Flavorful Dinners

[JamieR]

I'm two weeks in to the McDougall program, and I am astonished and pleased by what is going on, on the healthy front.

But I am having some trouble with the food.

First the good things...

I love my plain oatmeal or hash brown breakfast (I have the other one for a later afternoon snack). I've enjoyed bean dip on rice cakes or cut up vegetables. Our loaded salads and coleslaw taste great with a honey-mustard no-fat dressing that I now make. I've even gotten used to completely plain air-popped popcorn (I was total butter addict before...my DH can't believe I will eat it plain now!).

But I am struggling with dinner. In these two weeks, there has been only one dinner meal that I really enjoyed (the Speedy International Stew in the Quick & Easy book). The rest just taste so bland to me, with very similar textures.

I know from reading the books and these boards that your taste buds need time to adapt to this new way of eating. I know everyone is different, but I thought I would have adjusted better in two weeks. But last night's meal just tasted so bland (not bad, but mostly tasteless) that I just couldn't eat more than a third of of the modest bowl I had dished out (while my DH went for seconds...he seems to have adapted quite readily to this food).

I'll admit that in my former eating life I was a total salt and fat addict. Even when I went vegetarian in 2005, I still ate a lot of butter (on bread and on popcorn) and salted every layer of a dish to "season properly" as I went along. Loved all sorts of full-flavored cheese (like sharp Cheddar and Parmesan).

I decided when I was going to do this...that I was going to do it all the way. Even though it seems odd not to saute in oil (it even smells different to me) or to season each layer with a pinch of salt as I cooked, I was just going to follow the plan without deviating and see what happened.

I am absolutely compliant, following every recipe to the letter...but I am just not liking dinner.

Help!

I am powering through as much as I can...and I in NO WAY intend to let this deter me from staying on what I know is the best possible way to eat. I know that long-term, I need to figure out something better than what I am doing so that compliance will be effortless and not a eat-though-clenched-teeth moment each dinner. I just need some help...and I know some of you out there can lead me in the right direction.

[Vegankit]

You are off to a great start and you have the right attitude so you will make it work.

One thing that can help is to look over your favorite SAD meals and see if you can McDougallize them - use beans or grains instead of meat, remove oil etc. Consider what spices you enjoy and bump them up in the new recipes. You can sprinkle a small amount of salt on your food at the table as you eat. A little low salt soy sauce can add some savory flavor to food to make up for the lack of meat.

I use a lot of spices in my meals, often double what is suggested. In addition I will add spices not in the recipe if I think it will add more favor. Some people may enjoy more heat in their food by adding chili peppers, cayenne pepper etc. Ethnic recipes are a good way to learn how to cook with unusual spices.

I sometimes have problems with texture too - it often seems the same. In some dishes, only lightly cook the veggies so they still have some crunch. Potatoes can be sliced thin and microwaved for a nice crisp chip that tastes like baked lays potatoes chips without any fat. Look over recipes looking for those that have different textures so you don't feel you're stuck in a stewed/mushy rut.

[Kime]

If you don't have a problem with salt you could probably put some more on the surface of your food if that helps it to taste better to you. I don't have heart or kidney problems so I just go ahead and use what I want which isn't a huge amount, but is more than people with heart or kidney problems should use.

It's better to use the salt if it helps keep you away from the fat if you are in good health and just want to stay healthy or if you just need to lose weight.

Here is an article by Dr. McDougall about how salt is used as a scapegoat:

http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2008nl/aug/salt.htm

I was raised on the SAD diet and had surgery on varicose veins when I was in my early 30's almost 20 years ago so my circulation in my legs is somewhat compromised. On the SAD diet I get edema (swelling) in my ankles but on the low fat McD diet I don't even though I believe I am using the same amount of salt. I really think the fat is mainly what causes the edema, not salt unless someone uses a huge amount.

[JamieR]

You are off to a great start and you have the right attitude so you will make it work.

Thanks for the words of encouragement!

One thing that can help is to look over your favorite SAD meals and see if you can McDougallize them - use beans or grains instead of meat, remove oil etc. Consider what spices you enjoy and bump them up in the new recipes. You can sprinkle a small amount of salt on your food at the table as you eat. A little low salt soy sauce can add some savory flavor to food to make up for the lack of meat.

Actually, I'd been a lacto-ovo vegetarian since 2005...meat is no longer a part of my vocabulary!

I tend to be very plain in my cooking, plainer than what I'd like, because my DH doesn't like spice. One of the more adventurous dishes that I tried he said "had too much flavor"! (And it wasn't even spicy hot.)

Most of my "spicing" was salt, pepper, garlic, and onions...honestly!

My favorite SAD meals were things like pizza (with cheese) and nachos...need I say more about those being hard to replace on this diet? (BTW, I am doing the MWL version.)

I use a lot of spices in my meals, often double what is suggested. In addition I will add spices not in the recipe if I think it will add more favor. Some people may enjoy more heat in their food by adding chili peppers, cayenne pepper etc. Ethnic recipes are a good way to learn how to cook with unusual spices.

I like the idea of trying more spices, or even ethnic cuisines on occasion, but my DH has a very straightlaced palate, IYKWIM.

I sometimes have problems with texture too - it often seems the same. In some dishes, only lightly cook the veggies so they still have some crunch. Potatoes can be sliced thin and microwaved for a nice crisp chip that tastes like baked lays potatoes chips without any fat. Look over recipes looking for those that have different textures so you don't feel you're stuck in a stewed/mushy rut.

Good ideas...and thanks so much for responding!

Regards,
Jamie

[Faith in DC]

the sauteed onions/garlic aren't like they use to be when done in butter or oil. It did take me a while to get use to it. I was a southern cook so bacon grease came into play often also.

Instead of using water, maybe make some veggie bouillon and use that to saute.

I use a lot of spices, vinegars, and liquid smoke and other different things I never use to.