Advice Needed: Low Carb w/out meat, peanut butter or soy

[charlottezweb]

Wow, that seems unlikely. But. Here's the deal: I'm not supposed to be eating much sugar in any form both because of this thyroid thing and also because I'm super-likely to develop gestational diabetes this pregnancy because I had it last time. (It's a diabetes that occurs in some pregnancies and then disappears after delivery.) So a lower carb, higher protein diet is the way to go. The problem is that meat is grossing me out, and I'm allergic to peanut butter (and other nuts) and raw soy (so no soy milk, soy powder, or soy nuts).

Does anyone have any ideas for protein heavy/lower carb meals/dishes? I'd love any help because I'm feeling stumped.

Comments

[bethzebra.livejournal.com]

Does meat include fish? 'Cause fish good. I eat a lot of eggs when I'm low-carbing, ditto cheese (esp. cottage cheese if you can stand it). You can also get whey protein powder and make low-carb smoothies if that would work better for your stomach. There is non-whey non-soy protein powder but it's icky (imho).

[charlottezweb.livejournal.com]

I'd thought fish was too gross but I thought about it after reading this and realized that fish in soup didn't sound bad. So we had fish stew and it was yummy. Cottage cheese sounds good, I think, and if I add canned peaches or something I can get fruit in too.

Thanks!

[la-penguinita.livejournal.com]

Yeah...what the striped-one said: Dairy and eggs rank up there. Maybe some rice-n-beans, just not in large amounts. (The fiber in the beans helps change how the carbs are absorbed into the system. It's not an everyday kind of meal for a diabetic (gestational or otherwise) but it's not a no-no.)

Apparently there are also varieties of tofu that are made from beans other than soy...

Good luck with this. ~hugs~

Please do share what you come up with? I know I'm not the only one who would love to find new options!

[charlottezweb.livejournal.com]

Yikes! I didn't know that about beans. Eggs are difficult, but cheese is a staple. I could try a cheesy quiche--I usually like those even though there are eggs.

Once I get a week's worth of meals or so worked out I'll post back with the results.

high protein low carb

[betonica.livejournal.com]

What's been said about eggs and fish. Get creative. Quiche. Cheese souffle(sp?). "Egg nog" (I made this all the time as a little kid, and still think it's a comfort food: Eggs, milk, vanilla, a dash of nutmeg, stevia for sweetening; blend and drink). Do all meats gross you out? Maybe thinly sliced lunch meats are ok? Or something else?

Nutritional yeast is high protein and also high in B vitamins - we used to make "tiger's milk" when I was a kid, too, by mixing whey or dried milk, lecithin (optional), and nutritional yeast into milk. Rich and nutty. These days I just put the nutritional yeast in.

Beans, as mentioned, are a good idea because they shift that carb metabolism in a good way. I eat beans every day and (when I was being more strict about it) lost 20 pounds over a few months. I think that they have the effect of filling me up and not making me crave food as much. Note: soak them overnight before cooking them - it reduces their glycemic index *and* makes them easier to digest. I didn't think I liked beans, but then realized there were a lot of options and I could avoid the ones I disliked. My four bean things are: black bean soup, lentil stew, split pea soup and hummus. I rotate through so I don't get sick of one of them. The three hot options I pour over fresh spinach leaves, which then get slightly cooked, taste delicious, and are good for me.

Cheese is a wonderful option. I *love* cheese. I've decided I can't be lactose intolerant, because life without cheese... well.

I'm sure I'm not thinking of everything.

Re: high protein low carb

[charlottezweb.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you! Some wonderful ideas here. I'd forgotten about some of the things I like to eat anyway--split pea soup, hummus, etc. eggnog is a good idea too--eggs make me a bit gaggy normally so I have to be careful, but I've always liked eggnog and it's a great way to get some protein in. Oo, egg salad too. (yes, my egg aversion is arbitrary and illogical) I've never tried nutritional yeast but I'm game. :)

Pouring the soup over spinach is a great idea--folic acid and veggie goodness and I love wilted spinach. Better for me than rice, certainly.

Re: high protein low carb

[betonica.livejournal.com]

Toasted nutritional yeast is even tastier than the plain stuff. There was some store that sold it some place I used to live. I guess I could toast it myself (in the oven for ten minutes, maybe - I'll have to experiment).

Right now I'm still recovering from the bake sale on Sunday (many dozens of cookies; several dozen brownies) - ewg. I didn't realize I had quite such a hard time with sugar; puts me right to sleep, and makes me feel kind of puddingish (is that a word?). Maybe I'll have plain yogurt for lunch, or some other protein-no-sugar option.