Monday, January 18, 2010

Challenges

My enjoyment in cooking, and specifically in cooking healthy meals has become a real challenge.  It’s one of the reasons why I haven’t been posting as much as I used to, because it’s just so hard sometimes to come up with alternatives for the favorites I’ve always used.  The list of things I can’t eat seems to grow more and more, which – when you’re a foodie like me, is just depressing!

I can’t eat/use:

  • onions
  • peppers
  • milk or cream
  • ANYTHING high in fat

As a result, I’ve been forced away from some of the things I’ve always enjoyed, like STUFFED PEPPERS, sausage and peppers, sausage and potatoes, even my favored American Chop Suey, has changed because of the whole NO ONIONS thing.  IT SUCKS!

So, too, is the stomach problems I’ve developed in the last couple of years since my gallbladder removal and hernia repair surgery.  It seems that it made things worse, instead of better!

As a result, I’ve been eating low-fat as much as I can, as often as I can.  This often means that I’ve cooked something completely different for my family if it’s too high in fat – which, it seems, I have a very low threshhold for, and me eating a microwave-baked potato  with some low-fat cheese and sour cream. Yah, not much fun, especially for a food blogger.

Of course, one of the POSITIVE effects of this is that I did lose some weight, and I HAVE been actively seeking out and creating recipes that are low enough in fat for me to eat, that are still yummy and enticing to my kids and husband!  They’ve learned to enjoy Boca Burgers, mainly out of my need for BURGERS once in a while, and my 6 year old daughter, who was watching me make myself a salad for lunch last week, purposely asked for and made herself a salad as well – of SPINACH, broccoli and low-fat cheese! 

I’ve also learned how much more rewarding it is to buy frozen vegetables and cook them in some veggie broth, than to buy canned veggies, which have been cooked processed!  Plus, it’s MUCH cheaper, and I’m ALL ABOUT THE CHEAP!

So, I hope you will stick around, maybe say HELLO, offer some advice about my goofy problems.

3 comments:

Trisha Keel said...

Hi Dawn,
I would be happy to help you in any way I can. I have lived with diet restrictions for more than 10 years and learned a few tricks I can pass along to you. I'm making a dairy free shrimp fettucini tonight, and will try to write down what goes into the sauce.

Sincerely,
Trisha(Grammy)Keel

I tried to send a message with my e-mail address, but it wasn't accepted.
Please do not post my e-mail:
Gawn.fishin@yahoo.com

Trisha Keel said...

Hi Dawn,
> I would be happy to help you in any way I can. I have lived with diet
> restrictions for more than 10 years and learned a few tricks I can pass
> along to you. I'm making a dairy free shrimp fettucini tonight, and will try
> to write down what goes into the sauce.
>
> Sincerely,
> Trisha(Grammy)Keel

Trisha Keel said...

Non-Dairy Shrimp Fettucini

Start the Pasta water...dash of salt and a few drops of Olive Oil.

Take 2 big handfuls of cooked shrimp
Spray a pan with cooking spread(butter flavored) toss the shrimp and sprinkle with 'Butter Buds', or use I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, then there is butter(whipped heavy cream with yellow food dye)
Mix together a 12oz container of 'Tofutti' Sour Supreme... 1 can 'Campbell'99% fat free Cr/Mushroom Soup...or onion, celery etc.
1/2 t lemon juice
1/2 t minced garlic
1/4 C white wine(optional)
pinch of white pepper

Pour mix over the shrimp and heat just to 1 bubble stirring frequently...taste! Add extra lemon juice, a few drops at a time, as needed.
shut off the heat and let it stand while the pasta,or rice cooks, and throw together a green salad.

Prep time aprox. 15 min

This will feed 4 people... or 2 with left-overs for another meal.

Tonight I put a can of sliced mushrooms in the mix...Mmm good!
********************************
When I make my salad dressing again, I will write it down!
Hugggs