Register

help me find meals I can eat!

For all refugees from the old Beeb Food Boards :-)
Chill out and chat with the foodie community or swap top tips.
NOTE: CHATTERBOX IS IN THIS FORUM

Moderators: karadekoolaid, THE MOD TEAM, Stokey Sue, Gillthepainter

Posts: 122
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2020 10:59 am

help me find meals I can eat!

Postby Hope » Fri Oct 02, 2020 10:25 am

Feeling brave?

I feel like this should come with an "enter here if you dare" sign! :lol:

I have a very long list of foods I can't eat, due to my complex health issues.

I am vegan (dairy-intolerant) and gluten-intolerant. (those are probably the easy ones).

I'll try and break the rest down by categories:

nuts and seeds: I can't eat any nuts, peanuts, pinenuts, sunflower seeds, sesame.
I can eat - ground pumpkin (not whole), flax and chia seeds (of the ones I've tried). and coconut (although I don't like savoury coconut, only sweet!)

Fruit: I can't eat: pears, raw pineapple (can eat it tinned or cooked), avocado, plums, kiwi

Veg (or fruits we eat as veg): I can't eat jerusalem fartichokes, tomatoes, peppers, chillies, paprika, aubergine. I can't eat raw cabbage or kale, although I can eat these cooked. No raw onions or garlic.
I can eat but only in small amounts: garlic, onion, leeks, cauliflower, cabbage
I don't like: swede, turnip, radishes, kohl rabi

acid: I can't eat citrus, vinegar. I really miss the acidic taste.

I can't eat sulphites, alcohol (even when it's cooked off), have to be careful about fermented food (although I'm trying to introduce some carefully).

It is possible I might have forgotten something...

chickpea flour, only in small amounts.
no black pepper

I love Italian and Mediterranean food. I'd love to find more recipes in this style of cooking that I can eat. But which are also simple to make and nutritious, with vegan protein, 3-5 veg and some kind of complex carbs.

Our rolling meal plan is:
Monday: pasta with veg, beans, herbs
Tuesday: homemade oven chips, broccoli, carrots, peas or green beans with veggie burgers
Wednesday: pasta with chargrilled seasonal veg and tofu
thursday: veg stir fry with noodles and tamari. (I am so bored with this meal!)
Friday: Pasta (yes again!) with roasted veg
Saturday: either: burgers and buns, burritos, lasagne or pizza.
Sunday: (one of my favourites): roast potatoes, veg, veggie sausages, gravy.

I'd love another idea for a pasta dish (not in a cheesy sauce, because hubby doesn't like that!) and another quick, easy meal to make on a thursday....
Last edited by Hope on Fri Oct 02, 2020 2:29 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Posts: 140
Joined: Sat Jul 21, 2012 6:16 pm

Re: help me find meals I can eat!

Postby Linnet » Fri Oct 02, 2020 10:34 am

What about veg risotto?

Posts: 122
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2020 10:59 am

Re: help me find meals I can eat!

Postby Hope » Fri Oct 02, 2020 10:49 am

Linnet wrote:What about veg risotto?

I tend to find they come out a bit bland. Any idea how to get them to taste better?

User avatar
Posts: 2152
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2017 2:38 pm

Re: help me find meals I can eat!

Postby PatsyMFagan » Fri Oct 02, 2020 11:01 am

Mushroom risotto ? Made with mushroom or veg (gluten-free) stock (cubes)

Posts: 122
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2020 10:59 am

Re: help me find meals I can eat!

Postby Hope » Fri Oct 02, 2020 11:07 am

PatsyMFagan wrote:Mushroom risotto ? Made with mushroom or veg (gluten-free) stock (cubes)

I do love a mushroom risotto, but I just don't feel like it has enough veg in it - I do try to eat my 10 a day! And I can't eat many vegetables raw (other than soft leaves, like lettuce and rocket, and cucumber) to have a salad with it. Any ideas how to expand it a bit more?

User avatar
Posts: 5297
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2020 11:58 am
Location: Wiltshire

Re: help me find meals I can eat!

Postby Earthmaiden » Fri Oct 02, 2020 11:08 am

Are you able to have a selection of herbs and spices which don't belong to the chilli/pepper/garlic/onion families? Things like fennel seeds, cumin, parsley etc?

You say you don't care for savoury coconut, does that extend to coconut milk? I find it a delicious ingredient added to stir fries such as your usual one with ginger (can you have that?).

Are you allowed mushrooms?

User avatar
Posts: 2152
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2017 2:38 pm

Re: help me find meals I can eat!

Postby PatsyMFagan » Fri Oct 02, 2020 11:10 am

Hope wrote:
PatsyMFagan wrote:Mushroom risotto ? Made with mushroom or veg (gluten-free) stock (cubes)

I do love a mushroom risotto, but I just don't feel like it has enough veg in it - I do try to eat my 10 a day! And I can't eat many vegetables raw (other than soft leaves, like lettuce and rocket, and cucumber) to have a salad with it. Any ideas how to expand it a bit more?


Which list is Spinach on ? Even raw, it is soft ..

Posts: 122
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2020 10:59 am

Re: help me find meals I can eat!

Postby Hope » Fri Oct 02, 2020 11:12 am

Earthmaiden wrote:Are you able to have a selection of herbs and spices which don't belong to the chilli/pepper/garlic/onion families? Things like fennel seeds, cumin, parsley etc?

You say you don't care for savoury coconut, does that extend to coconut milk? I find it a delicious ingredient added to stir fries such as your usual one with ginger (can you have that?).

Are you allowed mushrooms?


I can eat other herbs and spices that I've not listed. Although the seed spices, I tend to go easy on because they sometimes trigger symptoms.

I don't like any kind of coconut in savoury foods, including coconut milk.

Mushrooms are fine, yes, I eat them a lot.

Posts: 122
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2020 10:59 am

Re: help me find meals I can eat!

Postby Hope » Fri Oct 02, 2020 11:13 am

PatsyMFagan wrote:Which list is Spinach on ? Even raw, it is soft ..

No spinach. At least it's on my to-be-tested list. (it's a high histamine food, which I have to be careful of).

User avatar
Posts: 3919
Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2012 6:33 pm

Re: help me find meals I can eat!

Postby scullion » Fri Oct 02, 2020 12:09 pm

arancini lifts risotto to a totally different level and although i stuff them with cheese they could be stuffed with something you could eat (do you do vegan cheese?).
what spices are ok?
there are a few indian dishes i could think of and adapting a jollof rice or paella recipe could be an option - although you don't seem to have any rice recipes in your weekly list.
have you tried asafoetida for a 'leek-y' hit (can't say i taste it as leek but that's how others describe it) and amchoor (dried green mango powder) for an acidic hit rather than lemon juice.
how are you with chickpeas, lentils and beans?
the burmese tofu recipe that has been talked about is really good as is socca - a pancake made with chickpea flour.
dosa are made with lentils and rice and can be stuffed with a mix of your choice - saag aloo etc.

ps - what type of burgers and veg sausages do you eat? are they ones you make or branded ones?

User avatar
Posts: 1489
Joined: Thu Jan 14, 2016 6:07 pm

Re: help me find meals I can eat!

Postby Badger's Mate » Fri Oct 02, 2020 12:33 pm

Veggie mince & mash?

Are you OK with maize? Presumably there's some in the burritos for example. I'm thinking sweetcorn and polenta as alternatives to other starches. I guess you use sweet potatoes and squashes if you can. There's a hearty soup using squash, bean & corn from Michael Michaud that might need a tweak to the seasoning but otherwise should work.

Rice pudding or tapioca made with coconut milk. There's a lovely cold soup using tapioca cooked with coconut milk and blended with liquidised ripe melon.

Can you try tamarind or sumac for the acidic taste?

One of our favourite pasta dishes in the winter is bacon & parsnip. I've no idea how it would turn out with vegan versions of the bacon and cheese (if suitable) but might be worth a punt.

Fried rice with a braised dish as a change from stir fry with noodles, or fajitas.

Posts: 122
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2020 10:59 am

Re: help me find meals I can eat!

Postby Hope » Fri Oct 02, 2020 12:40 pm

Scullion....

arancini
I always worry about using leftover rice. How do you cook them? (I can't do deep fat frying - too scary!) I've never made them, should try it!

what spices are ok?
I do eat some occassionally, but sometimes they trigger symptoms. I've given up making indian food, because hubby likes it really hot and I can't eat that. (I've tried everything for that, but tbh I just can't be bothered anymore!)

asafoetida
I have some, but I think it's vile. made the house stink as well. I can eat onions, garlic etc, just in small amounts, so i'd rather have them!

amchoor
I do have some, but I don't know how to use it - any idea on the amount to use?

how are you with chickpeas, lentils and beans?
I can eat these.

the burmese tofu recipe
I will have to look that up.

I can only eat gram/chick pea flour in tiny amounts (made socca once - was in agony for days after). that's one of the ones i forgot about when making the list.

dosa
i've not made those - but I'm a bit wary. Aren't they a bit tough on the stonach?

ps - what type of burgers and veg sausages do you eat? are they ones you make or branded ones?
I keep saying i'll make burgers, but I never do. I eat linda mccartney lincolnshire sausages and sainsburys vegan burgers, which are the only two i've found that I like and which I seem ok with eating!

Posts: 122
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2020 10:59 am

Re: help me find meals I can eat!

Postby Hope » Fri Oct 02, 2020 12:46 pm

Badger's Mate

Veggie mince & mash?
I don't like either of those. Hubby hates mash. along with cauliflower cheese, it's one of his most hated foods!

Are you OK with maize? Presumably there's some in the burritos for example. I'm thinking sweetcorn and polenta as alternatives to other starches. I guess you use sweet potatoes and squashes if you can. There's a hearty soup using squash, bean & corn from Michael Michaud that might need a tweak to the seasoning but otherwise should work.

yes maize is fine. I try not to eat too much sweetcorn. That soup sounds lovely! i will look it up. (or can you post it?)

Rice pudding or tapioca made with coconut milk. There's a lovely cold soup using tapioca cooked with coconut milk and blended with liquidised ripe melon.

I'm going to skip over that as i just don't like rice pudding. sweet things I can usually find recipes for. it's just meals. we don't do desert.

Can you try tamarind or sumac for the acidic taste?

I have both, but I've no idea how to use. I've added sumac before to meals, not sure i could taste it, don't know how much to add!

One of our favourite pasta dishes in the winter is bacon & parsnip. I've no idea how it would turn out with vegan versions of the bacon and cheese (if suitable) but might be worth a punt.

could you post the recipe, please? I usually sub bacon with mushrooms and/or smoked tofu. I love parsnips!

Fried rice with a braised dish as a change from stir fry with noodles, or fajitas.

any suggestions on the braising? I'm not really sure how to do that.

User avatar
Posts: 4598
Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2020 4:02 pm

Re: help me find meals I can eat!

Postby herbidacious » Fri Oct 02, 2020 1:18 pm

You mentioned fat in another thread. What are your restrictions regarding oils and fats?

Also can you do nutritional yeast?

Pulses?

User avatar
Posts: 3919
Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2012 6:33 pm

Re: help me find meals I can eat!

Postby scullion » Fri Oct 02, 2020 1:31 pm

as it seems you can eat pea flour (in the Sainsbury's burgers) maybe there are other ways of using it like in these, using a different binder (flax?)
how are the vegan alternatives to cream in cooking? tagliatelle with a creamy sauce of fried chopped onions garlic and mushrooms with a good amount of ground black pepper is rather good (and with whole green peppercorns). the sauce can be used on other things, too.
do you use tvp? according to a wholefoods website theirs is purely soy protein. it can be hidden/disguised in many meat type recipes (as can the linda mac sausages).

i have baked arancini - just to see if they do - but like oven chips, they are better fried!
if the risotto has been in the fridge overnight it's fine. but i also make the risotto just to make arancini so it doesn't sit around for very long anyway.
interesting that you can eat chickpeas but not the flour. is the agony from 'wind'‽
veg stew and dumplings?

is there a difference for you when cooking garlic cloves whole rather than crushing or thinly slicing?

i have made pastys (and bastilla)with gluten free flour for a friend - difficult but doable so do you make pastry? crank's crecy pie is rather good if you can cope with some onions - although the protein would come from the pastry (unless you added something like the chopped up sausage to the filling).
Last edited by scullion on Fri Oct 02, 2020 1:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Posts: 1489
Joined: Thu Jan 14, 2016 6:07 pm

Re: help me find meals I can eat!

Postby Badger's Mate » Fri Oct 02, 2020 1:38 pm

This is a link for a similar soup to the one I make

https://ketchupwiththat.com/2016/08/06/pumpkin-soup/

You might care to reduce or eliminate the allium content and adjust the herbs and spices to suit you. For us it's an autumnal meal, I use fresh squashes and beans. The version I make uses tomatoes and I add smoked paprika, but the basic mix of veg works well with veggie stock and seasoning of your choice. It's nicely hearty.

Sumac is just sprinkled on or in until you can taste it. I don't know if it loses its oomph over time. Tamarind is bought as pods or a block or a paste. Pods and blocks are steeped in hot water and strained, the paste is used straight out of the jar. There's a Madhur Jaffrey fresh chutney using tamarind paste and sliced bananas as a side dish, but otherwise use as per a recipe or just add it or sumac as a seasoning where you might use lemon or vinegar, it won't be the same but will be sharp, each in its own way. Stewed rhubarb could be used in a similar fashion.

In this house, curries and chillies are made mild. There are 'his & hers accompaniments', we can choose to make the dinner as spicy as we wish. If fresh or pickled chillies, hot chutneys or relishes were available maybe you could accommodate disparate tastes?


For the pasta

https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pas ... pancetta...

It's all wrong on several counts but as mentioned before there are vegan options for all the wrong stuff that might just work for you. Smoked tofu might be perfect.


For braised Chinese veg dishes, I'm thinking of cucumber and or or lettuce with tofu, maybe (Chinese fermented) black beans, or mushroom soy or veggie oyster sauce if they are suitable, you need to check the gluten I think, if not perhaps gluten free miso might be worth a look.

HTH and good luck. :D

Posts: 122
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2020 10:59 am

Re: help me find meals I can eat!

Postby Hope » Fri Oct 02, 2020 1:39 pm

herbidacious wrote:You mentioned fat in another thread. What are your restrictions regarding oils and fats?

Also can you do nutritional yeast?

Pulses?


it's the amount of oil that's a problem. I do eat it, but can't have say a dressed salad with oil on it.

Yes I have nutritional yeast.

Pulses are ok, mostly only tinned ones and also red lentils.

User avatar
Posts: 1076
Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2012 5:16 pm
Location: Greater Manchester

Re: help me find meals I can eat!

Postby smitch » Fri Oct 02, 2020 1:40 pm

Vegan pad Thai rather than the stir fry?

I was also going to ask if you could eat nutritional yeast, I often use it in risotto to boost the savoury 'cheesiness' of the dish. There are also some vegan 'cheese' sauce recipes online using potato and carrot.

Could you veganise moussaka?

I'll have a think of what else we eat regularly that could be adapted.

Posts: 122
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2020 10:59 am

Re: help me find meals I can eat!

Postby Hope » Fri Oct 02, 2020 1:48 pm

scullion wrote:as it seems you can eat pea flour

Only in small amounts, i'll have to check the recipe and work out how much you end up eating

how are the vegan alternatives to cream in cooking?

a lot of people seem to use coconut milk (which I don't like in savoury foods). there are vegan creams you can buy, but they have loads of sugar in. Normally I use a thick stock.
I can't eat blackpepper either.

I've had TVP in the past and have been fine with it, but find it just unpleasant. really. sometimes it feels too much like meat (I'm sure meat eaters would disagree!) I prefer beans or tofu.


i have baked arancini - just to see if they do - but like oven chips, they are better fried!

I love my homemade oven chips (not bought ones, though!) I will have to have a go at arancini.

interesting that you can eat chickpeas but not the flour. is the agony from 'wind'‽

when they are boiled (which obviously the flour isn't) it reduces the fodmaps in them, so easier to digest. I eat small amounts of it - like a tablespoon to thicken a whole dish, but can't eat it in socca. Yes trapped wind and things (more painful than childbirth!)

veg stew and dumplings?

yum. i must dig out my recipe for dumplings (which has less fat in it than traditional ones). I love dumplings!

is there a difference for you when cooking garlic cloves whole rather than crushing or thinly slicing?

I normally just add one (or two if they are very small) to the whole dish. usually crushed. I've not tried them whole because I can't eat that much. i think it's the amount. (a year ago I couldn't eat any after doing the low fodmap diet really messed up my guts!)

Posts: 122
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2020 10:59 am

Re: help me find meals I can eat!

Postby Hope » Fri Oct 02, 2020 1:55 pm

Badger's Mate wrote:https://ketchupwiththat.com/2016/08/06/pumpkin-soup/

that looks good. just the sort of thing i love, with a few tweaks. I'm just slightly agog at the amount of chilli in it. Can "normal" people really eat that much? I used to put half a tsp in for a meal to serve 4 and that would be too much for me! :lol:
I need to try smoked paprika again to see if I can handle it now. I love it.

Sumac is just sprinkled on or in until you can taste it. I don't know if it loses its oomph over time. Tamarind is bought as pods or a block or a paste. Pods and blocks are steeped in hot water and strained, the paste is used straight out of the jar. There's a Madhur Jaffrey fresh chutney using tamarind paste and sliced bananas as a side dish, but otherwise use as per a recipe or just add it or sumac as a seasoning where you might use lemon or vinegar, it won't be the same but will be sharp, each in its own way. Stewed rhubarb could be used in a similar fashion.

thanks. i will experiment more with these. Do you add sumac at the end? I wonder if i was cooking it for too long?

For the pasta

https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pasta-recipes/parsnip-and-pancetta...

It's all wrong on several counts but as mentioned before there are vegan options for all the wrong stuff that might just work for you. Smoked tofu might be perfect.

thanks!


For braised Chinese veg dishes, I'm thinking of cucumber and or or lettuce with tofu, maybe (Chinese fermented) black beans, or mushroom soy or veggie oyster sauce if they are suitable, you need to check the gluten I think, if not perhaps gluten free miso might be worth a look.

and thanks again. i need to make notes!

Next

Return to Food Chat & Chatterbox

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 28 guests