to spread my wings. Last weekend was dinners and paintings. 

This weekend was dinner and my old past time poetry nights. No I’m not a poet but I love listening and watching everyone’s unique interpretation of life. 

I dressed up and felt great knowing my child was safe and I could relax and let my hair down.  Even though the solitary time was and at times is good. I’m ready to continue my.get out and go days and nights! 

You should too!! 

31: A lesson to Remember 

This weekend I turned 31. Omgeeee I know. But besides having a great time with my closest family and friends I learned a great lesson. 

For my birthday I already knew I was going to break the rules from my 30 day smoothies challenge. I had dinner plans and alcohol in the works too. Epic right!!! Not so much. Why you might ask…well let me tell you. 

Friday night I had plans to eat dinner with my family and friends. I wanted pizza and beer because I did not buy any pizza or beer for the month of January except for one day. Which is great for me because I use to eat Mellow Mushroom pizza 3 times a week. (Dairy/Soy Free and delicious)!  I enjoyed my family and had friends surprise me by popping up randomly. My pizza was OK. My margaritas was ok. 

Saturday I planned for a Paint with Twist wine night, go out to eat then hangout. All of that went perfect food and drinks….delicious yes but I still felt empty or felt that all this “no good food and drinks” should have tasted liked heaven on earth. 

Sunday was Super Bowl, fried chicken was my extra food and wine. But still not as great as I hoped. 

I came to realize that my body and my mindset had shifted. Because I had stuck to healthy eating for over 40 days my body finally preferred the great foods in life than the delicious “junk” food I thought I was craving. Wow. 40 days is all it took. Consistency is key.

My January/February Eating and Execerise Guides.

28 Day Reset Blogilates

JJ Smith Smoothie Challenge and Smoothie for life

Truth be Told

I am a mother who is single.

I chose to stay single for several reasons.

Not because I’m mad, not because I’m angry, not because I have trust issues, not because I hate all men, not because I’m stubborn. 

After having Mini Bunches, her father and I parted ways. The conclusion was to raise her in a household that was not tensed with issues. Not a choice I planned but due to events occurring the tension between us it was dividing enough to cause problems.

Personally I was becoming someone I was not. That girlfriend who watched every step and analysis every word. I would spend hours thinking of situations some that had occurred and many that had not yet. 

I was pregnant and working and trying to save 4 years of good after a hand full of months (non- consecutive)  of bad but at the end I was driving myself crazy over things that were truly out of my control. Who am I to control others actions and expectations?

The hardest thing was to finally let go. People on the outside may have looked and said that I just dropped everything and ran. Those who know me seen the struggle. But I know that for me…when the time came….I lost 100lbs of hurt, pain, confusion, unanswered questions doubts and more. 

You have to see pass your idea of the situation to see the reality of the situation. 

My Steps to Achievement

I’ve worked out all month long and I feel….Great! 

I feel lighter, leaner and stronger from my head to my feet. 

Consistency is key so what have I done differently to creative new habits:

1. Set a goal to achieve.

  • My goal for working out it to build my core strength for pole fitness. Pole Con is May 31! I must be able to climb 12ft poles and preform lots of tricks. I use to teach 4 years ago but moving and having a baby took me away from my passion. But this year I’m back! 

2. Found a workout I love.

  • My goal is pole but I know I need to build strength. Popilates has been it. It’s upbeat, fun and very challenging workout. Everyday is different and just when I think I got this….she reminds me that she is not here to make it easy. Popilates. Try it for yourself! 

3. Write it down

  • I have 99 journals but they all Serve one purpose which is to remind me of all the positive possibilities available. I write and recite affirmations for myself. Sometimes you can find my struggle but I’m working on flipping my negative to positive opportunities to achieve. 

Lastly

4. Support Support Support

  • I surround myself with positive people who supports my dream! My family are very helpful and my circle of friends are awesome at keeping it real but positive. 

    Peace of mind

    Everyday I wake up on a mission to change what I want my life to be. Piece by piece. 

    This month I let go of social media a little bit. 

    I started my journey to even healthier eating. Green smoothie, truly clean and healthy meals.

    Working out with Poppilates and Pole fitness.

    And making sure my family get the best of me and not the left over of work.