As for me and dairy, we have a love/hate relationship. Pure milk and higher lactose cheese products do me dirty but I can tolerate harder cheeses that have been aged for longer and are lower in lactose. Everyone is so different, which is something that I preach a lot, but it’s true. Some people with IBD or on SCD can’t tolerate any dairy at all and others thrive with it. Personally, I stick to SCD cheeses, like parmesan and cheddar, and have no issues with those. Again, that’s me, and not you, and not Sally next door or Lucy down the street! IBD is not one size fits all; what works for one person may not work for you and vice versa. Going beyond food, in general, you cannot compare your health or your journey to anyone else. Doing so can be harmful both physically and mentally. Some people have been able to find remission from just diet alone, while some just need medication, and some need both diet and medication. Some people can tolerate cheese. Others can’t. Ya know? At the end of the day, you need to find what works for you. I didn’t mean to get deep on a post about dairy, but wow, here we are.

While I typically do consume SCD legal dairy, I still love creating fun alternatives and coming up with new recipes for those who cannot, which is why I set out to create this dairy-free sashew and chive ricotta. Activated cashews are technically lower in FODMAPS and easier to digest than regular cashews, so it’s a win-win for me as a I start to introduce some more foods into my diet along my healing journey.Cashew and Chive Ricotta