Cooking With Kathryn

Recipes and Tips for Everyday Food Lovers

Mexican Shepherd’s Pie

November 11, 2014 By CookingWithKathryn

So Shepherd’s Pie is one of those warm, comforting homey foods that is hard not to love.  But if you’re lactose-intolerant, it’s hard to make, due to the mashed potatoes and cheese.  I’ve found a way to create a delicious Mexican version of the comfort favorite without any lactose.

To give you a little insight into my day, about halfway through this recipe, I noticed that my cat was nowhere to be found. My cat, Reesie, is a rescue cat and she’s the most loving, affectionate thing.  She loves being in the middle of everything, watching, observing and, of course, meddling.  She’s also the smartest cat I’ve ever seen.  She comes when called, drags paper towels out of the cabinet to clean up after herself if she knocks over her water bowl, and she’s figured out how to open every single door in our apartment.  So when I don’t know where she is, it usually doesn’t bode well.  This is where I found her:

Reesie

In a basket inside a shopping bag.  She is ridiculous.  And adorable.

So after taking pictures, I returned to my meal.  And it turned out great!  Here’s a few tips for you:

  1. If you’re looking for lactose-free boxed potatoes, use Idahoan Original Potato Flakes.  Most other kinds have milk or butter in them.  You can also feel free to use leftover homemade mashed potatoes
  2. I would suggest using Kraft Mexican cheese blend.  Most Kraft shredded cheese is lactose-free, but I would suggest checking the back of the bag for the words “0 grams of lactose per serving” right under the ingredient list.
  3. My favorite butter substitute is Smart Balance light buttery spread.  Not only is it lactose-free, it’s also really great for you with less fat and less calories than regular butter.

Here’s the final result.  Hope you love it!

Pie

Print
Mexican Shepherd’s Pie

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 17 minutes

Total Time: 37 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 2 cups water
  • 3 tbs. butter or butter substitute
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 3/4 cup almond or soy milk
  • 2 cups Idahoan Original Mashed Potato Flakes
  • 1 14-oz. can chopped green chilies
  • 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
  • 1 14-oz. jar mild salsa
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 11-oz. can corn with red and green peppers
  • 1 11-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • Paprika, to taste
  • Sliced green onions, to taste
  • 1 small tomato, cut into wedges

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brown ground beef with onion over medium-high heat until fully cooked. Drain.
  2. Meanwhile, combine water, butter and salt. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in milk and potato flakes. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in green chilies and 1/2 cup of the cheese.
  3. Add salsa, black beans, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper to the ground beef mixture. Bring to a boil and then remove from heat.
  4. Spread beef mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with corn. Spread potatoes evenly on top. Sprinkle the top with remaining cheese.
  5. Bake for 13 to 17 minutes until the filling is bubbling, the potatoes are lightly browned and the cheese is melted. Sprinkle with paprika and green onions. Top with tomato slices. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Adapted from Pillsbury.com.

3.1
http://cookingwithkathryn.net/mexican-shepherds-pie/

 

Filed Under: Dinner

Chicken Parmesan

November 4, 2014 By CookingWithKathryn

So I’ll let you in on a secret:  I’d never eaten Chicken Parmesan before this meal.  It’s not like you can get it at an Italian restaurant if you’re lactose-intolerant.  But FINALLY I’ve found a way to make it!  And it’s delicious.

Let me give you a little bit of background.  I love Olive Garden.  To me, it means family.  My grandmother instilled that into me and we celebrated absolutely everything at Olive Garden together.  And my grandmother was the most amazing person I’ve ever met.  She loved everyone, even if she’d never met them.  She gave money away when she barely had any for herself.  She lived with my family and raised me until I was 3 so I wouldn’t have to go to daycare while my parents worked.  She was selfless and taught me so much about life.  And every time she said ‘goodbye’, she would say, “I love you like a hog loves slop!”

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And she LOVED Olive Garden.  Every single birthday or Christmas, she would slip an Olive Garden gift card into my present. And some of my fondest memories are of her cooking chicken and angel hair pasta for me.  Sadly, she passed away in August and I miss her every single day. So this recipe brought back a lot of memories and just felt like home.  I feel certain that you’ll love it as well.

Chicken Parmesan

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Chicken Parmesan

Rating: 51

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I recommend Purdue)
  • 4 tbs. lactose-free butter substitute, melted
  • 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp. Oregano
  • 1 tsp. Parsley
  • 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup Kraft shredded Parmesan cheese (lactose-free!)
  • 1 pound angel hair pasta
  • 1 jar marinera sauce
  • 3/4 cup Kraft shredded Mozzarella cheese (lactose-free!)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with either aluminum foil or parchment paper.
  2. In a bowl, combine breadcrumbs, oregano, parsley, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and Parmesan. Brush butter on both sides of each chicken breast and rub with breadcrumb mixture.
  3. Place onto breadcrumb sheet and bake for 21 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165.
  4. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package instructions.
  5. Once the chicken is done, top with a few spoonfuls of marinara and the mozzarella cheese. Return to the oven until melted, about 5 minutes.
  6. Serve on top of pasta with optional extra marinara sauce.

Notes

** Make sure to check the back of the Kraft package for the words "0 grams of lactose per serving. Most but not all shredded Kraft cheese will say this. ** ** Also check the ingredients on the packaged bread crumbs. Many contain Parmesan cheese or whey. ** ** The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken breasts. Make sure to check the internal temperature - it should be 165 degrees at the thickest part. **

3.1
http://cookingwithkathryn.net/chicken-parmesan/

Filed Under: Dinner

Roasted Vegetable Macaroni and Cheese

October 15, 2014 By CookingWithKathryn

I love macaroni and cheese.  But let’s face it:  typical mac n’ cheese has a TON of dairy.  I went about 8 years without having even one bite.  But finally, I’ve found a way to make a delicious version that I can eat!

I begin the recipe by saying that my sister-in-law is pretty awesome.  Here’s a picture of her with my 2-month-old nephew Scotty.

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Isn’t he adorable?  I love this kid to death.  Anyway, April’s pretty great.  She’s a great cook and is so much fun to bake and decorate cookies with.  Luke and I went home last week to South Carolina to spend some time with our family and I had a blast decorating Halloween sugar cookies with her.

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April was the first person to make me macaroni and cheese that I could eat.  Like I said, she’s pretty awesome.  And tonight, Luke and I were in the mood for mac n’ cheese, so she kindly texted us the recipe.  I made a few healthy, lactose-free substitutions and added some fresh, roasted vegetables.

Veggies

Here are the key changes I made:

  • Almond milk instead of whole milk.  Not only does almond milk contain WAY less calories, fat and sugar, it tastes great! Just make sure to get unsweetened.
  • Smart balance light buttery spread instead of butter.
  • Kraft cheddar cheese shreds.  Some of these are lactose free!  Check the back of the bag for “Contains 0 grams of lactose”.
  • Veggies.  I roasted tomatoes and broccoli and added them to the mix.

Pre Baked

Final Baked

This is a great way to get kids to eat their vegetables.  And feel free to make it even more healthy by using whole wheat pasta!

On Plate

Here’s the amazing recipe:

Print
Roasted Vegetable Macaroni and Cheese

Rating: 51

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 2 heads of broccoli
  • 1/2 package of cherry or plum tomatoes
  • 2 tbs. olive oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 lb. macaroni noodles (any kind of small pasta will work)
  • 8 tbs. Smart Balance light buttery spread
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 4 cups almond or soy milk
  • 16 oz. Kraft sharp cheddar cheese + extra for topping
  • Paprika, to taste (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Chop the broccoli into small, bite-sized pieces. Cut tomatoes in half. Toss in olive oil and salt and pepper and roast in the oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until the broccoli is charred and the tomatoes are starting to burst.
  2. Boil pasta according to instructions on box. Meanwhile, heat butter in pan until melted. Add flour, milk and cheese. Watch carefully and stir occasionally until combined. Make sure not to burn the sauce! The final sauce should be thick and perfectly mixed.
  3. Mix pasta, sauce and vegetables until thoroughly combined. Pour into large baking dish (I used a 9x13 inch pan) and top with extra cheese. Sprinkle well with paprika, to taste.
  4. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until bubbling and brown.
3.1
http://cookingwithkathryn.net/roasted-vegetable-macaroni-and-cheese/

Filed Under: Dinner

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My name is Kathryn and I'm lactose-intolerant. For years I missed out on delicious food because I thought I had to avoid most of it. Here I show you that just because you're lactose-intolerant doesn't mean that you have to miss out on what you love to eat. I share tips and alternatives that took me YEARS to figure out. Every single recipe in this site can be made lactose-free. But don't worry. For those of you who aren't, you can adapt these recipes too.

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