Seriously need healthy recipe help for a picky eater

[WowLookAtThat]

I'm not sure what this even means? ...but multiple posters have given her multiple suggestions about how to improve her diet and nutrition, and she has, seemingly, dug in her heels and, basically said, "no way I am not going to even try."

The truth of the matter is that the OP has not 1, not 2, but 3 potentially life threatening diseases. All 3 of these diseases require modification of her lifestyle and diet, and other than the bare minimum, she is unwilling to make any changes. Change is never easy, and sometimes we need to step out of our comfort zone, let go of our childhood fears, and make changes. The Op says it is "just me and my son." Well... the next heart attack may be the last heart attack, and then her son has nothing. She can choose to conquer these diseases or she can choose to let them conquer her.

I understand that you may be scared, OP and that it sucks to have to give up some type of foods BUT the choices you have aren't many. Heart disease and diabetes run in my family and the thing is I know those risks so I have to work hard and eat things that will benefit my body. I used to be obese and I had a scary wake up call at such a young age when someone I knew got very sick from diabetes. I knew that I had to shape up. At first I thought "salad...gross" BUT with research I learned that being on a diet doesn't necessarily means giving up on taste. Honestly, being on a diet that modified my eating behaviors opened me up to new tastes and dishes. Salad isn't just a plate of lettuce with tomatoes but if you put some fresh basil, healthy olive oil and some variety in a veggie you may like (cucumber and sliced tomatoes are my fav) and maybe some tuna...it's pretty good. Don't dig your heels in completely.


I have the Family Circle Healthy Family Dinners cookbook. It has really good recipes like mac n'cheese and even sausage bolgnese with linguine at only 289 calories! PM me if you need any recipes.

 

[Gina]

I like veggies, but I can't eat a whole lot of them because I have delayed gastric emptying (gastroparesis). This means that my stomach is partially paralyzed and doesn't work right. I have extreme nausea and abdominal pain if I eat a lot of fiber. The veggies I do eat have to be well cooked and I have to be careful about my fiber consumption. At one point, my gastroenterologist put me on a very low fiber diet (as in applesauce and mashed potatoes), but my condition has improved some and I am now able to eat a little more fiber. When I was first diagnosed with this, I thought - "How on earth can I lose weight and get healthier without veggies?" It seemed like a Catch-22. Everything I read told me to eat more veggies and fiber, and here I am having to do just the opposite. Not everyone can tolerate a lot of fiber in their diet. However, I have been able to make changes to my diet and improve my diabetes and overall health despite this limitation.

One idea is to mix lean hamburger meat with ground turkey -I mix it half and half. You can barely tell that there is turkey in the mixture because the flavor and texture of the beef overpowers it. I have made sloppy joes and many casseroles using this mixture and no one can tell the difference. I use lowfat cheese (the grated 2% cheddar melts well), lowfat soups (like the lowfat mushroom for recipes that call for that), lowfat dairy products, etc.

I love bread, potatoes, and rice too, but I only eat tiny portions of these, and only in combination with protein. Otherwise, it raises my blood sugar too quickly. I still fix them for my family, but I only eat a few bites and fill up on other stuff.

I avoid sugar, but I do sometimes eat some sugar free pudding or ice cream. I lost 45 lbs. this year by eating this way, controlling my portions, and increasing my exercise just a little.

Portion control is the biggest challenge, but if you are eating higher calories foods (which is what happens when you can't eat veggies and fruit), it is of utmost importance. I weigh and measure my food at every meal and I have learned to cope with hunger (but it's hard). I also take a high quality mult-vitamin every day.

My blood sugar is now almost in the normal range and my other numbers are improving. Hang in there and keep thinking about what kind of positive changes you can make based on your own likes, dislikes, and needs. I wish you the best!

I'm so sorry for your condition... but so happy for you with your weight loss! Awesome!!


Portion control has been the biggest challenge for me as well, but I have gotten so much better. Lost another pound over Thanksgiving, so I was pretty dang happy when everyone else was complaining about the weight they gained from all the food they ate. I'm also exercising and taking a multi-vitamin pack specifically for diabetics. And taking all my medications like I'm supposed to. I'm doing the best I can, I have drastically changed my eating habits, and I'm happy with my progress. So is my doctor, especially since it has only been 2 months. Thank you for your encouragement, and best of luck to you too!!

 

[MELSMICE]

OMG.........I think we are soul sisters. I can completely, 100% & totally relate to what you are saying!!!!! The exception is that I like fish. I can't stomach the thought of any kind of raw vegetable at all.

I don't quite understand the 'well, I don't like vegetables so I won't even bother,' thing.

I get this all the time. I'm the same way as Gina & I can't explain it. Thinking of crunching into a raw vegetable completely grosses me out & believe me, I've tried them more than enough times to know that they're going to come back up before they even have a chance to go down.

I know this is all a tall order, and I know it's pretty impossible for someone with a more "open" palate to understand how truly repulsive even the idea of some of these foods are, but I'm just trying to figure out healthier ways to fix the foods I do like, different seasonings and sauces and whatnot.

I will be your single "support group" because I know exactly how you are feeling.

Thank you again to all for the other suggestions. I know by your replies that I'm just not getting across the magnitude of what it would take to get me to put any of the mentioned things in my mouth... I would literally have to be starving on a deserted island, and even then I'd probably be chewing on palm tree bark first. It's that strong of an aversion, and I can't even imagine "just trying" any of it. There's no basis for it -- my parents are very adventurous eaters and my brother and were raised that way (or it was attempted.) My brother now eats anything and everything. But even when I was little it would take me 30 minutes just to pick out all the unidentifiable bits of things before I would eat it at all, if it was even deemed edible to me.

But if any of you would like to come be my chef and hide vegetables in my food, I'd give that a shot.

Sad that my kids are more of an adventurous eater than I am.

I really can relate..........unfortunately.

I do like fish & just about any other kind of seafood, so that's a positive for me. I can't stomach raw vegetables. I like corn & cooked carrots. I will eat spinach if I have to & just tried some roasted squash the other night that I made, which was OK. I might be able to stomach it, but if it crunches at all it's over. I love sweet potatoes.

I like some fruits....bananas, nectarines, strawberries, melons & softer fruits like that. I do not like raw apples or pears but can eat applesauce or an apple pie.

I like chicken & pork but could live without beef if I had to. If I could live on pasta & fish I would, but I know that I can't.

Believe me......it's not fun being such a picky eater. I can totally relate to you, Gina!

 

[Minnesota!]

Another good thing (since you like tacos) is to make lentil tacos. They are really good, better for you, and the texture is very similar to beef.

I just cook up lentils (I usually do a whole bag and then use them throughout the week).

Then take however much you think you will need, throw them in a pan with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper, and a little water. Simmer for a bit.

Throw on to a shell with some cheese, lettuce, salsa, etc. So good!

And tilapia is such a mild mild mild fish. Texture very much like another meat. I think you should give it another try.

 

[Imzadi]

As far as going sugar-free, I try and stick with things sweetened with stevia, like my coffee, and the other stuff I have just eliminated (donuts, pastries, etc.) I understand the not-so-great-ness of artificial sweeteners and try to avoid them. I shouldn't have said I've gone "sugar-free" so much as I have just tried to seek out and eliminate hidden (and not so hidden!) sugars that I never paid attention to before. I was never a big soda drinker anyway so that hasn't been a problem, and we drink a lot of iced tea here so I've been happy putting the Truvia in that. I try to limit the xylitol but one product sweetened with that I have found is really awesome is Walmart's house brand dark chocolate mousse. Sugar-free (xylitol), 60 calories, and SO good.

As I said in my last post, right now, because you are diabetic, and probably was pre-diabetic for a long time before developing full diabetes, you crave sugary tasting foods and carbs. That's how diabetes works, you crave the very thing that is ultimately bad for you.

Instead of switching to sugar substitutes, it will really be better to cut out the sugary tasting foods. right now, your body is confused, It is getting the taste of the sugar & carbs, while not getting the carbs. As long as your taste buds are looking for the sugary tasting foods, your taste buds won't really acclimate without them.

That is WHY you still crave fluffy white breads & potatoes. And why you shun the subtle sweetness of certain veggies. When you fully go off of sugar and sugary tasting foods due to sugar substitutes, you will find you STOP craving breads, potatoes & white carbs as your sweet source.

I get that you don't want to try other foods. Part of that is the continued cravings for all the white carb foods. It's like being addicted to cocaine. An addict can't think having anything else will be as satisfying.

When you stop the white carb food cravings, you may find you will actually be more open to experimenting and trying other foods. I know this area very well.

Once I have some sugar, WHAM! The sugar cravings are back in all forms. I want everything that is unhealthy, and lots of it! But, I eat healthy for a week, cutting out ALL sugar and the sugar/white carb cravings are GONE. You can wave a cake or piece of white read in front of me, and I don't want it. It's not a matter of trying not to eat it. I don't want it. I actually start craving more healthy foods. Who'da thunk I'd be eating white bean dip?!?

You want to get to there. You are doing great at losing 16 pounds already. You actually DO want to find different things to eat or you wouldn't have started this thread. Just food (that are healthier) that you will like. Changes are already happening.

BTW, I do like fruit a whole lot -- and my doctor told me that he is a-ok with me having that because the body breaks down the fruit sugars much more slowly and evenly and the fiber, like in an apple, helps that even more. So please don't think I just shun all health.

This is actually inaccurate advice for diabetics. You should consult a nutritionist that specializes in diabetes. Fruits are actually high, high in sugar. Yes, eating them in whole fruit form is better, because of the fiber, and yes, they metabolize slower, but they are still SUGAR/CARBS to a diabetic's metabolism.

If you are going to continue to eat fruits, you need to learn how and when and in what ratio to eating protein at the same time. From the foods you listed eating, you are not eating healthy enough to be combining fruits in properly. That, and as I already mentioned, it causes you to have those sugar cravings.

 

[FireDancer]

If you really can't get any greens try a juice like Trader Joe's Essential Greens vegetable juice. You can throw it in a blender with frozen fruit, yogurt, almond mild, protein powder or whatever and get in your green vegetables. It isn't as good as eating them in their normal form but it is better than not eating any of them and it will at least fill a bit whole in your nutrition. Just make sure whatever you are putting in the smoothie isn't bad for your diabetes.

 

[Imzadi]

Have you tried amaranth? I haven't yet but there was a short writeup in Men's Health and it looked like it might be pretty good and a good plant-based protein.

Thanks! It looks like another new thing to try! If it works out, it will be great to switch with quinoa, or find totally new dishes for it as the taste will probably be a bit different.

 

[dngnb8]

.I'm not sure what this even means?

It means dat ve ave zaid our pieze and made our point. Der eez a point ver peoplz will just shut of vhat you are trying to zay. Ezpezially vhen you are coming acrozz as crazz, as ve ave. I underschtand dat you are trying to help her vith her zituation, howevah, you are doing nothink but pushing her avay vith how you are comingk acrozz.

...but multiple posters have given her multiple suggestions about how to improve her diet and nutrition, and she has, seemingly, dug in her heels and, basically said, "no way I am not going to even try."

The truth of the matter is that the OP has not 1, not 2, but 3 potentially life threatening diseases. All 3 of these diseases require modification of her lifestyle and diet, and other than the bare minimum, she is unwilling to make any changes. Change is never easy, and sometimes we need to step out of our comfort zone, let go of our childhood fears, and make changes. The Op says it is "just me and my son." Well... the next heart attack may be the last heart attack, and then her son has nothing. She can choose to conquer these diseases or she can choose to let them conquer her.

Perzonally, as a Message Board Psychiatrzt, I unerschtand your mezzage. But it iz your delivery mezzage that vill fall on deaf earz. Doez of uz who are blunt und direct tend to do more harm den goot. Thiz iz all vell and goot, but if ve tell her in zuch a vay dat she vont leesten, den ve ave failed to help.

I am Freederich Von Dusseldoormat, und I aproove dis mezzage...

 

[frndshpcptn]

I had another thought.

I started eating steamed vegetable dumplings (i get a gluten free version). I used to eat the Pork version and made the switch - and now I like the veggies ones even better!

Veggie spring rolls were another small change I made when I decide to try to include more vegetable in my diet. That worked as well.

They are really good! And filled with vegetables!

 

[badblackpug]

It means dat ve ave zaid our pieze and made our point. Der eez a point ver peoplz will just shut of vhat you are trying to zay. Ezpezially vhen you are coming acrozz as crazz, as ve ave. I underschtand dat you are trying to help her vith her zituation, howevah, you are doing nothink but pushing her avay vith how you are comingk acrozz.



Perzonally, as a Message Board Psychiatrzt, I unerschtand your mezzage. But it iz your delivery mezzage that vill fall on deaf earz. Doez of uz who are blunt und direct tend to do more harm den goot. Thiz iz all vell and goot, but if ve tell her in zuch a vay dat she vont leesten, den ve ave failed to help.

I am Freederich Von Dusseldoormat, und I aproove dis mezzage...

OMG! Can you just write in normal English? I can't get through the 1st line of this. It's not cute.

 

[dngnb8]

OMG! Can you just write in normal English? I can't get through the 1st line of this. It's not cute.

I am zo zorry I am not cute az you zay. Maybe your badblackpug can tranzlate

 

[WowLookAtThat]

I am zo zorry I am not cute az you zay. Maybe your badblackpug can tranzlate

Es gibt. Würden sie bitte aufhören zu spielen Ludwig Von Drake. Es ist nicht nur ärgerlich, aber sie müssen noch nicht einmal etwas Wertvolles, in diesem thread.Dieser thread ist voll der gültigen darauf hin, dass die OP

 

[dngnb8]

Es gibt. Würden sie bitte aufhören zu spielen Ludwig Von Drake. Es ist nicht nur ärgerlich, aber sie müssen noch nicht einmal etwas Wertvolles, in diesem thread.Dieser thread ist voll der gültigen darauf hin, dass die OP

Ich habe etwas Wertsache gesagt. Ich habe nur es in einen ärgerlichen Einganghoffnungen gesagt, Spaß zu machen


Zeegmund vould be deezapointed

 

[WowLookAtThat]

Ich habe etwas Wertsache gesagt. Ich habe nur es in einen ärgerlichen Einganghoffnungen gesagt, Spaß zu machen


Zeegmund vould be deezapointed

Es ist vielleicht lustig für sie, aber für andere ist es voll von nichts aber ärgernisse.Sie machen Spaß von postern oder OP?

 

[Imzadi]

2. It isn't a huge step up, so don't go crazy with it, but have you tried the Barilla Plus pasta products, the ones in the gold boxes? Those have been altered to add protein and lower the carbs a bit; they taste and feel like regular pasta, but are much more filling in small quantities. They are more expensive than conventional pasta, but since most people eat less of it, it tends to balance out.

YES!!! I haven't done my usual "ad" for Barilla PLUS Pasta. It is very high in proteins, Omega 3's and fiber. It tastes like real pasta. It just needs to be cooked a little longer. It is the only pasta I eat now.

I also hated brussel sprouts, but it was all because of how they were cooked. Now I love them sauteed or roasted. It really is amazing how cooking technique can drastically change texture and taste of a vegetable.

Roasted brussel sprouts are fantastic! I cut them into quarters, and try to separate off as much of the leaves as possible & spread them on a cookie tray. Drizzle olive oil, salt & pepper & garlic over them. (Sometimes some chili powder.) I roast them till they are brown, very crispy and a bit burnt. The more brown & crispy the better! They kind of taste like chips that way.

what about breakfast for dinner? Eggs/egg white omelets with some turkey sausage or low fat cheese? Then some fruit or a small salad to go with?

I have eggs a lot for dinner. On another recent thread, someone taught me to do Gordon Ramsay's soft scrambled eggs. They are HEAVENLY cooked that way. Sometimes I make them with a bit of sugar and vanilla & cinnamon. It turns it into a sweet custard with curds, instead of a savory scramble.

I agree. Your problem with veggies might just be the way they were cooked.

If the OP has been eating them raw, she might also have Oral Allergy Syndrome. I have it. I am allergic to most RAW vegetables & fruit. I can have them after they've been cooked or heated enough to break down the natural enzyme in them when raw. It's been tough, but I have been looking new ways to cook vegetables. I do love Chinese stirfry, so that works out.

The OP's reaction of getting nauseous may be her body naturally saying don't eat them that way.

It is unquestionably true that veggies are good for you. However, not everyone can tolerate them. In my case, I have a medical condition that means I can't tolerate a lot of fiber, so I can't eat a lot of veggies, even though I like them.

If I had read a thread like this when I was first diagnosed with gastroparesis, it would have been terribly discouraging to me. However, a person who can't eat veggies for whatever reason doesn't have to give up all hope of improving their health (see my post above). There are many things other things that we can do to improve our diets and our health. Everyone is on their own individual journey and has to do what works best for them, even if it is not the ideal scenario.

Yes, being hypothyroid, and finding out I shouldn't be eating soy/soybeans as it impairs the thyroid, I ended up at a Celiac Desease forum, to see how they handle finding substitutions. Soy is in practically everything processed. It is amazing the amount of "healthy" foods some of them can't eat. People think they are purposely or psychologically making themselves not eat certain foods, when really their body can't tolerate them. I've even read how people were full vegans, and had to go back to eating meats, as they cannot eat enough plant based proteins, to be healthy.

 

[duffy]

You know, I hate cleaning my bathrooms. Yuck! They're gross! I also hate cleaning the fridge. Eeww! And I hate mopping the kitchen floor.

But I like having my house in order. So I suck it up and I do it.

 

[duffy]

It means dat ve ave zaid our pieze and made our point. Der eez a point ver peoplz will just shut of vhat you are trying to zay. Ezpezially vhen you are coming acrozz as crazz, as ve ave. I underschtand dat you are trying to help her vith her zituation, howevah, you are doing nothink but pushing her avay vith how you are comingk acrozz.



Perzonally, as a Message Board Psychiatrzt, I unerschtand your mezzage. But it iz your delivery mezzage that vill fall on deaf earz. Doez of uz who are blunt und direct tend to do more harm den goot. Thiz iz all vell and goot, but if ve tell her in zuch a vay dat she vont leesten, den ve ave failed to help.

I am Freederich Von Dusseldoormat, und I aproove dis mezzage...

 

[badblackpug]

You know, I hate cleaning my bathrooms. Yuck! They're gross! I also hate cleaning the fridge. Eeww! And I hate mopping the kitchen floor.

But I like having my house in order. So I suck it up and I do it.

Yes, I'm sorry, but I can't say "It's okay for your diabetes, HTN, and cardiovascular disease to just eat fat and starch, just eat less fatty fats and less starchy starch." Sometimes people need a dose of reality, and the reality is that you cannot get proper nutrition refusing to eat any vegetables at all. (corn and potatoes are NOT vegetables, they are starch...if you can make booze out of it, it is a carb)

I can't, honestly believe that any adult absolutely hates all vegetable prepared in any manner. This is either a psychological issue, or some sort of childhood notion or battle that the OP won't let go of.

Sometimes people need a good, strong dose of reality.

http://www.phillyburbs.com/lifestyl...cle_85192a68-1216-11e1-b5e5-0019bb30f31a.html

 

[Jennasis]

The suggestions given are ALL good ones, if the OP can conquer her food phobias first. I have plenty (as mentioned upthread) so I know what a tremendous battle she has ahead of her. Haranguing her does nobody any good. She KNOWS she should eat vegetables (just like I know I should be eating fruit)...if she can get herself to that point then that's great, but if not hopefully the cook books and other suggestions will be helpful to her.

Good luck OP! I feel your pain.

 

[NotUrsula]

Yes, I'm sorry, but I can't say "It's okay for your diabetes, HTN, and cardiovascular disease to just eat fat and starch, just eat less fatty fats and less starchy starch." Sometimes people need a dose of reality, and the reality is that you cannot get proper nutrition refusing to eat any vegetables at all. (corn and potatoes are NOT vegetables, they are starch...if you can make booze out of it, it is a carb)

I can't, honestly believe that any adult absolutely hates all vegetable prepared in any manner. This is either a psychological issue, or some sort of childhood notion or battle that the OP won't let go of.

Sometimes people need a good, strong dose of reality.

http://www.phillyburbs.com/lifestyl...cle_85192a68-1216-11e1-b5e5-0019bb30f31a.html

Yes, but it is HER choice, and it has to be in order to work. The man in your article made his own choice, and even said that he approached the changes as baby steps. Apparently no one bothered to tell him that he shouldn't waste time walking the dog because that wasn't going to qualify him to run a marathon by the end of the year. The OP is making some progress, and her physician seems to think that her progress is positive. If she makes the substitutions that some of us have suggested as baby steps, then she will make more progress, and perhaps that small success will be the motivation that she needs to work on other issues. She will come to it on her own accord in her own time, or she won't, but progress, even small progress, toward the goal of being healthiER is still a step forward, and it isn't kind to entirely devalue it.

NO ONE can fully control what another person eats or does not eat, short of using manacles and a feeding tube. You can lock her in a cell and offer only something that she hates, but if she chooses to prefer to starve to death rather than eat it, then she has retained and exercised the right of choice. That is a huge factor in adult human dignity, and being treated like a child in this regard and TOLD that you must eat A or B is (pardon the pun) very hard for the average adult to swallow.

It is clear to me that the OP needs to gradually adapt to her lifestyle changes; she is clearly NOT receptive to being forced to eat only certain things or completely dropping every single food that she loves. If that kills her or doesn't make her as healthy as you think that she needs to be as quickly as you think that she needs to be so, then so be it. She's a grownup, she is under a physician's care, she is aware of what would be optimal, but the level of effort she is willing to make is her choice, and I'm sure that she is willing to make her choices based on the consequences that she is willing to live (or die) with.