Frustrated Cook- is it just me??

  • I am new to the board and to SBD. DH and I started phase 1 on Monday. I had a new baby on the previous Monday and am somewhat used to eating anything and everything since that's what I did during my pregnancy. Prior to getting pregnant I was using the Zone method- which I find to be essentially the same as SBD- ie: whole foods, fewer high GI carbs, etc.
    I have tried out a couple of the posted SBD recipes (Decadent Fudge Brownies and Mock French Toast) and both have turned out quite horribly. I am an excellent cook, but what is the trick to getting these recipes to be more palatable? I would really love to find some TNT recipes to flesh out our menu past meat, veggies, and eggs! Breakfast on phase 1 is especially difficult unless you can stomach eggs every day. Any suggestions of recipes or cooking method would be greatly appreciated!

    Cindy
  • How about vanilla fat free sugar free yogurt? That is something I like for breakfast. Congratulations on your new baby. If you are nursing you will need to make sure you are eating enough to keep up your milk supply.

    Sorry I can't help with those recipes. I haven't made those particular ones but I have made many from the cookbook and many other ones from the forum.
  • Cindy, congratulations on your new little one!

    I have not made either of those recipes, as I am not fond of eggs. I wish I could tell you what went wrong. Can you post your experiences with each in the thread where the recipe is? That may help you get some advice on how to work with them. You can also PM the person who posted the recipes to ask their help.

    For breakfast, there are a ton of different options.

    Here are the things I choose from for breakfast:
    • Cottage cheese with cucumber or tomato and Lawry's seasoning salt and 6 oz of V-8
    • Cottage cheese with ground flax seed, cinnamon, and a half a packet of Splenda and 6 oz of V-8
    • Ham rolled up with a slice of 2% milk cheese and some mustard
    • A tomato basil burger (from Morningstar farms) with cheese and red pepper slices dipped in Hummus
    • Leftovers from dinner (if small)
    • Some chicken salad (chicken with mayo and celery, etc.)
    • A smoothie made with plain yogurt, frozen berries, ground flax seed, and a little milk

    Hope that gives you some ideas! I avoid carbs and fruit for breakfast usually, as they tend to cause cravings, but once you are in phase II, you can totally indulge if that works for you.

    There are some wonderful recipes in our recipe forum, but also check out other recipes sites on line. Two of my favorites are www.cookinglight.com (The magazine is great, too. You have to register to look at recipes on the site, but it's free and worth the time) and www.allrecipes.com You'll have to modify the recipes to make them SBD friendly, but I think you can do that well, being a good cook. :

    Personally, I'm very fond of the Taco Bake, the Stuffed Chicken Breast, and the Almond Dijon Chicken recipes in the Phase 1 Entree recipe forum here. They are all very tasty and good. Enjoy!
  • When I did phase 1 back in January, I ate beans for breakfast. I know-sounds strange. Another message board I visit is big on beans and I started using them.

    I would add salsa and cheese to the beans and eat them hot right of the microwave. It was easy and filling.
  • Any combination of protein and vegies for breakfast is fine. Try steak and mushroom, ham or turkey roll ups or cucumber slices topped with cottage cheese. If you are into cooking I would suggest creating your own recipes using the food list. I have found its really important to learn to enjoy a completely different (and healthier) way of eating rather than adapting your previous bad habits so I would stay away from brownies and pancakes for now.
  • My favorite breakfast is l/f cottage cheese mixed with 1 container of s/f Jell-O. It's a little strange sounding but it's really good! I can usually put that together in the mornings in a short amount of time and don't have to cook anything! I usually save the eggs for lunch with some turkey bacon and a little Crystal Light Sunrise. The Crystal Light tastes like a mix between OJ and Sunny Delight.
  • Quote: I have tried out a couple of the posted SBD recipes (Decadent Fudge Brownies and Mock French Toast) and both have turned out quite horribly. I am an excellent cook, but what is the trick to getting these recipes to be more palatable?
    Hi Vendi... first off, you have to recognize that, because you're not using ingredients that you're used to (like flour, for instance), these things are NOT going to taste like the real thing. As soon as you recognize that, and see if you can enjoy the food that you're making for what it is (and not what it's "supposed" to be, or supposed to replace), you'll be way better off. I found the same thing when I made the "Mock French Toast". Um, hi, no, this is NOT like french toast. Because? THe main ingredient in french toast is the TOAST. The names of these recipes are highly misleading.

    Now... for breakfast... there's something I've been eating a lot and I absolutely love (I honestly crave it for breakfast now... I'm a former muffin/banana bread/cereal eater for breakfast, so this has taken many weeks to happen). It was listed as "Mock Danish", but it in no way tastes like a danish. However, I really love the taste and texture of this. Put 1/2 cup of skim/lower-fat ricotta cheese in a bowl and mix with one large egg, splash of vanilla extract, and 2 tbsp's of Splenda. Mix it well, and put into a small microwavable dish that has been sprayed with Butter Flavoured Pam (or similar spray). Cover with wax paper. (VERY important to do that part.) Then microwave at Power Level 6 for 3:00, then Power Level 8 for 2:00.

    I find I need to let it cool for a while after as it gets very hot. I usually put a little bit of Can't Believe It's Not Butter Lite on top for some buttery taste.

    I eat this every day for breaky now, and I enjoy it. You may not, the texture is a bit strange I suppose. But it's my new favorite with a non-fat iced latte in the morning!

    Good luck, and stick with it -- it is SO worth it when you start to see the results. (But you have to be perfect on Ph1 or it's not going to work for you.)
  • Breakfast is tough...I too am not a big egg eater, but have made the egg muffins listed on the site and they aren't bad. I made them at the beginning of the week and just grabbed 2 with 2 pieces of turkey bacon stuck them in the microwave and there was my breakfast.

    Congratulations on your little angel
  • congratulations on your new wee one. As for breakfast think outside the box or egg carton. You can eat anything you want for breakfast I think that we get stuck on the fact that if we are not having cereal or toast it has to be eggs. I like omletts. I fill it full of veggies and then a bit of cheese. I find this helps to keep me full. But I have had left overs from suppers as well. Good luck and check out the recipie section.
  • Kim, if I liked eggs, that would be delicious! Maybe try throwing some cinnamon in there. Cinnamon is supposed to help reduce type 2 diabetes risk, and it tastes darn good!
  • Quote: Kim, if I liked eggs, that would be delicious! Maybe try throwing some cinnamon in there. Cinnamon is supposed to help reduce type 2 diabetes risk, and it tastes darn good!
    Beach -- the great thing is that it doesn't taste like egg at all, especially since you can use two egg whites to replace a whole egg.

    I have done it with cinnamon, but I put cinnamon and sweetner in my cottage cheese -- so I don't like to have more than one meal a day with cinn., so I don't get sick of it.

    Anyway, give it a try -- even just once. I promise, it doesn't taste like eggs.
  • Hmmm. I posted a reply days ago and it seems to have disappeared.
    Thanks for all your suggestions. I will definitely try some of them. I'm glad I have only a week to go before I can try some All Bran for breakfast!
    I've been eating the Quiche on the Go things for breakfast, but I wouldn't say that I am enjoying them. It's just sustinence. I'm also eating more cottage cheese- thank heavens I like it!
    I can't imagine doing phase one for more than 2 weeks. It really is arduous! Perhaps I am just not creative enough to make it fun.

    Cindy
  • No, Cindy, it's just not very fun...but that's okay, because you can do anything for two weeks! That's what I kept telling myself. I can't imagine doing it for longer, but lots of people have. Two weeks was perfect for me.