Following the diet, especially in the beginning, is hard enough on its own. I can't imagine how much more overwhelming it would be for a devout vegetarian, especially if that person chose to be one out of moral, ethical, or religious reasons. It wouldn't be so simple, then, to just start eating meat to make up for the protein he or she wouldn't be getting from soy and other possibly irritating meat alternatives. For many of my vegetarian friends, it's an intense part of who they are, and not just a health choice. Eating meat, or even fish, isn't even an option, and no one should have to choose between his or her physical well-being verses spiritual well-being.
Also, while the cookbooks offered on this website can help, I've noticed a lot of posters complaining that they have trouble with weight gain or feeling malnourished. Eating well is hard enough for reasonably healthy people as it is, and this makes things so much more complicated.
Because of this, I'm going to try and come up with recipes for both vegetarians and for people who are looking for a lighter alternative to meat and potato dishes.
I'll experiment with a new recipe each week, and then report back on it. When I whip up something for here, I'll make sure to try and keep it in the "mostly ok" territory. Maybe down the road I'll posts more adventurous stuff for those of us who can be more permissive with the diet, but for now, I want it to be as helpful as possible to the widest range of people.
Here's the first installment:
Quinoa salad
(quinoa is a "grain" that is also a complete protein. It cooks a lot like rice and is very versatile. You may be able to get it at your local grocery store, or most definitely at the nearest health food place).
You'll need:
2 cups uncooked quinoa
3/4 cup IC-friendly pesto (most pesto is made from basil, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pine nuts, which are all mostly IC-friendly, but make sure you avoid a brand with a lot of artficial preservatives, or you can also with a food processor easily make your own. It freezes well.)
4-5 cloves of garlic
1-2 tbs olive oil
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese or feta cheese
1/2 cup raisins (if you can tolerate them)
Rinse the quinoa off and place it in a large pot along with 2 cups of water. Bring the pot to a boil, then cover and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes until the quinoa is tender. You can also use a rice cooker if you have one.
While the quinoa is cooking, heat the 1-2 tbs of olive oil in a skillet on medium heat and sliver the garlic cloves so that you have many thin slices. Add them to the oil and sautee quickly until the garlic is a light golden brown, but be careful not to burn it. Garlic turns bitter very quickly. Add the pesto and raisins (if using) and lower the heat so that you just heat the pesto through. By the time that's gently warmed up, your quinoa should be just about done.
In a large mixing bowl, add the quinoa to the garlic and pesto and mix thoroughly. Break up any clumps that the quinoa forms. Allow the mixture to cool somewhat, and then add the cheese. Salt and pepper to taste, and adjust to add more cheese if needed. You can serve this either warm or put it in the fridge to chill. This will make enough to feed a family of four maybe with leftovers. It can be a meal by itself, or an excellent side dish. I took it to a party the other night, and all my non-IC friends loved it and begged for the recipe. The total cooking time is less than thirty or forty minutes. It can be fun for kids too, maybe, because quinoa just looks so cool after it's cooked - like little transparent beads with squigley tails. It keeps well in the fridge for several days afterwards, and can be adapted to fit any seasonings you're ok with. Plus, it's filling, unlike a lot of vegetarian food can be.
Ok, that's it for this first week, I hope that might help some people out and challenge others to try something new!
Also, while the cookbooks offered on this website can help, I've noticed a lot of posters complaining that they have trouble with weight gain or feeling malnourished. Eating well is hard enough for reasonably healthy people as it is, and this makes things so much more complicated.
Because of this, I'm going to try and come up with recipes for both vegetarians and for people who are looking for a lighter alternative to meat and potato dishes.
I'll experiment with a new recipe each week, and then report back on it. When I whip up something for here, I'll make sure to try and keep it in the "mostly ok" territory. Maybe down the road I'll posts more adventurous stuff for those of us who can be more permissive with the diet, but for now, I want it to be as helpful as possible to the widest range of people.
Here's the first installment:
Quinoa salad
(quinoa is a "grain" that is also a complete protein. It cooks a lot like rice and is very versatile. You may be able to get it at your local grocery store, or most definitely at the nearest health food place).
You'll need:
2 cups uncooked quinoa
3/4 cup IC-friendly pesto (most pesto is made from basil, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pine nuts, which are all mostly IC-friendly, but make sure you avoid a brand with a lot of artficial preservatives, or you can also with a food processor easily make your own. It freezes well.)
4-5 cloves of garlic
1-2 tbs olive oil
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese or feta cheese
1/2 cup raisins (if you can tolerate them)
Rinse the quinoa off and place it in a large pot along with 2 cups of water. Bring the pot to a boil, then cover and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes until the quinoa is tender. You can also use a rice cooker if you have one.
While the quinoa is cooking, heat the 1-2 tbs of olive oil in a skillet on medium heat and sliver the garlic cloves so that you have many thin slices. Add them to the oil and sautee quickly until the garlic is a light golden brown, but be careful not to burn it. Garlic turns bitter very quickly. Add the pesto and raisins (if using) and lower the heat so that you just heat the pesto through. By the time that's gently warmed up, your quinoa should be just about done.
In a large mixing bowl, add the quinoa to the garlic and pesto and mix thoroughly. Break up any clumps that the quinoa forms. Allow the mixture to cool somewhat, and then add the cheese. Salt and pepper to taste, and adjust to add more cheese if needed. You can serve this either warm or put it in the fridge to chill. This will make enough to feed a family of four maybe with leftovers. It can be a meal by itself, or an excellent side dish. I took it to a party the other night, and all my non-IC friends loved it and begged for the recipe. The total cooking time is less than thirty or forty minutes. It can be fun for kids too, maybe, because quinoa just looks so cool after it's cooked - like little transparent beads with squigley tails. It keeps well in the fridge for several days afterwards, and can be adapted to fit any seasonings you're ok with. Plus, it's filling, unlike a lot of vegetarian food can be.
Ok, that's it for this first week, I hope that might help some people out and challenge others to try something new!
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