New Food / Meal Ideas

[Nurse2]

Going to the store tonight to stock up (the fridge is so empty...) Anyway, I need some new food / meal ideas. I am tired of eating the same old thing over and over....Any suggestions???

[ICNDonna]

My family likes port tenderloin. I buy the roasts and usually cook in the crock pot, but lately have been doing them on the barbecue.

Another favorite is deviled eggs.

Donna

[JAMIEL]

Donna...can you eat eggs?...I have been avoiding them since I saw they were on the no-no list for ICrs...I do miss them. I can't even understand why they would be on the list anyway? Any ideas?

Jamie:kiss:

[ICNDonna]

I eat eggs with no problem --- and eggs are listed on the foods that are usually not a problem for an ICer.

Donna

[JAMIEL]

Good to know!!!! I have a food list put out by Ortho McNeil (makers of Elmiron) and eggs are listed with the "avoid milk and dairy" list that includes aged cheeses, sour cream, eggs, yogurt and choclate..Interesting that eggs are not on all lists...Maybe I will give them a try...I feel so lousy all the time I guess an egg here or there can't hurt especially since others do fine with them!

Thanks for the info!

Jamie :kiss:

[ChrissyH]

Do you use mayo or mustard when making deviled eggs?

I've always loved deviled eggs, but I've been afraid to try them since both mayo and mustard are on the no-no list.

[kadi]

My new favorite thing is Trader Joe Lavash bread (no preservatives) to make wraps...

Last night's dinner sandwich was:
Turkey (Safeway Primo Taglio dinner roasted turkey),
cream cheese, (be careful to use the block cream cheese, the tubs contain acids)
romaine lettuce rolled up in lavash bread

Lunch today is:
Grilled boneless skinless chicken breast (Love the George Foreman grill!!!)
(seasoned with a little garlic powder & salt)- shredded
Sesame oil drizzled all over it
Romaine lettuce (chopped fine)

The demo lady @TJ's suggested- spinach, chicken & cream cheese also...
I might also try a thin egg/mozzarella omelet w/italian seasonings (basil, oregano) rolled up in it...

Any other ideas????

[ICNDonna]

I use Splenda and just a tiny bit of mayo to make deviled eggs, then top with a slice of black olive.

Donna

[theclownster]

I'm a lucky IC person. With meds and prelief, I can eat most foods - so I'm not sure if I have anything to add. I do have a few trigger foods which include most fruits (some I've been too afraid to try), coffee, hot cocoa, jelly, hmmm.... i'm not sure what else

I have made a boneless ham in the crock pot that turns out yummy with little work. Chicken faijitas are another favorite. I also enjoy meatloaf - but don't eat it very often. I actually don't eat a lot of meat (generally).

If I think of any neat ideas, I'll be sure to add them.

Jennifer

[kadi]

New salad idea:
Spinach
Grilled chicken (with garlic, salt -- grilled on George Foreman grill)
Sunflower seeds (unsalted, no oil)
Dressing made with 1T pear juice, 1T olive oil, sprinkle of dried basil

Tossed together is better than just pouring dressing on top.

[sleepyangel30]

i know what you mean nurse. im going on a strick raw alkaline diet starting tomorrow for sure and im going to stick to it. food is food to me it doesn't matter. :)

[yvonnef]

I eat eggs with no problem --- and eggs are listed on the foods that are usually not a problem for an ICer.

Donnadonna please, I have a question to ask. I am not sure I am in the correct section. but am sure you can answer me. thanks. I bought a jar of flaxseed oil capsules, are they ok to take? I cant find any literature on these capsules. also. what are bell peppers, is thatthe same as capsicum? I have heard bell peppers are OK to eat. what do they look like. I await your reply thanks donna. Yvonne :bow:

[bluetou]

I take raw flaxseed oil in my salad and cook with it... so I am sure flaxseed oil capsules would be similar.

NOw as far as the capsicum is concerend I believe this can have a variety of names, in American English it is commonly known as the chili pepper or bell pepper.

Just keep in mind the chili pepper is a lot more HOT, and I DO NOT think this is something that is on the ic diet ...BUT the RED BELL PEPPERS are, as they are sweet.

SO if you are looking at peppers, just get the sweet red bell peppers, and avoid the hot chilli peppers.

Hope this helps.

Peace
Blue
:pray:




donna please, I have a question to ask. I am not sure I am in the correct section. but am sure you can answer me. thanks. I bought a jar of flaxseed oil capsules, are they ok to take? I cant find any literature on these capsules. also. what are bell peppers, is thatthe same as capsicum? I have heard bell peppers are OK to eat. what do they look like. I await your reply thanks donna. Yvonne :bow:

[ICNDonna]

The peppers I buy are the large ones --- they come in green, orange, and red. I don't buy flaxseed by itself, but I do like it in chips, breads, etc.

Donna

[yvonnef]

thankyou so much Bloutou, for your instant reply. what we we do without all the lovely ladies who are so willing to help each other. I looked up the IC diet which said nothing about capsicum . Looking up on Google I assumed it was the same thing as bell peppers, but I wanted to be sure, and nothing on the diet sheet about flaxseed oil. so Bloutou, you have answered my questions, which is much appreciated, and give me a little more flexibility with cooking. thanks again & best wishes. Yvonne:angel:

[krisillis]

I made Sheperds pie this week and it was pretty good you can use either ground beef (which is cost effective) or be traditional use slices of roast beef. Layer some vegetables (usually peas carrots and corn) and then some mashed potatoes. Before you add the potatoes you may want to add a gravy. Then I bake it in an oven 350 F until the potatoes are golden (about 30mins) I usually season my meat with red onions, garlic and oregano. Some people have problems with these seasonings (mostly the garlic and onions) So use at your own discretion. But other than that, enjoy.
*This recipe freezes well

[bluetou]

You are very welcome Yvonne!! I know how exciting it is to learn you are able to eat something new!! :smile tee

Peace to you
Blue
:pray:


thankyou so much Bloutou, for your instant reply. what we we do without all the lovely ladies who are so willing to help each other. I looked up the IC diet which said nothing about capsicum . Looking up on Google I assumed it was the same thing as bell peppers, but I wanted to be sure, and nothing on the diet sheet about flaxseed oil. so Bloutou, you have answered my questions, which is much appreciated, and give me a little more flexibility with cooking. thanks again & best wishes. Yvonne:angel:

[yvonnef]

[QUOTE=krisillis;]

this reciped sounds good, but the gravy, isnt that a no-no on the ICdiet, it is full of preservatives etc. what gravy do you use? :confused:

[krisillis]

I make my gravy from scratch. I find that I can tolerate organic beef broth (only a specific brand NOT bovril, although sometimes in a pinch just water and seasonings will do) I mix it with cornstarch or flour and I season it with a little salt and pepper, basil, freeze dried garlic powder, and freeze dried onion powder (take freeze dried garlic and onion flakes and grind it myself. Sometimes I add paprika. But I am not sure if paprika is on the ok list. I know that onions and garlic and pepper can bother some people But there is no reason you can't season the gravy with your regular IC safe seasonings.

Christine

[Briza]

Bear with me because I don't follow recipes often because I used to work as a cook in a kitchen and I just learned to throw stuff together, hopefully to mine and others' liking!


Lean ground sirloin beef, chicken, or turkey (I personally prefer the beef or you can do a combo of a couple of those...for me the chick or turk by itself is too heavy in my stomach)
Grated carrots
Grated or chopped zucchini and/or squash
Grated cabbage
And just about any grated or chopped veggie you like
Diced onions (IC optional...if you sautee first in olive oil maybe fewer probs?)
Minced garlic (IC optional...same as onions above)
2 egg whites ( or one whole egg, I just don't care for the yolks)
Season with salt, pepper, and any dried or fresh herbs YOU can tolerate( I like dried or fresh oregano, parsely, basil)
Sometimes I throw in some plain breadcrumbs or crushed saltine crackers, but usually I forget, doesn't matter lol)
Mix all together lightly by hand but don't mush it together, otherwise it will be just mush
.

How much of each of the above ingredients?? ...just depends on how big the dish is that you are going to cook it in! Personally, my meatloaf tends to have just as much veggies in it as meat, sometimes more veggies than meat, and I like to cook it in a muffin pan so I get little meatloaf muffins...they cook faster that way.

Can't remember if I spray or oil the pan with just a little olive oil first, probably so to be safe, esp if you use a muffin pan.

Ok, after you've put the mixture in whatever dish you're going to cook in, sprinkle plenty of bread crumbs on top. Cook at 350 degrees til done and tops/breadcrumbs are nice and toasty brown. Very yummy

Oh, if you use a muffin pan and any of the tins are empty, fill those with some water so the pan doesn't burn.

Note: this meatloaf recipe does not slice well and tends to be kinda crumbly b/c of all the veggies...but I have found it holds up better when made in muffin pan or cake pan rather than a loaf pan

[Briza]

Carrot Zucchini Teabread---VERY GOOD!!

I make this bread all the time. It isn't too sweet, is high in fibre and low in cholesterol, and you won't believe how much carrot and zucchini is stuffed into this modest little loaf. The recipe is from Marlena Spieler's Flavor of California. I'm addicted. If you have kids, they will eat it. Especially if you put a little cream cheese on it. The recipe below makes one small loaf; it doesn't keep well because it is pretty moist, and we are only two people, so I usually make only one loaf at a time. If you have never used bulgar wheat, it is toasted cracked wheat and is available where bulk foods are sold--it adds a nice nutty taste and texture and it's super good for you.

2 oz (1/4 cup in a liquid measuring cup) bulgar wheat
1 egg
3 T corn oil (or safflower, if you like)
3 oz golden or dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 c finely grated carrot (I just use a box grater)
1 c finely grated zukes (squeezed out before measuring)
3/4 c all purpose flour
1/4 c whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp grnd cinnamon or to taste
1 tsp baking soda
small handful of chopped walnuts (opt)
a pat of butter to grease the pan

Place bulgar wheat in a bowl and pour over boiling water to soak--about double the amount of grain. Let sit a total of 30 minutes.

Set and preheat the oven between 325 and 350 degrees. Butter a small loaf pan (not a mini, just smallish) generously about halfway up the sides--don't expect this bread to rise much. Grate the veggies. Into a med size bowl sift together the flours, salt, cinn and soda and set aside.

Crack the egg into a large bowl and beat until light and foamy. Beat in the sugar, then stir in the oil, vanilla and veggies. Gently squeeze out the bulgar and add that. Stir well to combine. Then add the flour mixture, combine again, and mix in the nuts. Put the batter (it will be stiff) into the buttered loaf pan, evening it out a bit. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, erring on the longer side, until a tester comes out clean. It's a very moist loaf, so overcooking is better than under. Turn out onto a board or a rack and let cool before slicing, unless you can't resist.

[krisillis]

lol! Oh Briza I was reading your meatloaf recipe (which sounds very good by the way) and thinking how much you cook like me. I often don't know the amounts of things because I am constantly experimenting in the kitchen and just know the amounts to add because they 'look' right in pan :)

Christine

[Cortana-mana]

I made this fabulous pasta dish the other day and I have been aching to make it again.

I made just a medium white sauce -
2 Tbl Flour
2 Tbl Butter
2 cups milk
Garlic powder, onion powder, basil, thyme, poultry seasoning, salt, pepper

Melt the butter over low heat, whisk in flour. Heat until it bubbles. The longer it takes to bubble the better. Slowly add in milk, stir continuously. Keep it on a low to med low heat until you get a good boil and it has clearly reduced.

I also boil up some fettucini. Slice up some yellow squash and carrots and briefly roast them in the oven. I then sautee some bite size chicken pieces in olive oil and garlic cloves. At the last minute I toss in some spinach leaves and snow peas with the chicken.

Toss the whole kit and kaboodle together and you have pasta fabulousness.

[MiLynn]

I made this fabulous pasta dish the other day and I have been aching to make it again.

I made just a medium white sauce -
2 Tbl Flour
2 Tbl Butter
2 cups milk
Garlic powder, onion powder, basil, thyme, poultry seasoning, salt, pepper

Melt the butter over low heat, whisk in flour. Heat until it bubbles. The longer it takes to bubble the better. Slowly add in milk, stir continuously. Keep it on a low to med low heat until you get a good boil and it has clearly reduced.

I also boil up some fettucini. Slice up some yellow squash and carrots and briefly roast them in the oven. I then sautee some bite size chicken pieces in olive oil and garlic cloves. At the last minute I toss in some spinach leaves and snow peas with the chicken.

Toss the whole kit and kaboodle together and you have pasta fabulousness.

That sounds fabulous! I'm printing it out to try after I get all the ingredients.

[Preacher-Girl]

I am SO making that pasta!!!!

[chloe's mom]

Note from diet forum moderator, Kadi: Some IC patients can tolerate tomatoes, but most cannot. It is not just chemical preservatives that can cause symptom increase from tomatoes, but can be the tomatoes themselves.

Hello! I can't wait to try the last fettucine recipe and am always looking for fresh, flavorful ideas!! This summer we decided to grow a few tomato plants and fresh herbs. Isn't it funny that we can have garden tomatoes, but not ones from the grocery store? It is scary to think of the chemicals that are in foods we don't prepare ourselves! Anyway, I made a pizza last night and it was woooonderfulllll!!!!
1. Prepare any old pizza dough recipe. Mine is: 3 1/2 cups flour in a bowl with 2 teaspoons of active dry yeast, 3Tablespoons of olive oil, 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt. Add 1 1/3 cup of warm water (105-115 degrees, or I microwaved mine for a minute and twenty seconds.) Mix well, then cover and let rise for 45 min- 1 hour. Divide in half, then let rise again for another 20 minutes. You can refrigerate dough in an airtight container overnight or freeze for up to a week.)
2. I bought a cooking stone at my grocery store that I preheated for thirty minutes at 500-degrees. You could also use a baking sheet. If you use the baking sheet it is less messy to put a piece of parchment paper over the sheet.

3. I took some garden tomatoes and removed the skin, dicing them. I put them in a pan to cook down with oregano, garlic powder, onion powder. 4. When the stone was hot, I removed it from the oven and put my dough on it. Then I added the "tomato sauce", on top of that fresh basil leaves from our herb garden, on top of that some Parmesan cheese, on top of that the freshest available mozzerella cheese, some sesame seeds for the crust, then baked it at 500-degrees. Depending on how dark you like your crust you can bake it from 12-20 minutes. I did not have any flares from this pizza, but when in doubt, always take 2 Prelief first and enjoy this pizza with lots of water!

[yvonnef]

thank you all so much for the recipies, the diet is a little bland, sometimes, tho I am used to this way of eating now, and its not so bad, only when others comment or, dining out. but it is paying off, my health has improved dramatically, I feel realy healthy, more energy, not dragging myself around. its great. so once again, thank you all so much for your valuable input, and this wonderful support group, who has given me my life back. Yvonnef xx