Just to report in... tish, I bought the So-Delicious in vanilla flavor and thought it was OK. Then based on another recommendation, tried the chocolate Almond Breeze in my coffee and that was yummy! I really don't care about cheese. DH couldn't live without it, but I've never been a huge fan -- although I do like pizza, so that's a tough one. And I don't care about ice cream in the winter months... but talk to me again in June. I probably will never completely eliminate all dairy, but I can definitely cut back significantly. In the end, I may just go back to regular old milk in my coffee, and I may have the occasional cheese pizza, etc. I was somewhere today where there were limited options for lunch, so I "had" to have a ham sandwich. I don't know what I would have done if I was really a vegetarian (instead of someone trying to impersonate a vegetarian for a week). Take the ham out of the sandwich, I guess, or go hungry!

If you have sweetened coconut milk, it can be an acceptable substitute. If the coconut milk is not thick enough, you might have to reduce it down a bit or perhaps add a bit of tapioca or cornstarch to it. Adding coconut flakes would also help it to stay together. I've substituted coconut milk for SCM in macaroons, and I like them better. If you 12 oz can of coconut milk is not sweetened, you can add 1/3 cup sugar to it - that's what I do in my macaroon recipe. Lars Here is a link that might be useful: Lars' Macaroons

Coconut cream and coconut milk are about the same but the cream has more pulp/(cream). The milk usually has a bit of cream that settles on top so i shake the can... "cream of coconut' has added sugars and such. I don't buy that since I can add my own sweetener to taste. (check your labels). I think it is used for adult drinks and pies/cakes but you can add your own sweet to coconut cream and get the same thing. I have a few cans staring at me above my coffee grinder in the pantry. Milk and water. Labels can be deceiving. My coconut milk says 98 calories but the serving is 7 for 11oz. The coconut water is 130 calories for the 11oz can. (one serving) My husband does not care for it much. He prefers plain rice, not my coconut rice even with curries. (unless i tell him ahead of time...he expects plain brown rice, nice and nutty.) I love coconut milk and may have overdone it last year...i actually like pure rice, its own flavor. Anywho, i'm using it tonight. I have leftover 'plain' rice and rich savory chicken thighs. I'm having the best garden season ever with the rain, sun, and high heat. Usual veggies are bolting so i have a tiny one of everything. Cuke, zuke, a tiny eggplant and a giant bag of thai basil. Even the broccoli bolted but i have a bit. (sounds dismal but the tomatoes, salads, fruits, and others are so much appreciative of the unusual heat) I shook my can and split it. Made a dressing with half a habanero, green onion, garlic, half a lemon, ev olive oil, thai basil...and the coconut milk. So good. I'll use just a bit on tender salad greens. (my dressing for the rest of the week) The other half of the can...saute a shallot, 2 cloves garlic, the other half of the habanero, diced celery, my 6 tiny halved tomatoes,lol, (soon i will have bushels of toms), the 6 peas from pod, 4 snap peas and the other tiny veggies ...add the coconut milk and chicken meat that i will pick off the bones...simmer on low 20 min, add a big squeeze of lemon...serve with the rice and top with that beautiful thai basil. (if i have company i add a thin slice of lemon on the serving) I don't have the recipe on hand...but it is called 'Summer-Curry-In-A-Hurry'. Not a traditional curry at all. Just using fresh early crop when we have a tiny mix of so many 'everything'. If shopping in a grocery, just buy one of everything. Black seedless grapes halved are a good substitute for crap out of season tomatoes. Expensive usually but just take a small stem of a few dozen out of that bag. Sold by weight. Just buy what you want....a peeve of mine about per item sold/vs. selling by weight. -My husband will like this with the citrus and the habanero heat...and the thai basil. (i hope so)

Do they sell Lactaid or other lactase-treated milk where you live? It's a lifesaver. If you drink some of that milk, then you can have other dairy that would normally bother you. In your recipe, if you used a lactase-treated milk and real cream, which is naturally low in lactose, then you should be okay. But some people are more intolerant than others and your mileage may vary. You can also buy the lactaid pills.