Tasty Organic Hell

[MobyP]

I need everyone's help. I've had to start an extreme diet for at least two months which means:

No white flour (pasta!, bread)

No white rice (rice noodles, dim sum anyone?)

No sugar

No caffiene (includes chocolate)

No alcohol

No red meat

No non-organic white meat

All veg should be organic where possible.

Fish allowed

Avoid - Honey, fruit juice (whole fruit ok)

Over in the UK forum, Jonathan Day suggested that everyone could sugggest menu ideas and maybe we could choose a winning selection and get together for an eGullet meal in June.

Help! Do you have any recipes - or menus - that you can help me with? All suggestions welcome!

[Bicycle Lee]

any clarification of why you HAVE to voluntarily do this?

Sorry, but I can't work under those ramifications so I do not have any ideas for you, but I was just curious as to why anyone would subject themselves to such torture.

[Chad]

No caffiene (includes chocolate)

No alcohol

No red meat

No non-organic white meat

Holy Crap! Dude, with those kind of restrictions, the only thing I'd be thinking about eating would be the barrel of a .45, but that's just me . I've already warned my doc that if he ever tells me I have to stop drinking wine or die, my only question will be, "How much time do I have -- in liquid measurement?"

I'm sure the resourceful folks at eGullet will come through for you.

Chad

[curlywurlyfi]

it's not all bad - from the looks of things you'd still be OK with, oooh, let's see

- butter-poached lobster

- grilled belly pork with thyme and garlic

- baked sweet potatoes with lime, coriander + chilli butter (also good with corn)

- prunes stuffed with anchovies stuffed with almond inside pork loin with red wine or port jus (because alcohol will cook out, no?)

- roasted baby leeks with a dressing of cumin, lemon, olive oil, a little honey, black olives, parsley + chopped fresh red chilli (crumble feta over, too)

- brown rice 'risotto' with courgette prawn + parsley (you can buy short-grain brown rice in Fresh & Wild from those plastic dispenser things and though it never does the 'creamy' thing that arborio does, it is not bad, if a little chewy - makes good rice salad too if you like such things)

- which reminds me, Marie-Odile's Simplest Rice Salad - rice, peeled cucumber chunks, tomato chunks, tinned tuna in olive oil, quite a lot of red wine vinegar, s + masses of black p. that is all. do not gild lily with basil or peas or any other abominations. leave it alone!

You can make fruit fools (with cream, admittedly, rather than custard); if a little honey is allowed you could make Nigella's honey semifreddo (I think - I can't remember the recipe off the top of my head)? speaking of Nigella, she has a fantastic recipe for pea and gruyere souffle which I think only has a modicum of flour if any at all, the rest of the ingredients are ok for you?

I could, obviously, go on, but must work. I do hate it when my office life gets in the way of my real (ie virtual) life...

Fi

[MobyP]

My wife and I are aiming for a child, and found out we couldn't conceive naturally. The next step is IVF or an alternative. Unfortunately, the rates of success are terribly low, but your chances are doubled apparently with this diet, combined with a course of supplements.

Unfortunately my wife doesn't cook much, so it's up to me to come up with dinner! And frankly, my brain ain't that big. So all suggestions are welcome.

[MobyP]

No caffiene (includes chocolate)

No alcohol

No red meat

No non-organic white meat

Holy Crap! Dude, with those kind of restrictions, the only thing I'd be thinking about eating would be the barrel of a .45, but that's just me . I've already warned my doc that if he ever tells me I have to stop drinking wine or die, my only question will be, "How much time do I have -- in liquid measurement?"

I'm sure the resourceful folks at eGullet will come through for you.

Chad

Yeah - we don't get much choice in fire arms over in England.

[Chad]

My wife and I are aiming for a child, and found out we couldn't conceive naturally.

<sigh> You've come up with the single thing in the universe that would make this diet doable. Good luck to both of you.

Chad

[MobyP]

Thanks Chad.

it's not all bad - from the looks of things you'd still be OK with, oooh, let's see

- butter-poached lobster

- grilled belly pork with thyme and garlic

- baked sweet potatoes with lime, coriander + chilli butter (also good with corn)

- prunes stuffed with anchovies stuffed with almond inside pork loin with red wine or port jus (because alcohol will cook out, no?)

That sounds amazing. How much, and when can you come over?

Have you ever poached lobster this way (the Keller method, I presume)? What should I look out for?

Edited May 21, 2004 by MobyP (log)

[Moopheus]

What about dairy--milk, cheese, eggs? Allowed or not? Restrictions on cooking oil?

I think you'd find a lot of Indian, particularly Indian vegetarian, recipes could be adaptable to your needs. You can even get brown basmati rice, but you might have to hunt around for it.

[MobyP]

Fats and dairy for the most part are okay. I think potatoes roasted in duck fat might raise some eyebrows. The preference is towards using olive oil.

You're spot on geographically. Indian, Lebanese - in fact my options are pretty pan-Asian - with the exception of white rice. It's the Euro-American diet they want me to resit.

[NulloModo]

That is an interesting set of restrictions. I have heard tale of low-carb diets helping couples conceive who had previously been unable to do so, but it seems a bit odd that this diet bans some simple carbs (pasta and bread) but allows others (rice and potatoes) nutritionally speaking, aren't they about the same?

You could search out a lot of low-carb recipe websites, as they go along well with many of your needs, you simply have to sub white meats for the reds, but everything else (no sugar, no bread or pasta, caffeine, alcohol, and fruits all used in extreme moderation) should be spot on for you.

[MobyP]

The issue is the unrefined flours - so the carbs translate to a quick-release of sugars, rather than the slow-release of whole grains (which is fine) - so wholemeal pasta (blech), whole grain breads etc. Same goes for white rice and brown.

Can't answer for potatoes. It's MY LOOPHOLE!!

[Mabelline]

There is an interesting way of determining fertility, in a folkish way. You save your wife's (or is that mid-wifery?) urine every day going into the full moon. Every day, you put 5 red wheat grains in the urine, on the fertile days the wheat sprouts exceptionally well, you have the dates, and it does not take that much to plot those days the next month.

Kamut and quinoa are perfectly acceptable replacements for wheat.

Mr. Moby, GOOD LUCK AND DOUBLE BLESSINGS FOR YOUR WISH TO PROCREATE...the world needs good children with humor and conscience!

And guess what, I do not charge 1,000's.

[MobyP]

I can see myself now, chasing after my wife holding only a cup and five grains of wheat - "no no honey Stop! They say this'll work!"

[Mabelline]

Works for us.

[Chad]

The issue is the unrefined flours - so the carbs translate to a quick-release of sugars, rather than the slow-release of whole grains (which is fine) - so wholemeal pasta (blech), whole grain breads etc. Same goes for white rice and brown.

Bingo! That last post of yours triggered a memory. The February 2004 issue of Discover magazine has an article about Walter Willet's new book. Willet is the chairman of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. He takes on Atkins, Ornish, the food pyramid -- hell, he takes on everybody -- based on a 28-year study of several hundred thousand participants.

One of his innovations is taking the Glycemic Index (the measure of how quicky carbohydrates raise blood sugar levels) further. He developed the Glycemic Load that factors in the quantity of carbohydrates eaten in a single serving. Parsnips, for example, have a Glycemic Index of 97 -- extremely high because they convert to sugar very quickly. However, the Glycemic Load of parsnips is only 12 because a single 80-gram serving contains a very small amount of carbohydrates.

Sounds like the diet you're working with might benefit from his book, Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating. It's worth checking out.

Chad

[bleudauvergne]

Hi Moby. I am so sorry that you are in this predicament.

I was recently on a similar regime, and it was in the salad department that I got creative. Lots and lots of fresh market produce. Bio shops here have whole grain pasta, maybe you can find some there. I don't know if Montignac products are available over there but they are in essence for the person on the low/slow carb diet.

Best wishes for a positive result - I am hoping the best for you.

[Bicycle Lee]

Lots of greens....kale, chard, collards, mustard, beet,

these will go with virtually any protein (that is allowed) you can throw at them...

good luck, buddy...

[Verjuice]

-Hot cereal (ten grain, seven grain, single grain, doesn’t matter) makes a fantastic breakfast whether or not you are on a diet. In your case, you could get crazy with the freshly toasted organic nuts and seeds, the whole milk or the cream… can you have dried fruit? How about maple syrup?

-Omelettes are another loophole, aren’t they? You can add just about anything, plus cheese and chives, and serve with a big green salad, and/or a slice of wholemeal bread. I like lots of mushrooms and a knob of white truffle butter myself. Corn tortillas are even better, if you can find them.

-Speaking of eggs, quiches and tarts made with a whole wheat or spelt crust (if you’re using butter, you’ll never notice the difference) are always restorative and delicious. Leeks, goat cheese, smoked fish, asparagus. Crusts will freeze well, as will some breads, so make plenty: when you’re feeling deprived, the sense of abundance will delude you into thinking that you’re not in hell.

-On the subject of bread, breads loaded with carrot or zucchini with perhaps some organic pecans or walnuts thrown in and a crust studded with flax or hemp seeds (packed with essential fatty acids) make good breakfast food (toast and slather with cream cheese or sweet butter) and they freeze well. You can make or buy all kinds of wonderful dark rye, spelt or wholemeal, or brown rice bread.

-Homemade aioli, tarragon or basil mayonnaise, various Mexican salsas, hummus, tapenade, pesto, harissa, ajvar: these will all make crudités taste delicious, and are wonderful on a hunk of bread with maybe some tomatoes or red onion.

-Roasted cauliflower, cold broccoli salads. If bacon is not banned, remember that it will get you out of all kinds of trouble with vegetables. Any cold pureed vegetable soup thickened and made delicious with some cream is always welcome at my table. Do you have a juicer? Do you like vegetable juice?

-Bread and whole fruit and nuts and cheese to keep around the house for anytime. The options are endless, and you can include things like melon and figs and blackberries, prosciutto, buffalo mozzarella…

-I know that a few people have suggested salads, but they really can be amazing: I often make a Caeser salad for dinner and add grilled chicken or shrimp. With bread and some of your cheese board treats (see above). Other combinations that I love include the old clichés like pears/walnuts/Stilton cheese. I also like a salad with roasted beets, Roquefort cheese and chile-dusted pecans. A good Greek salad. Obviously this all eaten on a mountain of good, organic greens, but then again, you are in Tasty Organic Hell…

-Black beans are great in everything from soups (what wouldn’t be good with a dollop of sour cream and some cilantro?) to cold salads (spectacular with edamame or corn and leftover salmon). Goes so well with brown rice, too. All the other grains you might become familiar with, such as buckwheat, wheatberries, millet, amaranth, barley, kasha and my favorite, quinoa (which is not technically a grain but is so high and protein and so very tasty) make fabulous warm side dishes (think olives, crumbly cheese, grilled chicken, green herbs, artichoke hears) that stand up well to refrigeration and make lovely cold rice salads for lunch.

-As for fish, the best salmon you can find, grilled or broiled with a good, thick crust of either pesto or caramelized onion, sprinkled with parmesan or gruyere (and browned) and served with horseradish cream? Bring on that side of brown rice or plain steamed greens, no problem. How about really good bangers and mash? Piquant flavors bow to nothing.

-Thai and Indian chicken/tofu curries. Biryani. The Turkish dish Hunkar Begendi can be made with chicken instead of lamb. Basically, this is a bed of smoked eggplant puree with lots of cream and some cheese (though I often make mine without). Absolutely divine. Speaking of eggplant, who doesn’t like baba ghanouj? With homemade falafel?

Tabouli is a great one to have around; parsley is so good for you and it helps reduce sugar cravings. Keep a Tupperware of that in the fridge at all times (it keeps well) and you’re set.

You have probably already considered all the weird and wonderful permutations of potato salad that you can play with at will. In addition, there are countless variations on the mashed potato theme. Oooh, watercress. Mascarpone. Mustard. Capers. I won't get started.

There is life between steaks.

I’m surprised that you are allowed dairy, but this is probably a huge blessing, no? I went on a very restrictive ayurvedic diet last year that banned all of the foods that you listed , plus fermented and/or yeasted foods (everything from soy sauce and tempeh to bread and Marmite), acidic foods (such as citrus and tomatoes), dairy (with the exception of homemade plain yogurt), all cooking fats with the exception of ghee, all spices and seasonings with the exception of black salt. I was allowed raw, organic nuts. A maximum of one piece of whole fruit per day. All sweeteners except Grade B maple syrup (which contains all the B vitamins and some essential minerals) were forbidden. The only desserts I was allowed were either half a tablespoon of raisins (which had to be followed by a half tablespoon of raw sesame seeds) or a brown rice risotto made with coconut milk and maple syrup (quite tasty, actually). There were some seemingly arbitrary restrictions, as well, such as corn and avocado. Peanuts and sprouts were out of the questions. Obviously all processed foods were not happening and my food was organic whenever possible. I made my own soy and almond milk because it is nearly impossible to find commercial versions of either that don’t contain cane sugar. And so forth.

It was totally worth it, though. My ailment began to reverse itself, and went into complete remission within five weeks. Some may think that it is unfortunate that diet has so much to do with it, but I feel profoundly grateful that I was able to work so intimately with my body. I hope that you feel better after making these temporary changes, at the very least! You probably will.

I wish you every success with this—good luck.

Edited May 21, 2004 by Verjuice (log)

[Mabelline]

As per Carolyn's thread, eat licorice. If the fertility test were packaged by a drug company with a little stick, you wouldn't think twice of dutifully peeing on that.

[tomweir]

Oh, it's not that bad... Just a pain in the ass in the land of the lunchtime sandwich.

This is quite flexible, I think it is Madhur's (it's been a while, I do it on autopilot) Good with guacamole, chopped fresh tomatoes, creme friache. Combine with whatever you are permitted, corn tortillas, spuds, rice, it might even mask some of that buckwheat pasta... You should find the chipotles (in tins) in Mexican supply stores (or ask nicely in your local Mexican). The contents keep well in tupperware in the fridge.

Veggie Chili

3 tbs olive oil

2 onions, peeled and finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 pepper, green or red, finely chopped

2 chipotle peppers, minced (or red serranos, whatever you can get)

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 cup (8 fl oz) brown lentils

1 litre water or stock

1 tsp salt

1 tsp each sage, thyme, oregano

2 tsp paprika, sweet

pinch of cayenne

bunch of coriander, chopped

Cornmeal, 1-2 tbs

- Heat the oil

- Fry the onions

- Add the garlic

- Add the peppers

- Add the chipotles

- Add the herbs and paprika and cayenne

- stir gently for a minute

- Add the lentils, coat them

- Add the water, tomatoes, salt

- Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes

- sprinkle the cornmeal, stir in thoroughly, simmer for 10 mins.

- Add the coriander

- Serve

[jackal10]

Change your doctor, or get a second opinion.

That diet must be just a fad.

I could understand giving up something you are allergic to, or carbs, or fats, but just to stick to wholemeal? Makes no sense

If you need to get fibre up have a daily bowl of bran cereal and go back to eating white bread, flour and rice.

The stress in following such a daft diet must be more damaging than any benefits, in my view.

[Verjuice]

Change your doctor, or get a second opinion.

That diet must be just a fad.

I could understand giving up something you are allergic to, or carbs, or fats, but just to stick to wholemeal? Makes no sense

If you need to get fibre up have a daily bowl of bran cereal and go back to eating white bread, flour and rice.

The stress in following such a daft diet must be more damaging than any benefits, in my view.

I don't agree.

I think that the diet is premised on the idea that we derive vitality from the vitality of the foods we eat. The more highly processed something is, the more it is drained of these so-called resources.

It isn't astonishing at all. It just makes sense. We put our bodies through the mill digesting all the refined crap we take in over a lifetime. The goal of most restorative, regenerative diets is to give the digestive system a breather in order to redirect our energy reserves to where they are needed most.

Jeez, why must it all sound so granola-flakey?

Take it from the acupuncturist who encourages her vegan patients to try carpaccio.

[balex]

I think that the diet is premised on the idea that we derive vitality from the vitality of the foods we eat. The more highly processed something is, the more it is drained of these so-called resources.

Most of us scientific types don't really believe in "vitality". We think that what we derive from the food is nutrients -- and that these can de divided into various macronutrients, micronutrients etc.

There is a lot of evidence though that caffeine and alcohol affect fertitility. However there is some evidence that caffeine improves male fertility, so you might want to allow yourself to cheat on this (at the appropriate times ).

Good luck though Moby and my suggestions are

cheese soufflee

fish 'n' chips

cassoulet (maybe in a few months) as well as any of the other family of pork + beans/pulses dishes like cotechino and lentils.

grilled vegetables and mozzarella

You can also cook pretty much all of Thai food with those restrictions; except for getting some of the organic vegetables.

[Bux]

Fats and dairy for the most part are okay. I think potatoes roasted in duck fat might raise some eyebrows. The preference is towards using olive oil.

My understanding is that in terms of saturated, unsaturated, polysaturated and monosaturated fats, duck fat is more like olive oil than it is like butter or pork fat. This holds true for goose fat as well. If both olive oil and butter are okay, I would expect duck fat should be as well.