I Could Go On and On and On. . .: Friday Finds! Chill Out!!

10 months ago, I changed a diaper that would change my life forever. You see, that was the first time that I noticed evidence of a milk intolerance in The Little Guy. He was nine weeks old and things were clicking along just fine. Breastfeeding was good, he was growing well and he seemed like a happy go lucky little man. However, on that fateful night, I stopped in my tracks and had to start all over again. After freaking out over what I found, I called the nurse helpline and started researching milk protein intolerance. The easiest fix? Totally eliminate dairy from the mother's diet.

Whoa. Wait a minute. I was the Cheese Queen--Cheddar, Munster, Swiss, Blue--we were tight. I used BUTTER--the real thing, not imitation. I had never met an ice cream that I didn't fall in love with. Greek Yogurt was my partner on a long afternoon at work. Dairy Queen? Yes. But it had to change, and right away. You see, I would rather make that sacrifice and continue breastfeeding than to keep eating dairy and switch to formula. So I did. It was a sacrifice. A big one in my book. Think about all of the things you consume each day that contain dairy. Now think of all the other things you ate and you can bet that about half of those had dairy hidden in them, too. Baked goods, steamed veggies with butter, CHOCOLATE. . . you got it. I was convinced that I would be miserable.

Over time I have learned to live without dairy, rather happily, I might add. I have found many acceptable and tasty substitutes that I enjoy each day--almond milk, coconut creamer, coconut milk ice cream. . . .I have even found Chocolate that is dairy-free! I feel better, eat better, and look better (it is the best weight loss plan EVER) and I really don't miss it. . . much.

Now that The Little Guy is older, I am able to add back a bit of dairy at a time, if I wish. I do add a little feta to my quinoa at lunch and sneak a bite of cake now and then. But for the most part, I am happy to live like "a vegan that eats meat" as the hubby says.

So that leads me to my Friday Finds this week. I was a big ice cream lover, but have found many yummy substitutes--my current favorite being sorbet. So here you have it 5 Friday Finds--Dairy-free treats for all!!