OK, let's hear some thoughts, ideas, and opinions on the "Select" Vegetables in the Phase 1 Ideal Protein Diet. The ones we are supposed to consume 4 cups a day !
I admit I am not a vegetable lover and have to find things that I can "choke down". Please excuse my lack of knowledge on this subject.
Some of the things on the "IP approved" list I just have NO IDEA about!
There are only a few things on this list that I have been brave enough to try in my first 31 days on the IP diet.
1. Broccoli (Upside: Lots of fiber. Downside: It smells to high heaven when you steam it. My house usually stinks for hours afterwards.)
2. Cauliflower (Upside: it's sort of tasteless, so you can mash it up and pretend it's mashed potatoes. Downside: Hardly any fiber. I guess this might be a good default vegetable?)
3. Zuchinni (Just bought my first one today and haven't cooked it yet -- I had a hard time finding it in the vegetable aisle since it wasn't labeled and I wasn't entirely sure what it looked like -- I think I remember eating this once in red sauce).
4. Celery (Tasteless and stringy. Do people really try to choke down 4 cups of this a day? LOL!)
Some of the items on the approved list are unusual to say the least (at least to me).
Do people eat Algae? Isn't that what floats on lakes?
And what is Sorrel (at first I thought it said Squirrel! LOL).
Watercress? Whaaa?
Let's hear from some of our vegetable mavens on this board.
What vegetables are your staples and why? What tastes and works the best for you?
Last edited by Avalon1957; 09-08-2013 at 04:08 PM.
Buy a rutabaga and make fries, you will be glad you did!! Never had it until this diet and even if I was OFF the diet I would still eat rutabaga!! So good!!!
I had to get creative to keep up the 4 cups a day pace.
Try grating cauliflower and sauteing it in EVOO, spices, some other veggies and an egg white. It is just like fried rice. I can literally eat it almost every day. I make it when we order chinese take out too.
I just ordered a spiral veggie cutter to make "veggie spaghetti." I think it will be great for zucchini!
I try to have a combo of cooked and raw veggies everyday. There are a lot of great recipes on this site and many links to other IP sites too.
For raw veggies, I like to have english cucumbers, I cut them up put them in a ziplock bag with salt and snack on them. I do the same with peppers but without the salt. I also like to have a cucumber salad with onions and I usually add tomatoes.
Mushrooms and zucchini sautéed with garlic is really yummy, I also add chicken sausage or ground beef. Swiss chard (a dark leafy veg) is great with sautéed garlic and lemon juice.
I attempt to try something new or something I haven't in a long time each week, just to mix things up a little. Variety is the spice of life and for me it keeps the diet interesting.
By the way sorrel is an herb. Watercress is a type of lettuce. Lol
I have come to like cabbage. I slice it up super thin - or buy it in the bagged coleslaw form (just make sure there are no carrots). I saute it up in the tiniest bit of oil and season with salt and pepper. If I'm needing a bit of protein, I will crack an egg white into it at the end and cook it up. It takes literally about 3 minutes to do all of this. If you use toasted sesame oil and a bit of Bragg's aminos, it takes on a very Asian flavor. I just try to watch the amt. of oil, as it would be easy to overdo it.
Also, jicama. You will find it usually in one of the non-refrigerated areas of the produce section. Google to find a picture. They are crispy and full of fiber. Some people bake them up as chips -- can sprinkle with Splenda and cinnamon for a sweet sensation. If you chop them and boil them for a while, then saute in a bit of olive oil and season, again, with Splenda and cinnamon, they taste like apples (though they will stay pretty firm). Today, I tried them just cut into sticks and sprinkled with lime zest and juice -- yum! Tastes like you're eating fruit!
My coach gave me a recipe today for jicama applesauce. You buy a jicama, peel it and puree it in a processor. Add in cinnamon and splenda and it becomes applesace. I have to run it by my husband the chef, but it might be a good possibility!
Try cutting zucchini into smallish cubes and sprinkle with a little Lemon, cinnamon, nutmeg and Sweetner, then micro until just soft (not mushy). Very much like chunky apple/applesauce!
Also rhubarb - long reddish green stalks with a structure much like celery. Slice into half-moon rounds, put in pan w/a little water, cinnamon, vanilla and Sweetner. Cook like applesauce for a super tasty treat. Seems like fruit but is a veg. It is very tart so be sure to sweeten to taste or watch out!!
Many use rhubarb topped w/oatmeal and bake for a crumble.
FYI - you asked how people choke down 4 cups of celery - hope you realize you can make the four cups up from any combo of veggies (and try not to have more than 2 cups for any one meal - too many carbs at once)!
My coach gave me a recipe today for jicama applesauce. You buy a jicama, peel it and puree it in a processor. Add in cinnamon and splenda and it becomes applesace. I have to run it by my husband the chef, but it might be a good possibility!
Hubby said no, but I am going to try to make this tomorrow and report back. He did think that some water might need to be addes to the jicama chincks to help puree it. Nce to have a professional chef at home to answer stuff like this!