Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Low Carb Hell


Recommended Posts

Help

I am on a low carb diet ( Dr's orders after high blood pressure scare ) proving to be a bit on the difficult side as apart from cheese, nuts meat etc and a little fruit and stuff I am struggling to find a varied diet that is not too rich in red meat and fats

Upside I have lost nearly 20lbs.  Downside, bored out of my skull

Any ideas?  And if any one suggests a nice omlette, I am flying over there with a pointy stick and bad intentions:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Chicken, pork, salad, turkey, vinegar, that was my life for the few months that i attempted this diet, which is more "cruel and unusal punishment" than diet.

can't have any sweet marinades obviously, but the world of herbs awaits.  the world of citrus awaits as well.  the world of spices awaits.  ####, you can make a piece of pork taste like anything you want with the right spices/herbs.

no fruit?  how silly.  i couldn't stand it.

BUT, i certainly got into sushi quite a bit (sashimi, no rice) for that time.  seltzer and sashimi 3 nights a week.  if you don't like seltzer or sashimi, i don't know what to tell you!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No eggs?

I don't want to provoke a battle over the current low-fat "prudent diet" fad, which might become contentious as any other political debate (which it is, as much as medical), but have a look-see at www.atkinscenter.com.  Click in particular on the "FAQs" and "News & Research" links.

Quote: from Simon Majumdar on 3:48 pm on Aug. 9, 2001

Help

I am on a low carb diet ( Dr's orders after high blood pressure scare ) proving to be a bit on the difficult side as apart from cheese, nuts meat etc and a little fruit and stuff I am struggling to find a varied diet that is not too rich in red meat and fats

Upside I have lost nearly 20lbs.  Downside, bored out of my skull

Any ideas?  And if any one suggests a nice omlette, I am flying over there with a pointy stick and bad intentions:)

"To Serve Man"

-- Favorite Twilight Zone cookbook

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’m currently in the weight-loss phase of a low-carbohydrate diet.

LAST NIGHT’S DINNER:  Heirloom tomatoes and Boston lettuce dressed with mayonnaise, Bleu d’Auvergne, and a bit of freshly ground pepper.  Sautéed rib steak topped with a deglazing  sauce of stock, powdered dried mushrooms, shallots, celery seed, fresh rosemary, and a butter finish.  A few haricots verts with a bit of butter.  A small handful of fresh blueberries with a bit of heavy cream.  Freshly squeezed lemonade.  Freshly brewed decaffeinated Sumatran coffee.

THIS MORNING’S BREAKFAST:  Bacon, shallot, and mixed leftover-cheese omelet.  More of that Sumatran decaf.  Sunday-morning political programming.

Deadly boring?  I think not!  Low-carb dieting can be healthful, varied, and fun, once you get the hang of it.

(Edited by ahr at 1:05 pm on Aug. 12, 2001)

"To Serve Man"

-- Favorite Twilight Zone cookbook

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How low in carbs is this low-carb diet of yours? Are you still able to eat low-glycemic index carbs - ie fibrous carbohydrate foods that don't cause fluctuations in blood sugar? Things like legumes, barley, slow-cooked oatmeal? Let me know, as I have lots of ideas and recipes for the likes of lentils and chickpeas.

If you're off carbs completely, non-starchy veggies are your friend! Stir-fries, using exotic Asian vegetables, can be exciting. Add some tofu for protein, if you don't find it too objectionable.

Or, you could oven-roast pieces of red capsicum, zucchini, leek, mushroom and fennel - whatever's in season. Simply toss veggie chunks in olive oil, add a little sea salt and fresh pepper, a favourite herb maybe. Spread the veggies in a single layer on a baking tray, and roast in an oven preheated to 200 degrees Celsius.

Vietnamese rice paper rolls are a possibility. Wafer-thin sheets of rice paper wrapped around lots of fresh veggies and lean meat or seafood. There's instructions on eGullet's cooking boards, I think.

Let me know what you think of these ideas, and I'll bear your opinions in mind when I post some more.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for all of this.  Already proving an invaluable source.

Basically, I have inverted the trad food pyramid.  I am off bread, rice pasta potatoes.  I can have a little fruit, plenty of protein and non starchy vegetables and legumes.

I am not being too zealot about it, but it does seem like a short term answer.

Recipes for chickpeas sound good as those I can eat.  So please do let me have some

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is my favourite chick pea recipe.

Now, usually I'm strongly opposed to canned food on the grounds that it tastes inferior. But canned chick peas are almost indistinguishable from soaked-overnight-and-cooked-for-hours chick peas - especially when you use them in dip.

The secret is to throw the canned chick peas in a colander and wash them thoroughly under running water.

OK, here's my recipe for hummus bi tahini - middle eastern chick pea dip:

1 425-gram can chick peas, drained and rinsed

5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons unhulled tahini (sesame paste)

1 tablespoon olive oil or water

minced garlic, to taste

sea salt, to taste (usually unnecessary, if your chick peas were canned in salted water)

optional extra is cayenne pepper, if you like your food spicy

Throw all of the above in a food processor or blender. Blend on high speed for about two minutes.

That simple! Keeps a couple of days in the fridge, with flavour developing over time.

Veggie crudites taste great with this. I particularly like carrot and Lebanese cucumber.

Will track down my chick pea felafel recipe (baked not fried) and post it shortly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Heather.

this looks good.  I will definitely try it and would LOVE a falafel recipe that does not need frying.

The downside of this low carb thing is that you tend towards high fats, so i am trying to keep an eye on them

Jason - the curry thing.  Actually being Bengali, I can do without a lot of the starchy things though do miss good bread.  The upside is that I can accomodate my passions for fish ( mustard fish being a fave ) and sea food so my Bengali cabbage with shrimp has made a few appearances.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know I'm taking my life into my own hands with this post, but:

I've done this diet for several years (successfully) and find that Jello Brand Sugar-Free Instant Pudding, topped with half a container of Cool Whip, is good for what ails you after a long day of ketosis breath. Lack of treats is usually what makes me fall off the wagon with other diets. Stay away from those low-carb snack/candy bars, they taste like poo.

I love the high meat diet. It makes my wife sick. I don't think this is necessarily a good program for someone who doesn't want to eat a lot of meat and fat. I want to eat a lot of meat and fat.

Adam

(Edited by abbeynormal at 2:47 pm on Aug. 20, 2001)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I sympathize with you going through with this for the long haul.  Every year, I have to do a weeklong version of this called Passover--no starch except for matzoh and potatoes (this means no rice either), and no legumes.  

You may want to find some Passover recipes on the Web.  There won't be any pork or shellfish, and there won't be recipes mixing meat with dairy products, but you should be able to find plenty of uses for meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and fruits and veggies.  And it's not all heavy, Eastern European cooking!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

When I seriously induced ketosis, which is what happens when you eliminate carbs, I discovered how great tuna fish salads could be, especially with lots of good onion and really hot sauce. I also kept a supply of carrots and hard boiled eggs around for snacking. And I think there are nuts that can be eaten. Of course bacon, beef, cream and such are good antidotes to deprivation syndrome. I am sliding my way into an Atkins diet, about 3/4 of the way there. After holidays, 100%.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love a baguette and cold Normandy cultured butter. I like toast! And crostini! And linguine with butter and garlic. And risooto. And rice.

Simon's motto is carbs=death.

Okay. And what's wrong with that? Who wants to live until they're incontinent and silly?

"I've caught you Richardson, stuffing spit-backs in your vile maw. 'Let tomorrow's omelets go empty,' is that your fucking attitude?" -E. B. Farnum

"Behold, I teach you the ubermunch. The ubermunch is the meaning of the earth. Let your will say: the ubermunch shall be the meaning of the earth!" -Fritzy N.

"It's okay to like celery more than yogurt, but it's not okay to think that batter is yogurt."

Serving fine and fresh gratuitous comments since Oct 5 2001, 09:53 PM

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quickie lunch:

Can of red or pink kidney beans

Can of chickpeas

Can of Black beans I use goya.

thinly sliced scallion

fine diced celery

chopped cilantro

dressing: Mayo, cayenne or chipolte pepper powder or cumin or a little of each, mixed well.

Mix all the beans, vegs and then add dressing to lightly coat. I like it on a bed of greens.

Also:

Turkey Sausage, Italian Style, loose

red onion, chopped fine

canned White beans

diced tomatoes

oregano, basil. parsley, etc.

Saute turkey till mostly done, then add onions. Saute till softened. Add rinsed beans, diced tomatoes until wilted and heated through. Add herbs. If using dried, add a little earlier. I've done it with both canned and fresh tomatoes, if using canned drain it well. It's good with regular pantry ingredients, but is really great with fresh tomatoes and herbs. I get the sausage from a local farmer's market, so that makes a difference,t oo.

Also a mushroom and sweet potatoe gratin that I got from Cooking Light, but I replace potatoes with butternut squash.

edited to apologize for not even knowing how to make a link. OK, not even knowing what the heck a "tag" is. IF a tag is a button, i t doesn't work for me, it asks for my webpage?? Never mind, I am a TC person, technologically challenged..plus I never remember once I learn, anyway.

Edited by Kim WB (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love a baguette and cold Normandy cultured butter. I like toast! And crostini! And linguine with butter and garlic. And risooto. And rice.

And I bet you have your girlish figure too! :biggrin:

At fifty, a girlish figure would be undignified dearie.

"I've caught you Richardson, stuffing spit-backs in your vile maw. 'Let tomorrow's omelets go empty,' is that your fucking attitude?" -E. B. Farnum

"Behold, I teach you the ubermunch. The ubermunch is the meaning of the earth. Let your will say: the ubermunch shall be the meaning of the earth!" -Fritzy N.

"It's okay to like celery more than yogurt, but it's not okay to think that batter is yogurt."

Serving fine and fresh gratuitous comments since Oct 5 2001, 09:53 PM

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tina Turner is past 50.  But who says she's dignified.  Just sexy.

Funny, my figure is better than it was thirty years ago. Go figure(dumb pun intended!)

I am normally a fat, butter, salt, cream, red meat, potatoes (butter!) beer, wine,cocktail kind of person. I tried Atkins in its first appearance in the seventies. After four days I considered mugging the nice lady peeling an orange and making off with her fruit course. Ketosis? Feel yucky.

And everyone I know on Atkins who has lost a ton and looks great gains it back in a year. I have learned, the LONG hard way: portion control, folks. And get your lazy butt off that chair.

And, that said, I will not go downstairs and dig into the pint of Ben and Jerry's. Oh please! My intentions are good but my will is weak.

Margaret McArthur

"Take it easy, but take it."

Studs Terkel

1912-2008

A sensational tennis blog from freakyfrites

margaretmcarthur.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tina Turner is past 50.  But who says she's dignified.  Just sexy.

Funny, my figure is better than it was thirty years ago. Go figure(dumb pun intended!)

And everyone I know on Atkins who has lost a ton and looks great gains it back in a year. I have learned, the LONG hard way: portion control, folks. And get your lazy butt off that chair.

Excellent observation.

I suspect the temptation to sample a caraway seeded rye bread loaf during a lifetime maintain status is similar to a recovering alcoholic who really wants to include a pint of that wonderful Imperial Stout in his meal, just this once.

Many people can do it successfully, but some can't.....

Apparently it's easier still to dictate the conversation and in effect, kill the conversation.

rancho gordo

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I lost about seventy pounds on a low-carb no-fat high-protein diet more than thirty years ago. Meat, fish, eggs, hard cheese, yogurt some vegetables.

I took the attitude that it was best not to think about it and just bite the bullet. Made no effort at cuisine, gastronomy, or anything else, just at losing weight. It took almost a year.

I have kept the weight off ever since with a routine of exercise and a certain amount of prudence in eating. I love carbs and eat them as much as I want. If I didn't, my exercise program would suffer, but I'd be about ten pounds lighter, which I don't really need to be.

The most important thing in losing weight and keeping it off is to understand that your habits are going to change permanently.

Who said "There are no three star restaurants, only three star meals"?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...