ne of my readers told me last week that they were missing my Jasper-related stories. Jasper, the golden retriever, usually provides me with many entertaining tales of woe — events that traumatise my husband, but entertain you. So, as requested, let me give you an update.

Since moving house, Jasper has been getting to know his new territory. He has introduced himself to most of the neighbours as he has been pretending he wants to play fetch in the garden, but then legs it in the opposite direction as soon as I throw the ball. Last week, these mock-play tactics, had me leaping over three hedges as I chased after my runaway hound. I had to follow him into a neighbour's yard, interrupting their tranquil barbeque with a cacophony of shouting and futile dog-catching techniques. Jasper then stole a plastic, squeaky steak from their dog and promptly ran home.

Shame-faced I returned the squeaky steak and apologised for his delinquent behaviour. In turn, I was then reprimanded by my husband and spent the afternoon in the doghouse too.

Fortunately, Jasper has also had some shining moments. He has scared off thieves in the middle of the night, won over the hearts of the girls next door and has a healthy appetite for the June bugs that dive bomb the patio at night. So, all in all, Jasper is still top-dog in our world and has adapted brilliantly to his new home.

Using possibly my most tenuous link to nutrition of all time, the ability to adapt is critical in not just the dog world, but the dietary world too! So often we have to modify our diets in response to a high cholesterol reading, escalating weight or a food intolerance, that it's useful if we're flexible.

Although going dairy-free is upsetting for some people, I promise you there are hundreds of tasty alternatives out there for the lactose intolerant. See this week's question for tips!

Question of the week: Do you have any dairy-free recipes for creamy dishes? My husband is lactose intolerant and he misses cream sauces. — Craving Cream, Devonshire

First things first, your husband may not have to avoid absolutely all dairy if he is lactose intolerant. Lactose is "milk sugar" and absent from casein — a protein derivative of dairy. This may mean that he can have products that contain casein (e.g. some lactose-free cheeses) if he is simply intolerant to lactose, rather than the whole dairy group.

As some people are intolerant of dairy per se and not just lactose, this may explain why they react just as badly to a low lactose product (feta cheese) as to a high lactose product (cow's milk). In this instance be careful if a product says it is "lactose free" as it doesn't necessarily mean that it is dairy-free. Foods labelled "vegan", however, will always be completely lactose and dairy-free. Confirm with your husband's doctor if it is OK for him to try some lactose-free cheeses and then experiment carefully!

Secondly, holding the cream is undoubtedly a good thing. Creamy sauces are often loaded with saturated fat and cholesterol — bad for the heart and the waistline. In many ways it's easier to avoid something because you have to, rather than because you should do. The willpower issue always complicates matters. If your husband is anything like me, then consuming lactose, no matter how tempting, just isn't tempting enough. The repercussions are just far too sweaty, debilitating and unglamorous! Nothing, not even a bottle of lactaid, tempts me towards dairy these days.

Fortunately there are ways around the dairy dilemma. I've replaced butter with Earth Balance vegan margarine, milk with Silk soy milk, ice cream with Soy Dream frozen dessert and cheese with hummus and guacamole. All of these are available at Lindo's in Devonshire, which is handy for you, but Down to Earth, Supermart, Miles and MarketPlace also stock many dairy-free options.

Creamy sauces took me a while to master, but one of my favourites is the super-easy recipe below. Although coconut milk can be high in saturated fat and so should only be used occasionally, it's great for a treat and there is a "light" option too. Further, as coconut milk is naturally vegan, it doesn't contain any cholesterol. One last thing, the cooking sauce and coconut milk combination is great in this stir-fry, but it's also good for baking chicken or fish and serving with mashed sweet potatoes and lots of green veg.

Lemongrass and Coconut Chicken Stir-fry (serves 2)

Ingredients:

— 2 small chicken breasts (choose a brand that is hormone and antibiotic-free)

— 1 cup chopped zucchini

— 1 cup chopped red onion

— 1 cup chopped celery

— 1 cup chopped yellow pepper

— 1 cup grated carrot

— ? bottle Ginger People Lemongrass dressing and cooking sauce

— ? can coconut milk (shake well before opening)

— Olive oil

— ¾ cup brown rice

Method:

1. Put the brown rice on to cook. Good, wholegrain brown rice takes at least 40 minutes to cook through so bear this in mind.

2. Cut the chicken into thin strips and marinade in the lemongrass sauce and coconut milk. Stir well to mix the flavours.

3. Prepare the veggies.

4. Brush a stir-fry pan or wok with a little olive oil and place over a medium-high heat.

5. Add the onion, celery, carrot and three tablespoons of water (the steam this creates means that you need less oil.)

6. Stir-fry over a high heat, stirring frequently, until the veggies have started to soften.

7. Add the chicken, using a slotted spoon, reserving the marinade.

8. Stir-fry for five minutes until the chicken has coloured.

9. Add the zucchini and carrots and stir-fry for a few more minutes until the veg are tender but still crunchy.

10. Check the chicken is cooked through properly (should be white all the way through — no pink.)

11. Add the rest of the marinade and stir in over a medium heat. When the sauce is bubbling hot (remember it contained the raw chicken), serve up the stir-fry with the brown rice.

The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns is a fully qualified Nutritional Therapist. She can be contacted at 291 4725 or clinicalnutrition[AT]gmail.com.