Topic: So...whats for dinner?

Jan 10, 2022 11:45AM - edited Jan 10, 2022 12:10PM by SpecialK

beaver - I'm with you on the restrictions - I don't like them, but they are necessary for us too. DH's oncology endocrinologist wants him gluten free, and it makes a huge difference - he has far less joint pain, has lost 10 lbs., and just feels better. I would prob like the corn/rice blend pasta better, but am restricted on corn, ugh! My solution is to only cook as much quantity as will be immediately consumed - I am fine with eating it immediately - it is just the leftover texture issue I struggle with. Label reading is eye opening, right? When I first started this way of eating several years ago finding products that did not have gluten, soy, dairy, corn, peanuts, eggs, or sugar was a challenge! I have now identified things I regularly use and it is easier, but I do miss some foods. I stopped eating this way and even though I was eating decently, weight crept up and I felt like crap. I used to be able to walk 5 miles a day and do a Mediterranean approach, but that no longer works. Cutting out the inflammatory foods is the only way I have been able to control my weight, help control my lymphedema, and feel ok.

I have a crustless quiche recipe if anyone would like it.

With the potato discussion - sweet and otherwise - I am thankful I can have those!!!

Edited to add - thanks for the sympathy on the MOHS debacle. In the grand scheme of things, it is really ok. Surprisingly the wrist hurts less now that I am out of the pressure bandage - maybe because my wrist is kind of bony. The other places I have had a pressure bandage usually have more flesh. I am still using a folded gauze pad and Coban, just not wrapping it as tight. Still being careful about downward pressure with a knife to slice, but have chosen foods for dinner so far that have not involved a lot of chopping. I have some cooked chicken breast to use tonight and it is already shredded. I also have an open jar of marinara, so maybe a deconstructed unbreaded chicken parm, made with DF mozzarella. DH smoked a brisket yesterday so there is that also if he doesn't want chicken, and he can slice it!

chisandy - have you tried the It's Skinny brand of konjak noodles? The one I have is in a shelf stable box with 4 packets of noodles, angel hair, but it is also available in fetticune apparently. Looks like you can get the individual packets on Amazon, or a multi pack.

Jan 10, 2022 12:17PM MinusTwo wrote:

Beaver - If you're willing to share, I'd like the recipes for the Bisquick 'suprise pie' and cookies. When Covid first started, I bought a bunch of Bisquick that I need to use. I've been looking for something besides pancakes or biscuits.

I got waylaid again this morning searching for Brussels Sprouts recipes like Eddie V's. I think I've cobbled together several recipes that might work. I'll just need to buy some Gochujang sauce - or maybe first try Thai sweet chili sauce that I already have.

Jan 10, 2022 08:02PM Beaverntx wrote:

Minus, I googled gluten free bisquick cookies and found recipes from Betty Crocker. Just checked and a search for bisquick recipes brings up loads of ideas beyond biscuits and pancakes or waffles. Happy baking.

Jan 11, 2022 12:05AM - edited Jan 11, 2022 12:10AM by bedo

Jan 11, 2022 08:34AM SpecialK wrote:

chisandy - here is the crustless quiche recipe! It originally calls for crab and mushrooms, but I have never made that one, I usually do ham and cheddar, or bacon/artichoke/Monterey Jack varieties. Sun dried tomatoes and sauteed leafy greens like spinach are a good addition too. You can make one large quiche and adjust the cooking time, or make smaller ones in muffin tins. These also freeze well and you can microwave them to warm them after freezing and the texture is unchanged. The mini ones were always a party staple in my house because you can make them ahead.

The quiche is 4 eggs, 1 c. sour cream, 1 c. cottage cheese, 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, 4 T. all-purpose flour, 1/8 t. salt, 1 t. onion powder, several dashes of Tabasco or other hot sauce. Mix together very well and add whatever other fillings you like - the written recipe called for 1/2 lb. sauteed mushrooms, 2 c. of Monterey Jack cheese, and 6 oz. of crab. I would stick with the cheese measurement, but anything else is up for grabs. If you are concerned about the flour addition from a Keto standpoint you could try this omitting it - the mixture is pretty thick so it could work, or you could sub a nut flour since the amount is small compared to the other ingredients.

To bake, spoon the batter into very well greased pans (the instructions say to use mini muffin pans - but just adjust your cooking time if you make a single quiche) but they do puff a little so don't overfill, and bake until a knife comes out clean. They will turn a bit golden on top. If you do a single quiche it might be worth using parchment on the bottom of your pan or baking in a springform. Let cool slightly and run a knife or thin spatula around the edge before attempting to remove, they can be a bit hard to get out of the pan since there is no crust. I freeze these in a ziplock because they are fairly firmly textured and don't fall apart.

Jan 11, 2022 11:11AM wallycat wrote:

All this pasta/noodle talk is making me want to try the Milk Street Japanese Udon noodles (Japanese Udon are wheat noodles vs semolina wheat for Italian). DH loves, loves, loves udon noodles.

Not that anyone asked, but the quiche recipe I used when DH would haul in lots of the Dungeness was Paula Dean's recipe minus the crust.

We may be seeing the vet today; our boy is not doing well. I hate this. I'll either make something with Udon (store bought) or make a frozen 'za.

Jan 11, 2022 11:41AM MinusTwo wrote:

Wally - Dungeness Crab - oooooooo YES. I did look up that recipe. And I too love Udon noodles. Can I come eat at your house? Sorry to hear about the necessity for a Vet visit.

Special - thanks for the recipe & tips. I printed out your post. How are you liking that new fridge?

Carole - thanks for the meatloaf reminder. We've got the same cold weather you have there. And I expect Beaver & Mae are 'freezing' too. I actually hate the grey skies more than the cold but I don't believe I could live in snow country again.

Bedo - yup, we really do miss you.

Leftover quiche. Leftover fried rice. Both peas & broccoli crowns left over. I have a bag of shredded cabbage & carrots (technically cole slaw) that I'm going to saute w/onion and ? since something hot is preferable. Also up this week will be individual Naan pizzas. Oh, and 2 avocados that I need to turn into guac.

Jan 11, 2022 02:11PM SpecialK wrote:

carole - when I initially tried this elimination eating plan DH was not yet diagnosed with hypothyroid with a thyroid nodule, but he ate what I cooked so by default he was on this, lol! He lost a little weight - maybe 10 lbs. - but didn't comment much on how he felt. I don't remember him exclaiming that he felt amazing, lol! I think he had undiagnosed thyroid issues at that point because he was often hoarse and seemed to me to be more tired than he should - but he also has a demanding job. Since his diagnosis his hypo has become worse and is now Hashimoto's, he is often hoarse, and developed this nodule. All of that has been checked out, nodule is not worrisome and head and neck doc didn't find anything alarming. It was his doc's advice to go gluten free - there is apparently a connection with the auto-immune aspect, which I didn't ask her to elaborate on not have I yet researched much, but it is about the inflammation. Sugar is also a player there, but we have cut out almost as much as you can of that too! You're right - seems easier to adopt a lifestyle change when it is recommended by a medical professional. This time he has been very vocal about the reduced pain, and lost the same 10 lbs. and I wonder now that he has Hashimoto's if making these changes has reduced his pain more than when we did this last time. I think the pain reduction took him by surprise - he said he noticed when he had to bend to put on shoes and things like that. He has also commented that he is more alert, focused, and has more energy in general. All of that is good stuff. In the time after I tried this way of eating the first time, I went back to eating a wider variety of foods - not all of them good for me - but also did some genetic testing and have a variant for celiac. I have had GI issues for 30 years, that included a surgery to recreate a gastro esophageal junction out of part of my stomach back in '95. My GE junction was gaping open and I had multiple cases of aspiration pneumonia and esophageal spasming - not fun! That surgery fixed some things but complicated others - or at least I thought it did because I had a very sensitive stomach afterward, but now am thinking that it may be the celiac/gluten issue. Could also be dairy - I was allergic to cow's milk as a baby. Since starting this again on Oct 1, my GI issues have all but disappeared... I have also lost 10 lbs. and just generally feel better. DH and I have both said we are staying the course this time and I naturally gravitate to plant-based eating with lean and clean protein anyway, so it is not really hard for me. Also probably easier not to be tempted when I don't go out much due to the pandemic. Beaver is right - there are quite a number of good products available now! Yay for that!

bedo - Hello!!!

Jan 12, 2022 09:46AM carolehalston wrote:

The meatloaf was delicious. I used ground chuck and ground pork (2 to 1) and the usual additions, except no raw onions. In looking for a pan, I saw the meatloaf pan. Inside pan with holes in the bottom, outside pan catches the dripping. With a 3 lb. meatloaf, lots of leftovers for sandwiches and another evening meal. The turnip roots were sweet and tasty, seasoned with butter. The romaine and avocado salad also very good.

Thinking of making a pizza tonight. The pizza yeast is considerably past sell by date but I will test a package, as suggested by some source on Google. Debating on whole wheat versus white flour. My bias points me to whole wheat but dh would probably enjoy the white flour crust. He had never mentioned not liking whole wheat bread until a couple of years ago when he opted for whole grain bread. All those years I had been buying whole wheat. The white flour crust would possibly roll out thinner. Pizza making experts, feel free to offer advice.

For toppings, I have two varieties of mushrooms, kalamata olives, hard cheeses plus goat cheese, spinach. Also Italian sausage in the freezer. I would be happy with meatless. First the test of the yeast. I doubt pizza yeast is available in the supermarkets. It appeared and disappeared. I learned about it from an Italian tv chef whose name hasn't popped into my head yet. I use her recipes.

Jan 12, 2022 10:38AM SpecialK wrote:

chisandy - I have relatively small hands and a number of years ago I started opting for more serrated blades rather than straight edge ones. I feel like I have more control, but do choke up and steady the blade if I am using a larger chef's knife. May be due to aging with diminishing hand strength, I found that I was cutting myself here and there, when I had not previously. I know it is said that shouldn't happen if your knife is sharp enough, but now I am a bit leary of sharp straight edged knives, lol! I have never really liked paring knives much, and usually use a slightly larger knife in place of one. So, my Goldilocks knife is a medium length serrated, lol! I am doing well with little discomfort in the wrist - I am finding that my issue at this point is that I need to cushion the top because I keep bumping it. I have to change the bandage twice a day, so have been using emollient ointment, then a non-stick pad, then a large gauze folded to make a pillow of sorts, then Coban wrap to hold it all on. Interestingly, I am now reacting to the Coban on the underside of the wrist, so will have to add a thin layer of gauze all the way around to avoid the direct skin contact since I have to keep this covered and padded until the 20th at a minimum. There is enough of an adhesive aspect to the Coban that I am reacting, but it is the best "tool" for the job! I appreciate your experimentation with the knife holding and suggestion! Let me know if you make the quiche with coconut or almond flour - that is a sub I would also make to lose the flour, but I prob won't be making this anytime soon because of the dairy and eggs. DH is at the point where he can try adding things back in singularly to see how he does, so if eggs and dairy are not a problem for him he could eat it. Both are problems for me so I am unlikely to eat it again.

auntie - I am not sure why there is flour, but a quick Google check says a little flour added to custard is a stabilizer? Might be more important to this recipe since there is no crust to contain the quiche. Another short answer is that the small amount of flour sinks in a crustless quiche to help form the bottom. Which sound like a crustless quiche with a super thin crust, lol! This recipe came from a military wives' cookbook and I never changed the basic quiche part, only the cheeses and other flavors. One thing I have done a few times lately is make a fritatta/quiche thing in a crust made from partially cooked hash browns. It is from a recipe for "breakfast casserole" which I had always made with cubed bread and let sit in the fridge overnight. This one you can make right before eating and it eliminates the bread. I made it in Colorado to use up leftover spinach and cheese, and then made it again this past Christmas morning for everyone but me, lol! Putting some crisp on the hash browns helps hold the crust in place before adding the egg/cheese mixture. I like the traditional version but also like this way too.

Dinner last night was a sheet pan situation - one russet potato, cut up, mixed with cut up butternut squash with olive oil and house seasoning, some thin asparagus, and a pork tenderloin with garlic and lemon.

Since there has been a meatloaf convo, I just might have to make one for tonight!

Jan 13, 2022 12:35AM MinusTwo wrote:

Never got around to eating last night after prepping for a 7pm Zoom meeting & then doing the round up. So tonight I made the sauteed cabbage. It worked well using the bag of shredded cabbage & carrots there were intended as cole slaw - no slicing. I sauteed some onions before I added the cabbage, sauteed 10-15 minutes stirring only occasionally so it sort of caramelized & added a handful of sunflower seeds towards the end. After I turned off the heat, just a splash of tarragon vinegar. Served with my leftover fried rice.

"Heloise" in the newspapers printed an idea for chocolate pie today that sounds good & easy. Set out the measuring cup for the milk required for a boxed pie mix (I'm assuming like Jello brand), but first add 3 TBLs of heavy whipping cream and 1/2 a jigger of coffee liqueur. Then fill to the required milk. I'm assuming that means delete the amount of milk that the other liquids take up but it's not clear. Then put this recipe in a 'bought' chocolate cookie pie crust. Apparently she uses the same formula with vanilla pudding sometimes but substitutes butterscotch liqueur.

Jan 13, 2022 09:37AM carolehalston wrote:

Last night's homemade pizza was a success. The out of date pizza crust yeast did its work. Since there was dough for two crusts, I made a pizza for the freezer, following suggestions on the Kitch'n web site. Par bake the crust (a new term for me), let it cool, put on the toppings and freeze the pizza uncovered, then wrap in plastic and foil. Another blog recipe skipped par baking the crust. Any thoughts?

Toppings were sauteed mushrooms, shitake and the common ones (name?), Italian sausage, Kalamata olives, and pepper jack shredded cheese. The sauce was from a jar of marinara. Sal & Judy's Healthy, available in this immediate area.

I have a picture on my phone and will post it.

Tonight I will make a meatloaf dish with slices of leftover meatloaf, the leftover marinara and grated cheese. The sides will be cabbage and salad.

Jan 13, 2022 12:26PM SpecialK wrote:

beaver - I have seen similar for the brown and serve, actually in gluten free baguettes from Whole Foods. Interestingly, I liked the texture better unbaked - we cut the baguette in half and only baked half - ate the other half without the extra bake time of 7 mins., liked it more. Baked it had too much springy-ness, lol!

Thinking tonight of making some GF mac and cheese from Daiya, but adding chopped green chilies and extra DF cheese and then baking in the oven. We have brisket that DH smoked for him, and leftover lemon and garlic pork tenderloin for me. Will also make a kale salad.

I am worried about lacey, hope she is ok.

Jan 13, 2022 09:16PM wallycat wrote:

Frittata tonight. I used the ham that my cat has now refused to eat (hillshire farm--how dare I stoop to grocery store ham when he prefers Costco Masterpiece

), pinto beans, feta cheese, spinach and an onion. Tomorrow will be leftovers. Popped some ladyfingers popcorn (tiny kernels) for "dessert."

Jan 14, 2022 07:44PM MinusTwo wrote:

Tonight was individual Naan pizzas with the last of the meat sauce from the freezer from my wonderful Italian restaurant the closed in 2020. Had to add a little Raos to make it stretch. Topped with thin sliced sweet onions, mushrooms & black olives, and both mozzarella & a Colby Jack/Monterey blend of cheeses. I was going to add broccoli, but they were already too loaded.