Vegan and Low carb?

I'm not really interested in going back to a vegan diet. I did that in my teens for two years and it really didn't work for me. However, I am focusing on more fat and vegetables and less protein these days. I have read on some other blogs about people who have embarked on a low carb and vegan diet. It was very interesting to read their ideas of what they think was a low carb diet. It certainly wasn't Atkins as laid out by Dr. Atkins himself. The further into this low carb adventure I go, the more I realize the tremendous importance of a high fat low carb diet. Protein is a free by to a point. Some of us do not tolerate protein very well. I do better with more healthy fats than with more protein. Once you have shifted your focus to healthy fats, its not so hard to get your calories from fats and not from animal based proteins. Many of the low carb vegetables provide the vitamins you need. Coconut fat, olive oil and avocados provide wonderful fats that are very good at helping you with your low carb diet because they satiete the appetite. That is what fat does for you, it turns off the feeling that you are hungry. Adding a slug of olive oil to a low carb soup brings up the calories and gives you what you need to be effective the rest of the day.

Coconut

I love using coconut oil. It really helps me with satiety. I highly recommend it for dieters and people who are both gluten and dairy intolerant. Here is a website with an article on the subject: www.naturalfoodmerchandiser.com
The link sends you to natural food merchandiser which is a cool website. I don't work for them. I hope its ok to add the link.

Italian Vegetable Soup

Good morning, everybody! The sun is shining. Its a beautiful day in my neighborhood.

Here is a recipe from "The Ultimate Healthy Eating Cookbook" modified for gluten free living. If you want, you can just leave the pasta out entirely for a low carb version.

Ingredients:
1 small carrot or
1 baby leek (or another 2 oz. of cabbage)
1 celery stick
2 oz. green cabbage
1 cup cooked green beans
3 3/4 cups of Pacific brand low sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup of gluten free pasta,
Salt and black pepper
Fresh parsley

Method:
Slice and dice all the carrot, leak, celery and cabbage. Sautee them in olive oil or butter.
Add the stock and bay leaf. Simmer for about 6 minutes.
Add the cabbage, beans and pasta. Season with salt and pepper.
Cook until the pasta is tender.
Remove the bay leaf.
Garnish with the parsley and additional olive oil to taste.

Options:
Napa cabbage can be substituted for the cabbage.
You can add some hot sauce or hot peppers for heat/flavor.
You can substitute butter or coconut oil for the olive oil garnish.

Notes:
I like rice noodles best. Be sure to soak them according to the package directions. Brown rice noodles can be used.
I like Annie's small shells for 'mac/cheese' just skip the cheese sauce.

Some low carb and gluten free munchies

Try this: peel a cucumber serve with Rice Wine Vinegar and shrimp.

Or: Celery and almond butter

Or: Roasted tomatoes. Those are seriously good. Just cut them in half put them on some foil and roast for about 10 min. in a hot oven. You can sprinkle them with cheese or just with some salt. Use the good tomatoes on a vine, they should smell like a healthy tomato plant. Yumm. . . .

My high fat diet

Omg! Did she really just say that in public!!!! Whoa! Most of my calories come from fat. My body rebelled against too much carbohydrate and gave me problems. It rebelled against too much protein and gave me serious problems. So, whats left? Nothing but healthy saturated fat. Check out Dr. Aziz's new book on the subject. He gives the green light to saturated fat. I'm going, are you?

I do still calorie cycle, it seems to work for me.

My diet break down is as follows:

Low Calorie day:

Pre WO 1 c. squash, 4 oz. protein, 2 tbsp olive oil
Post WO: 1/3 c. enviro kids cereal, 1/2 c. millet, 1 cup blue berries, 2 tbsp . coconut oil
Lunch: 1 c. spinach, 4 oz. protein, 2 tbsp butter

About 1500 calories

High Calorie day:
Pre WO 1 c. squash, 4 oz. protein, 2 tbsp olive oil
Post WO: 1/3 c. enviro kids cereal, 1/2 c. millet, 1 cup blue berries, 2 tbsp . coconut oil
Lunch: 1 c. spinach, 4 oz. protein, 2 tbsp butter
Dinner: 2 chicken thighs, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 cup. green beans.

About 1900 calories.

Substitutions

You know when you start a low carb lifestyle that you have to give up certain foods and substitute other foods. A lot of people miss the pasta. I have mentioned this topic before (I think.) Anyway, today I used scrambled eggs. Its seems unlikely, doesn't it? Well, try the classic puttenesca on a bed of hot scrambled eggs, yumm. Or, how about a cream sauce with mushrooms? It would appear that the incredible, edible egg has become the easiest substitution for pasta. Its high in protein, low in carbohydrate and sugar. And its ready in just a couple of minutes.

Gluten Free, how I love thee, let me count the ways.

Hello fellow gluten free foodies!

I decided to dedicate this blog entry to the ever intrepid gluten free foodie. The foodie who avoids gluten for a myriad of reasons may encounter a world of resistance. Never fear, your brain is here to help you and what is more I'm here too.

The basics of gluten free eating is that you avoid foods that have gluten in them. This includes wheat and its bretherin. Anything that contains wheat is not gluten free. There are many food lists online, so I will not exhaustively list them here. What I will do is list what I do eat. Hopefully this will give you an idea of how to navigate the grocery store. In the finer grocery stores there will be a section of "gluten free" products. This is especially true at Raley's and Bel Air grocery stores in northern Ca. I have found their service to be invaluable. They go to the trouble to label the foods with little green signs that say "gluten free" in the natural health food section. The Sacramento Co-op and Elliott's Natural Foods have a good selection of gluten free foods. At the co-op they sometimes have a gluten free brownie in the deli for sale, its not good for the waist line but sometimes "anti-depression Friday" really is Anti-Depression. Watch out for protein powders, often they hide gluten in the form of "dextrose." Any prepared trail mix is suspicious too. Chocolates and candies are risky. Read the label, check the allergens. Look out for yogurt or chocolate milk, sometimes those have dextrose.

What to eat???? Where to eat????

If you start off in any of the deli counters or hot woks across the country, the likely hood that the sauces are full of gluten is pretty high. The average soy sauce has wheat in it. San-J Tamari sauce is wheat free. I use that at home. Dextrose is often found in meat products. This can be derived from wheat or corn. Its safest to buy plain meats, vegetables, fruits, dry beans, lentils, and rice. Watch out for prepackaged foods often there will be the opportunity for hidden wheat. Eating commercial food is not easy. If you are going to a restaurant check the website before you go out. I've had success with Denny's, Applebee's, Del Taco, Fresh Choice, and Carl's Jr. Its easier just to pack a lunch or snacks. Don't trust any dessert when you are out. Oddly enough, the Olive Garden website says that they have a gluten free pasta available, I have not tried it yet. There is often gluten in chocolate sauce or caramel sauce. There is gluten in most baked goods. I do like the Quinoa Macaroons from Mrs. Denson. Soo good!

Gluten free alternatives do abound in the stores and online. Vitacost is a good source online for gluten free groceries and they have very reasonable shipping costs. I like rice pasta, quinoa pasta, and Trader Joe's even has a gluten free brownie mix available. They have a handy list online that you can printout and take with you to the store. I carry it in my little fabric grocery bags. It just sits in the trunk of my car. I never know when I might stop by. I love pork chops, roast chicken, or hamburgers. I get the nitrate free bacon from Trader Joe's. Its really tasty. I haven't found a bread I really liked. The pretzels are fine. I like some of the alternative flours like garbanzo and brown rice. Beware, that brown rice flour must be mixed with either the AP or something else. There are great cook books on the subject, get one to help you out. Don't just rely on the internet.

So, what do you eat? Thats the question I get asked all the time.
This is what I eat most of the time:
Fats coconut, olive oil, butter
Protein: eggs, meat, cheese,
Vegetables of all kinds especially romaine hearts, spinach, asparagus, sugar snap peas, and broccoli slaw.
Fruits like tomatos, avocados, summer and winter squash

I eat the following less often because I'm on a low-carb diet.
Pulses, nuts, drupes and seeds that are not roasted/salted like almonds, peanuts, pistachios, and brazil nuts.
Gluten free pasta, brown rice (rarely, I'm on low carb), quinoa, lentils, beans,
I use dairy sparingly from whole milk, organic cream, kefir or plain yogurt. I prefer coconut milk So Delicious for its carb content, but its not induction friendly.
Gluten free cookies, gluten free chips or cheese puffs (not good for the diet, just a cheat day food.)
Haagen Daz 5 mint ice cream.