peachskittles Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 I know *someone* has to be going through this. How do you manage? Food sucks right now. I can't use too many spices when cooking and since I have such a limited list for my son that I despise eating. Now my boys don't mind, they actually LOVE their meals, even request seconds. I don't. There is only so much bland boring meals before I wanna scream. Dinner tonight is fish, millet (substiting out the water for homemade chicken broth so it has a better taste), carrots and apples. Blah...So, well, boring. I would make a separate meal but that isn't feasible right now with our limited income. Any ideas? And yes, you can tell me to just suck it up. I can accept hearing that. I just long for the nummy easy stuff I used to eat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 What food restrictions do you have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 I feel your pain. My food sucks. You can at least add spices after the fact to your portion, I'm stuck! The only thing I can eat that is like is Enjoy Life allergy free chocolate chips. If you freeze meals and divide into little bags or small tupperware containers, you could make separate meals for yourself economically. Edit: millet pancakes aren't too bad! I made them with millet flour, baking soda, canola oil/sunflower oil and water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachskittles Posted October 2, 2009 Author Share Posted October 2, 2009 What food restrictions do you have? LOL I always joke food but seriously no dairy, eggs, gluten, goat's milk, soy anything, beef, rice, beans, tomatoes, green beans, peas, chocolate and peanuts (possibly other nuts as well)...That's off the top of my head so I might have forgot something...We use limited spices for him because he reacts to *something* but I haven't even started an elimination for them...It's a bit difficult to actually come up with something creative... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachskittles Posted October 2, 2009 Author Share Posted October 2, 2009 I feel your pain. My food sucks. You can at least add spices after the fact to your portion, I'm stuck! The only thing I can eat that is like is Enjoy Life allergy free chocolate chips. If you freeze meals and divide into little bags or small tupperware containers, you could make separate meals for yourself economically. Edit: millet pancakes aren't too bad! I made them with millet flour, baking soda, canola oil/sunflower oil and water. When I get a chest freezer I so need to do that...And closer to food for my son (we have to drive a half hour or more for food for him...)It would make life so much easier...(I posted before I read the entire post, I apologize...Millet pancakes actually sound good...) Millet pancakes? Do you have a recipe or do you just throw things in a bowl? I haven't found a good recipe for pancakes yet and he LOVES pancakes, even the ones that I can't stomach... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athena1277 Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 I totally understand. My dd is on a gluten-free diet because she has celiac disease. Ds is 2, so while he sometimes eats good, sometimes he doesn't. To top it off, dh is just plain picky.:glare: I feel like we eat the same things all. the. time. It gets old. If I decide to be daring and make something new, there is a really good chance someone will not like it. The most frustrating time of day for me is when I have to decide what to fix for dinner.:banghead: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 Try spices one at a time, almost any spice with more than one spice in it has MSG, he could be reacting to the MSG, not the spices in the mix. My parents had a garlic/parsley mix that gave me a horrible reaction, it had MSG and they didn't realize it, they thought it was a "plain" spice. Garlic and onion powder are also likely to cause a reaction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 LOL I always joke food but seriously no dairy, eggs, gluten, goat's milk, soy anything, beef, rice, beans, tomatoes, green beans, peas, chocolate and peanuts (possibly other nuts as well)...That's off the top of my head so I might have forgot something...We use limited spices for him because he reacts to *something* but I haven't even started an elimination for them...It's a bit difficult to actually come up with something creative... Oh, I'm so sorry! Can I offer my sincere sympathy? :grouphug: I just wouldn't know where to start menu planning. Have you checked out the celiac websites? I linked one for you above... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 Millet pancakes? Do you have a recipe or do you just throw things in a bowl? I haven't found a good recipe for pancakes yet and he LOVES pancakes, even the ones that I can't stomach... I don't measure! But, here's approximately how it works: 1 cup flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 TBSP oil (whatever kind he can have that is not too flavorful--I wouldn't choose olive or coconut, for example. I've used palm, avocado, canola, apricot, and sunflower.) water to pancake consistency, I really have no idea how much. Then, add a bit of oil to a fry pan/electric skillet, wait a few minutes, pour pancakes. You need to add a bit of oil each time, but not as much as for the first batch. They turn out nice and fluffy. I also make oat flour pancakes using the same basic recipe, they are not as fluffy but I like the taste/consistency better. My son likes the millet flour pancakes better, he also likes that he could cut them himself since he was 3, they break apart very easily. I use real maple syrup. I also like them with sunbutter on top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachskittles Posted October 2, 2009 Author Share Posted October 2, 2009 I totally understand. My dd is on a gluten-free diet because she has celiac disease. Ds is 2, so while he sometimes eats good, sometimes he doesn't. To top it off, dh is just plain picky.:glare: I feel like we eat the same things all. the. time. It gets old. If I decide to be daring and make something new, there is a really good chance someone will not like it. The most frustrating time of day for me is when I have to decide what to fix for dinner.:banghead: Celiac disease has been suggested, right now they think it's just an intolerance...We'll be testing him for that soon...Funny thing about it is when my son was in the hospital a doctor I never met listened to his symptoms after eating bread and stuffs and actually said that it sounded just like celiac disease...I feel for anyone that has to give up bread and other nummy bread things (and various other foods that I see people have to give up)...My SO doesn't like *anything* I make unless it's "normal"...He eats at work...:tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachskittles Posted October 2, 2009 Author Share Posted October 2, 2009 Try spices one at a time, almost any spice with more than one spice in it has MSG, he could be reacting to the MSG, not the spices in the mix. My parents had a garlic/parsley mix that gave me a horrible reaction, it had MSG and they didn't realize it, they thought it was a "plain" spice. Garlic and onion powder are also likely to cause a reaction. How can you tell if a spice has MSG in it? I've only found one thing at the store that stated it didn't have MSG in it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachskittles Posted October 2, 2009 Author Share Posted October 2, 2009 Oh, I'm so sorry! Can I offer my sincere sympathy? :grouphug: I just wouldn't know where to start menu planning. Have you checked out the celiac websites? I linked one for you above... Thank you...I feel alone a lot of the time because of this...It's also hard to tell the neighbor's that I can't accept whatever food they offer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 You can pull some out for the kids and then add the spices and whatever else to the rest. I do this sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachskittles Posted October 2, 2009 Author Share Posted October 2, 2009 I don't measure! But, here's approximately how it works: 1 cup flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 TBSP oil (whatever kind he can have that is not too flavorful--I wouldn't choose olive or coconut, for example. I've used palm, avocado, canola, apricot, and sunflower.) water to pancake consistency, I really have no idea how much. Then, add a bit of oil to a fry pan/electric skillet, wait a few minutes, pour pancakes. You need to add a bit of oil each time, but not as much as for the first batch. They turn out nice and fluffy. I also make oat flour pancakes using the same basic recipe, they are not as fluffy but I like the taste/consistency better. My son likes the millet flour pancakes better, he also likes that he could cut them himself since he was 3, they break apart very easily. I use real maple syrup. I also like them with sunbutter on top. Oh pancakes...That'll be breakfast tomorrow most definetely...Thank you so much...I actually like sunbutter but we have to drive for it so no sunbutter for them tomorrow (almost 2 hour drive so that's done when we need to restock major stuffs)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 I won't tell you to suck it up, but I don't have any ideas for you either. I can sympathize though. I have to avoid dairy and large amounts of soy (ie. I can have soy as a minor ingredient) and I'm having a hard time with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachskittles Posted October 2, 2009 Author Share Posted October 2, 2009 You can pull some out for the kids and then add the spices and whatever else to the rest. I do this sometimes. I do spice up my food behind their backs LOL but things like dairy and stuff I don't add because then I get the begging, pleading, big eyes that they want it too...It just doesn't seem fair to them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 I'm sorry, I would have a really hard time with this. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachskittles Posted October 2, 2009 Author Share Posted October 2, 2009 I won't tell you to suck it up, but I don't have any ideas for you either. I can sympathize though. I have to avoid dairy and large amounts of soy (ie. I can have soy as a minor ingredient) and I'm having a hard time with it. Yea I miss dairy...Dairy is so good...Cheese especially...I loved cheese...I miss cheese... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 You need a food saver. It's worth the money, it squashes down the food so you can save more in the freezer, and things thaw faster. You might be able to find one cheap on craigslist or e-bay. Stir fry recipes are good. Also, I cook up ground turkey w/ some chopped up veggies, then add brown rice, then water (1 1/2 cup rice, 3 cups water, 1 lb ground turkey), then let simmer for 45 minutes. The kids can have theirs plain, you can add Teriyaka sauce to yours, or worchestershire sauce. Tacos--ground turkey, I used to add garlic, salt, pepper, and chili powder, now I don't get garlic. I can have sheep cheese! But, you can do a cheese free taco, just add more veggies. The store brand taco shells usually don't have soy. Trader Joe's and Whole foods have sheep cheese, more people can tolerate sheep cheese than goat cheese. Pork chops with potatoes. It's real easy to broil pork chops, they taste pretty good with kosher salt and pepper, my kids like them with just kosher salt. I chop up the potatoes and fry in an oil I can eat. They cook faster if you microwave them first and let them cool a bit before slicing. I'm allergic to most of the things on your list, but more...but, I can have tomatoes and :001_smile:chocolate.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachskittles Posted October 2, 2009 Author Share Posted October 2, 2009 I'm sorry, I would have a really hard time with this. :( I know most people stare at me like I have two heads when I say all that we avoid...My SO is still trying to adapt and hasn't even come close to it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 How can you tell if a spice has MSG in it? I've only found one thing at the store that stated it didn't have MSG in it... Anything that just lists the ingredients is OK, if it has an ingredient that says "spices," 99% of the time that is MSG. However, chili powder has an unnamed ingredient in it and I can have that with no reaction. Generally, you want a single ingredient spice, if you're using dill, it should just list "dill" in the ingredients, if you're using basil, it should just say "basil." The only multi-ingredient spice I can have is italian seasoning, and it has no unknown ingredients in its list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 Have you checked out any vegan cookbooks? They eat no meat, dairy, eggs, etc. Will your insurance pay for you to visit a nutritionist? If you have a Whole Foods nearby you may be surprised at what you can find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachskittles Posted October 2, 2009 Author Share Posted October 2, 2009 You need a food saver. It's worth the money, it squashes down the food so you can save more in the freezer, and things thaw faster. You might be able to find one cheap on craigslist or e-bay. Stir fry recipes are good. Also, I cook up ground turkey w/ some chopped up veggies, then add brown rice, then water (1 1/2 cup rice, 3 cups water, 1 lb ground turkey), then let simmer for 45 minutes. The kids can have theirs plain, you can add Teriyaka sauce to yours, or worchestershire sauce. Tacos--ground turkey, I used to add garlic, salt, pepper, and chili powder, now I don't get garlic. I can have sheep cheese! But, you can do a cheese free taco, just add more veggies. The store brand taco shells usually don't have soy. Trader Joe's and Whole foods have sheep cheese, more people can tolerate sheep cheese than goat cheese. Pork chops with potatoes. It's real easy to broil pork chops, they taste pretty good with kosher salt and pepper, my kids like them with just kosher salt. I chop up the potatoes and fry in an oil I can eat. They cook faster if you microwave them first and let them cool a bit before slicing. I'm allergic to most of the things on your list, but more...but, I can have tomatoes and :001_smile:chocolate.:001_smile: I dislike you being able to have chocolate :tongue_smilie:...I do get myself a chocolate bar when I go shopping all alone...Yea, I savor that and deal with the guilt later LOL.. Ok so could I switch brown rice for millet or quinoa? That actually sounds good...(Jeez, I'm so uncreative I never thought of stir fry...) Sheep cheese, hmmm, I wonder if Whole Foods has sheep cheese...That's worth a shot (anything is at this point)...Pork chops are my lil ones favorite food actually (and new word too)...Thank you so much...I hope we don't lose more food...I'd be lost if I lost more... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachskittles Posted October 2, 2009 Author Share Posted October 2, 2009 Anything that just lists the ingredients is OK, if it has an ingredient that says "spices," 99% of the time that is MSG. However, chili powder has an unnamed ingredient in it and I can have that with no reaction. Generally, you want a single ingredient spice, if you're using dill, it should just list "dill" in the ingredients, if you're using basil, it should just say "basil." The only multi-ingredient spice I can have is italian seasoning, and it has no unknown ingredients in its list. This is actually good information to have...Thank you for that...I never understood the whole MSG thing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 Yea I miss dairy...Dairy is so good...Cheese especially...I loved cheese...I miss cheese... Try sheep cheese! It's really yummy. I was so happy when I found sheep cheese. Now we just need to go back to Europe, they have sheep milk ice cream there, I miss ice cream. However, I do like my chocolate chips, I'm so thankful I can eat them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachskittles Posted October 2, 2009 Author Share Posted October 2, 2009 Have you checked out any vegan cookbooks? They eat no meat, dairy, eggs, etc. Will your insurance pay for you to visit a nutritionist? If you have a Whole Foods nearby you may be surprised at what you can find. Nutritionist is next on the list after an updated trip to an allergist...I hope insurance covers it...If not, I'll be sucking that up...Whole Foods is the store I travel 2hrs for when I do my big monthly excursion...I love that place even though it costs an arm and leg... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 I dislike you being able to have chocolate :tongue_smilie:...I do get myself a chocolate bar when I go shopping all alone...Yea, I savor that and deal with the guilt later LOL.. Ok so could I switch brown rice for millet or quinoa? That actually sounds good...(Jeez, I'm so uncreative I never thought of stir fry...) Sheep cheese, hmmm, I wonder if Whole Foods has sheep cheese...That's worth a shot (anything is at this point)...Pork chops are my lil ones favorite food actually (and new word too)...Thank you so much...I hope we don't lose more food...I'd be lost if I lost more... Whole Foods has sheep cheese (actually quite a few, in the fresh cheese section). There is also a sheeps milk yogurt that is quite good (but expensive). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachskittles Posted October 2, 2009 Author Share Posted October 2, 2009 (edited) Try sheep cheese! It's really yummy. I was so happy when I found sheep cheese. Now we just need to go back to Europe, they have sheep milk ice cream there, I miss ice cream. However, I do like my chocolate chips, I'm so thankful I can eat them. Yes ice cream is good...I've never heard of sheep milk ice cream though...Sounds odd to be honest but when sweet things are limited, I can see the appeal...:001_smile: Edited October 2, 2009 by peachskittles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachskittles Posted October 2, 2009 Author Share Posted October 2, 2009 Whole Foods has sheep cheese (actually quite a few, in the fresh cheese section). There is also a sheeps milk yogurt that is quite good (but expensive). Wait they have sheep milk yogurt? I never seen it at mine...I need to inspect the dairy section better...He's never had yogurt... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 I dislike you being able to have chocolate :tongue_smilie:...I do get myself a chocolate bar when I go shopping all alone...Yea, I savor that and deal with the guilt later LOL.. Ok so could I switch brown rice for millet or quinoa? That actually sounds good...(Jeez, I'm so uncreative I never thought of stir fry...) Sheep cheese, hmmm, I wonder if Whole Foods has sheep cheese...That's worth a shot (anything is at this point)...Pork chops are my lil ones favorite food actually (and new word too)...Thank you so much...I hope we don't lose more food...I'd be lost if I lost more... Yes, you could also use millet or quinoa. Yes, Whole Foods has sheep cheese. The sheep manchango? (I'm pretty sure that's spelled wrong) is my favorite there, Trader Joes has a yummy Israel Sheep cheese feta, it's pastures of eden or garden of eden or something. Some of Whole Food's cheeses are a mix of sheep/goat or sheep/goat/cow milk, have them pick it out for you at first and explain that it has to be 100% sheep milk because of allergies. A few of their stores have a buffalo milk mozzarella that I hated, my MIL liked it and ate it. I can't have about 40 to 50 more things that aren't on your list, we also joke that I'm allergic to food, the chocolate is the only thing keeping me sane. You may also want to find some local hunters to mix up your diet--I can eat any wild game. Deer isn't that good, but it has some nutrients that you need if you can't eat beef. Buffalo steak is pretty good, and I like quail. You can get them at exoticmeats.com, but they are expensive. You need to do a 7 day rotation or you will be likely to lose food--I even lost food after doing a rotation, but not as much as before I rotated food. You also need to rotate your spices and oils, except salt seems like no one is allergic to it, I don't think you need to rotate salt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 Wait they have sheep milk yogurt? I never seen it at mine...I need to inspect the dairy section better...He's never had yogurt... There was a sheep milk yogurt at the health foods in the Northern Virginia area, I haven't seen any since, I didn't find any in Little Rock, Seattle, Boise, or my nearest stores here in Los Angeles, but I could probably track some down here in LA somewhere, there is a lot of weird food here! (Luckily for me!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachskittles Posted October 2, 2009 Author Share Posted October 2, 2009 Yes, you could also use millet or quinoa. Yes, Whole Foods has sheep cheese. The sheep manchango? (I'm pretty sure that's spelled wrong) is my favorite there, Trader Joes has a yummy Israel Sheep cheese feta, it's pastures of eden or garden of eden or something. Some of Whole Food's cheeses are a mix of sheep/goat or sheep/goat/cow milk, have them pick it out for you at first and explain that it has to be 100% sheep milk because of allergies. A few of their stores have a buffalo milk mozzarella that I hated, my MIL liked it and ate it. I can't have about 40 to 50 more things that aren't on your list, we also joke that I'm allergic to food, the chocolate is the only thing keeping me sane. You may also want to find some local hunters to mix up your diet--I can eat any wild game. Deer isn't that good, but it has some nutrients that you need if you can't eat beef. Buffalo steak is pretty good, and I like quail. You can get them at exoticmeats.com, but they are expensive. You need to do a 7 day rotation or you will be likely to lose food--I even lost food after doing a rotation, but not as much as before I rotated food. You also need to rotate your spices and oils, except salt seems like no one is allergic to it, I don't think you need to rotate salt. Ok odd meat scares me honestly...I tried lamb once and deer twice...It made me feel all ewww...Now my son liked lamb...I managed to get it down.... I know that I need to rotate but I've been having a hard time keeping up with it...He's had more corn products than I care to admit in the past week and it's negatively affecting him...We just cannot lose corn...I read up on corn allergy and almost cried...I'm back to properly rotating... I'm sorry to hear that you can't eat a lot...I truly understand...I appreciate all your help...It's nice to know people understand... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 Ok odd meat scares me honestly...I tried lamb once and deer twice...It made me feel all ewww...Now my son liked lamb...I managed to get it down.... I know that I need to rotate but I've been having a hard time keeping up with it...He's had more corn products than I care to admit in the past week and it's negatively affecting him...We just cannot lose corn...I read up on corn allergy and almost cried...I'm back to properly rotating... I'm sorry to hear that you can't eat a lot...I truly understand...I appreciate all your help...It's nice to know people understand... I tried a 4/5 day rotation and couldn't keep up with it. With a 7 day one, it was easier, every Monday quail, millet, spinach, canola; Tuesday buffalo, rice, lettuce, etc, then I'd try to figure out what I could make with those foods. I used to be able to have sweet potatoes, they taste good baked with coconut oil or made up like fries in the oven with canola oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 I'm also tired of the same old meals. My husband and kids are vegan (dh is also sensitive to wheat gluten), so I only keep and cook vegan food in the house. I've been cooking this way for a long time and I do have lots of awesome recipes. BUT.. Lately when we're eating dinner all I can think about is a giant Greek Salad chock full of feta :tongue_smilie:. and Mexican Cheese soup I'm actually waiting for my girlfriend across the street to come home because I stashed some ravioli in her fridge last night. That probably seems extreme to some people, to not keep dairy in the house, but I married my husband knowing he's a very strict vegan, and that's fine with me. I respect his self discipline. In the last year my cooking has totally gone boring and down the tube, I'm sorry, but vegan cheese tastes like plastic:001_huh: I'm really hoping that the change of seasons and (hopeful) drop in temperature will bring inspiration in the kitchen. I keep telling myself it's time for soups, quick breads, and pot pies. Unfortunately it was 85 today and felt like July :sad: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 LOL I always joke food but seriously no dairy, eggs, gluten, goat's milk, soy anything, beef, rice, beans, tomatoes, green beans, peas, chocolate and peanuts (possibly other nuts as well)...That's off the top of my head so I might have forgot something...We use limited spices for him because he reacts to *something* but I haven't even started an elimination for them...It's a bit difficult to actually come up with something creative... One other food I forgot. At Whole Foods in the freezer section look at the baked goods. There is a company that makes donuts that are soy free, dairy free, gluten free, everything free. They are so delicious!!! Can you have rice milk? Rice milk ice cream tastes like regular ice cream after the first few bites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 I found the company that makes the sheeps milk yogurt. http://www.blacksheepcheese.com/pages/yogurt_facts.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 LOL I always joke food but seriously no dairy, eggs, gluten, goat's milk, soy anything, beef, rice, beans, tomatoes, green beans, peas, chocolate and peanuts (possibly other nuts as well)...That's off the top of my head so I might have forgot something...We use limited spices for him because he reacts to *something* but I haven't even started an elimination for them...It's a bit difficult to actually come up with something creative... Speaking not as a doctor, but as a film-maker who has made shows profiling people with celiac disease, MS, and other immune disorders--with these food restrictions I'd also serious look at eliminating yeast. This is pretty much a "classic" list of trigger foods. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Governess Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 If you don't already know about it, Whole Foods sells a quinoa pasta that is pretty good. I would be looking into dishes with potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, baked squash - these foods satisfy that comfort food craving I get sometimes. We do a lot of grilled food: chicken breasts/thighs with just olive oil and kosher/sea salt seasoning, and grilled vegetables - yellow squash, zuchinni, red bell peppers, onions, etc. A friend of ours has a grill basket, you just cut up the veggies, toss them with salt and pepper and olive oil, and throw them in the basket and grill them alongside the meat. YUM. We have also done bacon wrapped asparagus spears, wow those are tasty. Is corn ok? You could use corn tortillas to make fajita-like tacos with the leftovers. Since I brought up bacon, you could cook a piece of bacon in a pan before you make some of your food if you need to add more flavor to a meal. Since you have cut out dairy and beef you probably are ok adding a little more saturated fat, and bacon makes anything taste better. :D I have been experimenting with both gluten-free and dairy-free so I know a little about the issues you are talking about....but not being able to have rice or beans really makes that kind of a diet so much harder! :grouphug: Hope you can figure out some good meals that work for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 We have multiple food sensitivities here and have been on a rotary diet for about 4 years. I find, and I'm being very serious, that the best ways to handle this are by a. looking at the glass being half full instead of the glass being half empty and by b. being adventurous and somewhat of a mad-scientist in baking helps a great deal. The more I work on this, the more fun things I find. For example, cranberries. This year there's a bumper crop, and aside from eating them plain (ick to me), my dc will eat them pureed with another fruit, in a cranberry pie (yes, with a gluten free crust, and, no, you can't make a crust that is anything like a flaky crust made with pastry flour), as cranberry sauce, as a cranberry sherbet, in muffins, etc, etc. It helps that cranberries are on cereal grain day (but gluten free cereal grains--rice, millet, etc.) People don't always realize that what you bake with makes a difference. We've found that for cookies, using brown sweet rice flour works better than regular brown rice flour. Also, since we can't use eggs, I've learned to use things such as guar gum, xanthan gum (both from food sources), etc, to bind things. Everyone who has ever tried my corn bread wants more and comment on it later, even people who aren't on any type of special diet, and I don't use wheat, dairy, eggs, soy, ricemilk (corn, for some reason, is on a different day than other cereal grains; the diet was made up by a nutritionist.) I've even found a GMO free corn oil, since that's the oil of the day. I have found that corn flour makes a moister corn bread than corn meal, but this was by trial and error (and because I ran out of corn meal one day and substituted.) There is a whole social group on special diets, too, if you choose to find it. There are older posts with some helpful book suggestions, recipes, etc. I find some of the best things from some surprising places. Also, there are many cool foods you can eat that you can't find in the store, but you can grow in a pot, a garden or find in the woods if you have a plant ID person handy (we have dh). We do avoid yeast (all but dh) but dd's wholistic MD (well, we don't go there now as we had to pay cash) said that dd could have fruit, berries & sweeteners because she didn't have any trouble with intestinal yeast. She had a battery of tests to see what she needed, and all pointed to food & environmental allergies and sensitivities. I make my own soup stock (but I do like doing it), my own sauces with no butter or wheat flour, etc. It takes some playing around. As for spices, I use what we can how we can and have learned to make things in new ways. Dd can have most of them, but not all on the same day. Finally, we have a couple of books that tell which food families things are in, so that we can move a whole family around if we need to. I made up vanilla water, where I boil about an inch of vanilla bean in a cup or two of water to use to flavour recipes with, since we can't have vanilla extract or the alternatives. It lasts up to a week in the fridge, and gets stronger if you leave the bean pieces in. You can do that with a cinnamon stick, too, if you're concerned about any fillers in ground cinnamon. I grate nutmeg myself, etc. My dd could not have many things, btw. No dairy, eggs, gluten, peanut butter, soy (she can only have a couple of kinds of beans), lamb, etc, etc. I won't bore you with the whole list. She can have more things now, but not all of them, and many of the things she can have now we limit to when we travel overnight because there are others in the family who can't have them. My list of no-no foods is even longer; it's grown over the years, and I was an adventurous eater, so it was hard at first (I've eaten things that I have no idea what was in them in authentic Chinese restaurants, etc). But I'd rather feel good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachskittles Posted October 3, 2009 Author Share Posted October 3, 2009 I was on a roll responding to peoples and then my lil one decides to blow through 3 diapers and the 2 yo decides to puke everywhere....All seems fine now though... I tried a 4/5 day rotation and couldn't keep up with it. With a 7 day one, it was easier, every Monday quail, millet, spinach, canola; Tuesday buffalo, rice, lettuce, etc, then I'd try to figure out what I could make with those foods. I used to be able to have sweet potatoes, they taste good baked with coconut oil or made up like fries in the oven with canola oil. I don't think we have access to enough meats to rotate seven days so I just do a 4 day rotation right now...He loves sweet potatoes and I never thought of making them into a fry... I found the company that makes the sheeps milk yogurt. http://www.blacksheepcheese.com/pages/yogurt_facts.html Thank you!! A bit expensive (like anything is cheap really) but definetely worth looking into... Speaking not as a doctor, but as a film-maker who has made shows profiling people with celiac disease, MS, and other immune disorders--with these food restrictions I'd also serious look at eliminating yeast. This is pretty much a "classic" list of trigger foods. Bill I have never thought of a yeast problem...I will look more at that to see if it might be an issue... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachskittles Posted October 3, 2009 Author Share Posted October 3, 2009 If you don't already know about it, Whole Foods sells a quinoa pasta that is pretty good. I would be looking into dishes with potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, baked squash - these foods satisfy that comfort food craving I get sometimes. We do a lot of grilled food: chicken breasts/thighs with just olive oil and kosher/sea salt seasoning, and grilled vegetables - yellow squash, zuchinni, red bell peppers, onions, etc. A friend of ours has a grill basket, you just cut up the veggies, toss them with salt and pepper and olive oil, and throw them in the basket and grill them alongside the meat. YUM. We have also done bacon wrapped asparagus spears, wow those are tasty. Is corn ok? You could use corn tortillas to make fajita-like tacos with the leftovers. Since I brought up bacon, you could cook a piece of bacon in a pan before you make some of your food if you need to add more flavor to a meal. Since you have cut out dairy and beef you probably are ok adding a little more saturated fat, and bacon makes anything taste better. :D I have been experimenting with both gluten-free and dairy-free so I know a little about the issues you are talking about....but not being able to have rice or beans really makes that kind of a diet so much harder! :grouphug: Hope you can figure out some good meals that work for you. These are some great ideas, thank you...Bacon is a favorite of his but we have to find the nitrite/nitrate free ones so they aren't always accessible (and jeez do they like to charge ya for eating healthy)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachskittles Posted October 3, 2009 Author Share Posted October 3, 2009 Karin (that was just way too much too quote LOL), Wow 4 years on a rotating diet? That seems so long...I've been barely managing for a year...I thought it would get easier but it just seems to get harder (and even more boring I might add)...I do need to look into food families and really try to expand my horizons, it's just so scary...I'm not a creative cook by any means and some of the things in the store I don't even know what to do with...I have a poor pathetic eggplant (I think it's an eggplant...Purple, funny shaped vegetable) sitting in my refrigerator waiting to be eaten and I don't even know what to do with it...I do make my own chicken stock to use to flavor quinoa and millet with occasionally (plain water is so boring)...I'd much rather my sons be healthy (and in turn myself because I know I feel better as well), I just get so bored and frustrated eating the same thing all the time (and I'd kill for lasagna right now)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 If you don't already know about it, Whole Foods sells a quinoa pasta that is pretty good. Check the list of ingredients if corn is a problem or if you're on a rotary diet and these are on different days. The only quinoa pasta I've ever seen has corn (and, from the taste of it, at least half of it is corn, if not more.) Since I brought up bacon, you could cook a piece of bacon in a pan before you make some of your food if you need to add more flavor to a meal. Since you have cut out dairy and beef you probably are ok adding a little more saturated fat, and bacon makes anything taste better. :D I have been experimenting with both gluten-free and dairy-free so I know a little about the issues you are talking about....but not being able to have rice or beans really makes that kind of a diet so much harder! :grouphug: Hope you can figure out some good meals that work for you. Regular bacon can be a problem for many dc with food, etc, issues due to additives. You can get uncured bacon (it still has nitrates/nitrites, whichever it is, from smoking, but not as many) that doesn't have some of the no-no things added to it. I'm speaking of real bacon. There is also a turkey alternative, but I'd check the ingredients if there are other food issues. Many things are sweetened with fruit juice, and if there are problems with the fruit in any of those juices, they may have to be avoided. I can't eat beans unless they're sprouted, and then only certain ones. It can be done. Same with no rice, but it means a lot more home baking, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storm Bay Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 (edited) Karin (that was just way too much too quote LOL), Wow 4 years on a rotating diet? That seems so long...I've been barely managing for a year...I thought it would get easier but it just seems to get harder (and even more boring I might add)...I do need to look into food families and really try to expand my horizons, it's just so scary...I'm not a creative cook by any means and some of the things in the store I don't even know what to do with...I have a poor pathetic eggplant (I think it's an eggplant...Purple, funny shaped vegetable) sitting in my refrigerator waiting to be eaten and I don't even know what to do with it...I do make my own chicken stock to use to flavor quinoa and millet with occasionally (plain water is so boring)...I'd much rather my sons be healthy (and in turn myself because I know I feel better as well), I just get so bored and frustrated eating the same thing all the time (and I'd kill for lasagna right now)... It's not easy, I'll grant you that. The best way to prepare eggplant for cooking is to cut it up into cubes, put it into a colander, salt it generously and let it sit for a while to help get rid of a nasty tasting substance. Then you can rinse the salt off. Or, if you choose to stuff it, cut it in half, hollow the middles, salt them genrously and have them drain upside down first. It's really good cooked with a tomato sauce. Tomato sauce doesn't have to have garlic or onion in it, if those are no-nos. I can't have nightshade veggies anymore (eggplant, potatoes, peppers & tomatoes are all in the nightshade family,) but I make my family tomato sauces with no garlic or onion so that a. it fits in the rotary diet and b. I don't have to smell it on dh's breath. Dd can't have peppers, so I don't usually put green pepper in, but it's good in tomato sauces. I moved the mint family (most of the herbs that go into tomato sauce, such as rosemary & thyme, are in the mint family) to a different day so that I could make tomato sauces, but move it back to another day if I want to make a pot roast and just make sure not to eat them too close together so it doesn't botch things up. Can you have chocolate of any kind? I can have natural cocoa powder and one kind of chocolate chip made by enjoy life (no soy or dairy, etc). I'll cook up a pot of amaranth, put it in bowls, and mix in plenty of chocolate chips in it for my dc. About 2-3 tbsp (it's a treat, but an easy way to eat amaranth. I also make them an amaranth brownie.) They don't eat quinoa much, so we don't buy that anymore. I make a drink, which is very much an acquired taste, of water, cocoa powder and a very tiny amount of sweetener (just enough to get rid of the bitter taste but not cause yeast growth). It gives my my chocolate buzz without extra calories or things I can't have. I've also made a chocolate "pudding" with cocoa powder, but I used rice flour. You could try doing that with millet or another blander type of gluten free flour. I can't remember if you can have any fruit. My dc like banana pops, which are bananas peeled, cut in half with a popsicle stick or something stuck in the fat end to hold it with, and frozen. They'll also eat frozen seedless grapes. I can't have any fruit (I don't mean botanical fruit, I mean what we think of as fruit) except for some melons, so I don't eat that. A book that may help you is called, If this is Tuesday, it Must be Chicken. It's for a rotary diet, but includes more foods than we can eat, so I still have to substitute if I use some of the recipes. There are some other good books, too, but that one is devoted to a rotary diet. Edited October 3, 2009 by Karin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LND1218 Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 You may also want to find some local hunters to mix up your diet--I can eat any wild game. Deer isn't that good, but it has some nutrients that you need if you can't eat beef. Buffalo steak is pretty good, and I like quail. You can get them at exoticmeats.com, but they are expensive. Deer is fantastic when processed and prepared right. It's out meat staple! We don't eat anything else but chicken on occassion. Don't be afraid to try different meats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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