Whether you like your dairy servings in a glass or on a plate, there are plenty of tasty possibilities that are free of lactose and animal proteins. In Part I, we covered legume or plant-based milks as well as an overview of the major types of milk alternatives. Now we conclude, with a look at nut and grain-based milk alternatives. more ›

Up to three servings of dairy a day for good health sayeth the USDA. But not everyone, experts included, is buying either that line or the recommended dairy products. We can debate issues of nutrition, animal cruelty, and the amazing power of lobbying groups all day long. The bottom line is that there are many good reasons to eschew the moo juice at least some of the time. Many of vegans and vegetarians, as well as those with milk allergies and intolerance choose to do so all the time. Regardless of where you stand, savvy shoppers and cooks need to be familiar with non-dairy options. more ›

We've been loving poking around the annals of Chicago's past via LexisNexis and enjoying seeing what goes on through the lens of history. Just for shits and giggles, we plugged in today's date from a hundred years back to see what the headline from a century-old news cycle. The hot topic from back then: Should Chicago require that milk be pasteurized? more ›

In any time, the peanut butter and jelly sandwich is a classic, but in these tough economic times, we find ourselves going to it more often than in the past, giving us the chance to revisit this important cornerstone of any diet. The key to any successful sandwich starts with the outside: what kind of bread do you use? If the bread is too coarse for the contents of the sandwich, the sandwich can be ruined. In this case, we found that the soft, supple wheat bread suited the sandwich perfectly. Next, we spread onto one slice of bread our peanut butter of choice. Like choosy mothers, we prefer JIF, but experience has shown us that you can closely recreate the same texture using Skippy or Peter Pan brand peanut butter. more ›

Has there been a more predictable year for the Academy Awards than this one? Not since Titanic, in our view; and wouldn't you know it, Kate Winslet is up for Best Actress again. Roger Ebert is predicting a win for her, one for Sean Penn in Milk, and a whole mess of awards for the all-but-unstoppable acclaim-train that is Slumdog Millionaire. In an annual tradition Mr. Ebert once again invites you to try and outguess him for a chance to win a trip for two to the world premiere of Disney/Pixar's Up. If the results are as surprise-free as we're expecting, outguessing Ebert is going to hinge on a wild card category like Best Documentary (he's predicting Man on Wire, but don't overlook Trouble the Water). more ›

When the weather turns, we tend to switch up our beer choices. Colder weather typically calls for heartier brews: monster ales, porters, and stouts. Now we love a good stout as much as anyone, but as someone with not a drop of Irish to be found in our genealogy, we like to explore the darkest of beers. Often, the sweet flavor and clingy, slightly sour finish in stouts comes from the addition of lactic acid... more ›