Guest guest Posted September 16, 2008 Report Share Posted September 16, 2008 Hi Alina Joy, For all of my menus that I have posted (Kim's Menus) you will notice beside the item something like this: (Mains > Burgers, " Meatballs " , Patties, Sausages etc. > Sausages) This tells you that the recipe is in the Files in the ***Recipes Posted to VGF*** folder. ( %20%20%20***Recipes%20\ Posted%20to%20VGF***/ ) In that folder you go to the " Mains " folder, then the " Burgers " folder, then " Meatballs " , Patties, Sausages etc. " folder and finally the " Sausages " folder. For a few of the recipes, such as pizza or sushi, there may be a web address (my own site) where you will find the recipe and usually a picture. For most of the other recipes in other members' menus, you can find recipes in the Files for several or more versions. I generally don't cook to a set menu, but make whatever takes my fancy at the time or that I have the ingredients for. Most of the recipes I make will come from the Files here. I rarely buy anything ready made as the homemade versions are much tastier and can be made much more nutritious. HTH, Kim , " Alina Joy " <alinajoydubois wrote: > > Hi Everyone, > I was just wondering if anyone here works with a menu plan... I used > to have one before we went GF but now I need to start over... I'm > feeling overwhelmed in the kitchen, I feel overwhelmed in the grocery > store... Virtually everything in my old menu plan had some gluten in > it somewhere. So far all the gluten free " imitation " type foods > (waffles, breads etc) I've tried are not very tasty... and they don't > seem to be very nutrition rich... I did look in this group's file > section and noticed that a few people posted menus there, but those > menus list items like " banana bread " " pizza " " Pretzels " etc and don't > explain how to make gluten free versions. What do the rest of you do? > Perhaps we can work together to create some menus.... Is anybody else > struggling? > AlinaJoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 16, 2008 Report Share Posted September 16, 2008 Alina--Learning to make a weekly meal plan has definitely made my life easier and healthier, even though it was frustrating initially after going gluten-free. Since starches are the big struggle when you're new to this, I would suggest is that you come up with four or five starches that you like, and then work like this: Sunday: Brown Rice Monday: Baked Potato Tuesday: Quinoa Wednesday: Gluten-free pasta (I recommend Tinkyada--cook half as long as the package says, and then taste every minute until it's just al dente; then rinse under cold water immediately to stop the cooking) Thursday: Sweet Potato I think you get the idea. (Of course, every meal doesn't HAVE to have a starch, but when you are sad initially about going gluten-free, having that starch can really help you out emotionally.) Once you have the starch in mind, you are focused on what you CAN eat instead of what you can't, and your mind starts putting foods together. " Oh, rice--I could do Tex-Mex or Thai or Chinese. " Etc. Or you can google for vegan ideas that utilize that starch. And you can go from there. I have been writing a series of posts about this topic for my blog but haven't published any of the series posts yet. I need to get on that! Learning how to bake gluten-free is a trial-and-error process that will take you a while. One of us will absolutely love a recipe that only seems so-so to you, and that's partly personal taste: you have to find the flours and textures that appeal to you. Also, as we go without gluten for longer and longer stretches of time, our minds lose some of the ability to remember what it was we loved so much about wheat and its counterparts. That's a blessing so that we're not in eternal mourning, but it means that we can't always even remember what actually tastes like wheat products used to taste to us. You'll be joining that club, too, and quicker than you would expect, so if you try a recipe and don't like it now, but think it might have potential, save it to re-try four or five months down the road when your taste buds have adjusted. Sally http://aprovechar.danandsally.com On Tue, Sep 16, 2008 at 1:58 AM, Alina Joy <alinajoyduboiswrote: > Hi Everyone, > I was just wondering if anyone here works with a menu plan... I used > to have one before we went GF but now I need to start over... I'm > feeling overwhelmed in the kitchen, I feel overwhelmed in the grocery > store... Virtually everything in my old menu plan had some gluten in > it somewhere. So far all the gluten free " imitation " type foods > (waffles, breads etc) I've tried are not very tasty... and they don't > seem to be very nutrition rich... I did look in this group's file > section and noticed that a few people posted menus there, but those > menus list items like " banana bread " " pizza " " Pretzels " etc and don't > explain how to make gluten free versions. What do the rest of you do? > Perhaps we can work together to create some menus.... Is anybody else > struggling? > AlinaJoy > > > -- " The original pact, the real deal, is with [yourself]: Be honest, dig deep, or don't bother. " --Abigail Thomas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 18, 2008 Report Share Posted September 18, 2008 Thank you ladies for your tips... The evening I posted that I was feeling particularly overwhelmed.? I was remembering the days not so long ago when I used to take flour, wash it until all the extra stuff was gone and I just had pure, unadulterated gluten left... Then I would slice it, boil it, pour a delicious sauce over it and ... yummy!? I guess that particular dish won't be on the new menu plan.? I think a big part of the problem is that I don't like most of the grains I've had... I've really only had them cooked as a porridge-like cereal... When I think of Millet, Quinoa, etc I think of mush in a bowl with milk poured over it.? I'm just not excited to try incorporating that mush into my meals.? I've been relying on Brown Rice lately... Over the past couple of months we've been eating rice cakes, rice pasta, puffed rice, fried rice, rice flour in the waffles... I think I'm over-riced!? I like the idea of going with themes... I was thinking to use ethnic themes.? One day could be Chinese food, One day can be Mexican, one day can be American, one day can be Italian.? Also, a friend of mine gave me a macrobiotics cookbook that talks alot about how to cook unusual grains so I think I will pull that off the shelf and see what I can find.? A lot of macrobiotic stuff seems to be gluten free, even though it isn't advertised that way. I will post my menu when I come up with one... I'd appreciate feedback. By the way, Kim... Thank you so much for pointing me in the right direction.? I was really frustrated when I looked at those menus... They looked good, but I didn't have a clue how to do them Gluten Free!? I'll take a look in the recipe files...? Thank you again, Alina Joy Sally Parrott Ashbrook <sally.parrott Tue, 16 Sep 2008 8:43 am Re: Menu Planning... Alina--Learning to make a weekly meal plan has definitely made my life easier and healthier, even though it was frustrating initially after going gluten-free. Since starches are the big struggle when you're new to this, I would suggest is that you come up with four or five starches that you like, and then work like this: Sunday: Brown Rice Monday: Baked Potato Tuesday: Quinoa Wednesday: Gluten-free pasta (I recommend Tinkyada--cook half as long as the package says, and then taste every minute until it's just al dente; then rinse under cold water immediately to stop the cooking) Thursday: Sweet Potato I think you get the idea. (Of course, every meal doesn't HAVE to have a starch, but when you are sad initially about going gluten-free, having that starch can really help you out emotionally.) Once you have the starch in mind, you are focused on what you CAN eat instead of what you can't, and your mind starts putting foods together. " Oh, rice--I could do Tex-Mex or Thai or Chinese. " Etc. Or you can google for vegan ideas that utilize that starch. And you can go from there. I have been writing a series of posts about this topic for my blog but haven't published any of the series posts yet. I need to get on that! Learning how to bake gluten-free is a trial-and-error process that will take you a while. One of us will absolutely love a recipe that only seems so-so to you, and that's partly personal taste: you have to find the flours and textures that appeal to you. Also, as we go without gluten for longer and longer stretches of time, our minds lose some of the ability to remember what it was we loved so much about wheat and its counterparts. That's a blessing so that we're not in eternal mourning, but it means that we can't always even remember what actually tastes like wheat products used to taste to us. You'll be joining that club, too, and quicker than you would expect, so if you try a recipe and don't like it now, but think it might have potential, save it to re-try four or five months down the road when your taste buds have adjusted. Sally http://aprovechar.danandsally.com On Tue, Sep 16, 2008 at 1:58 AM, Alina Joy <alinajoyduboiswrote: > Hi Everyone, > I was just wondering if anyone here works with a menu plan... I used > to have one before we went GF but now I need to start over... I'm > feeling overwhelmed in the kitchen, I feel overwhelmed in the grocery > store... Virtually everything in my old menu plan had some gluten in > it somewhere. So far all the gluten free " imitation " type foods > (waffles, breads etc) I've tried are not very tasty... and they don't > seem to be very nutrition rich... I did look in this group's file > section and noticed that a few people posted menus there, but those > menus list items like " banana bread " " pizza " " Pretzels " etc and don't > explain how to make gluten free versions. What do the rest of you do? > Perhaps we can work together to create some menus.... Is anybody else > struggling? > AlinaJoy > > > -- " The original pact, the real deal, is with [yourself]: Be honest, dig deep, or don't bother. " --Abigail Thomas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 18, 2008 Report Share Posted September 18, 2008 Hi Alina Joy- We too eat a LOT of rice since my going df and gf. I think we've been at it since April. Its been hard and there have been a few days where I just am too beat or tired to care and eat whatever I want, and then I pay for it with headaches and irratibility (I know those are mild reactions compared to some). So I understand how hard it is to make this change. I'm really liking Millet as a grain. It wasn't mushy, and actually it reminded me a bit of couscous. I made a cold salad with diced tomatoes, artichokes, cucumber, some pine nuts, fresh herbs and a little flax seed oil. It was so yummy and pretty! I haven't tinkered with any baking as yet, but I'm really not trying to replace the foods I used to eat, because as someone else said, they just aren't as good, and at this point I'd rather go with out than feel dissatisfied. My menu plan is a little brown notebook in my kitchen with all the weeks past. I just pull from that to create a new weeks' list. If my partner doesn't like something she puts a big X over it. I also make a big batch of something on Sunday to keep me over for the week for lunches or other fast meals. Soup, Chili, Rice and beans, or some sort of caserole. I also keep salad fixings on hand, because if I can get that in me, it will slow me down until I can come up with a " real " meal with out a major trainwreck happening. It does take time and patience initally, but it gets easier. --- Received: Wed, 17 Sep 2008 08:41:26 PM EDT alinajoydubois Re: Menu Planning... > > Thank you ladies for your tips... > > The evening I posted that I was feeling particularly overwhelmed.? I was remembering the days not so long ago when I used to take flour, wash it until all the extra stuff was gone and I just had pure, unadulterated gluten left... Then I would slice it, boil it, pour a delicious sauce over it and ... yummy!? I guess that particular dish won't be on the new menu plan.? > > I think a big part of the problem is that I don't like most of the grains I've had... I've really only had them cooked as a porridge-like cereal... When I think of Millet, Quinoa, etc I think of mush in a bowl with milk poured over it.? I'm just not excited to try incorporating that mush into my meals.? I've been relying on Brown Rice lately... Over the past couple of months we've been eating rice cakes, rice pasta, puffed rice, fried rice, rice flour in the waffles... I think I'm over-riced!? > > I like the idea of going with themes... I was thinking to use ethnic themes.? One day could be Chinese food, One day can be Mexican, one day can be American, one day can be Italian.? Also, a friend of mine gave me a macrobiotics cookbook that talks alot about how to cook unusual grains so I think I will pull that off the shelf and see what I can find.? A lot of macrobiotic stuff seems to be gluten free, even though it isn't advertised that way. > > I will post my menu when I come up with one... I'd appreciate feedback. > > By the way, Kim... Thank you so much for pointing me in the right direction.? I was really frustrated when I looked at those menus... They looked good, but I didn't have a clue how to do them Gluten Free!? I'll take a look in the recipe files...? > > Thank you again, > Alina Joy > > > > Sally Parrott Ashbrook <sally.parrott > > Tue, 16 Sep 2008 8:43 am > Re: Menu Planning... > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Alina--Learning to make a weekly meal plan has definitely made my life > > easier and healthier, even though it was frustrating initially after going > > gluten-free. > > > > Since starches are the big struggle when you're new to this, I would suggest > > is that you come up with four or five starches that you like, and then work > > like this: > > > > Sunday: Brown Rice > > Monday: Baked Potato > > Tuesday: Quinoa > > Wednesday: Gluten-free pasta (I recommend Tinkyada--cook half as long as the > > package says, and then taste every minute until it's just al dente; then > > rinse under cold water immediately to stop the cooking) > > Thursday: Sweet Potato > > > > I think you get the idea. (Of course, every meal doesn't HAVE to have a > > starch, but when you are sad initially about going gluten-free, having that > > starch can really help you out emotionally.) Once you have the starch in > > mind, you are focused on what you CAN eat instead of what you can't, and > > your mind starts putting foods together. " Oh, rice--I could do Tex-Mex or > > Thai or Chinese. " Etc. Or you can google for vegan ideas that utilize that > > starch. And you can go from there. > > > > I have been writing a series of posts about this topic for my blog but > > haven't published any of the series posts yet. I need to get on that! > > > > Learning how to bake gluten-free is a trial-and-error process that will take > > you a while. One of us will absolutely love a recipe that only seems so-so > > to you, and that's partly personal taste: you have to find the flours and > > textures that appeal to you. Also, as we go without gluten for longer and > > longer stretches of time, our minds lose some of the ability to remember > > what it was we loved so much about wheat and its counterparts. That's a > > blessing so that we're not in eternal mourning, but it means that we can't > > always even remember what actually tastes like wheat products used to taste > > to us. You'll be joining that club, too, and quicker than you would expect, > > so if you try a recipe and don't like it now, but think it might have > > potential, save it to re-try four or five months down the road when your > > taste buds have adjusted. > > > > Sally > > http://aprovechar.danandsally.com > > > > On Tue, Sep 16, 2008 at 1:58 AM, Alina Joy <alinajoyduboiswrote: > > > > > Hi Everyone, > > > I was just wondering if anyone here works with a menu plan... I used > > > to have one before we went GF but now I need to start over... I'm > > > feeling overwhelmed in the kitchen, I feel overwhelmed in the grocery > > > store... Virtually everything in my old menu plan had some gluten in > > > it somewhere. So far all the gluten free " imitation " type foods > > > (waffles, breads etc) I've tried are not very tasty... and they don't > > > seem to be very nutrition rich... I did look in this group's file > > > section and noticed that a few people posted menus there, but those > > > menus list items like " banana bread " " pizza " " Pretzels " etc and don't > > > explain how to make gluten free versions. What do the rest of you do? > > > Perhaps we can work together to create some menus.... Is anybody else > > > struggling? > > > AlinaJoy > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > " The original pact, the real deal, is with [yourself]: Be honest, dig deep, > > or don't bother. " > > --Abigail Thomas > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 18, 2008 Report Share Posted September 18, 2008 Thanks Cris, ? That one sentence... " I'd rather go without than feel dissatisfied... " ? Now I KNOW you understand!? I am going to post the most delicious french salad dressing for your salad!? I'll try to get to that later today.? Actually, I've been brainstorming some ideas... I think I need to take a nap today so I'll be less tired.? That will already help things to look better.? When I think about it, there are some things that I make anyway that are gluten free...? I make good soup that is GF.? And I can eat A LOT of soup!? ? I also make that delicious salad dressing that I just mentioned.... and it wouldn't hurt anybody around here to start eating a lot more salad!? Last weekend I was at somebody's house and they served a raw sprouted buckwheat granola that was surprisingly good... I can call that lady and ask for the recipe... So today I am feeling much more like this is DOable!? Thanks for everyone's suggestions.... Keep them coming.? I will post my final menu when I'm through! Alina Joy cris-baltimore Thu, 18 Sep 2008 11:00 am Re: Menu Planning... Hi Alina Joy- We too eat a LOT of rice since my going df and gf. I think we've been at it since April. Its been hard and there have been a few days where I just am too beat or tired to care and eat whatever I want, and then I pay for it with headaches and irratibility (I know those are mild reactions compared to some). So I understand how hard it is to make this change. I'm really liking Millet as a grain. It wasn't mushy, and actually it reminded me a bit of couscous. I made a cold salad with diced tomatoes, artichokes, cucumber, some pine nuts, fresh herbs and a little flax seed oil. It was so yummy and pretty! I haven't tinkered with any baking as yet, but I'm really not trying to replace the foods I used to eat, because as someone else said, they just aren't as good, and at this point I'd rather go with out than feel dissatisfied. My menu plan is a little brown notebook in my kitchen with all the weeks past. I just pull from that to create a new weeks' list. If my partner doesn't like something she puts a big X over it. I also make a big batch of something on Sunday to keep me over for the week for lunches or other fast meals. Soup, Chili, Rice and beans, or some sort of caserole. I also keep salad fixings on hand, because if I can get that in me, it will slow me down until I can come up with a " real " meal with out a major trainwreck happening. It does take time and patience initally, but it gets easier. --- Received: Wed, 17 Sep 2008 08:41:26 PM EDT alinajoydubois Re: [Vegan-and-Gluten- Free] Menu Planning... > > Thank you ladies for your tips... > > The evening I posted that I was feeling particularly overwhelmed. ? I was remembering the days not so long ago when I used to take flour, wash it until all the extra stuff was gone and I just had pure, unadulterated gluten left... Then I would slice it, boil it, pour a delicious sauce over it and ... yummy!? I guess that particular dish won't be on the new menu plan.? > > I think a big part of the problem is that I don't like most of the grains I've had... I've really only had them cooked as a porridge-like cereal... When I think of Millet, Quinoa, etc I think of mush in a bowl with milk poured over it.? I'm just not excited to try incorporating that mush into my meals.? I've been relying on Brown Rice lately... Over the past couple of months we've been eating rice cakes, rice pasta, puffed rice, fried rice, rice flour in the waffles... I think I'm over-riced!? > > I like the idea of going with themes... I was thinking to use ethnic themes.? One day could be Chinese food, One day can be Mexican, one day can be American, one day can be Italian.? Also, a friend of mine gave me a macrobiotics cookbook that talks alot about how to cook unusual grains so I think I will pull that off the shelf and see what I can find.? A lot of macrobiotic stuff seems to be gluten free, even though it isn't advertised that way. > > I will post my menu when I come up with one... I'd appreciate feedback. > > By the way, Kim... Thank you so much for pointing me in the right direction.? I was really frustrated when I looked at those menus... They looked good, but I didn't have a clue how to do them Gluten Free!? I'll take a look in the recipe files...? > > Thank you again, > Alina Joy > > > > > > > > > > > Sally Parrott Ashbrook <sally.parrott > > Tue, 16 Sep 2008 8:43 am > Re: Menu Planning... > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Alina--Learning to make a weekly meal plan has definitely made my life > > easier and healthier, even though it was frustrating initially after going > > gluten-free. > > > > Since starches are the big struggle when you're new to this, I would suggest > > is that you come up with four or five starches that you like, and then work > > like this: > > > > Sunday: Brown Rice > > Monday: Baked Potato > > Tuesday: Quinoa > > Wednesday: Gluten-free pasta (I recommend Tinkyada--cook half as long as the > > package says, and then taste every minute until it's just al dente; then > > rinse under cold water immediately to stop the cooking) > > Thursday: Sweet Potato > > > > I think you get the idea. (Of course, every meal doesn't HAVE to have a > > starch, but when you are sad initially about going gluten-free, having that > > starch can really help you out emotionally.) Once you have the starch in > > mind, you are focused on what you CAN eat instead of what you can't, and > > your mind starts putting foods together. " Oh, rice--I could do Tex-Mex or > > Thai or Chinese. " Etc. Or you can google for vegan ideas that utilize that > > starch. And you can go from there. > > > > I have been writing a series of posts about this topic for my blog but > > haven't published any of the series posts yet. I need to get on that! > > > > Learning how to bake gluten-free is a trial-and-error process that will take > > you a while. One of us will absolutely love a recipe that only seems so-so > > to you, and that's partly personal taste: you have to find the flours and > > textures that appeal to you. Also, as we go without gluten for longer and > > longer stretches of time, our minds lose some of the ability to remember > > what it was we loved so much about wheat and its counterparts. That's a > > blessing so that we're not in eternal mourning, but it means that we can't > > always even remember what actually tastes like wheat products used to taste > > to us. You'll be joining that club, too, and quicker than you would expect, > > so if you try a recipe and don't like it now, but think it might have > > potential, save it to re-try four or five months down the road when your > > taste buds have adjusted. > > > > Sally > > http://aprovechar.danandsally.com > > > > On Tue, Sep 16, 2008 at 1:58 AM, Alina Joy <alinajoyduboiswrote: > > > > > Hi Everyone, > > > I was just wondering if anyone here works with a menu plan... I used > > > to have one before we went GF but now I need to start over... I'm > > > feeling overwhelmed in the kitchen, I feel overwhelmed in the grocery > > > store... Virtually everything in my old menu plan had some gluten in > > > it somewhere. So far all the gluten free " imitation " type foods > > > (waffles, breads etc) I've tried are not very tasty... and they don't > > > seem to be very nutrition rich... I did look in this group's file > > > section and noticed that a few people posted menus there, but those > > > menus list items like " banana bread " " pizza " " Pretzels " etc and don't > > > explain how to make gluten free versions. What do the rest of you do? > > > Perhaps we can work together to create some menus.... Is anybody else > > > struggling? > > > AlinaJoy > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > " The original pact, the real deal, is with [yourself]: Be honest, dig deep, > > or don't bother. " > > --Abigail Thomas > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 18, 2008 Report Share Posted September 18, 2008 , alinajoydubois wrote: " I think a big part of the problem is that I don't like most of the grains I've had... I've really only had them cooked as a porridge-like cereal... When I think of Millet, Quinoa, etc I think of mush in a bowl with milk poured over it ... " There is no reason to have alternative grains only as mush. I've never had quinoa turn out mushy -- it must be because I cook the grain itself and not something like quinoa flakes. (I've noticed the same thing with buckwheat -- the whole groats end up nice and separate but the ground stuff turns to mush.) Quinoa is extremely versatile -- just cook it and add other ingredients. As for millet, it will be mushy if you don't toast it first. I stir it in a hot pan until it starts to get brown, then add boiling water (then cover and reduce heat to simmer). Made this way, the millet stays separate and is a nice sub for couscous. I haven't figured out amaranth yet. I get a mush when I cook it by itself. I haven't tried the toasting method because I understand that amaranth will pop like popcorn. So I'm more prone to throw some into soup or mix a little in with another grain. As far as other starches are concerned, don't forget corn (including polenta -- the stuff in tubes can simply be sliced and heated), winter squashes, beans, lentils, split peas, etc. There really is a wide variety available. When I menu plan, I often find one pasta recipe, one based on rice, one on another grain, one on potatoes or yams, one on a legume, etc. There is even variety in what pasta you use. There are ones based on rice, corn, quinoa, buckwheat, potato, mixtures of ingredients, etc. Diane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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