<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> > Can anyone on the celiac list answer the following questions: > > 1. What foods contain casein? Some information says all dairy contains > casein; some says that milk has casein and cream doesn't(making butter, > whipping cream, etc. ok)--does anyone have a definitive answer? Being casein-intolerant myself, I can tell you that the easiest tack to take is this - if it comes from a cow - avoid it! Cream has some casein, butter has even less, but there's still enough to cause a reaction in sensitive people (like me). The last dairy products that left my diet were "triple creme" cheeses and butter. Ghee (clarified butter) doesn't seem to cause problems - but make sure the ghee is clear - that scummy stuff you sometimes see on clarified butter products is casein. > 2. Has anyone found a cheese substitute that doesn't have soy? I thought > almond cheez would do it, but it has casein. I can use goat or sheep's milk cheeses - apparently, the casein fraction is different enough that these do not cause problems (with sheep's milk cheeses being a better bet than goat's milk cheeses). Otherwise, the easiest answer is to find other/different recipes. > 3. Are ANY fast foods acceptable on a gluten-free/casein-free diet??? > (Besides the aforementioned Burger King Fries) Ummm - depends on what part of the country/world you are in... Here in Southern California, we have a chain called "Pollo Loco" that specializes in grilled chicken with various fixings, and serves tortillas instead of bread. My favorite meal at Pollo Loco is 2-3 pieces of grilled chicken, corn tortillas, salad, beans and corn on the cob ;-) Back east, I was able to eat at Boston Chicken rather nicely ;-) Check for chains that specialize in grilled chicken rather than burgers - some adjustment for a child, but better than nothing... > 4. Are there any seasonings that can substitute for soy sauce? Depends on why you are avoiding soy sauce - if it's wheat, San-J makes a wheat-free tamari (available at health food stores) that works for plain/dark soy sauce. Bragg Liquid Aminos makes a respectable substitute for light soy sauce in Chinese cooking. If you are avoiding soy sauce because of the soy content - there are two approaches - use extra salt (and maybe some ginger/garlic to perk the flavor) - or find thee a Southeast Asian market and acquire a bottle of Nam Pla (fish sauce). Note that Nam Pla is saltier than soy sauce, and has a slightly different flavor (and must be added *before* cooking is finished) - but in many recipes, especially things like fried rice, it will work just fine (giving a vague Thai/Vietnamese flavor to the dish). I use Nam Pla in my fried rice and stir-fry dishes all the time - a bottle lasts a year or so, since I use about 1/4 as much Nam Pla as I would soy sauce... karen [log in to unmask] (if urgent, use [log in to unmask] - the better half) Karen Davis of Davis and Associates (818)892-8555 "Pain is Mother Nature's way of telling us to slow down; Death is her way of INSISTING!"