Hello everyone! I'm glad you're here on the blog!
I know I've discussed the current information about #dairy in our diets. As this can be a personal decision whether you include it or not, there are soooo many websites with misleading information. It's usual to find information stating that dairy is "bad" for our health, I want to debunk that myth by saying that it's not.
What I mean by choosing to include dairy is "personal", I mean that some people tend to tolerate dairy better than others. With age some people tend to produce less lactase (enzyme in charge of digesting lactose) which in sense creates some uncomfortable GI symptoms like: bloating, gases, even diarrhea. While these people might enjoy eating dairy foods, they can choose if they want to keep including them or not.
There's also, some information out there that implies that dairy is bad for heart health. But in general, there are no studies that have found that this information in true. Many studies don't have strong evidence to prove that by eating foods that have cholesterol (a.k.a: animal sources) you will increase your cholesterol levels in blood.
However, it does have saturated fatty acids & cholesterol it doesn't mean that it can't be included in our diet. Balance & moderation are key. Dairy foods are also a good source of calcium & protein. Although, it's not advised to rely only on dairy to obtain your calcium because you might increase your saturated fat intake.
Also, other people might prefer to avoid dairy due to breakouts and/or blackheads (which is my case). I have an alternative using cashews & nutritional yeast, this way you can enjoy your fave mac & cheese without dairy!
Check it out!
Ingredients for the cashew cheese:
1 cup soaked & drained cashews (soak them in hot water)
1 cup coconut milk (full fat)
4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt & pepper to taste
Water if you need to thin it out
Ingredients for the rest of the Mac & Cheese:
220g bow tie or shell pasta
1lb shredded chicken
1 cup fresh spinach
1 cup mushroom- diced
Method:
Soak the cashews with hot water for 10min.
Cook the pasta as instructed on the box
Drain the cashews & place them in a food processor
Incorporate the other cashew cheese ingredients in the food processor. Blend until creamy
In a large skillet with avocado oil, sautée the mushrooms. When cooked, place the chicken, pasta & pour the cashew cheese on top. Finally, add the spinach & wait until wilt.
Remove from heat, serve & enjoy!
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