New rather strict diet need snack/meal suggestions

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Okay so I’m on a special diet for my Endometriosis, and it is pretty strict. It’s supposed to help lengthen the time until I’d need another surgery. 🤷 I’m looking for food suggestions, whether single items or recipes. Those on a vegan type diet would be helpful I’m sure. Between the cost of fresh produce and better quality eggs, meats, etc as well as alternatives for dairy, this is NOT a cheap diet. Any helpful ideas to save some money while I’m at it would be great.

Here’s the restrictions:

No Red Meat
No Dairy
No Soy
No Wheat or Gluten
Only hormone/steroid free white meat or fish
Eggs have to be from vegetarian fed chickens
No added sugars in anything
No caffeine
Stevia and Splenda are the only artificial sweeteners allowed.

Yeah it’s strict. Thank goodness I like fruit, veggies and beans or I’d go insane!

Thanks in advance! 🙂
 
Luckily, there are a lot of gluten-free and lactose-free vegans out there, and among their number are foodies who blog. I’d start cruising the internet to find them, first. My favorite vegetarian authors are Crescent Dragonwagon, Molly Katzen (later books, because the early ones are cheese-heavy), Deborah Madison, and Madhur Jaffrey. I’d check for them at the library, try some of their books, and decide what you might want to buy that way. (The other way I look for library books to try is to look them up on Amazon.com and see if the reviewers describe a book that interests me.)

As for their tofu recipes, full of forbidden soy, consider whether you can use chicken breast (ironically enough) as a substitute. Since you cannot use soy, for umami you’ll also find tomato, mushrooms, and olives are your friends. By “white meat,” confirm that your doctors mean meat that is low in saturated fat. Dark poultry meat and most of the pig are higher in saturated fat than the leaner cuts of beef. You can find tables of which cuts are the best. To grill meats that are low in saturated fat without drying them out, learn about brines and dry rubs (always salt-rub chicken or pork at least 6-8 hours before cooking, or the juices will pull out but not have the time to get back in).

As for cheap, besides cabbage, onions, carrots, beans, and rice, don’t forget potatoes. Look for traditional peasant dishes, too. They tend to use either no meat or condiment amounts of meat, and durable (read: cheap) vegetables and starches. In the Spanish-speaking Americas, for instance, you could eat the Frijoles de Olla and homemade corn tortillas…filling, cheap, and dairy-optional.
 
Maybe you can find or adapt some of the recipes in the jazzy vegetarian tv show. They look yummy. She also has some desserts that use real maple syrup, if you are allowed that instead of sugar.
jazzyvegetarian.com
 
Hi. I’m hoping that this diet will give you relief of your suffering.

It doesn’t have to be a very expensive, you won’t be buying red meat and dairy.

My children like almond milk. I usually buy them the chocolate one, so it’s sweetened.

Here’s a brand of unsweetened almond milk:

silk.com/products/unsweetened-original-almondmilk

Lentils are pretty inexpensive. I make half a pound at a time for my family of 5. you can probably cook about four ounces for yourself and DH, and have leftovers for next time.

I normally saute in olive oil some diced carrots, onions and celery with a clove of garlic, until translucent then I saute the lentils for about a minute. I usually then add chicken broth, but if that is off your list add water, and then salt pepper, maybe a pinch of red pepper flakes.

I usually add some cooked pasta. That’s off your list, but maybe some quinoa or rice?

I normally buy organic vegetarian eggs

egglandsbest.com/product/cage-free-eggs/

I’ll make an omelet for lunch, with some spinach folded in. Or an omelet with arugula on the side, drizzled with a bit of olive oil and vinegar.
 
We have been grappling with the very strict diet my granddaughter is on. A replacement for rice and pasta, that we all enjoy, is couscous and lentils mixed. We cook them separately and then mix them together cup for cup with chopped coriander added.

Last night my daughter made some ‘vegetable cakes’ for supper. She mashed up some leftover vegetables (will probably run them through the liquidizer next time), mixed these with egg and coconut flour and cooked them in muffin tins.

Nuts or nut butters are a popular snack item.

Wishing you success with your diet, it is hard following these strict ones.
 
EasterJoy said:
Luckily, there are a lot of gluten-free and lactose-free vegans out there, and among their number are foodies who blog. I’d start cruising the internet to find them, first. My favorite vegetarian authors are Crescent Dragonwagon, Molly Katzen (later books, because the early ones are cheese-heavy), Deborah Madison, and Madhur Jaffrey. I’d check for them at the library, try some of their books, and decide what you might want to buy that way. (The other way I look for library books to try is to look them up on Amazon.com and see if the reviewers describe a book that interests me.)

As for their tofu recipes, full of forbidden soy, consider whether you can use chicken breast (ironically enough) as a substitute. Since you cannot use soy, for umami you’ll also find tomato, mushrooms, and olives are your friends. By “white meat,” confirm that your doctors mean meat that is low in saturated fat. Dark poultry meat and most of the pig are higher in saturated fat than the leaner cuts of beef. You can find tables of which cuts are the best. To grill meats that are low in saturated fat without drying them out, learn about brines and dry rubs (always salt-rub chicken or pork at least 6-8 hours before cooking, or the juices will pull out but not have the time to get back in).

As for cheap, besides cabbage, onions, carrots, beans, and rice, don’t forget potatoes. Look for traditional peasant dishes, too. They tend to use either no meat or condiment amounts of meat, and durable (read: cheap) vegetables and starches. In the Spanish-speaking Americas, for instance, you could eat the Frijoles de Olla and homemade corn tortillas…filling, cheap, and dairy-optional.
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Thanks! Yeah gluten free isn’t hard right now, it’s everywhere. 😉 But most of those options have dairy and/or soy. It’s so hard to find all three things missing, and if all that checks clear then I have to see if they stuck any sugar in there and if so how much. Ugh! Now I’m just having a pity party. 😛
 
Sunbreak said:
Maybe you can find or adapt some of the recipes in the jazzy vegetarian tv show. They look yummy. She also has some desserts that use real maple syrup, if you are allowed that instead of sugar.
jazzyvegetarian.com
Click to expand...
book_and_bead said:
Hi, you might find some recipes here:

engine2diet.com/

If you have Netflix you can watch an hour long show with Engine 2 recipes, it’s called the Forks Over Knives Engine 2 Kitchen Rescue.

More vegan recipe sites/blogs that might have recipes you can tweak to omit soy or gluten:

kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/

findingvegan.com/

ancientharvest.com/

Hope this helps! 🙂
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Thanks! I will have to check these out.
 
Mary_Gail_36 said:
Hi. I’m hoping that this diet will give you relief of your suffering.

It doesn’t have to be a very expensive, you won’t be buying red meat and dairy.

My children like almond milk. I usually buy them the chocolate one, so it’s sweetened.

Here’s a brand of unsweetened almond milk:

silk.com/products/unsweetened-original-almondmilk

Lentils are pretty inexpensive. I make half a pound at a time for my family of 5. you can probably cook about four ounces for yourself and DH, and have leftovers for next time.

I normally saute in olive oil some diced carrots, onions and celery with a clove of garlic, until translucent then I saute the lentils for about a minute. I usually then add chicken broth, but if that is off your list add water, and then salt pepper, maybe a pinch of red pepper flakes.

I usually add some cooked pasta. That’s off your list, but maybe some quinoa or rice?

I normally buy organic vegetarian eggs

egglandsbest.com/product/cage-free-eggs/

I’ll make an omelet for lunch, with some spinach folded in. Or an omelet with arugula on the side, drizzled with a bit of olive oil and vinegar.
Click to expand...
Thanks! Your so sweet. I’ve had a couple immediate benefits already. I don’t have as much trouble with my IBS since I mixed the dairy and sugar. And I’ve lost 3.5 pounds in 2 weeks so I can live with that side effect! 😉

I love Silks unsweetened Coconut milk. Their unsweetened almond milk is ok with cereal but not just to drink…hence why the sweeten it for most people. 😛
 
VivienneJ said:
We have been grappling with the very strict diet my granddaughter is on. A replacement for rice and pasta, that we all enjoy, is couscous and lentils mixed. We cook them separately and then mix them together cup for cup with chopped coriander added.

Last night my daughter made some ‘vegetable cakes’ for supper. She mashed up some leftover vegetables (will probably run them through the liquidizer next time), mixed these with egg and coconut flour and cooked them in muffin tins.

Nuts or nut butters are a popular snack item.

Wishing you success with your diet, it is hard following these strict ones.
Click to expand...
Her diet sounds even stricter than mine! :eek: I hope she is okay! 😦

I have never heard of coconut being used as a flour! That sound cool and yummy. 🙂
 
I follow a similar diet for health reasons and have found that my favorite go to meal is a variety of chopped veggies (asparagus, mushrooms, onion, garlic, tomato, broccoli, spinach, etc) with whichever protein I have available at the time (chicken, egg, leftover pork, steak, etc) sauteed in high-quality butter like Kerrigold and thoroughly seasoned. High-quality seasonings are key when avoiding all the processed foods that are usually flavorful because of the amount of processing and chemicals!

These are my favorite seasonings. At first glance they are pricey, but I assure you they are some of the best seasonings around. My husband is extremely frugal but sees the value in purchasing these because we are more inclined to eat at home by using such great seasonings, and thereby saving money. They are made to order and are free of all the fillers and junk that other mixed seasonings contain. AND they’re vegan! The bottles are larger than typical seasoning bottles you’d buy at a store, so they last months even using them every day!

flavorgod.com
 
Convert_in_99 said:
Okay so I’m on a special diet for my Endometriosis, and it is pretty strict. It’s supposed to help lengthen the time until I’d need another surgery. 🤷 I’m looking for food suggestions, whether single items or recipes. Those on a vegan type diet would be helpful I’m sure. Between the cost of fresh produce and better quality eggs, meats, etc as well as alternatives for dairy, this is NOT a cheap diet. Any helpful ideas to save some money while I’m at it would be great.

Here’s the restrictions:

No Red Meat
No Dairy
No Soy
No Wheat or Gluten
Only hormone/steroid free white meat or fish
Eggs have to be from vegetarian fed chickens
No added sugars in anything
No caffeine
Stevia and Splenda are the only artificial sweeteners allowed.

Yeah it’s strict. Thank goodness I like fruit, veggies and beans or I’d go insane!

Thanks in advance! 🙂
Click to expand...
Some tips-
Code: 
Buy gluten free flours in bulk, make your own noodles, spaghetti, etc with a noodle maker.   Yeah, that's expensive at first, but in the long run so as long as you are eating gluten free, you will save.  its extra work, but you will also get control of how your noodles taste.   There are some brands out there that are not that good, and they are VERY expensive for a little bit of product compared to regular ol' wheat noodles. 

Invest in chickens!  Yes, you won't believe how fun they are to raise.  If its only for yourself to eat the eggs, you would only need a few hens- like 2 to 4 (not every breed lays eggs every day).    Lots of people who own chickens agree that having them around is a natural anti-depressant. (i.e. they are peaceful and fun to watch)   If you free range you don't have to spend as much money on feed because they eat the bugs and plant matter, which is much better- and what you are looking for.   If you live in a non-rural area, there are some suburbs that allow for a few chickens now.  You have to check with your local zoning laws.  They only need so much space, but if they are eating vegetation, then they will need more.  They can clear out a small patch of grass in a day.  If you can't have your own, I would put out an ad on Craigslist or one of those sites like it requesting eggs from  'vegetarian' chickens- but that is probably going to be very costly.
Grow your own fruits and veggies. Invest in some plants and trees.

You will be surprised at how much cost you cut when not purchasing meats or dairy. Can you go meat free entirely? Maybe like only eat it twice a week instead? Can you substitute in for those days you are not eating meat with nuts and grains? Again, speaking of nuts and grains, buy bulk. About meat- seek out farmers who sell that type. Again, that probably won’t be cheap, but look at it this way, you are helping out a farmer’s family by purchasing their product.

I’d skip the splenda, though I understand the craving. Its not natural. Stevia is supposed to be natural, which would be my choice of the two if it were me. (that’s not medical advice but personal opinion). I’d actually forgo all of it if I could, though at first it will be difficult- Give it month or two and your cravings should get a lot better… to the point that looking at a cookie does nothing to you. You won’t want to even eat it and after a year of no sugar, a cookie won’t even taste good to you- at least that is what happened with me.

Herbal teas without caffeine are good subs for regular teas and coffees. There are some people to make very tasty tea blends that are surprisingly delicious.

My advice would be to allow yourself to explore and seek new foods that fit your diet regimen. This way, it won’t get boring, but typically the first 5 months or so, while you are seeking new recipes, foods etc, will be rather bland. I ate the same thing for like almost 3 months when I had to change my diet.

I wish you health and best wishes.
 
I’m predominately vegetarian (which makes Fridays easier - hah!) so I’m more than willing to share recipes with you!

I also used to be gluten free but I just don’t eat bread very much these days.

Get a bread machine (if you don’t already have one) and make gluten-free bread with alternative flours, such as rice/potato/sorghum flour/tapioca flours.

Grow your own produce if you can, it’s better than organic and it’s like adding money to your bank!

Also your local farmer’s market is a great way to get fresh eggs from grain-fed chickens.

Coconut milk is delicious and a great alternative to soy and dairy.

If you can, make kombucha, it is so good for you. Or, just buy it 😉

Also: Quinoa! It’s soooo good when seasoned just right! And it has far more protein than meat.
 
Mother load of vegan recipes
drmcdougall.com/health/education/recipes/

Our families favorite vegan meals are soups and stews with just fresh veggies, root crops and dried herbs. You can substitute rice noodles for wheat pasta. Our family has settled with rice milk for our dairy substitute.
 
1ke said:
Couscous is wheat.
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Indeed. I forget the brand, but it is very low GI and therefore allowed, but adding the lentils makes it even better in this specific case.
Convert_in_99 said:
Her diet sounds even stricter than mine! :eek: I hope she is okay! 😦

I have never heard of coconut being used as a flour! That sound cool and yummy. 🙂
Click to expand...
Thanks, Convert. She has drug resistant epilepsy (with two types of seizure activity) and her new neurologist is trying a combination of medication and diet to see if we can get better control of the seizures.

My daughter grinds up the coconut in a food processor. She also makes nut flours by grinding up nuts.
 
VivienneJ said:
Indeed. I forget the brand, but it is very low GI and therefore allowed, but adding the lentils makes it even better in this specific case.

Thanks, Convert. She has drug resistant epilepsy (with two types of seizure activity) and her new neurologist is trying a combination of medication and diet to see if we can get better control of the seizures.

My daughter grinds up the coconut in a food processor. She also makes nut flours by grinding up nuts.
Click to expand...
I’ve added your granddaughter to my prayer list to St. Dymphna. Seizures are such a scary thing to deal with. Epilepsy runs in my family. I am thankful none of my children (as of yet) have it, but all have had fever induced seizures as infants. 11 of my nieces and nephews have epilepsy as do a few of my siblings. May God bless your family
 
bitterhope said:
I’ve added your granddaughter to my prayer list to St. Dymphna. Seizures are such a scary thing to deal with. Epilepsy runs in my family. I am thankful none of my children (as of yet) have it, but all have had fever induced seizures as infants. 11 of my nieces and nephews have epilepsy as do a few of my siblings. May God bless your family
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Interesting about the fever induced seizures as infants- same thing happened to me and epilepsy runs in my family as well. I think I read somewhere that if there is a genetic link to it that a person can become susceptible to seizures when the body is taxed by other illnesses, but not develop full blown epilepsy per se.

Sorry your family has to deal with that. Seizures are NOT fun, painful and tremendously confusing and scary, not to mention severely embarrassing and a lot of times life-limiting. 😦

Here’s to hope though that one day they will find a total cure. My prayers are with yours.
 
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