Kickin' it off!

I have always loved dairy. When I was pregnant with my daughter (now 7 1/2 months old), ice cream was a serious staple in my diet. Cheese is good. Mmmmm. My family are foodies. We eat at restaurants a lot. We take vacations that are centered around food. Most of my immediate family members are phenomenal cooks, who rely heavily on cream and butter.
I also like soy. My favorite drinks at Starbucks are soy-based and I LOVE Asian foods and soy sauce.
So it was a serious blow when I found out my new baby daughter was allergic to both soy and dairy. My husband and I had two options, switch her from breast milk to a special, allergy-free formula (which we were informed was very expensive and did not taste good), or switch me to a soy and dairy-free diet.
My husband and I didn't want to give up the benefits of breastfeeding for our daughter, and since the diet would be temporary (until our daughter was done breastfeeding), the choice seemed pretty clear. I had done an elimination diet in the past, that included dairy, so I knew what it meant to give up certain foods and adjust your diet and eating routines. So mentally I felt prepared. But I also knew that it would be a challenge.
I've been dairy and soy-free for 4 months now, and I won't lie - eating dairy and soy free is hard. Doing it for my daughter and her health makes it a really easy choice, and I'm certainly not complaining, but it's been a challenge to cook good food, eat out, satisfy cravings, and go to the grocery store without getting slightly depressed and frustrated.
I've done a lot of research, read a million food labels, and tried a lot of nasty, alternative products and recipes. But amid all the food chaos, I've found some real winners. I've discovered some wonderful products and even some recipes I'll continue to make even after I'm back on dairy and soy. My hope with this blog is to share what I've learned with other people that are faced with a dairy and soy-free diet. And maybe I can help make your journey a little bit easier.