The Poultry Keeper

NannyP · Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2008 6:31 pm Post subject: Pulses for protein

Whilst our doctor was passionately trying to sell us the Protein diet from Monaco, this morning. She said that alongside the 4 wonderful sachets of protein replacement meals, twice a day we could also have legumes et crudites. Whilst i was jumping up and down for joy...I was trying to work out what was the difference.....in my understanding legumes are vegetables (and I think they could be pulses??) and crudites are vegetable sticks.

She wants Mark to lose at least another 4 kilos, and as we have stagnated for a couple of months and he has shown no weight loss, she was waxing lyrical about this. I was horrified.....after a year (almost exactly) of re educating ourselves and our stomachs, a year of eating well, healthily and sensibly, she now wants him (us) to eat nothing but the above for the month!! No meat, no fish, no cheese! Oh and the best bit......200 euros per person, per month.

So, I understand that she wants us to cut down on meat, which has fats with it, and replace our protein intake with pulses. Yesterday, I made that gorgeous, pea and ham soup....already planned before the Dr's....and we have had it again tonight for our supper.
Lunch was chick pea curry with rice...so we have had plenty of pulses today, and very little meat.

I need recipes and interesting things to do with pulses, chick peas, lentils etc....something good enough to distract me from the lack of meat!! This will also help with our need to cut back on money, as the exchange rate has plummeted again today

Gilly C · Joined: 22 Jun 2006 Posts: 2671 Location: South Cumbria

Do you like Jamaican rice'n'peas but really it is an accompniment to Jerk chicken you do not need much meat as the rice has kindey beans in so much more filling, lentils can be used in quiches ,soups, loaf, beans in casseroles , curried potatoes are nice as are curried eggs loads of stuff to go at me I couldn't live without meat am a real carnivore Good Luck

NannyP · Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2008 7:46 pm Post subject:

Have tried none of those things Gilly....and need to keep the potatoes down as they are starch, rather than protein.

Like the Jamaican jerk idea, do you have a recipe?

Gilly C · Joined: 22 Jun 2006 Posts: 2671 Location: South Cumbria

Yes I do but visitors have just this minute arrived will after the weekend do

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2299 Location: North Cornwall

So are you having the meal replacement sachets as well, or did you decline those.

NannyP · Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2008 9:26 pm Post subject:

absolutely NOT.....she was pretty determined, as was I. It's mad to expect people to give up proper, warming food in the winter...with no sun and warmth to help support you psychologically. 200 euros per person Shocked

I would have been going back to see her for anti depressants after 2 weeks!

So, I will adjust our diet to achieve further weight loss and make sure we're still having nice, warming and comforting food.

Mark has lost 10 kilos this year and I have lost 8. We've eaten well, and not felt like we've gone without much. We'll now just eat a little less, and get more exercise. Slow but sure is far better than losing loads of weight in a short time, which is what she was suggesting.

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2299 Location: North Cornwall

Thank goodness, what a waste of money. I cant see the reasoning behind them at all.

I think you are doing it right but cant understand why you cant eat meat, can you eat fish.

NannyP · Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2008 11:57 pm Post subject:

I think she meant, that on the Protein diet, we wouldn't be eating meat, fish or cheese. Meat has fat (saturated) whereas, pulses don't (nor the P diet I guess). Oh, I should add, it was for one month.

I will cut down on our meat, but won't NOT eat any, I couldn't cope with that, I am quite a carnivore Very Happy

It will help financially too, so worth it for us to do for a while at least. So that I get used to meat less often, and we lose some more weight.

debcat · Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 12:03 am Post subject:

broth is good, loads of veg, butterbeans, dried peas, chick peas and lentils and just a tiny bit of meat

NannyP · Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 11:35 am Post subject:

I will need to go and stock up on all these pulses...I only have lentils and chick peas left.

Mark has lost a kilo already.....so all's good Very Happy

Isotope · Joined: 02 Oct 2008 Posts: 53 Location: Bedfordshire

Cassoulet is really nice. There are as many recipes as there are days of the year, so take your pick. It can be as meaty or veggie as you choose. I generally put at least 2 if not 3 different types of bean in when making a totally vegetarian version and lots of fresh tomatoes and herbs, if available, or tinned and dried if that's what I happen to have.

I agree about the rice n' pea and jerk chicken (or just a carribbean influenced chicken curry). That's a favourite in this house and we also make it ten different ways depending on what ingredients we have and what we remember to do!

Auntie Noo · Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 622 Location: Guildford

I now always make a chilli with beans instead of meat. "Chilli Sans Carne" so to speak! Exactly the same as you'd make with mince but substitute the meat for a mix of beans. I buy tins cos I'm not organised enough to soak, but usually a tin of red kidney, tin of cannelini, and tin of barlotti, but any mix will do. When it's cooked I mush it a bit with a potato masher, not completely but just a bit. It's much thicker meal than the meat variety as there isn't so much in the way of gravy, but it's really delicious and good with rice or jacket spuds. Freezes fine too, and will easily make 4 meals, or 6 at a push.

NannyP · Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 1:35 pm Post subject:

Keep them coming, really helpful.

Went shopping, in my local shop (for local people Wink

) and bought some more pulses. Was thinking broth, but guess what...no Pearl Barley Shocked

Will need to look for the French spelling and then look in the bigger store on payday.

Tinned pulses are actually sometimes better, as they have retained more of the nutrients....I bought dried today, as i think it may work out cheaper....but I will be checking.

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2299 Location: North Cornwall

But you have to plan ahead with dried beans and pulses with all the soaking time. What happens if you soak a load of stuff then dont or cant cook it for some reason . Do they keep Confused

NannyP · Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 10:53 pm Post subject:

I think once you have reconstituted them, you can then freeze them for later use. I have all the time in the world of course to pre plan, so not a problem for me. I would suggest that, if that is an issue for you, you buy tinned....the reading I've done since the other day, says they're good value nutritionally.

I have some soaking now, I will refresh the water tomorrow and put them in the fridge, for use on Monday. Unless I feel like cooking tomorrow. I'll make the chilli sans carne (and sans red kidney beans Embarassed

) and leave it for the next day, as like stew...I am sure it'll improve with age.