When you realise you can’t have DAIRY apart from initially thinking your life is over (because it is).
The first three things that you realise are that you are about to embark on a sad life without chocolate, ice cream and cheese… well they were my fist thoughts anyway don’t know about yours. Why did dairy have to be in all the tasty things and what did we do in our previous life to be intolerant for whatever the reason… gives you acne, the shits, farts, mucous, period pain, constipation, abdominal pain, psoriasis. You know all of the weird and wonderful things and you thought puberty was bad. Tom thought puberty was where it ended and then he met me and realised he was spending the rest of his life with someone who talks about poo daily so just remember things could be worse… you could be Tom!
Anyway back to the point. Chocolate is something I eat often but when I do tend to indulge I either make my own or choose brands that are the real deal and taste good! Because really have you ever meet someone who is lactose intolerant and takes it seriously? I think if the options didn’t live up to your expectations you would just knock back a block of Cadbury and live with the consequences.
Luckily now allergies are becoming more common, companies have really stepped up their game and dairy free everything is now available and hey I am not complaining. Have you tried the Pana Chocolate Ice Cream… holy Milhouse it’s not just good it’s hide in the car and eat the whole tub before entering the house and having to share kind of good. This is not called being selfish it is called self preservation.
Here are my top 5 dairy free picks at the supermarket to wrap your lips around:
@pana_organic
@lovingearth
Loving Earth
These guys do a great job at nailing the chocolate market… caramel truffles, roasted almonds coated in caramel and mylk choc, coconut mylk chocolate blocks, dark chocolate blocks, salted caramel chocolate - my god need I say more? They have the perfect range of chocolatey goodness for Easter especially for all of you who are vegan and dairy free you will not feel like you are missing out. One bite … I mean bit. This brand really does do a great job to not only produce an amazing product but do their best to reduce waste and be sustainable.
Ingredients for the DARK varieties: Fair Trade Organic Raw Cacao Beans, Fair Trade Organic Evaporated Coconut Nectar
Ingredients for the MYLK varieties: Fair Trade Organic Evaporated Coconut Nectar, Organic Virgin Cacao Butter, Organic Coconut (23%), Fair Trade Organic Raw Cacao Beans
cane sugar free. gluten free, dairy free, low GI, vegan & fair trade.
Pana Chocolate
Now these guys are the real organic chocolate makers … if you ever find yourself in Sydney or Melbourne do yourself a favour and go to visit their store. Don’t eat for 48 hours leading up to it so you can sit there and eat one of everything or two. I’m not here to judge, only to influence good life choices. These guys are probably my top choice when it comes to chocolate.
Main Ingredients list: raw cacao powder, cacao butter, coconut oil and either agave or coconut nectar as a sweetener. Then it comes in a variety of natural and real ingredient flavours.
Unlike most store-bought chocolates, Pana use premium quality, fair trade, cold pressed and unrefined raw cacao beans. Meaning the beans aren’t roasted and are processed below 45’C resulting in all of the enzymes and nutrients being retained. it will certainly satisfy your cravings as well as iron and magnesium needs at that time of the month.
dairy free, gluten free, soy free, no refined sugar, low GI, organic and raw… talk about nailing it. However, you certainly pay for what you get.
Lindt Dark Chocolate 85% & 90%
Lindt is certainly one of the more reasonably priced dairy free chocolates on the market. It has a seriously intense and satisfying flavour with minimal sugar… 2.2g per 20g serve. Approx half a teaspoon - look lets not lie sugar is sugar but a treat is a treat and this is a pretty good option for one. It is also hard to get carried away with the block of deliciousness as it is so intense. If you are a milk choc kinda guy/gal try the 85% first and ease into the 90% you will get use to the flavour as your taste buds adapt.
Ingredients: Cocoa Mass, Fat Reduced Cocoa Powder, Cocoa Butter, Demerara Sugar, Natural Bourbon Vanilla Beans.
Butter is the allergen… now this is where Lindt really throws me like I can’t contemplate where the butter comes from unless they are just pre warning about the cocoa butter and being extra cautious I don’t know. Anyway other traces could be soy, tree nuts and milk.
Green & Blacks Organic Dark 70% & 85%
This is a great dark chocolate to start with if you are a milk choc lover! Which really who isn’t? Made with fair-trade cocoa beans you actually can’t believe they are dark chocolate. They contain a Madagascan vanilla which provides the smooth texture and sweet flavour hence why they don’t contain loads of sugar. It is seriously satisfying, hard to over indulge and very affordable as well as available at supermarkets. It was the first dark chocolate I actually started eating on my health journey at the very beginning - we have been through a lot together!
Ingredients: Organic Dark Chocolate: Organic Cocoa Mass(Fairtrade ingredient), Organic Raw Cane Sugar(Fairtrade ingredient), Organic Cocoa Butter(Fairtrade ingredient), Emulsifier (Soy Lecithin), Organic Vanilla Extract(Fairtrade ingredient).
contains soy and is processed in a facility with milk & tree nuts.
Well Naturally - Dark Chocolate Variety (KETO)
Well Naturally are a great option for those who are following a KETO diet and want a little chocolate treat here and there or for those of you who have given up sugar. It isn’t my first preference as I do my best to avoid soy and natural flavours as well as sweeteners especially with a bowel disease… the last thing I need is to be more on the laxative side. But never let perfect get in the way of good and why not treat yourself. There is nothing worse than diet restrictions that cause you to binge on junk food.
Ingredients: cocoa mass, cocoa butter (70% cocoa solids), soluble dietary fibre (polydextrose), erythritol, emulsifier (soy lecithin), natural flavour, natural sweetener (stevia).
contains soy and excess consumption could cause a laxative effect because well natural sweeteners and erythritol as well as excess fibre will do that to you so I guess that is one way to stop at a couple of squares? They do also warn it is produced in a facility with nuts, sesame seeds and milk.
@wellnaturally
Just in time for valentines to either buy for yourself and eat alone or buy for someone else… I know what I would rather be doing, not sharing! Feel free to send me boxes of chocolates for valentines day Tom doesn’t need to know… it can be our delicious secret.