Photo courtesy of Milk Means More

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Dairy foods — key ingredients in many at-home meals — provide nutrients for people of all ages to grow and maintain stronger bodies and minds.

However, some bodies are unable to break down the sugar found in milk, known as lactose, which causes an upset stomach and a heavy, bloated feeling.

Rather than avoiding dairy and missing out on beneficial nutrients, people with lactose intolerance can enjoy real dairy products without the stomachache by eating foods that are naturally low in, or don’t contain, lactose, such as:

• Lactose-free milk, which is real milk with the same 13 essential nutrients as regular milk
• Hard and aged cheeses, such as cheddar, colby, Monterey Jack, Parmesan and Swiss
• Yogurt with live and active cultures, which help break down lactose, making it easier to digest

These easy-to-make meals offer lactose intolerance-friendly options for families seeking to keep milk on the menu. Because they both require an hour or less in the kitchen, they provide quick solutions without sacrificing taste or nutrition.

Visit MilkMeansMore.org to find more delicious dishes that fit a lactose-intolerant meal plan.

Feta Roasted Salmon and Tomatoes

You don’t need to have a party — just a weeknight dinner will do — to enjoy tangy feta cheese roasted on salmon or halibut. Top it with herb-and-garlic flavored tomatoes that roast alongside the fish.

Servings: 4

Prep time: 15 minutes

3 cups halved cherry tomatoes

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

½ teaspoon dried oregano or dried dill

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided

1½ pounds salmon or halibut fillets, cut into 4 serving-size pieces

1 cup (4 oz.) crumbled feta cheese

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line an 18x13x1-inch (half sheet) baking pan with foil. Lightly spray foil with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

In medium bowl toss together tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, oregano or dill, salt, and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper.

Place fish pieces skin side down on one side of the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Lightly press feta cheese on top of fish. Pour tomato mixture on the other side of the prepared pan. Bake, uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Place salmon on serving plates. Spoon tomato mixture over top.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1 piece fish and ½ cup tomato mixture

Calories: 380, Carbohydrate: 6 g (2%), Protein: 40 g (80%), Total Fat: 21 g (32%), Saturated Fat: 8 g (40%), Trans Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 125 mg (42%), Sodium: 570 mg (24%), Dietary Fiber: 2 g (8%), Calcium: 20%*

Creamy Ricotta and Parmesan Pasta

Dinner is as easy as cooking a pan of pasta with this recipe! The no-cook sauce is a mix of ricotta and Parmesan-Reggiano cheeses made creamy with some reserved hot pasta cooking liquid.

And the fresh spinach wilts when you drain the pasta on top of it.

Servings: 5

Prep time: 20 minutes

1 package (16 oz.) dried whole wheat or multi-grain penne pasta

5 ounces baby spinach leaves (about 8 cups loosely packed)

1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

¾ cup grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese

½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1½ cups halved cherry tomatoes

In Dutch oven, cook pasta according to package directions. Before draining the pasta, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, in large colander rinse spinach leaves. Leave spinach in colander. Drain pasta when done over top of spinach.

In the same warm Dutch oven stir together ½ cup of the reserved pasta cooking liquid, ricotta cheese, Parmesan-Reggiano cheese, pepper, garlic powder and salt.

Add pasta-spinach mixture. Toss until coated. If needed for a creamy sauce, stir in more of the reserved pasta cooking liquid, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time.

Ladle pasta mixture onto serving plates. Top with tomatoes.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1½ cups

Calories: 510; Carbohydrate: 69 g (23%), Protein: 26 g (52%), Total Fat: 14 g (22%), Saturated Fat: 6 g (30%), Trans Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 40 mg (13%), Sodium: 520 mg (22%), Dietary Fiber: 9 g (36%), Calcium: 35%*

*These values are approximate. Per serving, based on a 2,000-calorie diet.

Recipes by Marcia Stanley, MS, RDN, Culinary Dietitian