I know... when you think "baba ghanouj" you think "what's so protein-heavy about eggplants and olive oil?" Well, when I looked up recipes for it, one thing stood out:
Tahini.
A quarter cup of tahini has 10.5 grams of protein. While that's not a whole lot spread out over two cups of dip/spread, those few grams here and there add up. So I decided to make a baba ghanouj recipe without tahini, and what I got was pretty darned tasty.
Hat tip to Cookie and Kate for the tip about roasting the eggplant.
Sunday, May 26, 2019
Friday, May 24, 2019
Recipe: Low Protein (Vegan) Pulao
Normally, pulao is a spiced rice dish cooked with yogurt and some form of meat (I've made both chicken and lamb versions). But I decided to see whether I could make it a little lighter on the protein side.
Vegan Pulao
Serves 6-8
3 tbsp oil
1 medium onion, sliced fine
1 star anise
1 Tbsp whole cumin
3 inches cinnamon (1 stick)
2 large bay leaves
1.5 inches ginger root, grated (or 1.5 Tbsp puree)
6 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
1 green chile, chopped fine (optional; more if desired)
1.5 tsp turmeric powder
3 cups long-grain white rice
4 medium zucchini, chopped into 3/4" pieces
1 can (13.5 to 14 oz) coconut milk (use a light version for lower fat)
4 cups hot water
Salt to taste
In a large pot, bring the oil to heat over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the onion. Fry the onion, stirring regularly, until it is soft and starts to brown, about 5 minutes.
Add the whole spices, and fry for another minute. Add the ginger and garlic, turmeric, and chiles, and fry for a half-minute, stirring to keep the garlic and ginger from sticking.
Add the rice, and mix it in well. Stir regularly until the rice mostly turns white, about 3-4 minutes. Add the zucchini all at once, and stir until it's well coated and starts to sweat, about a minute.
Add the coconut milk, stir it in, then add the water. Stir once to settle the rice, add a bit of salt, and cover the pot. Turn the heat down to a simmer.
Cook for 30 minutes, then check for doneness. Do not stir, as that will make the rice mushy; take a cooking spoon or paddle and push the rice aside so that you can see the bottom. When all the liquid is gone and a sample of rice is soft all through, remove the pot from the heat and allow it to stand for another 5 minutes.
This is tasty fresh, and reheats well, though the zucchini will become progressively softer. It tolerates being served at room temperature as well.
Nutrition (no salt added):
Vegan Pulao
Serves 6-8
3 tbsp oil
1 medium onion, sliced fine
1 star anise
1 Tbsp whole cumin
3 inches cinnamon (1 stick)
2 large bay leaves
1.5 inches ginger root, grated (or 1.5 Tbsp puree)
6 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
1 green chile, chopped fine (optional; more if desired)
1.5 tsp turmeric powder
3 cups long-grain white rice
4 medium zucchini, chopped into 3/4" pieces
1 can (13.5 to 14 oz) coconut milk (use a light version for lower fat)
4 cups hot water
Salt to taste
In a large pot, bring the oil to heat over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the onion. Fry the onion, stirring regularly, until it is soft and starts to brown, about 5 minutes.
Add the whole spices, and fry for another minute. Add the ginger and garlic, turmeric, and chiles, and fry for a half-minute, stirring to keep the garlic and ginger from sticking.
Add the rice, and mix it in well. Stir regularly until the rice mostly turns white, about 3-4 minutes. Add the zucchini all at once, and stir until it's well coated and starts to sweat, about a minute.
Add the coconut milk, stir it in, then add the water. Stir once to settle the rice, add a bit of salt, and cover the pot. Turn the heat down to a simmer.
Cook for 30 minutes, then check for doneness. Do not stir, as that will make the rice mushy; take a cooking spoon or paddle and push the rice aside so that you can see the bottom. When all the liquid is gone and a sample of rice is soft all through, remove the pot from the heat and allow it to stand for another 5 minutes.
This is tasty fresh, and reheats well, though the zucchini will become progressively softer. It tolerates being served at room temperature as well.
Nutrition (no salt added):
Monday, May 20, 2019
Every zebra has an origin story
It was high school before I realized I was different.
My mom asked me whether I felt up to doing something on the weekend. I did an internal check, and told her my pain level was pretty low, so I should be okay. She frowned and asked what pain? I discovered that day that not everyone measured their level of fatigue by how much pain they were in. I always had.
I had to drop out of college in my junior year. I tried again, a year later, and had to give up. I worked at various jobs until I finally collapsed, unable to stand, and it was weeks before I could walk properly. I blamed myself for almost two decades, for being weak, for not trying hard enough.
I stopped telling doctors that I was in pain because they always seemed unsatisfied when I said "everywhere". The pain scale was useless when zero did not exist. After the sixth or seventh doctor who ran the same tests and got normal results, I just stopped talking about it.
I applied for SSI, finally, when I was about to turn 40 and it was obvious I would never be able to work more than occasionally. The system was designed to be full of difficult hurdles and deeply humiliating. I was grateful to the judge in front of whom I finally appeared, for actually listening, and treating me like a human being. The tiny stipend I finally received was an incredible relief.
I was referred to Stanford to see someone about my Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which had kneecapped me in college and dogged me for twenty years. A few new tests showed abnormal results, my first. A couple of viruses, and elevated inflammation... A single pill, which did nothing, until I realized I could hike five miles and feel just a little sore in the days afterward. The chronic pain was still there, everywhere. I was still tired, but I didn't crash anymore. We decided to work on the inflammation. Five meds later, I had nothing to show for it but a row of unused pill bottles and some more adverse-reaction stories to add to my collection.
I had donated my genetic sequence to a CFS study, and decided to take a look at possible metabolic disorders. A friend thumbed through the data and sent me a half-dozen gene clusters which I had double-recessive alleles in. I ruled out two, decided one (G6PD) was likely but didn't explain the chronic pain, looked through the literature on the others, and decided that the easiest place to start was one I could test without a geneticist. I bought some arginine and cut protein out of my diet.
It was very strange and lopsided, for a facultative carnivore, but in twelve hours I knew something was different.
In 24 hours, I was in less pain than I'd been in all week.
In 48 hours, I was in less pain than I'd been in all month.
In 72 hours, I was in less pain than I'd been in all year.
I had found the culprit. More tests would have to be done, and some doctors would need to be convinced, but I was almost certain. Almost two months in, I'm sure. I have some flavor of urea cycle disorder.
So far, the doctors haven't argued much. That may be a testament to how hard I've worked to find medical professionals who actually listen, or it could simply be that most have never heard of it. My GP nodded, said that was interesting but she knew next to nothing about it, and issued referrals to a dietitian and a geneticist. The dietitian had never seen mention of it, but didn't contest my results. My CFS specialist was fascinated and eager to run a couple of tests to nail down the diagnosis. I'm still waiting on a geneticist.
I decided to start this blog to try to collect my experiences and whatever useful information I can find. Since much of the literature and advice available is for infants, I've had to rely on the (still scant) information intended for adult sufferers of phenylketonuria (PKU). They can't have whole protein either, but for different reasons.
I have twenty years of experience dealing with food sensitivities (thanks to a solvent injury, leading to several food intolerances), I've been wheat-free for a couple of decades (that was one of the sensitivities I acquired), and I have a background in biology and diagnosis, so I'm ahead of many of my fellow UCD zebras already. I'm winging it while I wait for the medical professionals to catch up, and probably breaking new ground. I'm used to that. Ever since the first time a doctor gave me that look as a teenager -- that "I don't know what to do with you" look -- I've been training to be my own specialist. I'm pretty good at it by now. I hope what I find can help someone else as well.
My mom asked me whether I felt up to doing something on the weekend. I did an internal check, and told her my pain level was pretty low, so I should be okay. She frowned and asked what pain? I discovered that day that not everyone measured their level of fatigue by how much pain they were in. I always had.
I had to drop out of college in my junior year. I tried again, a year later, and had to give up. I worked at various jobs until I finally collapsed, unable to stand, and it was weeks before I could walk properly. I blamed myself for almost two decades, for being weak, for not trying hard enough.
I stopped telling doctors that I was in pain because they always seemed unsatisfied when I said "everywhere". The pain scale was useless when zero did not exist. After the sixth or seventh doctor who ran the same tests and got normal results, I just stopped talking about it.
I applied for SSI, finally, when I was about to turn 40 and it was obvious I would never be able to work more than occasionally. The system was designed to be full of difficult hurdles and deeply humiliating. I was grateful to the judge in front of whom I finally appeared, for actually listening, and treating me like a human being. The tiny stipend I finally received was an incredible relief.
I was referred to Stanford to see someone about my Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which had kneecapped me in college and dogged me for twenty years. A few new tests showed abnormal results, my first. A couple of viruses, and elevated inflammation... A single pill, which did nothing, until I realized I could hike five miles and feel just a little sore in the days afterward. The chronic pain was still there, everywhere. I was still tired, but I didn't crash anymore. We decided to work on the inflammation. Five meds later, I had nothing to show for it but a row of unused pill bottles and some more adverse-reaction stories to add to my collection.
I had donated my genetic sequence to a CFS study, and decided to take a look at possible metabolic disorders. A friend thumbed through the data and sent me a half-dozen gene clusters which I had double-recessive alleles in. I ruled out two, decided one (G6PD) was likely but didn't explain the chronic pain, looked through the literature on the others, and decided that the easiest place to start was one I could test without a geneticist. I bought some arginine and cut protein out of my diet.
It was very strange and lopsided, for a facultative carnivore, but in twelve hours I knew something was different.
In 24 hours, I was in less pain than I'd been in all week.
In 48 hours, I was in less pain than I'd been in all month.
In 72 hours, I was in less pain than I'd been in all year.
I had found the culprit. More tests would have to be done, and some doctors would need to be convinced, but I was almost certain. Almost two months in, I'm sure. I have some flavor of urea cycle disorder.
The urea cycle is what breaks down protein into amino acids. About eight malfunctions exist; most of them result in a buildup of ammonia in the body, as it can't be converted properly to urea to get pulled out by the kidneys. Ammonia can cause all kinds of havoc, including (apparently) chronic pain.
As a group, urea cycle disorders are estimated at about 1 in every 35,000 people.
As a group, urea cycle disorders are estimated at about 1 in every 35,000 people.
So far, the doctors haven't argued much. That may be a testament to how hard I've worked to find medical professionals who actually listen, or it could simply be that most have never heard of it. My GP nodded, said that was interesting but she knew next to nothing about it, and issued referrals to a dietitian and a geneticist. The dietitian had never seen mention of it, but didn't contest my results. My CFS specialist was fascinated and eager to run a couple of tests to nail down the diagnosis. I'm still waiting on a geneticist.
I decided to start this blog to try to collect my experiences and whatever useful information I can find. Since much of the literature and advice available is for infants, I've had to rely on the (still scant) information intended for adult sufferers of phenylketonuria (PKU). They can't have whole protein either, but for different reasons.
I have twenty years of experience dealing with food sensitivities (thanks to a solvent injury, leading to several food intolerances), I've been wheat-free for a couple of decades (that was one of the sensitivities I acquired), and I have a background in biology and diagnosis, so I'm ahead of many of my fellow UCD zebras already. I'm winging it while I wait for the medical professionals to catch up, and probably breaking new ground. I'm used to that. Ever since the first time a doctor gave me that look as a teenager -- that "I don't know what to do with you" look -- I've been training to be my own specialist. I'm pretty good at it by now. I hope what I find can help someone else as well.
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