This year our household transitioned to dairy-free after the discovery of an allergy in one of our kiddos. It has been an adventure in experimenting with substitutions, and we’ve been pleasantly surprised by trying new foods. Making recipe modifications has resulted in more mindful, usually tasty, and often healthier choices. For Mother’s Day, I made a rhubarb crisp using oil instead of butter in the crumble topping and served it with an oat-milk ice cream. Totally delicious without any deprivation! (My recipe for that is shared with you today below.)

When I became a mom 13 years ago, I first felt the desire to go dairy-free. Many, many hours of breastfeeding offered plenty of time to contemplate the intimacy and gift of a mother’s milk. I began to be bothered thinking about extractive, industrial dairy operations and just how disconnected we’ve become as consumers of milk and milk products. 

It would be one thing to be in a relationship with a cow that calves and, with permission, ask to glean with gratitude some extra milk. But I’m pretty sure that isn’t representative of today’s supply of dairy on the marketplace. Most of us are consuming another mammal’s milk where the process involves mass-scale impregnation on purpose, followed by separation of mother and calf-child so that we as humans can drink the milk (or eat the many dairy products made from milk).

Ethically I am struggling. I put myself in that mama cow’s perspective.  I also wonder what it would be like if roles were reversed in an alternate reality. What if cows ruled the world and we were the species being milked? 

Do unto others as you would have done unto you.  Love your neighbor as yourself. 

For me, others and neighbors include more than humans. All God’s creation is  included when I read and interpret scripture. This eco-lens offers me an expansive perspective that feels honoring of the kin-dom of God that I’m a part of and helps me navigate daily living decisions as a disciple of Jesus.

I grieve the loss of and am grateful for the life of Pope Francis who in his 2015 encyclical letter, Laudato si’, wrote: “Our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us . . . This sister now cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her. We have come to see ourselves as her lords and masters, entitled to plunder her at will. The violence present in our hearts, wounded by sin, is also reflected in the symptoms of sickness evident in the soil, in the water, in the air and in all forms of life.” 

As an Anabaptist committed to active peacemaking, I’m convicted by these words that call me to see violence in ways I hadn’t considered, like making responsible dietary decisions so as not to support the abuse of another mother, even if that mother is from another species. I want to use my power and privilege for peace, not plunder. 

I will forever remember this Mother’s Day with reverence for the maternal gift of milk. It took me 13 years of motherhood musings, plus an external force, to propel me towards this dietary decision. The adventures in dairy-free living can be challenging at times, and there are instances when I lapse or relax. That said, as I continually live into more intentional eating, I find it to be a joyful journey that better aligns my faith values with my food choices.

RECIPE

Rhubarb Crisp

A perennial vegetable, rhubarb is a tart tonic that sweetens spring when served in a dessert form like this. Strawberries can be substituted for half the rhubarb if desired. 

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 4 cups chopped rhubarb, about 1 pound
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice plus ½ teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 cup rolled oats
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• ½ cup flour
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons canola oil or dairy free butter

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix rhubarb, ¼ cup sugar and lemon (if using) until evenly coated. 
2. Spread evenly into an 8 in. x 8 in. pan.
3. Using the now-empty bowl, combine all remaining ingredients and mix until a crumbly texture forms. I like to get my hands right in the bowl for this!
4. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the rhubarb.
5. Bake at 375 F for 50 minutes.
6. Enjoy! 

Note: I like to serve this with dairy-free ice cream and have used this recipe from an online blogger to make my own: https://myquietkitchen.com/vanilla-maple-oat-ice-cream/