Who can deny the deliciousness of creamy, cheesy Alfredo Sauce over a bed of warm pasta? Then add in some broccoli or some mushrooms for me, and you have a heaven for your taste buds. Unfortunately, also for me and about 65% of the population, that heaven can turn into purgatory later, or worse yet–a night of hellish belly aching.
What’s to blame? Nope, it’s not the lactose.
The biggest culprit for most people’s cow dairy intolerances has more to do with the milk protein over the sugar. And for those, the dairy protein is specifically A1 casein. And if that alone isn’t a recipe for disaster, add to that wheat based pasta, and now you’ve got another food on the top ten allergen list to really bloat you out and get you enflamed.
I had to give up Alfredo sauce years ago. It just worth the pain anymore after years and years of suffering through each delicious spoonful of oozy goodness, only lead to greater and greater sensitivity and pain. With that went quesadillas, ice cream, and greek yogurt.
And stomach pain is just one of the many forms of reactions to A1 casein…but most all are in the form of digestion.
But over the last couple of years I have done a lot of research and have discovered some dairy that does not have A1 casein. And I must say, I just don’t react with the grumbly, pain-stricken belly aches when I eat them.
This is A2 Casein, which is now gaining much more attention since the recent launch of A2 milk.
See many moons ago, the cow mutated and started creating an A1 casein protein in it’s milk that most people struggle with digesting. For some, the difficulty is so bad it actually leads to allergies that result in congestion or eczema, and the worst of digestive issues that many with IBS know all too closely. But they originally produced only A1 casein, just like sheep, and goats. And there is a still a small selection of cows that did not develop this mutation- These cows still thrive in the farms of France and Italy.
So since I hate too many long-winded stories involving how a recipe was invented, I’ll cut to the chase. I came up with a recipe that uses little to no A1 casein and no gluten so it has minimal implications on the belly, with all the deliciousness to the taste buds that traditional Alfredo has. And it is so easy.
I use French butter instead of regular butter (including Irish) so I don’t get any chance for A1 casein in it.
Then I use heavy whipping cream which is traditionally used in Alfredo sauces and of all cow dairy this does have the least protein in it, because it is almost entirely the dairy fat. There are trace amounts so I do cut this ingredient in half and balance it out with fresh, whole goat milk from my local grocery store in the refrigerated section. You can do the same with A2 milk, I just know it is more difficult to find. Goat milk only has A1 casein and at half the amount, doesn’t give the sauce a “goaty” flavor.
The next ingredient is key– Pecorino Romano. This is a belly-safe alternative to Parmesan cheese traditionally used in Alfredo sauce. It tastes very similar but this type of Romano is made from Sheep (Pecorino means “of sheep”). It does not taste gamey like Goat cheese does and it works perfectly in this recipe.
Finally the last belly-friendly ingredient includes gluten free pizza four for the roux and gluten free ramen noodles (you can use any gluten free noodle really, I just like the way these turn out…still light flavored bc some gluten free pasta can be dominant in flavor). Then I add my favorite spices and flavor enhancers of course including garlic, salt and pepper, paprika, and the best– a dash of nutmeg.
Here are the deets:
3 TBSP of French butter (I user Trader Joes)
1 TBSP of gluten free pizza flour
1/2 cup of Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 cup of whole goat milk
6-7 clusters of Lotus Foods Rice Ramen (I get mine at Costco)
2 cloves of garlic crushed or finely diced
1 1/2 cups of grated pecorino romano cheese
Paprika, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste
So if you are unfamiliar with making Alfredo sauce you first start by making a roux. This involves melting the butter in a pan (I like to brown it slightly for added flavor) and then add the four and then garlic. I stir until the butter starts to thicken and bubble. Then you pour in the dairy liquids and stir again until it starts to bubble. Then you add the grated pecorino romano and whisk. Once that is all melted in, you lower the heat to simmer and add the seasonings to taste and keep it warm.
During the time I am making the sauce, I’ve boiled the water for the pasta and have plopped the cluster nests of ramen into the pot. They usually take about 5 minutes to soften if I put them in the water while boiling.
While the pasta and sauce is cooking, I microwave the broccoli in a steam bag (yes–this is not the best for nutrition. If you are better than me at multitasking multiple flames on the stove, then steam the broccoli over another flame. For me the microwave comes in handy here.
Once you drain the pasta and rinse them, I pour the sauce right over it and mix it together with some broccoli on top and serve it with a cesar salad. Did it tonight and bam, a delcious hit. Best of all— NO BELLY ACHES! The key is cutting the dairy with goat milk and swapping out that parmasean for pecarino romano. The gluten free is an added safe haven for those with wheat issues.
If you don’t have easy access to a Trader Joes or Costco for the ingredients at an easy-to-swallow-price, here is a list you can get on Amazon. These will cost more, but if you are craving some Alfredo without the bellyache, it will be worth it. 🙂
French Butter
Hope you like it, and let me know how it works for you!
Mama Guts 
Sounds delicious.
Thanks for the info!
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