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Newsletter -December 2015
Contents: How to substitute lactose-free yogurt, kefir, cream cheese and sour cream for standard dairy ingredients in your holiday recipes, plus an important letter from our founder, Jennifer Bice
Rugelach, which means "little twists" in Yiddish, is a traditional Jewish holiday treat. Use our cream cheese and sour cream in the pastry of your favorite recipe for a lactose-free treat. Find all our lactose-free recipes here.
Re-create Your Favorite Recipes, Lactose Free
There is no need to turn your back on favorite holiday recipes due to lactose-intolerance. By substituting Green Valley Organics lactose-free yogurt, kefir, cream cheese and sour cream for standard dairy ingredients, family and guests can enjoy many of their favorite foods again - the possibilities are endless. Here are just a few of our favorite lactose-free recipe tips and ideas:
Kefir
Did you know you can substitute equal parts kefir for buttermilk in any recipe? This opens the door for holiday-themed pancakes, waffles, cornbread, muffins and more. Creamy, rich kefir also can also be a replacement for cream in some dishes.
- Pancakes & Waffles - For delicious fluffy pancakes and waffles, substitute kefir for buttermilk.
- Pumpkin Pie - Kefir subs in for heavy cream or evaporated milk in Pumpkin Pie.
- Mashed Potatoes - Nix the butter and the cream; add kefir to your garlic mashed potatoes for moisture and creamy flavor. Try our Creamy Parsnip Potato Mash with Garlic and Rosemary.
- Eggnog - Of course you can have eggnog! Our delicious recipe is a great variation on the classic recipe, but made with lactose-free kefir.
Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Pie
Lactose-Free Eggnog
Yogurt
Yogurt is much more versatile than you might think. Use it in baking, marinades, dressings and desserts.
- Cakes and muffins - Yogurt is a wonderful ingredient for flavor and moistness - that's why many recipes call for it.
- Marinades & salad dressings - Yogurt mixed with a bit of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, herbs, salt & pepper makes a great chicken marinade and can also be used as a dressing for salad.
- Yogurt Cheese - You can make yogurt "cheese" by simply draining yogurt overnight in a cheesecloth-lined strainer. It loses its whey and becomes rich yogurt "cheese", which can then be flavored with herbs or fruits and used as a spread like cream cheese.
Yogurt Cheese Crostini
Sour Cream
Sour cream is a must on baked potatoes and and can also be added to the batter in baked goods for a moister crumb. We love the way it elevates any number of plain foods to rich, creamy versions in seconds. Simply grab it from the fridge and spoon it out to transform:
- Potato Latkes - As a topping for this holiday treat, mix with cinnamon, applesauce and brown sugar. Enjoy any extra on pancakes, French toast, poached pears, or rolled in crepes.
- Green Bean Casserole - As a tasty alternative to the canned-soup version you love, use our lactose-free sour cream.
- Salsa - Stirring in a spoonful of sour cream creates a creamy dip for chips or sauce for enchiladas.
- Tomato soup - Swirl on top of plain tomato soup for a creamy, delicious experience.
- Chili - Dollop a spoonful on top, and sprinkle with sliced green onions and chopped tomatoes.
- Tacos and Burritos - Add creaminess to balance the heat atop a taco or inside a burrito.
- Fresh fruit - Sweeten with a little honey and serve over fresh fruit for an instant elegant dessert.
- Guacamole - Add sour cream to your favorite guacamole.
Green Bean Sour Cream Casserole
Cream Cheese
Use ours in absolutely any recipe calling for cream cheese - from brownies, frosting, cakes, to savory sauces for pasta or meats.
- Cheesecakes - Use our cream cheese in your favorite cheesecake recipe. Try our Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake, Roasted Peach Cheesecake, or West County Cheesecake with Blackberry Sauce.
- Bagels & cream cheese - Yes you can! Add smoked salmon, capers & dill.
- Appetizers - Try our Smoked Trout Spread, or Potato Lox Bites
Lactose-Free Cheesecakes
Smoked Trout Cream Cheese Spread
Important News from Our Founder - Jennifer Bice
As you may know, Green Valley Organics Lactose-Free dairy products are made by our parent company, Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery in Sonoma County, CA. Redwood Hill's Founder, Jennifer Bice, agreed last week to sell Redwood Hill to Emmi, a dairy maker in Switzerland that is, to this day, majority-owned by a cooperative of small-scale dairy farmers. Jennifer will continue to be the head of the company for several years and all of our employees will stay on at our creamery in Sebastopol, CA. Read about Jennifer's journey toward her decision in this personal letter to you: