Glorious Galway

Last weekend my boyfriend and I headed to Galway city for a day trip. We love going to new places as we both live out in the shticks and don't have enough money to go on holiday so our little weekend trips do the job. 

I'd only been to Galway once when I was about 10 so I didn't remember anything about it. My mum's parents are originally from Galway so she recommended a few places we should check out, including Salthill and the Spanish Arch. 

We set off from Athlone, which is only about an hour from Galway. Our first stop was the market, as I'd heard it can be good for quirky bits and food. I didn't find any nice food I could eat unfortunately, but it was still nice to have a look around!

After driving up and walking around the market we were starving. I'd researched Galway eateries before our trip in the hopes of finding a nice vegan/vegetarian one. I sent both Fat Freddy's and The Quay Street Kitchen a message asking about vegan options but neither replied despite reading my messages, which I find very bad in this day and age. Surely businesses should realise how important good social media repertoire is. Fat Freddy's lost out on my business for this reason and we went with The Quay Street Kitchen as they had great reviews for their menu choice.

We thought we'd have to book a table as it was busy but thankfully we were seated instantly. Sure enough, the menu was huge and they even had a specials board with plenty more choice. Options included falafel, soup, fish, meat, salads, burgers, tofu fish fingers and loads more. After some deliberation I chose the vegetable curry and Laurence chose a tofu burger with hummus and chips.

Our food arrived shortly and the portions were huge. My curry was served with a huge mound of rice and garnished with crunchy sweet potato curls. It was beautifully creamy and slightly sweet, full of chickpeas, sweet potato and broccoli, as well as heaps of other vegetables - absolutely delicious. I was so full I could barely finish it and had to get Laurence to help me! I also had a bite of Laurence's tofu burger. We both thought it was quite bland and they needed to marinate the tofu for longer, but we put some of my curry sauce into the burger which remedied it. Apart from that, the food was gorgeous and the choice was phenomenal. I also chanced my arm and asked for a dessert menu. I was so disappointed to see there were no dairy free desserts - until I turned over the menu and saw 2 vegan dessert options! It's such a treat for me to have dessert out. I ordered the hazelnut chocolate brownie which came warm served with vegan vanilla ice cream. Oh my God. It was absolutely divine, I'm drooling thinking about it now. I definitely waddled out of The Quay Street Kitchen! All in all we had a fantastic meal, we both said we'd 100% go back there.

After our meal we wandered around Galway, went to the Spanish Arch and looked in some of the shops. We walked round the Latin Quarter and listened to some of the talented buskers. We loved the Evergreen Health Food shop, it's just a shame I didn't have the money to splurge in there! Before heading home we decided to get a milkshake from Shake in the shopping centre as they offer soya milk and soya ice cream for dairy free milkshakes, so I got an Oreo milkshake which was gorgeous. We also decided to get some Mexican food to take home with us so we went to Tuco's for some tacos and burritos. Oink oink. The food was nice but we had to clarify several times with the staff what we wanted in our food so I think we'd go to Boojum next time.

All in all it was a lovely day out and I'd love to go back when I have more money and less tight trousers! Thanks for reading as usual - hope you all had a nice Easter!

Moooving On: How I Went Dairy Free

In my previous blog I mentioned that last year I went dairy free. I thought I'd do a blog to explain why, how and the ways it has benefited me, just in case any of you were considering cutting out dairy or realised it has started to cause you discomfort.  

In my case, I started to notice I'd feel sick after almost everything I ate. I won't go into the gory details, but it caused me a lot of discomfort. I couldn't figure it out for the life of me - I was sure it wasn't gluten anyway - so I decided to try cutting down my dairy intake to see if that helped.  

How now, brown cow?

I started by replacing dairy milk with almond or soya milk and noticed a big change already. Then, I started to cut out cheese and cream. I made my lifestyle change a gradual one and still ate bits and pieces of dairy such as goat dairy, butter, yoghurt and the occasional sneaky bit of cake or chocolate. However, as time went on any bit of dairy made me sicker and sicker - a sure sign of dairy intolerance - and I cut every part of it out of my diet. I am now 100% dairy free.

Now, I specify my dietary needs at restaurants and cafés and use dairy substitutes instead of the real thing. Always remember to check ingredients on whatever you're buying just to double check - it's surprising how many items contain milk powder, whey or some other variation of dairy! Even lots of crisp brands contain dairy. 

Is it annoying at times? Definitely. Is it worth it? Absolutely. In this blog I'll list a few of the benefits, limitations and my favourite dairy free eateries and brands.

The good stuff

Since going dairy free I've noticed significant changes to my skin. I used to suffer from bad acne and it's cleared up significantly since going dairy free. 

Before this lifestyle change I'd get a cold every 2 weeks or so - I was the most run down person I knew. I ate a lot of dairy so I reckon this caused an abundance of mucus and in turn made me continuously get colds. I haven't had a cold in months and months now - I can't remember the last time I had one!

I don't get that heavy, full feeling after eating meals now. I feel nauseous rarely and feel more full of energy. 

My boyfriend went dairy free in the past also and swears his asthma improved significantly, so this may be something to consider too if you suffer from asthma.

The bad stuff

The most notable pain in the arse bits I've experienced is the cost if you're buying specialty dairy free food items and - the hardest part of all - eating out. 

Dairy free milk can be almost twice the price of normal milk, with some exceptions.  Chocolate is a little more expensive depending on what brand you buy. Dairy free cheeses, again, are significantly more expensive, but it should be noticed a block of dairy free cheese can last me about a month. Dairy free spread is fairly reasonable, and again it lasts me ages. Cream substitutes are around the same price and are not something I'd use very often. It helps to shop around and limit your consumption of dairy imitations if you're very budget conscious.

As for eating out, I still find it extremely difficult. Sligo isn't the best place to be dairy free or vegan - sure, there are tons of places who offer gluten free options, but for us dairy intolerant people we're not as well catered to. If you want a simple cup of coffee most places offer soya milk, but if you want lunch or dinner? Not so easy. 

Don't fret!

I've found a few choices for eating dairy free, mainly in Sligo. StreetCart (mexican food, also offer vegan options), Sweet Beat (vegan), Vintage Lane Café (in Rathcormac, but one of the most helpful places I've found), Ósta (good for vegans too), Ardcarne Garden Café (in Boyle but an excellent choice for vegetarians and vegans alike), The Draft House in Strandhill, and a new find for dairy free soup (which is so damn hard to find!) WB's Café. Indian food is definitely the best choice for dairy free/vegan takeaway - just make sure you specify as some of the curries and breads contain ghee or cream. Bombay Palace in Castlerea and Poppadom restaurant in Sligo are my two favourites. Fast food restaurants also offer a fair amount of dairy free options - Supermac's Papa Johns are very helpful if you ask for your pizza to be made without cheese.

Top: Vegan pancakes made by my boyfriend, vegetable curry and hummus at Ardcarne Garden Café, vegan lasagne at Sweet Beat, bean hotpot at Ósta, soup and salad at Vintage Lane Café, vegetable curry (top) at The Draft House, almond milk hot chocolate and a raw cacao cake at Sweet Beat (bottom). See, I don't just eat air!

Let them eat cake

If you have  a major sweet tooth for cake and chocolate, you may find it hard at first to get used to life without them. Fear not, my friends, I did it and I don't cry in the corner about my lack of cake (not often anyway).
Joking aside, I've made some foolproof dairy free cakes and they're just as delicious as 'normal' cake. I've convinced even the most hardcore dairy eaters with them! Try this recipe from Odlums to start. Also check out the Free From sections in supermarkets and the ingredients in some supermarket cakes as I've been surprised sometimes by cakes and cookies not containing dairy. My favourite dairy free cake and biscuit picks are Oreos (yes, you read that right), Biscoff, Bourbons, Supervalu Free From Ginger Crunch Cookies, and the bog standard Dark Chocolate Digestives. Yum!

Choc-a-bloc

As for chocolate, I've found some delicious dairy free substitutes out there. My favourite brands are Moo Free, Booja Booja (their hazelnut truffles are TO DIE FOR - they're like the inside of a Ferrero Rocher), Choices, iChoc, and Cocoa Libre. It should be noted that ASDA, Tesco and Sainsbury's have their own range of Free From chocolate and it's all pretty tasty! I got my Free From advent calendar from ASDA and didn't feel left out when my brother ate his chocolate one. For my selection box - yes I am 5 years old - I got Moo Free and Choices selection boxes. I also recently discovered Lidl's version of Cadbury's Chocolate Snaps (remember them? Pringles shaped chocolate with crispy bits?) and was delighted to find the dark chocolate mint version is dairy free! Score.

But what if I want to cry into a tub of ice cream?

I hear you. We all have nights where we just want to snuggle up on the couch and inhale a litre of ice cream. Thanks to brands such as Booja Booja, Nobó, Swedish Glace, Okobay, and even Tesco Free From (they do dairy free strawberry and vanilla ice cream cones), I can still do that. But I try not to make it a habit. ;-) 

My favourite ice cream is hands down Almond Dream - their salted caramel ice cream is HEAVEN. They're also available in SuperValu which is so handy.

Keep an eye on Ben & Jerry's also - they're said to be releasing their own dairy free ice cream soon!

Cheese and milk and cream, oh my!

Ahh, the fun part. The hardest part most people find with going dairy free is giving up cheese. In fairness, I've never been a huge cheese fan, so I can imagine if you are it may be a bit harder. However, like any habit you break, you get used to not eating it. Brands such as Violife - my favourite for dairy free cheese - Tofutti, and VBites have some tasty cheese substitutes. Some melt like a dream, others are great in sandwiches and sauces, but none of them properly replicate proper cheese, I'd be lying if I said they did. Still, they're a nice substitute and I don't feel too left out when everyone else is eating pizza now! 

For cream and milk, Alpro and Oatly are my favourite picks. Both offer cream substitutes which taste deceivingly real, and their milks are also fantastic. I buy Lidl soya milk if I'm on a tight budget as it's only 79c per litre and is just as good as the leading brands. Koko coconut milk is a delicious creamy milk alternative which is great in tea, coffee and cereal. 

For sandwich spreads and butter substitutes I like Pure and Suma spreads. Sure, they taste more like margarine than butter, but they do the job. Cosgrove's Delicatessen in Sligo is a great place to pick up dairy alternatives - they even sell vegan mac 'n' cheese!

Saucy

I use a lot more condiments since going dairy free to add flavour and variety to my meals. I love Zest vegan pesto, Taste of Goodness sauces (check for the lactose free varieties), Biona, and the good old classic mayonnaise which, as most people are surprised by, is dairy free.

To conclude, with an evergrowing range of dairy free products, going dairy free isn't as hard as you may think. Obviously, if you can digest dairy with no issues, enjoy your cheeselicious pizza! If you're having discomfort or feeling nauseous from all the dairy deliciousness, or are planning on trying out veganism, I hope this blog was helpful in even some little way. 

For other helpful dairy free websites and blogs check out Dublin With Food Allergies, Dairy Free Kids, and Go Dairy Free.

If you have any questions on going dairy free, or if you can recommend some good dairy free cafés, restaurants and brands, please let me know!