‘Tis the Season for Eggnog & Alternative Dairy Drinks
For some, it’s really not Christmas until they’ve had a glass of eggnog. Traditionally, eggnog is a warm drink containing milk, eggs, spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon, sugar and alcohol. While eggnog has “egg” in its name, it is not exactly a healthy drink as it can be high in calories, saturated fat and sugar. However, since eggnog contains milk, it is rich in nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium, riboflavin, vitamin B12 and D.
Have difficulty digesting the lactose (natural sugar) in milk? No problem, there are ways to still enjoy dairy even if you have lactose intolerance. Individuals vary in the amount of lactose they can tolerate with some able to tolerate certain amounts of dairy products, while others have to eliminate lactose completely. It is recommended to try small amounts of dairy at a time like adding milk to your cereal and observe if you can comfortably digest it. Also try yogurts with live and active cultures that will help you digest lactose, natural cheeses or lactose-free milk to minimize discomfort.
If you have a true milk allergy, in which your immune system overreacts to the protein in milk, then you should avoid dairy. You may be wondering how you can still get the dairy nutrients you need to avoid deficiencies. There are good sources of vitamins and minerals you can get from non-dairy products, which I have mentioned below.
Calcium: Fortified soymilk, fruit juices or cereals, calcium-set tofu, collard greens, kale
Phosphorus: Bran cereals, oatmeal, meat, poultry, fish, beans, nuts
Potassium: Potato, soymilk, fish (tuna, cod, halibut), avocado, banana, spinach
Riboflavin: Fortified breads, cereals and oatmeal, beef liver, clams, mushrooms, nuts
Vitamin B12: Clams, beef liver, beef, fish (trout, salmon, tuna), fortified cereals
Vitamin D: Fish (salmon, tuna, sardines, swordfish), fortified cereals, orange juice, egg
Still craving your holiday eggnog fix and can’t do dairy? Enjoy this alternative dairy-free eggnog recipe!
Ingredients:
6 egg yolks
3 cups unsweetened almond milk
¼ cup raw honey
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Optional and of age: ½ cup of rum or brandy (standard 1 oz. size per serving)
Directions:
In a blender, add the unsweetened almond milk, egg yolks, raw honey, vanilla extract, ground nutmeg and ground cinnamon and blend for a minute or until smooth consistency. If you don’t have a blender, use a large bowl and whisk to blend ingredients.
Pour the mixture into a saucepan over low heat and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the mixture thickens.
Remove from heat and if desired add your choice of booze (ages 21 and older). Then pour eggnog into four glasses, sprinkle a little cinnamon and nutmeg on top, and drink up!
*If you are not quite ready to serve the eggnog, then once removed from heat, pour into an airtight container and place in the fridge to chill overnight. When ready to serve add your alcohol (if desired), sprinkle nutmeg and cinnamon, and enjoy!