Need Help With Clean Eating

librarydiva

librarydiva

Active Member
Hi, Everyone--

It's been sooooo long since I was here... but everyone here is so kind and I figured y'all would have some ideas for me.

Due to some health issues, I've been trying to follow Tosca Reno's Eat Clean diet for the past couple of months. I'm also coming back to working out after a long hiatus. I've lost some weight and am feeling a lot better.

Anyway, here's my question-- Can anyone offer some suggestions or ideas for recipes (especially ones my family will eat). In addition to the general principles of eating clean, I have some other restrictions:

No dairy
No sugar
No refined soy (e.g., tofu or soy milk)
Nothing made with flour
No potatoes or white rice
No lettuce, spinach, pears, melons, raw vegetables or cold foods
and I'm supposed to eat at least 20 g protein 5 times daily.

It's been going ok, but I'll be honest here-- I'm a gourmet cook, and although I feel much better since eating clean, I am BORED and depressed. I love to bake and really used to love cooking. I so enjoyed preparing a delicious meal and homemade baked goods for my family every day.

I feel so restricted now and trying to prepare something both I and my family can (or, in their case, will) eat has been a really tough challenge. Eating out is hard too. I travel a lot for my job and I've just been bringing all my food with me in a cooler. I am SO tired of plain meat/chicken/fish and vegetables. I do make soups and pasta sauces (although I'm not really supposed to eat pasta). Thank God for agave-sweetened coconut milk "ice cream"-- without it, I think I would have gone stark raving bonkers by now.

Any ideas, help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers!

-Karen
 
I am probably not going to be much help, as many won't be able to help. But I will make some suggestions that you probably already know. I personally would look through some good clean eating cookbooks and find what works. You know that you can change up the veggies in the recipe or adjust what type of flour or pasta that you use. Sometimes boring is what you are stuck with, but a new recipe can be a great thing.
Can you eat spelt flour?(some people can use this,that cannot eat regular flour) Can you use rice pasta? Also, maybe I missed it but can you use splenda? I am sure that you know the basics of how to cook. .
Some of these may help. You should be able to take some basic recipes and adjust them to fit your needs. The spinach, lettuce especially, etc may be hard to deal with. My parents are on Cumidin and green leafy veggies are not good for them. Can you sub in rice protein in recipes? I have found rice pasta can get pretty starchy when over cooked. Not sure of all the secrets to getting this to cook right.
 
As far as the flour, can you use oats? If so, you could ground up oats and use that as your flour. Also, Ezekiel makes breads, wraps, muffins, etc...that are made with no four. May I ask why there are so many restrictions? Is it medical (celiac disease) or religous? Also, there is a cookbook called No Flour, No Sugar that may be of use (by Dr. Gott). I hope this helps.

Theresa
 
Are you talking no wheat flour or can you use artichoke or spelt or amaranth? RU allowed to use sprouted grains? Why no rice? Lots of different ways to use rice to make pizza shells.

Would really help if you could let us know why. (if it is medical (highly reactive), religious, a very restrictive weight loss diet)

Because of food intolerances (dairy and many grains), I have eaten very similar to you for about 10 years, but I have never been restricted on the "cold vegetables." (The hot/cold food has never made sense to me). I am very curious about the no spinach and lettuce. Have you tried beet greens, mustard greens and kale?

Parsnips and turnips are great instead of potatoes.

It takes about 1 year to 18 months to change your tastebuds and not miss the old foods.

I have always hated dairy, my 82 year old mom, still tells the story that when I was 4, I had my last glass of milk, and loudly announced at the breakfast table I would never drink milk again. I can still remember the stomach pains I would get every morning when I was made to drink the stuff.

I use rice pasta or artichoke pasta when the kids crave it. I only use sprouted grain bread in the house. Very dense and flavorful. I am a terrific cook and my meals are exceptionally delicious and flavorful (except for the kale chips, they were a disaster even the dog wouldn't touch them!!!!)

There are so many other flavors out there, have you tried Umboshi Plums, dulse and nutritional yeast? How about different types of sea salt, paprika, cayenne and dried peppers?

I have found as I have been getting older I have to restrict my carbs but I don't restrict my fat and protein. If I eat enough fat and protein my food is flavorful and I don't feel deprived. (I have lost 45 lbs of body fat and increased lean body weight by 20 lbs during the past 18 months, about 15 lbs of body fat to go)
 
Thanks, All!

Thanks so much to all of you for your helpful replies. The food restrictions are all health-related. First, I am pre-diabetic, so that means no refined flour, potatoes, or white rice-- all cause blood sugar spikes for me. Any kind of bread or cereal product with less than 6g of fiber per serving causes problems for me. I do use Ezekiel products, though I can't say I'm in love with the taste. I cheat from time to time and use the Barilla Plus pasta (wheat and other grains), which is high in fiber and protein. As one of you mentioned, I feel best when my meals include plenty of protein and some fat. I'm supposed to eat 5-6 small meals a day to keep my blood sugar levels stable.

The no-sugar, no-dairy, no refined soy thing is allergy related; I am seeing a DOM (Doctor of Oriental Medicine)/acupuncturist for treatment for chronic sinus problems and Bell's Palsy. I was stricken with Bell's Palsy (facial paralysis) on my left side in July and am happy to report I am about 99% recovered. I got the BP as a result of a Herpes Simplex I outbreak (cold sore) caused by a sinus and ear infection. This dr. is the first person in 20 years who has been able to help me with my sinus problems. I can have agave syrup and stevia; if nothing else is available I do use Splenda, though I prefer to avoid it.

The difference in my overall health since I started getting acupucture has been amazing. I no longer have constant sinus pain and congestion. It's miraculous. I went in for a treatment last month and mentioned I was getting an ear infection. The dr. placed a few extra needles in some apparently strategic spots, because once the treatment was over, I had absolutely no pain or fluid in my ear-- it was instantaneously better! Of course, I do try to follow her dietary guidelines also. While I don't think I'm exactly lactose intolerant, dairy does cause a lot of phlegm for me.

The no cold foods, no lettuce, spinach, melons, etc. is related to the Bell's Palsy. It is sometimes called Truck Drivers' Disease because truck drivers would get it from rolling the window down and being exposed to a constant draft on one side of the face. The foods I mentioned are considered energetically "cold" in Chinese medicine-- and since cold can lead to/exacerbate Bell's Palsy I'm trying to avoid them. I've known a few people who have gotten it from cold drafts (one from walking along the beach in the winter with a cold wind blowing off the water.) The medical cause for Bell's Palsy is damage to the 7th cranial nerve, generally from viral or bacterial infection, but also from exposure to cold drafts. I've always been sensitive to cold-- in fact, if I get cold the day before my period, my normal cramps are about 3X worse. You notice that I have NOT given up my "ice cream!"

I do eat lots of other greens, cooked, like kale, chard, bok choy, etc.
I bet artichoke flour and oat or spelt flour would be fine, but rice flour would probably send my blood sugar soaring. I'll have to give some of your suggestions a try!

I was diagnosed 5 years ago as prediabetic, and for several years I was very careful. I've gotten lax in the past year (cooking for my BF and son) and am now trying to stick to whole grain, high fiber foods like I'm supposed to. I really miss potatoes, though I can eat sweet potatoes (low glycemic index).

It's encouraging to hear that flavorful meals can be prepared even with some restrictions. I do adapt some of my recipes, but my family prefers the original versions! I am planning to get Tosca Reno's new cookbook, though there's plenty of dairy in there. I can definitely relate to hating to drink milk-- I love cheese and dairy in stuff, but can't abide milk as a beverage. I was allergic to it as a child and I guess the taste just reminds me of getting sick, as one of you mentioned. I was just like that as a kid-- would never drink milk and hated cheese for years. I guess I was on the right track there!

Sorry this was so long! I really do appreciate everyone's suggestions. What clean eating cookbooks do you recommend?

Cheers!

-Karen
 
I really don't have much advice for you, except that it will get easier. I was lucky enough that the changes in my diet were made slowly, however, so I was able to acquire a taste for healthier foods. I am also lucky in that I have a couple of restaurants around here that only do salads (I eat the raw stuff), so I have it made if I can't bring something.

One thing that has helped me tremendously with sugar cravings is powdered greens. I take tons a day: 1 packet of concentrace greens in the morning + 3-4 grams of barley grass, 5 grams of barley grass in the middle of the day, and then 9 grams of Emerald Balance in the evening. I add digestive enzymes, turmeric (anti inflammatory), and maca to those and take it in a bit of water right after each meal. I also add Inner Light SuperGreens to the water that I drink during the day. This is the only "green" I can take slowly in water, because it actually tastes kind of like green tea. The other greens would make me gag if I tried to drink it like that. It has worked WONDERS on my sweet tooth and sense of satiety in general. I've lost about 5 pounds in 6 weeks without trying. None of this is a delicious solution, it just helps in the long run.

Braggs Amino Acids also make a great flavoring for veggies and meats (kind of like soy sauce, which is extremely acidic for the body, if you're worried about that kind of thing).

Good luck!
 
librarydiva said:
Hi, Everyone--

It's been sooooo long since I was here... but everyone here is so kind and I figured y'all would have some ideas for me.

Due to some health issues, I've been trying to follow Tosca Reno's Eat Clean diet for the past couple of months. I'm also coming back to working out after a long hiatus. I've lost some weight and am feeling a lot better.

Anyway, here's my question-- Can anyone offer some suggestions or ideas for recipes (especially ones my family will eat). In addition to the general principles of eating clean, I have some other restrictions:

No dairy
No sugar
No refined soy (e.g., tofu or soy milk)
Nothing made with flour
No potatoes or white rice
No lettuce, spinach, pears, melons, raw vegetables or cold foods
and I'm supposed to eat at least 20 g protein 5 times daily.

It's been going ok, but I'll be honest here-- I'm a gourmet cook, and although I feel much better since eating clean, I am BORED and depressed. I love to bake and really used to love cooking. I so enjoyed preparing a delicious meal and homemade baked goods for my family every day.

I feel so restricted now and trying to prepare something both I and my family can (or, in their case, will) eat has been a really tough challenge. Eating out is hard too. I travel a lot for my job and I've just been bringing all my food with me in a cooler. I am SO tired of plain meat/chicken/fish and vegetables. I do make soups and pasta sauces (although I'm not really supposed to eat pasta). Thank God for agave-sweetened coconut milk "ice cream"-- without it, I think I would have gone stark raving bonkers by now.

Any ideas, help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers!

-Karen
Click to expand...


I'm in the book store a lot and I've seen cookbooks that address your restrictions, though not all in one book. Check out Amazon (type in terms like no flour, no sugar, etc.) and then see if your library carries any of the titles you may have found. You might want to check out some vegan cookbooks also. I would also recommend that you surf the Internet to see if there are blogs or forums dedicated to the restrictions you listed.
 
How about quinoa? Also I just recently discovered coconut milk unsweetened by SoDelicious. It is not the one in the can but comes in a container like milk and has the same consistency. I have replaced milk in my coffee/tea with this and use almond milk with oatmeal. Can you have buckwheat? There are great noodles made with this flour. Also basmati rice has a low glycemic index. You may want to check that out. I believe it is the only rice like this. Good luck!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top