It is quite an irony that I live on a dairy farm, with milk and fresh cheese available whenever I want, and I happen to be lactose intolerant. When our goats are milking I am able to drink that milk (something about a broken-down form of lactose makes that possible) but we only milk them for 5 or so months at a time. In between, I search for substitutes. Soy milk is not a big thing here (and quite expensive when it can be found) and other products like almond milk have yet to be introduced.
I was really excited when an experiment with coconut powder gave me the perfect milk substitute for smoothies and shakes. The powder adds that creaminess which I love, but surprisingly there is not any coconut flavor. The powder is also quite cheap; a pack costs about 80 cents and lasts several weeks. The following recipe is the result of several weeks of experimenting to get the best texture and taste :)
dairy free chocolate banana shake (makes 1 shake)
1 ripe non-frozen banana
1 ripe frozen banana
2 tablespoons coconut powder
2 tablespoons chocolate drink powder (milo or nestle or whatever)
1/2 cup water
mix and blend!