Kitchen

[Poodlepet2]

I am sorry about the typos: I was in a rush.....Ok, other ideas....I love oven roasted green beans: spritz fresh green beans with olive oil and put them on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 and turn frequently so that they brown and get crisp.  Steamed green beans are great for snaking and using for dipping into homemade bean dips and hummus. Just about any canned beans you have can be turned into dips and hummus-especially white beans.

I have been using beans in place of cream soups from a can for a very long time: they work and they are so much healthier. Use them in place of any canned stuff you might use in chicken pot pie.

Somebody else pointed out the virtues of sweet potatoes: they make a great breakfast and you can also substitute sweet potato for half your oatmeal..... Solid pack pumpkin can also be used and is a nutritional goldmine. If you can have it, fresh ginger, grated, gives a great flavor dimension, but go easy-it has a kick!

I adore raw jicama and it's a part of my life. It's high in fiber and low in sugar and is also called Mexican Apple" : it has a Apple taste and is used in Mexico in place of Apple's. These critters are big: I go for the smaller ones. Get rid of all the peel using a vegetable peeler, and wash the cutting board, the peeler and the jicama (believe it or not, it's a legume). Slice it into thin chips and they are delightful topped with your favorite tuna or chicken salad, Some people use them in place of tortillas.  They are fantastic in stir-fry. I always use them in salad.  I love thin slices dusted with cinnamon and stevia.  There is no end to what you can make with this versatile vegetable. Kept in the fridge, they have a long shelf life.

What fruit are you permitted?

Hugs,

Poodlepet2

[Poodlepet2]

One last, but very important suggestion.....take your list and go shopping at a "whole" or "organic" food store. Many of them are a major source of information and products for people who have to be on exclusion diets of all kinds.

One last thought: when your migraines began, had you done any thing in your home such s changing carpeting, furniture or paint? Or, were your migraines always there and just got worse? Could there be any possible correlation with the air quality-especially if you live in a valley?

Poodlepet2

[Poodlepet2]

BadaBing-!! You can have rice noodles or cellophane noodles, and there are edible rice paper wrappers that could be fashioned into spring rolls. ( I love fresh bean sprouts of all kinds, but they all have different flavors. If you can have them, experiment.....

....this is just an idea-how about making a fake soy sauce from massively reduced beef broth to which you could add salt, garlic, pans perhaps a little ginger? My grand idea is to buy beef bones ( I have noticed since bone broth is all the rage, they sure have gone up), roast them, cover with water, and put them in a crock pot overnight. Strain and reduce.

I love quinoa-particularly the Red Inca variety. I make a batch at the beginning of the week and I use it for all kinds of things such as pillars, soups and even as a cold cereal ( I use  nut milk and sprinkle with almonds and cinnamon, but you could certainly use rice milk and any fruit allowed).

Is carob allowed? If it is, a small container of. Powdered carob may be worth picking up.

Poodlepet2

[VaBelle35]

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@house_cat wrote:

I'm on an exclusion diet for migraine, which essentially means no gluten, no dairy, no preservatives, no yeast!

I've been living on grilled chicken and rice for a week and I'

I like to cook and I've checked out a number of recipes, but my options are so limited at this point.

I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions, especially for store-bought items, because the amount of ingredients needed to make one gluten-free thing is staggering.

Thank you.

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Search Whole30.  Whole30 is an elimination plan to help you identify food allergies, sensitivities and all things related to your health and what you consume.

I would recommend sticking to recipes directly from the Whole30 website that they have produced (they also have a book).  Many people tag things Whole30 and they are not.

[VaBelle35]

re store bought items

There really aren't any.

If you want prepared foods, the closest thing I've found are some of the Beetnik frozen meals that are compliant.

[house_cat]

I've compiled a list of suggestions and I'm taking it with me to the grocery store today.

Thank you, everyone!

@Poodlepet2

Yes, I most certainly live in a valley and the air quality is one of the issues, as are hormones.  I've had migraines since 12 years old, but they've worsened the last few years, probably due to those two factors, since I had a complete hysterectomy in 2012.  There are SO MANY variables to consider, not the least of which is sinus surgery, but I'm going to give this a good try before resorting to that.

[Abrowneyegirl]

@house_cat

You really should find a registered dietitian that specializes in food sensitivities.  There are specialized tests that can be hugely beneficial for solving YOUR problems or conditions.  This broad brush approp of eliminating all things that may cause migraines (or whatever)  is too 'shot in the dark' 

My dietitian created a specific plan for me and supported me throughout (she even offers grocery store tours).  My avoid list does not fit the normal list of common triggers and I never would have found it without her.    For example rice!

Now that I have my list, I have been off ALL meds for over 16 months now, lost weight and KEPT it off for the same 16 months.  I am like a new woman!

[VaBelle35]

The Whole30 is first an elimination plan where you eliminate every know possible allergen for 30 days.  Once you get to day 30, you start a systematic re-introduction of each item, in order, over several days (if necessary) to determine how you do on each item.

Food sensitivity testing is also a great idea, but it is super expensive and probably not covered by most insurance plans.  

I looked into it for my sinus and skin allergies before I found Whole30.  I decided to try the free option first.  I ultimately did the skincare allergy test (for $1200) and it told me what I already knew, that I had a metal allergy.

So that was a waste of money.

[VaBelle35]

Also, if migrains are the issue, a sensitivity test may in fact trigger a migraine whereas an elimination diet won't (if food is indeed the trigger).

[house_cat]

I can't thank you all enough for recommending the Whole 30 plan. I'd heard of it, but really didn't know what it was.  I've been reading and researching this morning and it seems much more realistic than what I've been doing the past two weeks.  In fact, it's much less restrictive, so I shouldn't have a hard time staying on it.

I downloaded this shopping list of recommended foods.

Of course there are a few acceptable foods on the list that I cannot have because they are known migraine triggers, but on the whole, it's food I can live with.

I've posted here before about my husband's worrisome eating habits. He eats so little and his RA medications have reduced his appetite even more.  I've decided not to tell him that the eating plan may very well help his RA.  I'm going with it for at least the 30 days and I'm interested in seeing if he notices anything. Of course, he's a skinny-bolink and can eat whatever he wants, and will likely snack on sweets in the evening, but all in all it should still be beneficial.

Again, thank you all and I'll surely post updates.

Are there threads on the recipe forum regarding Whole 30?