Clean Eating 2024 Version 2

MrsStepford

Jamie Oliver 's 5 Ingredients Mediterranean arrived today. I'm pretty much underwhelmed by it. Yes, there are probably 80 recipes or more, but it relies on a lot of sourdough bread and pasta. There are weird ingredients too, like tinned peaches, tinned potatoes and Seville marmalade. English recipes creep in, like lemon curd tart. Inauthentic, then. 

There are other books which do Mediterranean so much better e.g. Hairy Bikers, Rick Stein, Elizabeth David, Keith Floyd.

MrsStepford

The Mediterranean Diet for Dummies must be for mugs like me, who paid 11.99 for the Kindle edition. Some of the research used is out of date e.g. on eggs and cholesterol. A really flawed study from Ancel Keys is quoted although it has been debunked a zillion times. Very few recipes and they are heavily Americanized. Pretty sure 90 year old Cretans aren't making themselves kale smoothies and using olive oil cooking sprays instead of olive oil.

Husband didn't put his alarm on and we missed DPD delivery today with a couple of bottles of Chosen Foods avocado oil, from Costco. Rearranged delivery for Friday. 

I'm going through my cookbooks, listing Mediterranean style recipes and aiming to do six books per day. 

The washing machine drain froze up again though temperatures have been as high as 18C. Don't know why, not happened in previous winters. Husband will be living in DIY stores this weekend.. 

MrsStepford

Currently trying to put together a list for Husband for a Click & Collect at Aldi next Friday or weekend. Impressed by the prices for DOP/PDO cheeses and some of the pasta sauces are clean. 

The Hamlyn 200 Slow Cooker Recipes cookbook is free on Kindle Unlimited, so I will be listing the Mediterranean style recipes, which include harira, ratatouille, rillettes, paella, risotto, Bolognese and maybe we will do something for supper.

First really useful looking cookbook is The XXL Mediterranean Diet Cookbook by Adam D Gardner, published in 2023. I got it on Kindle, ISBN is 9798853596368. Recipes from Italy, France, Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Morocco, Turkey, Tunisia and Lebanon. Fish, couscous, pasta, vegetarian & vegan, cheese, rice, chicken, seafood, lamb, beans, chickpeas. Famous recipes include Shakshuka,  Ratatouille, Caponata, Paella, Tzatziki, Rouille, Melitzanosalata, Cacik, Zaalouk, Patatas Bravas, Minestrone, chicken Cacciatore, Imam Bayildi, Souvlaki, Bouillabaisse, Cioppino, Insalata Caprese, Hummus, Osso Buco and Panna Cotta. 

MrsStepford

So far, I have listed Mediterranean-style recipes from 24 cookbooks. The oldest dates back to 1936 ! 

I'm considering a revamp on my website, switching that to the Mediterranean diet also and making it more of a diary, showing the actual journey we make. I don't think it will be that easy to eat Med-style, mostly from supermarkets. I won't be the first person to try though. 

I discovered that Cheshire is the oldest cheese in Britain and pre-dates Cheddar. Allegedly, it was so prized by the Romans, that they made Chester a walled city, to defend the cheesemaking area.

Husband has gone to get fish and chips tonight. They are a foreign import, supposedly brought to London by Jewish immigrants and they caught on as classic street food, which could be eaten with fingers.

I'm cautious about the chips but the chippie does gluten free batter for the fish. 

I am buying Slimming World sweet potato chips to keep in the freezer, as no nasties and so far, no blood glucose spikes. I think they must be quite high in fibre. 3.25 for 750g at Iceland.

Iceland has offers on packs of fresh Del Monte melon, making them 1.49 for 200g and they taste rather good. 

purpleivy

2childmum2 said:

You can check to see whether dairy is lactose free by checking the sugar content on the packaging. Several 'normal' cheeses have no sugar, (or a very tiny percentage,) so are lactose free. I haven't bought lactose free cheese for a very long time. You could check the soured cream to see the percentage there.
This obviously doesn't work if other sugar containing ingredients have been added!

The Alzheimer's being passed on was in the Guardian yesterday, so not just a social media thing. 

Thank you 2Childmum2.  I'm new into the lactose free world really.  I don't really know the scope of the problem yet, but this is good to know.  

purpleivy

MrsStepford said:

Tonight we made a meatless pot au feu, from The Dairy Book of Home Cookery by Sonia Allison. Second-hand copies of the 1968 edition can go for £50 on eBay. My mother and mother in law gave me their copies and I have several other editions. I snapped up a Sonia Allison edition for my cousin in Canada, for 13.99

It's a very simple dish. Cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, leeks, broccoli, onions and some stock, cooked until very soft then served with grated cheese and finely chopped fresh parsley. Makes a good hearty weekend lunch with peasant bread to mop up the juices, washed down with an inexpensive big red from France. 

Pot au feu was a favourite when I was a vegetarian and we decided to try it tonight, because I hoped that the slow cooking and resulting soft veg, would make the FODMAPs more digestible for my husband. Nearly two hours after eating supper and no ill effects so far.  😀

There are digestive enzymes available which help with the indigestibility and 'ill effects' of FODMAP veg, pulses and cruciferous mainly.  Alpha galactosidase is what you are looking for.  I have found them tremendously helpful. I love veg and a big variety!

purpleivy

Longwalker said:

Mmmmmmm Pea fibre, an ingredient in pet food for many a year

I found that someone's gluten free brioche had pea fibre in. Wondered why I had such tummy ache afterwards! 

MrsStepford

Thanks for those tips @purpleivy ! 

Ratatouille..famous vegetarian dish from the South of France..

La Doria Ratatouille 390g can, Morrisons and Sainsbury's. 1.35 and contains tomatoes (Dirty Dozen), sunflower oil, sugar, salt and modified corn starch. This one tastes quite good. We used to buy it and use with pork chops or chicken in the oven. 

Epicure Ratatouille Niçoise 375g can 1.65 Ocado, have seen in Budgens.  Contains tomatoes (Dirty Dozen), sugar, rapeseed oil and modified maize starch. Don't rate this one.

D'aucy Ratatouille 360g 12 cans for 13.08 Amazon D'aucy has a good rep for veg in France and I've had quite a few of their products, including this one, some years ago. Sainsburys used to sell this IIRC. I think it was cleaner back then. This ratatouille is only 83% vegetables. Contains tomatoes (Dirty Dozen) and tomato juice, sunflower oil, sugar, salt, xanthan gum, guar gum and modified corn starch, as well as natural flavours derived from celery and lactose. Sure won't be buying this one ! 

Picard Organic Ratatouille 600g 4.15 Ocado. From a French company using veg grown in Italy. Seems so expensive !

Wondering if I could make a good ratatouille in the slow cooker in summer. If Husband was very very lucky, maybe he could pick up some YS veg for it. 

M&S Eat Well Vegetable Ratatouille 300g 3.30 Ocado, M&S. Chilled. Contains tomatoes (Dirty Dozen) and cornflour. Serves 2. 6.5g carbs per 100g.
 

MrsStepford

Husband asked me to look for prepared Mediterranean veg which he could just bung in the oven. 

ASDA Extra Special Chargrilled Mediterranean Vegetable Sauce, 350g 2.75 Fresh for up to 10 days, refrigerated. Free from artificial flavours and colours. Freezeable. Contains rapeseed oil, sugar, salt and cornflour. 7.3g carbs per 100g. 

Cook by ASDA Mediterranean Veg Mix 500g 1.70 Frozen. Includes basil dressing with sunflower oil, but no other dubious stuff. Packed in Spain. Unclear whether the dressing comes in sachets or pellets which could be ditched, in favour of olive oil. 5.3g carbs per 100g ovenbaked.

Morrisons Mediterranean Style Vegetables 400g 1.99 but 3 for the price of 2 at the moment. Fresh for up to 3.5 days, guaranteed fresh for 2 days, including day of delivery. 1 of your 5 a day. Contains tomatoes (Dirty Dozen). 4.6g carbs per 100g. Not freezeable.

M&S Mediterranean Roasting Vegetables with Lemon & Herb Dressing 330g 3.50 Ocado, M&S.  Lemon & Herb Dressing sachet contains rapeseed oil, cornflour, sugar and water but could be ditched in favour of olive oil. Not freezeable.

M&S Mediterranean Roasting Vegetables with Basil Dressing 380g 2.75 Ocado, M&S. Serves 2. 2 of your 5 a day. 5.1g carbs per 100g. Basil Dressing sachet contains sunflower oil but could be ditched. Not freezeable.

M&S Chargrilled Mediterranean Vegetables 500g 2.75 Ocado, M&S. Frozen. Approx 6 servings. Product of Spain. No nasties. Per 100g: 41mg of Vitamin C, 3g carbs. Add your own oil or dressing. Will be trying this. 

The frozen chargrilled veg works out much cheaper than the fresh and for a bigger quantity. No wasting of dressings either.  

Confess that I didn't then bother to look at Sainsbury's, Tesco and Waitrose. 

Conclusion : Frozen is cheaper and was lowest carb. Veg without Dirty Dozen tomatoes better.  Veg mixes with sachets which can be ditched are.better than veg which come with added dressing. 

MrsStepford

Cooks' Ingredients Mediterranean Seasoning 20g Waitrose. Oregano, garlic, basil, onion, red bell peppers, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, sage, parsley. No added salt =  more herbs. Herb mix = cheaper than buying them all individually. 1.70 or 2 for 2.75 to 18/06/24 Waitrose. 

Supper tonight was organic chicken thighs and drumsticks from Sainsbury's, with a couple of cans of La Doria ratatouille over the top and grated Mozzarella cheese, cooked in the oven. 

Mexicana cheese with chilli is cheaper at Iceland than Morrisons. Even more so when there's an Iceland offer, 2 for 4.50 ! 

Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil 500ml 5.29 B&M
Filippo Berio Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil 500ml £9, Amazon, ASDA, 9.55 Ocado, Tesco
Filippo Berio Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1.5 litres 14.99 Costco this is 12.01 cheaper than buying 3 x 500ml ! Have bought this but wasn't impressed.
Carapelli Extra Virgin Olive Oil 500ml £9, Sainsbury's, Ocado
6 x 500ml £54, Amazon Prime with free next day delivery but works out same price per bottle
Borges Classic Olive Oil 500ml 4.29 B&M
Borges Extra Virgin Olive Oil 500ml 4.49 B&M, 5.50 Iceland
ASDA Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil 500ml 5.50 have been buying this for years, nothing special but does the job.
Tesco Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil 500ml 6.25
Sainsbury's SO Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil 500ml 6.90
Sainsbury's SO Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Unfiltered 500ml 7.50
Terra Delyssa Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil 500ml 8.65, Morrisons
Kirkland Signature 100% Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 litres 15.49 Costco Bobby Parrish Approved. Just bought this to try.
Chosen Foods 100% Avocado Oil 1 litre 11.49 Costco Bobby Parrish Approved

Supper tonight will be Fish Provençal, which will use up a lot of the frozen fish lurking in the freezer and therefore free up some space. Husband cooks it in the big wok and lets it bubble away under a foil 'lid'. Contains lots of different fishes, organic chopped tomatoes, organic onions and garlic.