10 Dishes For Lactose Intolerant People
Lactose intolerance is a bitch. No way around it—it just is. It stops us eating some of the best things dishes there are on this planet like ice-cream, pizza, Mac-and-Cheese, lasagne and chocolate fudge cake. But by the sounds of that list, it also means we eat a lot healthier than most people…
So here are 10 dishes that are still delicious and a great nutritional source, but without the worry of any pain later on in the evening.
1. Thai Salmon Curry
Curry’s are a great meal to prepare because these are based normally on coconut milk which is completely dairy-free, however, I have been warned that coconut milk contains more saturated fats than normal milk and should only be eaten in moderation. But a curry every now and again isn’t going to hurt.
So all you need for this delicious recipe:
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 onion
- 25g ginger
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 sticks lemongrass
- 4 tbsp red curry paste
- 800ml coconut milk
- 2 salmon fillets
- 1 head broccoli
- 150g green beans
- 1 lime
- Some basil and rice to serve
Get the full recipe here
2. Creamy Roasted Pumpkin Soup
With Halloween approaching and the season of pumpkins I thought I’d make the most of the situation and include a delicious recipe incorporating the pumpkins. It takes the longest to prepare than the others on the list but this dish will leave plenty of leftovers giving you soup for the week.
Here is what you will need:
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 4lb Pumpkin
- 1 onion
- 4-6 garlic cloves
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 cloves
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup of coconut milk
- 2 tbsp maple syrup/honey
- ¼ cup pepitas
- Dash of cayenne pepper and ground black pepper
Get the full recipe here
3. Loaded Fish Burritos
I love this recipe because it is so easy. So easy, in fact, that we are using frozen fish fingers to make the burrito. Obviously if you can afford to buy fresh fish, then, by all means, go ahead, but the fish fingers work really well and the breadcrumbs add a bit of crunch to the meal.
The recipe also calls for some spinach to be added which is a great addition I feel to get some nutrients in the meal and some greenery.
What else you will need:
- 10 fish fingers
- 4 wraps
- 150g long grain rice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion
- 250g mixed peppers
- 395g tin taco mixed beans
- ¼ tsp crushed chillies
- 100g spinach
Get the full recipe here
4. Pasta Puttanesca
Did anyone watch A Series of Unfortunate Events when they were younger? (The one with Jim Carrey in it) The Baudelaire children managed to make a dish with whatever they could find in Count Olaf’s kitchen, which turned out to be puttanesca.
I know this doesn’t sell the dish very well but this recipe on Tesco’s website is actually delicious and a great mid-week meal, only taking 30 minutes to make. The recipe includes olives, which I absolutely hate and keep out of the meal—but it’s up to preference, really!
The rest of the recipe goes as follows:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¾ tsp crushed chillies
- 1 tbsp capers
- 5 anchovy fillets
- 2 x 400g tin peeled plum tomatoes
- 75g black pitted olives
- 3 tbsp parsley
- 350g spaghetti
Get the full recipe here
5. Spanish Chicken Stew
Stews are great for the chilly evenings that are fast approaching, so these one-pot recipes are the best option really. It’s full of flavour and richness that won’t leave you disappointed. The best part is that the recipe uses some white wine… leaving you an excuse to drink the rest of the bottle.
Other ingredients include:
- 1tbsp olive oil
- 8 chicken thighs
- 125g chorizo
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 100 ml white wine
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 400g cannellini beans
- 1 sprig thyme
Get the full recipe here
6. Chinese Beef and Broccoli
The flavour of this meal is superior, but that could be because I have a mild addiction to soy sauce. The recipe requires 15 minutes of prep time, but that mainly comes from slicing the beef. I find it easier to slice the beef it has been in the freezer for a while beforehand so it can hold its structure against the knife a bit better. But obviously, if you have a sharp knife you won’t struggle with this as much.
The recipe calls for:
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1lb beef
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 4 cups broccoli
- 1 tbsp garlic
- 1 tbsp ginger
- 1 onion
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1-2 tbsp black bean sauce
- 1 tbsp sherry
- 1 tbsp sesame seed oil
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 ½ tbsp cornstarch
Get the full recipe here
7. Moroccan Shepherd’s Pie with Sweet Potato
I love a good Shepherd’s Pie and the original recipe doesn’t include any milk products so you can use your average recipe. But I thought I would try and introduce something a bit different to the recipe and show you this Moroccan version made with sweet potato.
Sweet potato is more nutritious than normal white potatoes being a complex carbohydrate and they obviously have a sweeter taste. Which contrasts the added spice to the dish below.
The ingredients you’ll need include:
- 1 lb lamb/beef
- 3 cups chickpeas
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 onion
- 1 red onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp ginger
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp honey
- 2 cups chopped tomatoes
- ½ cup stock
- ½ currants/raisins
- ½ bunch cilantro
Get the full recipe here
8. Creamy Mushroom Risotto
What makes this recipe great is that not only is it dairy-free, it is also gluten-free and is great for vegans. It covers all bases! But even with it being ‘free-from’, it doesn’t stop it having all the flavour of a normal, delicious risotto.
The recipe also means that it doesn’t require many ingredients making it an easy meal to make, it just takes some love and effort to prepare as all risottos do.
To make Wallflower Kitchen’s meal you’ll need:
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 shallot
- 3 garlic cloves
- 100g button mushrooms
- 100g risotto rice
- 500ml vegetable stock
- 1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 4 tbsp yeast flakes
- Fresh parsley and salt and pepper to garnish.
Get the full recipe here
9. Peach Sorbet
I thought I’d include some deserts as well as mains because I know how often I struggle to find a lactose-free dessert to indulge in. So first we have a peach sorbet which only requires 3 ingredients. Crazy easy right!
- 8 ripe peaches
- 2. 200g caster sugar
- 3. 1 tbsp lemon juice
And that’s it. You can then indulge in a sweet treat without being in pain. Well apart from possibly brain freeze… In which case, be careful.
Get the full recipe here
10. Dark Chocolate Brownies
Chocolate is the worst thing that we have to miss out on with a lactose-free diet, but there is a way around it. Dark chocolate is our saviour. And when it’s mixed into brownies the bitter taste melts away to give a gorgeous tasting brownie. Just try not to eat the whole tray in one go—as tempting as it is.
What you’ll need:
- 200g dark chocolate
- 200g dairy free spread
- 3 large eggs
- 275g caster sugar
- 100g plain flour
- 35g cocoa powder
- 150g dark chocolate chunks
- 150g oreos
Oreos being lactose free shocked me because of the creamy centre, but they are actually fine to eat.
Get the full recipe here
