Culinarily Cornered

[captain_slinky]

I love to cook, but I'm feeling *extremely* cornered by the dietary requests of my family (myself included).

• Can't be a Casserole because Crystal can't not eat all of it.
  
• Can't be rice, noodles or bread as a main ingredient; rice is *occasionally* acceptable as long as it is on the side and no ine is expected to actually eat it.
  
• No meats that have the potential to be dry, gristly, fatty or tough.
  
• Nothing deep-fried, and even pan frying is to be avoided.
  
• Nothing that involves Mayonnaise.

There are other "suggestions" that have been planted in my mind by such triggers as uneaten plates of food and physical pain that I also have to take in mind, which leave me with the options of Baked Chicken or Baked Pork Chops with a side of Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, plus peas and/or corn. Any derivation from this menu results in plates of uneaten food and/or us being in physical pain from getting food "stuck". Such is the life of a Lap Band recipient I guess :/

BUT I FEEL SO BORED WITH FOOD!!!

Variations that I can slip in occasionally which at least two out of three people will eat: Spaghetti, Salad, Tacos, Chili.

Bored, bored, BORED!!!

Comments

[kanaetkassad.livejournal.com]

switch your grain to couscous- it's less calorie dense and quicker to make and easy to get in bulk- plus it takes on flavor really well or you can leave it plain for picky eaters. it's good with vegetables, fish, or other meats and not dense. when i pair it with chicken or fish i cook the couscous in chicken broth or fish broth and herbs.

try mexican lasagna-
listed as bottom layer-> top layer
cooked chicken, black beans, salsa, topped with cheese- your choice. bake until warmed. serve with sour cream, salsa, lettuce, tomatoes, whatever else, tortilla chips for dipping or dump instead inside taco shells.

It's a nice change of pace and freezes well.

today for lunch i steamed some couscous and button mushrooms- really filling and i made more than i thought i'd eat. my husband is eating leftover couscous and catfish.

[kanaetkassad.livejournal.com]

since you mentioned your aversion to fish. let me say that IMO catfish is easiest to make at home- it takes on flavor well- lemon juice, olive oil and dill weed, salt and pepper, no butter. tilapia is not good all the time even if you use the same brand and though cheap, it doesn't take on flavor the way catfish does. i used to make salmon with the same technique but salmon doesn't always have the same flavor as well so no matter what you add to it it can taste different even if using the same brand. i'm talking about frozen fish---fresh is a different ballgame altogether.

also, frozen catfish is hard to overcook because it's easier to tell when it's done and it retains moisture *and flavor very well so it's easy to chew (and couscous is too).

like someone else said, use spaghetti squash instead of spaghetti- you can do a lot of variety with toppings. i like it plain, with butter and/or parm cheese, tomato sauce. this is the season for it too so no excuses:).

[kanaetkassad.livejournal.com]

http://kanaetkassad.livejournal.com/503531.html