This is SO hard! Need some help with meals pls!

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  • majigurl
    majigurl Posts: 660 Member
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    You have to find food that you like. If you're not an avocado fan, don't eat it. I try to keep it as simple as possible. My family generally eats lean proteins for dinner and I dump massive amounts of veggies on everyone's plates. While I understand that your goal is to cut out gluten due to possible intolerance, I have to say that limiting foods is like setting myself up for failure. I quit drinking soda every single day. I may drink 3-4 cans a month. I quit drinking a pot of coffee every day. Now I drink 1 cup a day, on average. Start slow and don't get upset if you or your family don't follow the rules that y'all set all of the time. That's where a lot of people derail because it's too restrictive. If you have a farmer's market, try shopping there for produce or try growing your own veggies to help you feel more connected to healthy foods.

    I have tried to replace when I limit. I started adding eggs to our diets and more cheeses. It is hard to learn to listen to our bodies and find the foods that best suit us. We are only 4 in our family but it seems like everyones body works differently lol
    I have cut out soda because there was no benefit. :/ though my daughter is allowed to have a sprite here and there if SHE wants if we eat out at a restaurant ( she is a teen). I let them choose to be healthy, they follow along and learn from example instead of being told! ( who knew :P )
    but you are 100% right. If you stop everything I also believe you are heading for disaster. we used to eat chips in this house as a snack at night. I now get fudgicals (sp) at 80 cals a serving. they still get a taste treat but with less harmful trans fats. that balance is hard to figure out.. but I'm trying! lol
  • majigurl
    majigurl Posts: 660 Member
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    If you're family doesn't like sprouts or asparagus, try roasting one or the other with some EVOO, garlic, salt, pepper. Then sprinkle a little FRESH grated parmesan cheese over them. I used to hate both, but enjoy them now simply because I cook them like that.

    I might have to try that. we are huge on fresh grated Parmesan now. add that with the garlic you mentioned and it might just work! Finding recipes that are my family friendly can be challenging. Each family is so different.
  • majigurl
    majigurl Posts: 660 Member
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    I understand, suppers are really tough to make both healthy and pleasing to everyone. I don't have pasta much, the tiny serving size is disappointing to me. I will usually have sweet potatoes, roasted butternut squash, red potatoes, or brown rice as my "starch". Have you tried farro? I was sure it would be too healthy tasting, but it's nutty and delicious, and has fiber and protein. I also do flatbread or pita pizzas, which everyone seems to like, or soft tacos or quesadillas with leftover meat, beans or veggies.

    I've never tried farro. Never heard of it either. I can't do much of the rest you said because of the gluten :/ I love breads so much, but it was doing nothing good for me. I was so sure I didnt have a gluten intolerance. Honestly I thought it was just a silly fad .. disappointed! lol I do still get burgers and taco's though. half the family just replaces the bread part with romane lettuce. I now find it taste better than the breads!
  • majigurl
    majigurl Posts: 660 Member
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    Posts like this always make me feel like a boring eater and like the OP wants to be a boring eater too but just hasn't fully committed. It always goes something like this: "I've cut out sugar, bread, pasta, potatoes, and cheese for some reason that makes sense until you say it out loud. Also I don't like a bunch of vegetables. What are some really elaborate tasty recipes I can make?"

    Sorry but you can't really have it both ways. You can't say you only want to eat meats and the two kinds of vegetables you actually like and then say you are bored with your food because you can't find any recipes. Embrace simplicity or add the foods you eliminated back in some sort of moderation that will allow you to cook the way you want.

    How is gluten, rice, and 3 veggies everything? lol

    Honestly, my familly has ADDED way more than we took away/don't like. Every week we are trying new protein's, veggies, fruits and alternative ( like chia, quinoa, flax, coconut oils, legumes etc) and learning what works best with our bodies/systems.

    I find it hard to believe every other families LOVES all veggies and eats EVERYTHING :/

    If it's ok to be a vegetarian or a vegan, I think it is ok to not like some parts of veggies and grains IMO. Gluten I honestly used to think was a fad. Only me and my daughter now seem to have an intolerance for it. The difference from being on gluten free diet and not is night and day. And I only make those changes for me and my eldest. The other two eat gluten now in moderation. That wasn't really a choice, and one I would have gladly avoided having to make.

    learning to eat right after cooking and baking in a manner that didn't really constitute healthy is difficult for some. Like myself. I do not see an issue with asking for help. I have gotten a lot of great advice from some rather knowledgable people on, which btw I am truly grateful for :)
  • majigurl
    majigurl Posts: 660 Member
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    One thing weight watchers has are very good cookbooks. One I use a lot and my family likes is
    The weight watchers Powerfoods Cookbook. You can get it on amazon.

    Most of the weight watchers cookbooks have really good recipes. This may give you ideas as to what to cook. My family gets bored unless I use recipes like these sometimes.
    Good luck to you. :flowerforyou:

    Oh! I hadn't even thought of that! I have a friend that was a ww for a good while! She did REALLY well on it! I'll have to check online for ww recipes and see if she has any recipes she could recommend for me! ty!
  • majigurl
    majigurl Posts: 660 Member
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    I did a chicken stirfry last night that my family loved. Just use chicken tenders or breasts cut up veggies of your choice. Maybe you could do half and half with the rice...half brown half white I've done that before and it tastes better than just plain brown rice. You're doing fantastic so far, lots of good changes, try not to get discouraged.

    you read my mind! lol I'll be doing some half half tonight to try! I am making a baked salmon tonight and I LOVE rice with salmon :/ salad and steamed broccoli as side so I can reduce the rice portion :)
    ty for the encouragement! It does mean a lot to me ! :)
  • blupanda12
    blupanda12 Posts: 54 Member
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    With gluten-free becoming a "thing" nowadays, it's quite easy to find delicious gluten-free breads, wraps, and pastas. I cook gluten-free for my husband, and home-made pizza with GF Bob's Red Mill pizza dough is practically a weekly staple. It can be made low calorie through judicious use of sauce and cheese, and loading with veggies. I also stretch the crust out quite a bit, so we get more pizza per serving.

    We also rely a lot on soups, stews, and stir-fry. If your family doesn't like rice, perhaps soups would be better. There are tons of recipes online. The broth-based soups tend to be lower than the cream-based varietys, and all can be loaded with veggies and your choice of proteins. We also eat a ton of cheese and fruits for snacking. We aren't big veggie people, so they get built into dinners instead of being done separately.

    For a while, I also did the "hiding veggies" thing, like adding carrot and squash to my spaghetti sauce. This ups the nutritional value without losing taste. There are lots of online resources for this kind of thing too - might be useful if there's a limited number of veggies your family enjoys without being cooked to death.

    Good luck!
  • majigurl
    majigurl Posts: 660 Member
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    This website is full of gluten free recipes. I honestly haven't tried many, but the ones my wife and I have tried have been good. Lots of desserts and meal ideas on here.

    http://ohsheglows.com/

    ty! I'll be taking a look at it!
  • majigurl
    majigurl Posts: 660 Member
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    I've read a lot of things that say you end up liking what you eat, rather than eating what you like, if that makes sense. Over time, if it's what's on the table, it's what your taste buds get used to. I do like your idea of getting to veto one food, although I think pickled herring and sardines should count as one food for me. ;-)

    I heard an interview a few months ago (on NPR I think) in which the interviewee said that most people have to taste a new food 20-40 times before they gain an appreciation for it. I used to dislike most cruciferous vegetables. Now I like most of them. But I had to be willing to keep trying them.

    I agree with this 100% .. I just can't do asparagus lol. I have no issues letting my family have one things they can say "no way" to. Especially since they have to so often now keep trying foods they are not happy with currently ;)
  • majigurl
    majigurl Posts: 660 Member
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    I'm trying so hard to keep my meals clean and fresh and healthy!
    but my gawd I'm not finding it easy! Grocery stores sell so much HORRIBLE foods! I'm an avid pinterest addict and all the foods there always seem to be full of sugar. When you look up healthy recipes you find avocados ( which I just don't like ) and other foods i'm not a fan of. ( brusel sprouts, asparagus etc )
    We are taking out most gluten's also. I have noticed that me and my eldest daughter seem to be affected by it ( bloating, bad skin etch). Pasta is something else I'm trying to cut out.
    I have a few meals that I currently make that are super yummy and healthy. But I can count them on one hand! I have bought a bunch of healthy cookbooks, but the meals seem silly and too weird. Same thing with recipes online. I can spend HOURS ( wish this was an exaggeration ) on searching for a recipe for that night with no luck.

    What am I doing wrong :( Why does it seem to hard?

    What are some of your staple healthy, low calorie no gluten meals? and not pasta?

    Things I have done to change our eating:

    -Taken away white instant rice - We are slowly adding quinoa instead but the family isn't enjoying it.
    -Taken away anything breaded
    - Have added salad to almost all our suppers
    - Always lots of steamed from fresh or frozen veggies
    - No more pop drinks
    - always lots of fresh fruits and veggies cut up for easy snacks.

    I know I'm doing good, I just struggle so much with suppers! I'm used to making a new recipe almost nightly for my family! that is what they are used to.

    Any help would be greatly appreciated!

    You're trying to change too much at once.

    Oh, this has been over the last year. the pop was hard. It was maybe one change a month and I would add something new that month. a year into eating better I'm still finding it hard to have new recipes that my family LOVE.
    I spoiled my family with new "unhealthy" recipes almost nightly that now I feel like I'm failing because I can't seem to come up/find new recipes that are as big of a hit as often.
  • bohemian124
    bohemian124 Posts: 153 Member
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    I haven't tried tilapia yet . looking for a recipe that suits our family. I found lots that was breaded :/

    I really like tilapia tacos. Season with cumin, chili, salt, pepper, and lime zest. Bake, then add a squeeze of fresh lime juice while they are still hot. Serve on corn tortillas (I think you can get these GF) or make a taco salad. My go to for taco salads is shredded red cabbage, shredded carrot, cilantro, lime juice, a touch of agave and a touch of oil. So yummy. Goes great with tilapia, fish, black beans, etc. You can add beans for an extra protein kick, or not.
  • majigurl
    majigurl Posts: 660 Member
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    try using couscous in place of rice. whole grain variety. its a lot healthier.
    It does get difficult at times, comes with the territory. commercial america dosent want you eating healthy. it dosen tsell many cheesburgers and french fries. you have to change your mindset. you are changing your lifestyle. its not easy but it dose get easier with time. as it sounds, your family is already "adapting" with the kiddos now desiring salad. we started a new life style about 2.5 months ago...one thing we didnt do was push it on our kids. my wife and I ate different meals and slowly our children are wanting to eat healthier as well....make tacos with ground turkey instead of beef....low fat sour cream...fat free cheese....once you add the seasoning to the turley...its really hard to tell a difference at all!
    dont be afraid to "treat" your self a couple nights a month to a "regular" meal. just watch your portion sizes and most importantly. make it a point to walk and exercise as much as you can. my wife and I try to walk everyday, at least thats our goal. so now that that is our goal...when we dont walk one or two days. our new habits kick in and we MAKE the time to walk. it takes roughly 21 days for new habits to take hold...stick to your guns and try searching "healthy alternitives recipes for the meals you always ate before, or substitue the protiens (meat) in your existing recipes with turkey or chicken....black beamn burgers are tasty alternitives too... you can do this! just keep your goal in sight and keep shooting for it!

    I read the 21 day rule. It is why I try to change one thing about once a month currently.
    I was doing fat free this and that and read up on it isn't good for you and so you should just go back to regular stuff ( sour creams etc) and just have less of it.

    that is another hard one about where we live is the "information" overload! what is REALLY true and what isn't?

    When trying to do just do right by your family and keep them healthy and happy, it can be challenging. ty for the encouragement!
  • Doreen9686
    Doreen9686 Posts: 62
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  • Four_Leaf_Clover
    Four_Leaf_Clover Posts: 332 Member
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    A favorite gluten free side for my family is Mel's Kitchen Cafe's recipe for golden skillet potatoes - it's super simple - Yukon gold potatoes, olive oil, a little garlic. Tastes like delicious roasted potatoes but cooks much faster.
    http://www.melskitchencafe.com/golden-skillet-potatoes-and-lets-talk-food-allergies-for-a-second/

    Another tasty one is green bean fries (roasted green beans) (http://dashingdish.com/recipe/crispy-baked-parmesan-green-bean-fries/ is one recipe, but it's really a method).

    Two main dishes we love, though not totally clean (but full of veggies) are Thai Chicken with Peanut Noodles (you could easily sub the spaghetti noodle for rice or quinoa pasta or even spaghetti squash or zucchini ribbons - http://www.skinnykitchen.com/recipes/skinny-thai-chicken-and-peanut-noodles/

    and Rachel Ray's Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/barbecued-chinese-chicken-lettuce-wraps-recipe.html

    Have you tried cauliflower rice? My coworker swears by it!
  • lmann72
    lmann72 Posts: 82 Member
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    Protein - carb and veggie - all measured.

    The grill is great for everything.

    Brown rice, couscous, and corn are all decent carbs.

    Here's some of our regular meals:

    Meatballs and sauce with spaghetti squash
    London Broil and mashed cauliflower with parm and butter
    Blackened Salmon with couscous and green beans
    Fake Korean Bulgolgi ( made with lean ground beef) wrapped in lettuce and brown rice
    Taco lettuce wraps

    You can eat anything as long as you're eating at a deficit. :)
  • S_Murphree
    S_Murphree Posts: 94
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    I saw Rachel Ray use a vegetable peeler to make zucchini ribbons as a pasta substitute. I, also, love eggplant parm. I lightly salt mine and let set to pull out bitterness. But I roast mine in the oven.

    Roasted veggies are my favorite: yellow squash, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, even radishes. I season with Mrs. Dash to limit sodium.

    What about dry beans? Those are a good option if your family likes them. One of my favorites is a taco salad. I use the lettuce, tomatoes, shredded chicken, beans, cheese, salsa. I normally don't eat chips. That's just my preference.

    Also, zucchini, eggplant and spinach makes a great veggie lasagna. I substitute the zucchini for noodles and make a fresh marinara sauce.

    Just a few ideas.
  • S_Murphree
    S_Murphree Posts: 94
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    Protein - carb and veggie - all measured.

    The grill is great for everything.

    Brown rice, couscous, and corn are all decent carbs.

    Here's some of our regular meals:

    Meatballs and sauce with spaghetti squash
    London Broil and mashed cauliflower with parm and butter
    Blackened Salmon with couscous and green beans
    Fake Korean Bulgolgi ( made with lean ground beef) wrapped in lettuce and brown rice
    Taco lettuce wraps

    You can eat anything as long as you're eating at a deficit. :)

    These sound great. Mashed cauliflower is great. Good ideas.
  • MrsPong
    MrsPong Posts: 580 Member
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    I try to keep things simple. My daughter n husand will eat anything: I (the cook) do not. I don't eat any red meat, I also hate a lot of stuff and get bored with it quick.

    I like to use turkey sweet sausage (better for you)- with green beans and cooked potatoes.
    Broccoli, chicken, stuffing with little ranch dressing and cheese all baked in foil. really good and great for warm up meals.
    Crock pot is amazing- I make chicken noodle soup with all fresh veggies.
    Have you tried to use Spaghetti Squash/Zucchini for "noodles" for pasta?? tastes really good.
    Soba Noodles

    These Japanese noodles are packed with fiber and protein and have a nuttier taste than traditional pasta. (had these when I was I "lived" in japan... very yummy)
    Homemade pizza- which you can make gluten free.

    We make "beef"- turkey ground meat and lime juice. Thai dish- wonderful with big lettuce leafs.
  • majigurl
    majigurl Posts: 660 Member
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    Quick tip for quinoa - cook it in broth, not water. It tastes so much better!!!

    It can be really hard to quit foods we like cold turkey and start with foods we don't like. Since your family doesn't like it yet, what if you tried mixing it with rice (or something else they like, such as couscous?) Do a higher portion of rice to start, then slowly up the amount of quinoa and lower the amount of rice as they get used to the taste/texture.

    OR, try out different grains/seeds, like millet, farro, wheatberries, etc. There are lots of yummy whole grains out there, you might find something you like if you are willing to explore a bit. If you have a whole foods nearby, they usually have these foods in the bulk section so you can just buy a little to try, rather than a full bag that might go to waste.

    You mention a lot of what you don't like, but what kinds of foods do you and your family enjoy? A lot of those can probably be made over to be healthier/cleaner. No need to eat asparagus, brussel sprouts (both way better roasted than steamed, by the way), avocado, or anything else if you aren't interested.

    I will try the broth! that sounds good. I used to do that with rice before and they used to love it!

    foods we like are a LONG list. Everything but what I mentioned we will eat and try. It's why I find it odd that some are jumping on me about what we don't eat. It really isn't much. I have asked parents of my daughters what I can make their child for supper and have been met with LONG lists :/ or things like " don't let the food touch".. seriously? at 11? but oh well.. I just make what they like and that is that. I'm big on every family has different needs. the gluten is the only odd one .. and one I'm not exactly happy about lol. we WILL eat rice if that is what we are fed. My daughter would prob. eat breads out of respect for not saying no when given food at a strangers. But she will suffer for it later.
    gluten, rice ( though i'm cheating on that tonight :/ ) asparagus, brusel sprouts.. that's it. that's our list. and I limit pasta because it was all my husbands mom used to make him when was a kid. He will eat it if I make it, but he is such an amazing husband and will smile and say thank you regardless what I make him that I want to make sure I make him foods he does like :)

    I will be trying asparagus for us on the bbq soon. it could be the steamed part we are just not liking. :/ will be looking up some recipes. But if we still don't like it, there has to be more healthy, not odd, recipes out there we can try lol
  • majigurl
    majigurl Posts: 660 Member
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    I haven't tried tilapia yet . looking for a recipe that suits our family. I found lots that was breaded :/

    I really like tilapia tacos. Season with cumin, chili, salt, pepper, and lime zest. Bake, then add a squeeze of fresh lime juice while they are still hot. Serve on corn tortillas (I think you can get these GF) or make a taco salad. My go to for taco salads is shredded red cabbage, shredded carrot, cilantro, lime juice, a touch of agave and a touch of oil. So yummy. Goes great with tilapia, fish, black beans, etc. You can add beans for an extra protein kick, or not.

    K. seriously.. do you have more recipes like that? that sounds amazing! all of it! lol I have to look for gf tortillas. I cant' find them here yet. but I love tacos with a lettuce wrap also!

    cook book in your future?

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