Another food post...

[TheOriginalName]

Hey all...

I've been training for 4 months now in an MMA (based on karate) and i love it. It has turned my life around.

The problem is that i need to start eating healthy....which i have never done. And to compound the problem i'm not a cooking type person - that is i can cook really well but it's always a job not a joy.

So i'm looking for quick and easy ideas for reciepes.
Yes, i have gone to the book shops and looked around but have so far not found one titles "Reciepes for mid-20s single males who don't like fruit and veg"...which basically describes me.

I've started to change my diet - get the sugar intake down - and i know its going to be long and hard....so any ideas\reciepes or anything else would be appreciated...

Cheers

 

[Lynne]

Congratulations on turning your life around and starting a new path

I will be adding more suggestions and ideas for you later as I'm sure other people will.

Number one - buy a crockpot if you don't already own one. Don't buy one too large as food should fill at least 2/3 of the pot or it'll burn.

Do you not like any veggies at all? If there are some you like, the microwave is your friend. In fact, Cornell University nutrition types recommend microwaving veggies as most of the nutrients stay intact with microwave steaming.

Basic Beef in a Crockpot: Wash some potatoes, cut in half, and layer in bottom of crockpot (leave peel on); add one pound of cheap steak like round steak; pour one can of Campbell's Healthy Request Cream of Mushroom soup or other soup over top. Cover and cook at high for about 6 hours or on low for 8 - 10 hours. You could dump in a bag of baby carrots, too. You could do something similar with chicken and Cream of Chicken soup, mushroom soup, etc. Never use frozen meats though - they'll often grow bacteria during the slow crockpot process.

Or you could dump all of this into a casserole dish but add 1/2 a soup can of water and cover with foil or fitting top. Bake at 350 for about an hour to hour-and-a-half.

Other ideas:

Hormel chili (they have vegetarian and they have a high-protein turkey chili that's 99% fat-free) on a tortilla

canned beans that have been rinsed (to remove excess sodium) on tortillas; peanut butter sandwiches on whole-grain bread

pita pizzas or English muffin pizzas - spread some jar spaghetti sauce on pita or muffin halves, add some mozzarella or 2% cheddar and turkey pepperoni and zap in microwave for a minute or put in 350 oven for 8-10 minutes

brown ground beef in microwave, cook up some pasta, and buy a jar of pasta sauce - mix the three together for quick meals during the week; if you are adventurous, add a can of peas and carrots for additional veggies

nonfat or low-fat cottage cheese with some fruit makes a great snack or small meal

quick enchilada casserole - 10-12 corn tortillas, 2 cups 2% fat cheddar cheese, canned chicken or leftover chicken, or precooked chicken, two cans of green enchilada sauce: spray casserole dish with oil or wipe it with oil, tear 5-6 tortillas into large pieces and place in bottom of casserole, layer half the chicken and half the cheese, pour one can or enchilada sauce over top, tear remaining tortillas into pieces and place on top of bottom layer, repeat layers (reserve 1/2 cup of cheese) ending with sauce and a little cheese. Cover and bake in a preheated 350 oven until cheese is melted, about 20 minutes, or zap in microwave.

Quick cooking brown rice is better than white rice but still requires some cooking. You can do it in the microwave though.

Canned beans, soups, sauces, and meats can be quite high in sodium so it's important to find some balance.

 

[Phoenix44]

I hate to say this, but if you don't like any fruits or vegetables, it's going to be hard to get yourself eating what's generally considered to be a healthy diet!

You could start by increasing your fiber intake: buy whole wheat spaghetti and bread instead of refined flour products. Decrease your fat intake. Avoid fast food.

 

[TheOriginalName]

Thanks for the posts so far....

And yes, i know that it's a massive problem that i don't like fruit and veg.
My plan is to "force" myself to eat them.
I've started with some simple ones, that are in my "not too bad" list:
Potato
Onion
Peas
Corn
Mushrooms (actually i love these)
Banannas (in a breakfast smoothy type thing...and yes, it is a healthy one)
Dried Apple (using this as a snack)
Chilli (but does that really count as a veg?? It tastes tooo good)

So i have made a start. And whilst i eat these i wouldn't say i like eating them.... but i know i have too.

I know it's going to be a hard road, i've no illusion on that, which is why i am slowly implimenting this - as otherwise it would just get too hard and i would probably give up.

Any other suggestions - ideas - reciepes - theories - or tips would be appreciated....

 

[Kacey]

Chilli (but does that really count as a veg?? It tastes tooo good)

Chili is a type of stew - so in itself, it's not a vegetable - but when I make chili, it includes tomatoes, kidney beans, onions, and bell peppers.

If you don't like vegetables straight up, cook them in things - stew, pot roast, baked with chicken, cook something you like and eat it over rice, add tofu to nearly anything (it picks up the taste of whatever it's in - so things like spaghetti sauce, chili, stew, soup, etc. are good places to add tofu). Add sauces to your vegetables (Campbell's Healthy Choice soups make great sauces, and have vegetables in them as well - mushroom soup makes a great sauce, and so does cheese broccoli soup). Vegetables are also easy and tasty in stir fry, with any kind of meat.

Do you like macaroni and cheese? You can add all kinds of things to that - that's basically what Hamburger Helper is anyway. Start with 8 ounces of raw pasta (I usually use macaroni), and while it's cooking, brown a pound of ground beef with an onion, drain, and spice as desired, and then cook a package of mixed frozen vegetables in the microwave. When the pasta is done, drain it, mix it with the vegetables (I usually do this in the strainer, as it lets any extra water drain off the vegies, too), then mix in the meat. Put half of the meat/pasta/vegie mix in a baking dish (I like the deep kind, like Corning Ware's 2 quart baking dish), add a layer of shredded cheese (or Velveeta, if you like it - it melts really well), and then repeat. Bake at 350 for 1/2 hour or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

OR cook the meat and vegies as above, stir together, and add a can of cream-based soup, and either eat as is or serve over pasta, rice, or potatoes (baked and sliced).

Both of these reheat really well for lunches... which is good, because it's nearly impossible to make small amounts of either.

 

[Lynne]

As Kacey said, chili is quite nutritious. You have the lycopene (antioxidant) from tomatoes, you have the flavonoids (more antioxidants) from the onions, garlic, and beans (if you use beans).

Anytime you can get some cooked tomatoes, whether it's jar spaghetti sauce or canned tomatoes, you are doing yourself a nutrition favor. Lycopene may prevent prostrate cancer. You may be able to tolerate more veggies if you add them to tomato-sauced based recipes.

Another food item to consider is soyburgers/gardenburgers. They are chocked with antioxidants, phytochemicals, fiber, protein and good fats.

I can't scroll up but I think you said you liked sweet potatoes? If you didn't mention them, they are easy to cook in the microwave. Wash, poke a few holes around (so they don't explode in the microwave), place on a plate or in a bowl. You can add a little oil or spray on a little oil. For three potatoes it takes about 8-10 minutes to cook, depending on your microwave. Oil on white, red, or sweet potatoes reserves some of the moistness and flavor, and they are more apt to taste like oven-baked potatoes. You can add some healthy spread like Smart Balance or Olivio (butter-like spreads made with Omega fats), some cinnamon, and either a little sugar/honey/maple syrup or sweetener if you like. Pineapple and walnuts are good, too.

Some canned veggies have a funky metallic taste. I have found a few that are better than others: white niblet corn (actually a grain, not a veggie) and LeSeur peas in the silver can (ok, a legume, not a veggie).

 

[Bumblebee]

Take a Salmon Fillet, lightly coat it with olive oil. Add a little bit of salt and pepper. Cut up a lemon and squeeze the juice on the salmon. You can even leave the lemon slices on the salmon. Put in in the oven and bam.

 

[Link]

Turkey - So iv been eating this 22lb turkey and wondering if there is a diffrance between the dark meat and the white meat? im trying to stay away from fat, i still get good fats but not sure if the dark meat is any diffrent than the white meat on a turkey.

 

[Tez3]

Lynne, it's interesting that you use English muffins for a savoury dish! Always thought of them as a sweet thing.

I hate all green vegtables!

 

[horton]

Chili is a type of stew - so in itself, it's not a vegetable - but when I make chili, it includes tomatoes, kidney beans, onions, and bell peppers.

If you don't like vegetables straight up, cook them in things - stew, pot roast, baked with chicken, cook something you like and eat it over rice, add tofu to nearly anything (it picks up the taste of whatever it's in - so things like spaghetti sauce, chili, stew, soup, etc. are good places to add tofu). Add sauces to your vegetables (Campbell's Healthy Choice soups make great sauces, and have vegetables in them as well - mushroom soup makes a great sauce, and so does cheese broccoli soup). Vegetables are also easy and tasty in stir fry, with any kind of meat.

Do you like macaroni and cheese? You can add all kinds of things to that - that's basically what Hamburger Helper is anyway. Start with 8 ounces of raw pasta (I usually use macaroni), and while it's cooking, brown a pound of ground beef with an onion, drain, and spice as desired, and then cook a package of mixed frozen vegetables in the microwave. When the pasta is done, drain it, mix it with the vegetables (I usually do this in the strainer, as it lets any extra water drain off the vegies, too), then mix in the meat. Put half of the meat/pasta/vegie mix in a baking dish (I like the deep kind, like Corning Ware's 2 quart baking dish), add a layer of shredded cheese (or Velveeta, if you like it - it melts really well), and then repeat. Bake at 350 for 1/2 hour or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

OR cook the meat and vegies as above, stir together, and add a can of cream-based soup, and either eat as is or serve over pasta, rice, or potatoes (baked and sliced).

Both of these reheat really well for lunches... which is good, because it's nearly impossible to make small amounts of either.

you might consider getting a vegetarian cookbook for inspiration on how to "dress up" veggies for the ones you dont like.

 

[Lynne]

Lynne, it's interesting that you use English muffins for a savoury dish! Always thought of them as a sweet thing.

I hate all green vegtables!

Most of the ones we have here are kind of bland except ones that are specifically cinnamon and raisin. I guess the walnut ones are kind of sweet, good with cream cheese or jam.