You asked about non-whey protein drinks, and there are many other types of protein powders available including rice, egg whites, and vegetable sources like peas and soy. The Biological Value is highest in whey, eggs, milk, meats, then legumes and other foods. B.V. is the measure of a protein's ability to be used by the body. The higher the B.V. number the more protein your body will be able to use. It takes nearly twice as much protein from beans (49) to equal the same amount in beef (80), while whey is 100-159, eggs-100, milk-91, chicken-79.... Gelatin is an excellent source of protein and you can make healthy "Knox Blocks" and other gummy-type gelatin enriched snack recipes using 100% juice (apple, grape, orange, pineapple, etc.), coconut milk, almond milk..... Lots of recipes if you look on-line. There are two types of gelatin, the "common" one that gels, such as Knox, and the "better" brands like Dr. Benard Jensen's, NOW brand, and Great Lakes Gelatin in the red container. Great Lakes Gelatin in the green container mixes in cold liquids but doesn't gel - great as a smoothie add-in or added to nearly any beverage (6 grams protein per tablespoon). If I find my energy lagging in the afternoon (I suspect it has something to do with getting up at 3 a.m. everyday), I'll mix gelatin in a beverage (hot or cold) and drink that instead of finding a snack. While traveling I add 1/2 of a packet of Hansen's Natural Fruit Stix (sweetened with Truvia) to a bottle of water and also add 1 T. of Great Lakes Gelatin (green container). Lots of health benefits from gelatin and that includes the gelatin from making meaty bone broth. Broth in a thermos would be another good high-protein snack. No offense to anyone who enjoys soy in their diet, I personally wouldn't recommend any type of soy for consumption, and especially for a child. For more information: "The Whole Soy Story" by Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, CCN. Other choices would be to make your baked goods with almond flour (or other nut flours) or coconut flour (which usually require a LOT of eggs in the recipes - the muffins I made yesterday have 1/2 an egg per muffin and is why one muffin for an adult is very satisfying and filling - plus coconut flour is very high in fiber). There are also some really good recipes that use cooked beans (or canned) in recipes including muffins, cookies, brownies, etc. I make several snack foods using sprouted beans/seeds/grains to increase the protein level. [I'm more concerned with sticking to low-glycemic foods and choose foods on the lower-half of the glycemic index of foods. Trying to avoid diabetes, which runs rampant in hubby's family.] Beans not only add protein and fiber, it also replaces most of the fat in these recipes. You can also replace a portion of wheat flour (up to 20%) with bean flour to increase the protein level. FYI: Use small white beans for bean flour (I mill my own) because it has the least amount of beany flavor when added to baked goods. Even better if you sprout, dry (in a dehydrator), and grind the beans into flour. Sprouting will increase the nutrition of the beans and reduce the hard-to-digest phytates and enzyme inhibitors. But foremost, keep in mind the daily recommended amount of protein for your small child. Generally, 0.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight for 4-to-6-year-olds. An extra-large egg (you could choose medium-size eggs when serving them to a small child to reduce the serving size), two tablespoons of peanut butter or one-half cup of beans provide six to eight grams of protein each, which is about the same amount in each ounce of lean meat, fish and poultry. There are also two to four grams of protein in each serving of breads and cereals and one to three grams in a serving of most vegetables. -Grainlady

Karen, do you want to keep with an Italian theme? This Pear with Tiramisu is delicous. I also have a wonderful cassata cake recipe. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Carmelized Pears with Tiramisu Cream ==================================== This scrumptious dessert from HeartSmart Cooking for Family and Friends will make dinner guests think you're a professional chef, and the fact that it's low-fat makes it even more attractive. Http://www.canada.com/vancouver/features/tasteofbc/r ecipes/carmel_pears.html Ingredients: 4 medium pears, firm but ripe (preferably bartlett or bosc) 2/3 cup (150 mL) granulated sugar 2 tablespoons (30 mL) chopped candied ginger 1 lemon, sliced very thin Filling 1/2 cup (125 mL) part skim ricotta cheese, drained (see note) 2 tablespoons (30 mL) granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) vanilla extract 2 teaspoons (10 mL) dark rum, coffee liqueur or extra-strong coffee 2 tablespoons (30 mL) chopped bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate 1 tablespoon (15 mL) icing sugar, sifted . Preparation: Cut pears in half lengthwise. Scoop out cores (a melon baller works well). Sprinkle 2/3 cup (150 mL) granulated sugar over bottom of large heavy frypan that will hold all the pears in one layer. Cook, uncovered, on medium-high heat for 2 minutes or until sugar begins to brown and melt, stirring occasionally (be careful not to let burn). Remove frypan from heat. Add pears cut side down. Sprinkle with ginger and arrange lemon slices over top. Place over low heat and cook for about 10 minutes. Cover and remove from heat; let rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare filling: In small bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 2 tablespoons (30 mL) granulated sugar, vanilla and rum. Place chopped chocolate in strainer to remove any chocolate "dust" (this prevents the ricotta from discolouring). Stir chocolate pieces into filling. To serve, place a pear half, cut side up, on each plate. Spoon about 1 tablespoon (15 mL) cheese mixture on to each half. Drizzle pear and plate with any syrup remaining in frypan. Arrange a cool lemon slice on each and dust with icing sugar. Makes 8 servings. Note: Put ricotta cheese in sieve set over bowl and let drain for 1 hour before using.

Can it if you like, you don't need to convince me that it's safe, you only have to convince yourself. If you are comfortable, do as you wish. As I have said, commercially available products are processed with equipment that the average person doesn't have access to or can't afford. They can heat things to higher temperatures or at greater pressure than can be done at home and so are able to preserve things that the average home preserver cannot. Not only does the product have to reach a certain temperature, it needs to reach it within a certain time and maintain it for another particular period of time. Very thick or dense items can be problematic, as the heat may not penetrate to the center for a long enough period of time or quickly enough to avoid spoilage or toxins. Other things just aren't tested, so there is no way of knowing whether they are safe or not. Other things are not recommended because of quality, like that rutabaga. It gets "strong". People don't like it. The recipe goes away. It's not unsafe, but the quality suffers. Some of the canning recommendations break their own rules. The NCFHP has a recipe for 3 bean salad that calls for oil, but you aren't supposed to can "fats". I leave the oil out because I don't like the final product, but it's tested and safe. There's also a recipe for lemon curd that calls for butter and egg yolks, although it's recommended that you use it within 3 months because it separates and discolors. Again, a quality issue. But it's been tested for safety at specific times and temperatures, it's not a "I guess that's going to be good" time or process. The fact remains that there are no caramel sauce recipes that have been tested and found to be safe for home canning. Maybe it is OK, but how do you KNOW? Simple answer is that you don't know, you just think it is, or guess that it's OK. If that's enough for you, then can away, but if I can't guarantee it's safe, I'm not going to tell other people that it is. I'll tell them I don't have any way of knowing and let them decide for themselves. So, do as you wish. Lots of people take risks. They do shark diving and bull running and free climbing rock faces hundreds of feet off the ground. Some die or are horribly injured, others survive. Whatever risks you are willing to take are yours to take, whether it's canning or riding bulls. And, if you're really set on canning caramel sauce, the closest I found was this. I love pears, so it sounds really good to me, but it's not actually caramel, there's no cream. Close, though, and contains only high acid fruit (pears are 3.5-4.6 pH) and sugar, along with some vanilla. Pear Vanilla Caramel Sauce from Food in Jars 2 pounds ripe pears 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste 1 teaspoon sea salt 3 cups granulated sugar 1 1/2 cups water Prepare a boiling water bath canner and four half pint jars. Core and chop pears. Place them in a blender with the vanilla bean paste, salt, and 1/4 cup water. Puree until smooth. You should have between 3 and 3 1/2 cups pear puree. Combine sugar with the 1 1/2 cups water in a sauce pan. Place over medium-high heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the sugar reaches between 250°F and 290°F and darkens to the color of an old copper penny (the higher the temp, the more assertive the caramel flavor). Do not stir the cooking syrup. Instead hold the handle and gently swirl the pot to move things around. Once the syrup has reached your desired temperature, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the pear puree. It will bubble and spatter, so take care. Stir puree into the sugar and return the pot to the heat. Continue stirring and cooking, until the pear caramel sauce reaches between 215°F and 225°F (the higher the temp, the thicker the finished texture will be). As you stir, take care to really work the bottom of the pot, so that the caramel doesn't stick and burn. Remove caramel from heat and funnel into prepared jars. Wipe rims, apply lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes. Annie

Kate, Apologies for not reading all the previous answers. I'm short of time. I've done a lot of dairy free baking and there's no problem. As others have said, you can substitute water for milk in most things. If the recipes calls for whole milk, you can add a dab more fat to compensate. Margarine will give you a different crumb than butter. Butter gives you the "melt in the mouth" feel of certain crisp cookies. For most cookies, cakes, etc., it works just fine. To get a good outcome, however, you must use "baking sticks", which have 100 Calories per serving (I think that's one ounce). I haven't done pie crust with this, though I have used 0 trans fat vegetable shortening. With shortening, I think there's an odd flavor--really flavorlessness--that requires a little something tasty in the pastry. Any margarine that's labeled "vegan" or has a kosher signiture mark and "parve" or "pareve" has no dairy in it. I use Earth Balance soy free (red label), but I'd assume that any of their baking sticks would be of similar quality. I also use their soft version for things like adding a dab to a vegetable, corn on the cob, potatoes, etc., for non-dairy or non-animal uses. I really dislike nut milks. Soy isn't so bad if absolutely needed, but I'd rather do without milk altogether for most purposes. Hemp milk seems the best of them to me, but is hardest to find or make. Almond singles "cheese" aren't too awful for adding a cheese-like texture to sandwiches, but they aren't much better than that. There are some truly lovely nut cheeses, but nutritionally, they're very different from cheese, and should be used advisedly. Good luck with it all!