Healthy food substitutes

[In58men]

I'm hoping this thread can help those who are trying to better themselves. Please share some healthy food substitutions if you have any. Thank you.

1. Replace mayo and sour cream with plain Greek yogurt. Use Greek yogurt with your tuna, egg salads and chicken salads.

2. Use cauliflower instead of potatoes when wanting mashed potatoes. Steam the cauliflower and blend with a pinch of salt and pepper. Be careful with the butter. Also cauliflower makes a great pizza crust.

3. Try to use jelly instead of syrup and butter when eating pancakes.

4. Use oatmeal as binder instead of breadcrumbs when making meatloaf, hamburgers, meat balls etc etc.

5. Use unsweetened applesauce for a GREAT substitute for butter. Don't knock it until you've tried it. It has the exact same consistency and texture as butter.

[Simply Red]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I don't think there are any Smash Burger's in the Hollywood area but that's good to know for travel. I've pretty much substituted Tacos for burgers, whether it's Tex-Mex ground beef for Baja style chicken, tri-tip or fish on corn tortilla's.

Finding out that gluten was the root of my digestive and inflammation issues was devastating at first, as I'd gone 40+ plus years without issues. A few years ago, it was more difficult but now, there are a plethora of options that I no longer feel restricted anymore.

And in terms of alcohol, Tito's Vodka and Omission beer more than make up for Sky Vodka and Mexican beers (and without the inflammation and digestive issues!).

All that said, the gluten allergy sucks.

You're not missing much w/ Smash Burger - although it is nice they consider the gluten free bun on their menu, good on them. IIRC it's the same guy that created Chipotle, created the Smash concept. They're not terrible - but I definitely like five guys much better, JMO. A lot of these folks prefer Smash and Red Robin to Five Guys, not me though

[BucEyedPea]

Originally Posted by Simply Red

You're not missing much w/ Smash Burger - although it is nice they consider the gluten free bun on their menu, good on them. IIRC it's the same guy that created Chipotle, created the Smash concept. They're not terrible - but I definitely like five guys much better, JMO. A lot of these folks prefer Smash and Red Robin to Five Guys, not me though

I don't like Five Guys. I don't think Smashburger is the best burger when it comes to the meat, but it seems comparable to Five Guys. If I were to rate the best burger it would not be something from a chain but a good 6 oz burger in a decent restaurant.

[Simply Red]

Originally Posted by BucEyedPea

That was a Smash Burger in Tuscan btw. Only other one I been at was at Newark airport.

I haven't been able to eat wheat since the 90's when there was little to nothing available, but I can have gluten if it's not wheat. So the gluten free product availability has made life easier. Now I don't have to whip up a hamburger bun when I want one anymore.

Inflammation is a problem...including for heart. So it's good you found out.
Any food allergy causes inflammation.

speaking of airport eats, Gate A - Atlanta's Hartsfield/Jackson has an Arthur Treachers!

[BucEyedPea]

Somehow I don't get to choose my gate in Atlanta but that is mostly wheat too. Looks good though.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Simply Red

so you're doing gluten free? that's good I think.

I don't really have a choice if I want to be normal and have regular days.

Until I was diagnosed with the gluten allergy though blood testing, my throat would swell, which would induce my gag reflux as many as three times a day. I had a stomach endoscopy, colonoscopy and other tests which showed no damage, cancer, polyps, etc. yet my digestive system was a disaster and I was still experiencing dizziness (which is a gluten thing).

Even with adding probiotics and Greek yogurt while cutting out citrus, tomatoes, alcohol and caffeine, I still had massive swelling and stomach issues. Once it was determined to be gluten and I began cutting it from my diet, the symptoms disappeared.

It takes like 60 days for gluten to entirely leave your system, so I try not to eat any bread or flour based products. But every once in a while, I just need a slice of pizza or a burger and while the symptoms are greatly reduced because I'm no longer ingesting it daily, I still feel the effects.

FTR, I'd rather not eat gluten free pizza than eat it. I've had it at several restaurants and it's just not the same. Blech.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by BucEyedPea

If you want wheat substitutes or gluten free:

I use millet flour for crispy crusts if I need to fry something like fish. It's very mild. Could also use cornmeal even coarse grained.

In fact my bread is a millet bread with flax and no yeast. It's really good. It looks like a light rye.

Arrowroot instead of corn starch. Or even Xanthan gum which works in hot or cold recipes. Great for thickening up a smoothie.

Spelt flour is another good substitute for wheat but is not gluten free. Rudy's spelt tortilla's come in whole grain and white. Taste like the real thing but is even better for baked goods and pastries because it's lighter due to lower gluten. It is used in pastries in Europe for this reason and gives better rise. Vita Spelt sells spaghetti, angel hair pasta, elbows, spirals and lasagne noodles in white and whole grain. I use it extensively. But there is also rice flour whole and white for those who want no gluten at all. I haven't used that much though.

http://www.molecularrecipes.com/hydr...e/xanthan-gum/

Stevia for calorie free sweetner.

I'll think of more later. I've experimented with lots of substitutes.

I'd like to grow some food grade millet. What company makes your flour?

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

There are so many gluten free products at Costco and Ralphs now, which is awesome. I bought Barilla gluten free pasta for antipasto salad last week and was blown away by it. I seriously cannot tell the difference and bought three more boxes this week.

But my digestive track and throat can sure tell.

Is sorghum based flour still the cat's meow for gluten free? There is an outfit locally that does a lot of shit with sorghum, but they don't have enough storage for me to grow much for food grade sorghum. Although I wouldn't mind trying if I could get an outlet. I need a premium...

[Simply Red]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I don't really have a choice if I want to be normal and have regular days.

Until I was diagnosed with the gluten allergy though blood testing, my throat would swell, which would induce my gag reflux as many as three times a day. I had a stomach endoscopy, colonoscopy and other tests which showed no damage, cancer, polyps, etc. yet my digestive system was a disaster and I was still experiencing dizziness (which is a gluten thing).

Even with adding probiotics and Greek yogurt while cutting out citrus, tomatoes, alcohol and caffeine, I still had massive swelling and stomach issues. Once it was determined to be gluten and I began cutting it from my diet, the symptoms disappeared.

It takes like 60 days for gluten to entirely leave your system, so I try not to eat any bread or flour based products. But every once in a while, I just need a slice of pizza or a burger and while the symptoms are greatly reduced because I'm no longer ingesting it daily, I still feel the effects.

FRT, I'd rather not eat gluten free pizza than eat it. I've had it at several restaurants and it's just not the same. Blech.

I see. :/ - some of it's not too bad though.

[BucEyedPea]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I don't really have a choice if I want to be normal and have regular days.

Until I was diagnosed with the gluten allergy though blood testing, my throat would swell, which would induce my gag reflux as many as three times a day. I had a stomach endoscopy, colonoscopy and other tests which showed no damage, cancer, polyps, etc. yet my digestive system was a disaster and I was still experiencing dizziness (which is a gluten thing).

Even with adding probiotics and Greek yogurt while cutting out citrus, tomatoes, alcohol and caffeine, I still had massive swelling and stomach issues. Once it was determined to be gluten and I began cutting it from my diet, the symptoms disappeared.

It takes like 60 days for gluten to entirely leave your system, so I try not to eat any bread or flour based products. But every once in a while, I just need a slice of pizza or a burger and while the symptoms are greatly reduced because I'm no longer ingesting it daily, I still feel the effects.

FRT, I'd rather not eat gluten free pizza than eat it. I've had it at several restaurants and it's just not the same. Blech.

I make my own pizza crust when I make pizza at home. But now pizza places are offering gluten free crust options. I have one near me. Don't know if you have a Mellow Mushroom your way but they have one too. Expensive though. But it's a decent substitute, whatever they're using. I just prefer mine which spelt flour with cornmeal in it.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

Is sorghum based flour still the cat's meow for gluten free? There is an outfit locally that does a lot of shit with sorghum, but they don't have enough storage for me to grow much for food grade sorghum. Although I wouldn't mind trying if I could get an outlet. I need a premium...

Honestly, I don't know. Instead of trying to find bread alternatives, I turned to corn. Crunchy tacos, steamed corn tortillas, enchiladas over burritos, gluten free protein bars, etc.

It sounds harder than it is to go gluten-free although in all honesty, I wish it wasn't something I had to deal with because it makes eating out really tricky. Something as little as frying French fries with fried chicken can set off my stomach, which blows.

[Hammock Parties]

[BucEyedPea]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

I'd like to grow some food grade millet. What company makes your flour?

Honestly, I have no idea as I buy it in bulk at the organic market.

Is sorghum based flour still the cat's meow for gluten free?

I don't know. I've only used sorghum as a sweetner. I found this for you though:http://www.bobsredmill.com/gluten-fr...hum-grain.html

Says it's gluten free.That's a good brand too, imo.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by BucEyedPea

I make my own pizza crust when I make pizza at home. But now pizza places are offering gluten free crust options. I have one near me. Don't know if you have a Mellow Mushroom your way but they have one too. Expensive though. But it's a decent substitute, whatever they're using. I just prefer mine which spelt flour with cornmeal in it.

Thanks! Nope, no Mellow Mushroom although I had a California Pizza Kitchen Gluten free pizza last week. The toppings were excellent but the crust was just really bad. I've become somewhat of a NY Pizza-style pizza snob, so it was just inedible.

But I'd imagine that with the huge marketplace for gluten free products, the options will only increase and probably rather quickly.

[Simply Red]

Originally Posted by Numbah One

I bet the greens are good.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

Is sorghum based flour still the cat's meow for gluten free?

Oh, I did read reviews of the sorghum based beers but was too afraid to try it. Instead, I tried Omission, which is wheat based but has 1 part per 20 million (or something ridiculous like that) which qualifies for gluten-free.

They have a Pale Ale, IPA and Lager, all of which are excellent. I actually believe that when I choose to drink beer, I'm drinking a better tasting, higher quality beer than in the past, which is actually pretty cool.

[BucEyedPea]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Oh, I did read reviews of the sorghum based beers but was too afraid to try it. Instead, I tried Omission, which is wheat based but has 1 part per 20 million (or something ridiculous like that) which qualifies for gluten-free.

They have a Pale Ale, IPA and Lager, all of which are excellent. I actually believe that when I choose to drink beer, I'm drinking a better tasting, higher quality beer than in the past, which is actually pretty cool.

I was told when in another form some can be tolerated too. I drink beer with no reaction and I don't check what it's made from either.