Happy Monday! Huge thank you to Mod R for a week of awesome posts.
It’s a beautiful, although overcast day. I have a mountain of work ahead of me, all of which needs to be done asap. Good news, I can sit in the chair a bit longer now, and I no longer wince when I try to stretch.
We’ve received the first design of the interior chapter headings for Roman’s novella and it is too adorable for words. I wish I could show you, but I need to get all the paperwork settled. It is amazing how tasks accumulate when you take time off.
My new gallbladder-missing status has come with menu challenges. Prior to the surgery, my diet was mostly “things that might not hurt me.” Prior to that, there was severe limiting of starches because of the prediabetes. I had stuck to whole grains, fresh vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, and onion, cooked vegetables like brussels sprouts and cauliflower, fruit, fish, and small servings of meat.
Onion is off the table for some reason. The dietary guidance doesn’t explain why, just says limit. Cauliflower and broccoli are gas producing and counter indicated right now. Salmon, my go to fish, is fatty, and everyone says it should be approached with caution. Bacon, sausage, etc. are right out. I can’t keep leaning on oatmeal, no matter how plain or old fashioned, because there is too much starch, and I have to be really careful, as I am unmedicated for the next 30 days.
Help me, BDH. Give me some healthy breakfast ideas that don’t have fat, sugar, or simple carbs. ::looks at the list:: Maybe I should eat paper. On second thought, with my luck, I will develop termite metabolism and find some way to digest it.
can you eat dairy ? Greek yoghurt with fresh blueberries for breakfast…? Scrambled eggs…?
Yogurt with protein powder, flax and chia seeds, blueberries, nuts, splash of milk.
can you have eggs?
scrambled eggs with goat cheese and chives – Ramsey recipe
Japanese runny eggs with a little soy sauce and put them over maybe Ezekiel bread.
Or nonfat yogurt blended with fruit to make a smoothie. That plus whole grain toast is my kid’s go to breakfast about half the time.
I had my gallbladder out last September and this is one of
my go to breakfasts. I add cinnamon to the top for flavor and use plain Greek yogurt because it has the least carbs and sugars. I like FAGE if your store sells it because many stores carry fat free, 1%fat, 2% fat and full fat. I usually do either the 1% or 2% so that there is a small amount of fat to balance carbs and sugars.
Fage also makes a Lactose-free version now too, if you’re trying to avoid gas-triggering foods! Coconut yogurt is also surprisingly really good and lactose free.
I’m reading this late but this post is my time to shine!!
protein pancakes!
4 scoops sugar free vanilla protein powder (125 g)
1/2 c almond flour
1/2 c coconut flour
6 LG eggs
2 tbls baking powder
1 c water
I top with butter/yogurt/berries or nothing
makes 4 servings
check out Women Food and Hormones or the Obesity Cure for other recipes & strategy. I follow a high fiber ketogenic diet to cure my insulin resistance.
mwah!! xoxo
These look good but the nut flours are full of fat so probably not great following gall bladder surgery.
Also, be aware that whatever they do to dairy products like yogurt/sour cream to make them low/non-fat create severe digestive upsets in something like 1/3 of the people with digestive surgeries. Ditto for low-fat protein drinks. I had an emergency cholecystectomy and my husband had a full Whipple. Together we have had so so many dietician and doctor briefings.
Things high in cholesterol but low in fat like shrimp are actually full of lipids so equally hard to digest. A couple shrimp are fine but many shrimp are hard to digest, for example.
On the positive side, Chipotle’s carnitas are ridiculously low on fat. For awhile after I lost my gall bladder I was eating carnitas bowls with rice, corn salsa and other salsas because it never made me feel bad.
For a nobsubar, low fat breakfast (or dinner at my house usually) I turn to low fat “Quark” (a bit like cottage cheese) and stir it with a bit of milk)water until smooth. I just add things which fit my current diet. Usually some frozen Raspberries and occasionally crushed almond. I will use my vanilla mill for a bit of flavour.
My mom and sister swear on banana pancakes which is basically mashed banana and egg and then baked in the oven. You could add fruit, but b/c of the bananas it might already be too much sugar.
Quark is very expensive and difficult to find in America, Alexandra, but I find the basic recipe is very easy to make:
Quark (Homemade Cheese)
Bring milk to a simmer in a saucepan; remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
Whisk buttermilk into milk; let sit at room temperature, 8 hours to overnight. Strain mixture through cheesecloth over a bowl in the refrigerator, 8 hours to overnight.
Cook’s Note
Be sure to let it cool to room temperature before whisking in the buttermilk, or you will end up with a curdled, hot mess!
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/240584/quark-homemade-cheese/
For comparison, and because Ilona has been known to enjoy getting scientific from time to time, this link has all the background and discussion as well a more complex recipe: https://www.daringgourmet.com/how-to-make-quark/
Wishes for a rapid recovery, Ilona, and no more interesting health experiences.
If dairy is allowed, I am a huge fan of cottage cheese and fruit (whichever ones are permissible). For texture I often add chopped nuts and/or grape nuts.
Non fat cottage cheese with sugar free maple syrup and cinnamon is my go-to snack.
Cottage cheese is also delicious with chopped tomatoes mixed in, if your stomach will tolerate tomatoes. In my misspent youth, when I was really in a hurry and eating on the go, V-8 stirred in got the job done. Obviously I am an eat-to-live kind of person; while I definitely appreciate fine food, it’s all fuel for me.
Apples have a decent amount of fiber in them to counterbalance the natural sugars. I eat a ton of bean salads, and you might be able to modify something like these: https://www.lastingredient.com/three-bean-salad/ or https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/223344/summery-bean-salad/
As far as protein options, how about nuts and hard boiled eggs?
I’m in a similar situation right now and it is FRUSTRATING as all get out. I feel you! And I’ll be keeping an eye on this thread for possible ideas for myself.
Omelettes!
Buckwheat. With butter mixed in after buckwheat has finished cooking.
Another idea is to add milk, to make a soup texture.
Could add blueberries.
______
Blueberries are good in pancakes too.
Egg white omlette? With some safe veggies (spinach, tomatoes?) Or does that have too much fat?
Or a tofu scramble with butternut squash? Here is a recipe that may be good and you could just not use onion? https://jenniferskitchen.com/2014/10/butternut-tofu-scramble-with-avocado.html. You could also try hummus with veggies or a white bean hummus https://simple-veganista.com/simple-white-bean-hummus/
Beans/lentils/legumes would also be my go to, but if cruciferous veggies are limited because of gas, then I wonder if those would be indicated? 🤔
Tried ‘Bean-o’, and sadly it didn’t work for me.
The pharmacist told me to go for something with simethicone, like Gas-X.
I’ve also heard that cooking some epazote (an herb) with beans can help prevent gas. No idea how it might interact with post-surgical digestive systems or medical conditions.
soaking beans for 24hrs before cooking can help with the gas producing aspect of beans
To a point. I’ve tried it, plus all the other recommendations, and beans other than green beans just mess with me at this stage in life. Back in the day they didn’t bother me.
ive heard that adding apple cider vinegar to the soaking beans reduces the gas.
Breakfast: Fruit (such as mango or apple) and a few nuts (more as you learn to tolerate them). Or a slice of mozzarella.
For no apparent reason, my husband and I both find that melted cheese is much more likely to cause digestive upset than cold cheese (even years after digestive surgeries).
Note on bacon: I can’t find the numbers but bacon cooked in a microwave in a ridged microwave cooker until crisp has relatively little fat. Something like half that of bacon cooked normally.
As I mentioned in a different comment: chipotle carnitas are very low in fat.
As I remember, some hams are fairly low. You still can’t have a ton of it though yet. But enough to flavor eggs.
Pre-cook veggies/potato so you can add them easily and quickly to eggs. You can add a tiny amount of sausage to add taste if you want. You can use only egg whites which gets rid of the fat and then use that fat allowance with a little bit of bacon etc. Once a month or so has gone by, you can try making cook’s illustrated stratas without bread in custard dishes and then freezing.
After I had my gall bladder out, I was more careful than I needed to be. Cautiously increase fat amounts but don’t go insane. Remember cooked veggies and fruit are easier to digest and having everything else easier to digest can also help.
Also, I found the amount of fat in different cheeses is very different than what I would have guessed.
Babaganoush can be low in fat and carbs. It’s fairly bland for breakfast.
Carb-balance tortillas are low in carbs if you want to try a breakfast burrito kind of thing.
Cooked Mushrooms with a half-piece of toast.
Also, consider that your gall bladder probably hadn’t been functioning well for some time. After a fairly short time post-surgery , I found my digestion had reverted back to “pre-surgery” levels which weren’t great but were a known quantity. The difference in what people can tolerate pre vs post surgery is not always as big as you think (per surgeon).
If they put you on something like Prevacid: for some people it really helps. For other people, it can actually make digestion worse. It took me too long to find this out.
Small amounts of cooked onion never caused any trouble to my husband or myself. He had a whipple which is extreme digestive surgery. Broccoli, on the other hand, was a bear. Just try things cautiously.
I have to mention again from an earlier post: What they do to dairy to make it low/non-fat can cause severe upset. My husband was limited to an extremely low fat and extremely low fiber diet following surgery. They tried to give him these products and they made him really sick. The hospital dietician said that was really common so if they sit ok, then eat them but if you are eating them and feeling bad, try stopping.
Regarding prediabetes: you can limit starches too much which can make your blood sugars go higher (my mom had that problem). But also: diabetes is a long-term disease. Unless your blood sugar gets dangerously high, your doctor may be fine with it being temporarily high for a month while you adjust to this surgery. It is something to talk to them about. Our personal experience was that too many veggies caused lots of trouble at first and you are having to juggle a lot of restrictions. Sometimes you have to eat what you can tolerate best in the short-term.
Use beans.
If you can have the sugar from fruit then I’d say do some type of fruit/vegetable smoothies for breakfast. Banana, apple, avocado…yum. It doesn’t look pretty but tastes pretty good.
Or for a savory option, you could shred some zucchini and carrot (and whatever other veggies you are allowed to eat), add some light salt and pepper, and use either egg or flaxseed egg (if you can have flaxseed) as the binding agent. Mix it all up and form thin patties and throw those bad boys in the oven (to avoid the oil from frying on the stove). Bam…maybe?
Or if you have a good nonstick pan, you might be able to do them on the stove without oils.
Those sound tasty!
Avocado is very high in fat. I would personally avoid it like the plague for at least a month.
Happy to hear you are still on the road to recover ilona! I understand it’s hard to work on figuring your new food reality with work looking but I hope the BDH comes through!!!!
One big thing I’ve noticed is that we in North America are stuck in what we can and cannot eat for breakfast. If we asians can have “heavy on the meat” dim sum for breakfast, why restrict it to oatmeal and eggs? Find what foods work for you and enjoy! Pizza can’t be the only acceptable breakfast exception!
Breakfast rules bedamned!
That’s what I was going to say, I’m so stuck on what is a “breakfast food” and what is not. I personally prefer a warm breakfast but I can’t make myself tuck into “a full english” cooked beans and sausages even after 15 years in the U.K. because it’s just not “breakfast allowed”. 😅
I didn’t realize you weren’t a native Brit, Mod R! Are you originally from the US?
I think she said in the past she’s from Romania, if I remember correctly?
We’ve talked about this in my household more than once. I don’t really like most traditional breakfast foods, so I typically have leftovers for breakfast. My kids have picked up similar habits and are just now old enough to realize that most people consider it weird.
Personally, I consider it weird that there are designated breakfast foods in the first place. I’ll eat what sounds good, and if that’s stew or spaghetti, so be it LOL.
My boys eat leftover dinner for breakfast too! I thought it was strange; they like the heavier meal at the beginning of the day🤷🏽♀️
Ooh, forgot to add, I love miso soup w tofu &seaweed.
Tofu & veggies soup is also delicious.
I second the miso soup with stuff in it. It is very satisfying in the morning, especially in winter.
My sister and I are also leftovers for breakfast eaters! The top leftover breakfast is the morning after Thanksgiving, seconded by leftover Chinese.
Same here. If you can have breakfast for dinner – which was definitely popular with my kids when my husband was away – you can totally have dinner for breakfast. It comes down to mental flexibility on that particular subject; not everyone is flexible on the same subjects.
my 9 yo regularly eats dinner leftovers for breakfast before school. they’re less sweet, more dietary varied and more filling ahead of a school days so hubs and I are all for her savory approach!
Try poached eggs, smoked trout and plain toast. Also whitefish salad is pretty good for breakfast
Sorry. I am no help at all.
My current breakfast these days is a lot of tea w/ a little sugar and 2% lactose free milk. (My diabetes diet prohibits fruit but allows milk.)
I can’t think of anything that fits the parameters and appeals to me, even after 12 hours fasting, and I don’t have the fat limits you do. I usually wait for lunch to get solid food. (Entree salad, anyone?)
Perhaps a Japanese breakfast, such as miso soup with seaweed…
What about soups and stews for breakfast! Instead of thinking of it as breakfast think of it as your first meal of day – I also like banana pancakes
Here to second soups and stews. I love a good veggie soup for breakfast! Soups have the soothing feeling I want for a soft start to the day! I’ve always loved leftovers for breakfast…
my hubby usually has soup for breakfast also. I’m inclined to have leftovers. 😁
I have no medical training whatsoever, so I don’t know if these will fit the bill, but: as someone else suggested, sugar-free protein shakes with additions such as powdered cocoa (no sugar added) or instant coffee or a bit of cinnamon or … to keep from having the same flavor every day. Also, if you want something savory and can eat a little bit of white rice, maybe look at making congee/juk/jook/xi fan (it also has other names) in your slow cooker or instant pot or rice cooker. It is very little rice with a lot of water to make a porridge. You can make it with water or broth and add things like sliced ginger, sliced mushrooms, a lean protein, some spinach, etc. (Basically, you can look at a bunch of different recipes and make it your own way)
eggs. There are a million ways to cook eggs. Omelette, frittata, quiche, scrambled, boiled, poached, with vegetables, with cheese… I’ve been on low carb diet and eggs are my go-to. after my gall bladder was gone, I introduced fats back in slowly and really only have problems with really greasy food. Good luck!
This was my experience too–I was only limited for a few months, and then introduced fats back in after that. I found that nuts and avocados, along with eggs, were a godsend for me once I was able to eat them again after my surgery.
Me too! 😁
I was thinking eggs too – a million ways to cook them so you don’t get bored!
Eggs, absolutely. What others have said.
Also what others have said– branch out and try foods not normally considered breakfast in the US. Salad (if you can have the greens) with fruit and a little vinaigrette maybe.
I am interested in others suggestions so will be following this thread myself.
Lightly toasted rice cake spread with plain pumpkin (no salt or sugar)and layered with avocado and topped with a poached egg
eggs in whatever form you enjoy and steak. everyone is different, so try small amounts of things and see how you fare. I have trouble if I eat a lot of lettuce, and I limit pork since fat cells are within the meat unlike beef.
Almost sounds like the Mediterranean diet would be best. I had some of the and issues so I made fruit smoothies with yogurt and added no sugar or diet fruit juice along with sugar free Gatorade to keep electrolytes up. I would switch with cottage cheese and fruit but have to look for low fat versions. Omelets are good too or just veggies scrambled with eggs.
If you are ok with soya, tofu is great for protein. Firm variety can be coated in flavourings and oven baked or air fried for crispness. Silken tofu can be blended into smoothies and also makes for a great chocolate mousse when blended with melted dark chocolate! Tempeh is also good and has more of a chew. If dairy is off the menu, vegan protein powder might be an option. Wishing you continued recovery, love.
I had my gallbladder removed a couple of years ago. I’m not sure of the pre-diabetes but I wanted to give you hope. As you recover from the surgery itself, you can slowly start to introduce the foods that are worrisome until find your new limits. Everyone is different, so while I am lucky enough to be back on a relatively normal diet, just with smaller portions, you’ll need to try everything yourself.
I’m glad you’re recovering!
I’m just seconding your comment!
As a Gall Bladder Free individual myself – I eat all the things!
To offer a ray of hope, I give you a list of some of my current favorites for breakky… I do enjoy a piece of bagel, or a baked apple with nut butter if I’m really hungry…. Or yogurt and fruit, or fruit and cheese, or crackers, or left over steak, or what ever my hand lands on in the fridge.
It gets better, and congrats on your recovery! May it continue to be apace!
+1 on small quantities and you have to try things to see your reaction. Everyone’s body reacts differently and takes different times to recover. May it be quick!
Apparently over time your bile duct opening expands to make a mini-reservoir of bile. Not as much as your gall bladder held, but enough to make most things digestable if you don’t eat too much.
You may have to switch to low-cheese pizzas in the long-ru though.
Avocado Toast – with all different kinds of toppings.
+1
As someone allergic to everything in the onion family (including garlic) I would suggest looking for items that are ‘FOD’ compliant. I use Fody brand products. Amazon has them. Sprouts grocery as well. Not sure where to find them in Texas.
yes I was going to suggest the FOD MAP app. My friend is celiac (with dairy and soy allergies) and she recently started just doing FOD because her issues are getting more extreme as she gets older.
Also, if it says no onions, then no leeks/garlic/shallot/allium family.
I think the FOD MAP app might help a lot. you could look at the one she uses.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.temeraire1798.fodmapaz
What do they say about probiotics supplements? I am very happy with mine, but I still have all my bits and bobs inside my body.
I had similar thoughts since a temporary fodmap diet helped my husband after an severe stomach infection seriously messed up his digestion for quite a while.
And your list of restrictions seems to overlap the same groups of food items.
And there is some good apps out there, I cannot recall which one we used, but it was also helpfull when buying processed food.
In Australia the Apple app is FODMAP and it’s by Monash University which is amazing as it can be a minefield figuring things out without it
+1 Love that App. I’m in the US and have had it on my phone for years. It’s so great to check ingredients in restaurants against. Monash U really came through.
I have IBS and celiac and use the Monash University FODMAP app all the time. There is a small initial cost for the app but it is really great. Most dieticians don’t even know what FODMAP is.
Many thanks! I had never heard of FODMAP!
What about chickpeas? Can you eat hummus dip or the snack made from chickpea flour that look like Cheetos called Hippeas chickpea puffs vegan white cheddar?
I don’t know if you have Old Tyme 647 bread down in Texas but it has only 6 net carbs per serving and comes in multigrain, Italian, wheat and white varities so maybe something like avocado toast. You could sprinkle some lemon juice on the avocado slices for a little tang or a light dusting of garlic salt. Also, what about yogurt, Greek or Icelandic? Buy the plain variety and add your own fresh fruit cut up to taste. Hard boiled egg? I had my gall bladder out 43 years ago when I was 8 weeks pregnant and now pretty much eat what I want but during the recovery period fatty foods were a no-no. It does get better as your body adapts. And even as a currently restricted diet is a somewhat boring, it sure is better than the pain!
Actually oatmeal IS recommended for diabetics. You just need to use old fashioned (or steel cut). Avoid instant. And then undercook it about 1 min. It will make it a bit toothsome but takes longer to digest in the gut and doesn’t throw your blood sugar out of whack. Leigh (15 year diabetic)
White meat turkey or chicken, tuna packed in water (and drained), Egg substitute – doctored with spices and/or herbs.
The HEB brand steel cut oats are good and you can cook them in the microwave in 6 minutes.
Frittatas!
They’re easy to make and easily customizable. I like zucchini, mushrooms, and fresh spinach in mine. Can you do goat cheese? That works well in them, too. (I assume regular cheese is out for now.) I mean, honestly, you can pretty much throw anything in a frittata. (I’ve put pasta and gnocchi in.) If you have leftovers, you can heat up it up with a salad for lunch.
Ilona, I second the frittata idea from Tempest. You can also use mostly egg whites (with one large egg – yolk included).
Goat cheese is so good in frittatas and is often tolerated better for some people (of course you need to like it and tolerate it too).
Tempest is right! Frittatas are versatile and are also great for more than breakfast (think appealing snack)!
Switching a diet is terribly difficult! I’ve got a lot of food allergies and it can be a real trial.
As a suggestion (I don’t know what your tolerance for soy products is), but I’ve found light broths and miso soup to be very soothing in the morning. You could add a poached egg and spinach, or some tofu or chicken for protein.
You could also try any type of pudding your diet allows: chia and vanilla, or banana and blueberry, for example, with some walnuts (if possible).
I hope this helps, and good luck on your food journey!
In India, we usually have a fairly healthy lentil-based wrap as breakfast. And you can do endless variations of it. You start with your light lentils – yellow, without covering (see mung/toor dal). Soak one cup overnight, in the morning empty the night water, blend with with 2-3 tablespoons of fresh water, one green chilli, salt, cumin seeds and coriander leaves or whatever greens you like to make a pancake-y paste. Make flat crepe-like pancakes and stuff them with grated cottage cheese, tomatoes / any salad vegetables you can stomach + spices you like. Protein for ages + micro nutrients. Can be used as tortillas too.
Dosa’s for everyone. They are amazing!
This sounds amazing!
+1000
Crave dosas allll the time
There are a lot of recommendations for beans and legumes. Check with your doctor because these often cause more gas than the vegetables you are already avoiding. The reason they want you to avoid gas-producing substances is because your system can’t take the pressure yet. I was told specifically to avoid them and honestly they were more trouble to me than a slightly higher level of fat. It is really hard to tell after these kinds of surgeries what is causing trouble. I would recommend trying to vary things a little just so you can tell if something unexpected is causing trouble.
In case they didn’t tell you: avoid carbonated water too.
My go to “feel good food” is rice (basmati) with avocado, mango, maybe some edamame or/and short cooked vegetables (carrot, zucchini or others) and cottage cheese. I find it delicious and good for my stomach all day. So maybe it’s an alternative for your usual breakfast.
Wish you all the best!
I enjoy a piece of toasted whole wheat nutty bread, with a couple fried eggs on top. I do the eggs in my non-stick so I don’t have to use a lot of grease. What about a quiche lorraine? is that too much fat?
Quiche Lorraine has cheese, cream, onions, and bacon in it, among other things. Not really healthy, but super yummy. I’m sure, though, that somebody has a healthy version.
Beans on multigrain toast if that’s not too starchy. Here’s a tasty recipe that’s a bit like Boston baked beans but with less sugar than the trader recipe or canned baked beans. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/slow-cooker-breakfast-beans
Also dhal is a really nice breakfast food. Proteins enough to be filling, nutritious, and most recipes are low fat and sugar. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/khatti-dhal
Kedgeree is an old fashioned tasty breakfast in England, a smoked fish and rice dish. This recipe seems to meet your criteria if you cut out the onion. You can also substitute jackfruit or smoked tofu or another type of meat for the fish if smoked haddock isn’t available in Texas.
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/smoked-haddock-kedgeree
I was going to mention kedgeree as well. The one time I had it, it was an adapted recipe with watercress included. You could likely stick any kind of chopped dark leafy green in and it would still taste good. Most recipes have enough protein to balance the rice I would think.
My 91 yr old dad (almost 92!) has always been a snack eater. I started making him drink Boost protein shakes last year when he started loosing weight. He drinks 2-3 of them everyday in addition to raw nuts, fresh and dried fruit, and candy that is kept next to his recliner. If you want to use commercially made protein drinks I think Glucerna is supposed to be best for diabetics. However, I enjoy adding protein powder, such as Vital Proteins, to fruit smoothies or other drinks.
As someone who rarely eats “breakfast food”, dinner leftovers have been my goto breakfast for years. Take your time getting back to work — setbacks are the worst!
We make a bunch of egg bites in muffin pans every week. Low fat cottage cheese, liquid egg whites, and usually some veggies – like frozen spinach – ground up in a blender or food processor then baked in the oven with a water bath for steam. Grab a couple every day and add some beans for fiber. Relatively low fat, good amount of protein, and lasting.
Good luck! I hope you feel better and become more comfortable as you heal.
Others have given suggestions.
I had my gallblader yanked under circumstances similar to yours.
3 months after I was able to eat anything I wanted, so it just takes a bit of time.
2 weeks after the operation I was physically pretty well back to normal.
Take it easy for now and things will improve.
This was my experience as well. My diet was back to pre-gll bladder surgery by about the end of month 3.
This was the same for me. I didn’t really modify my diet, although I didn’t have a big appetite for a couple of weeks post-surgery. I’m 3 years gallbladder free and my only ongoing concern is that some fatty/oily foods can send me immediately to the bathroom. It does make me more selective in my food choices when I’m eating out or spending days travelling, but it’s readily managed 🤷🏻♀️
Agree. It takes less time than you think to be able to eat a reasonable amount of pretty much any food. You may have to eat smaller quantities but not tiny. That’s why I do think you should talk to your doc about how careful you need to be about diabetes in the very short term if you are only pre-diabetic.
In the long-term, volume of food can be as much a problem as fat. Your digestion will be slower with lower levels of bile and what seems like a modest amount of food in one meal might be too much depending on what you ate in the prior meal because less has been digested in the same amount of time than was normal before. I used to blame everything on fat but learned that sometimes it is just cumulative volume – and that includes volume of healthy things like lettuce. Eating bigger meals for lunch instead of dinner is much much more comfortable for us.
pretty much my story as well, bc mine was laparoscopic it wasn’t as hard a recovery. Everyone is suffering but a lot of what you hear about GB surgery is the extreme cases but they make it sound like it is everyone. I ate carefully for several months but after that my diet was normal. I didnt eat much fried foods or greasy foods regularly, didn’t eat a ton of meat, but after a couple of months I could handle anything within reason. went to sporting events with my son& had a sausage sandwich, was fine. I eat hot dogs ( grass fed beef) , np. we have prime rib for Christmas , no problem. again my regular diet is heavily weighted towards vegetarian,which helps I think, but I otherwise just eat normally.
While waiting for my gallstone surgery my go to breakfast was smoothies with spinach, strawberry and almond / oat milk. Supertasty and it worked for me without triggering an attack.
if you can do oats, muffins, pancakes, baked oats etc with oat flour might be a great idea.
I also love doing egg whites with cottage cheese and zucchini, spinach, and tomatos (don’t add salt until you taste it, there’s at least some in the cottage cheese)
I know others said Greek yogurt and I agree, but I like mine with PB fit powder and bananas :), or apples cooked with ginger and cinnamon.
Also, sometimes I use seasoned ground turkey instead of sausage, and for me at least it hits similar so that might be something to try.
Wishing you the best of luck and a speedy recovery!
When my sister had hers out she ate a lot of mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, corn) mixed with rice, even for breakfast . She didn’t have any problem with salmon but YMMV there. If you aren’t doing this already for your pre diabetes you could break down your food into 6 smaller meals instead of 3 regular ones. Keeps your blood sugar steadier and makes stuff easier to digest. Good luck!
Greek yogurt with fresh fruit and a tablespoon of chopped up granola. I need protein sometimes but do not feel like eating and drink. The premier protein shakes that are available at Costco and Sam’s. You can get them in the grocery store, but they are prohibitively expensive. My favorite flavors are, caramel popcorn and chocolate peanut butter. Sara Lee has a multigrain bread that is whole-grain and very good – I like the multigrain variety. Put a bit of cheddar on it and stick it under the boiler. I had my gallbladder out 25 years ago and I eat onions and was never told to avoid them. One thing I do not eat is buttered popcorn. I had to cut out the butter butter for life. I avoid broccoli and cauliflower because of the after effects. Good luck.
Need to do a bit of research but I would suggest that you switch to Cod instead of Salmon as your go to Fish. Or Turbot or flounder. Generally White fish are way leaner than Salmon by a factor of at least 10 (200 vs. 2000 or something).
For a substitute on the carbs thing, I would suggest Quinoa as the protein tpo carb ratio is on the good side for your needs at this point.
And you can use Chia seeds. You soak them overnight or less, in the milk product you are allowed and add fruits and nuts.
You can also make dessert puddings.
Egg white omelets are pretty popular. You can even boost the protein level with soft tofu scrambled in.
Hope that helps.
Take care!
One of my pre diabetic dinner options is a “pankake/omelet” of quinoa. I use flakes of quinoa seasoned and wet with a little milk (1 or 2 spoons dependent of the amount quinoa) and I let it for half a hour to homogenise some and use very small amont olive oil extravirgen to fry/cook until it start getting golden in colour. Its good option to eat as pankake substitute if you have some souce or even as the protein fpr sanduichs. Ps I wont give seasoning advice for It becouse in my experience people give up finding their own version to make it work It work If they dont like the original. So trown in the seasonings you like and see what works and what doesnt when you doing your version of quinoa. I spent years eating soy beans dishes (had to stop becouse side effects of woman hormones) and learn this lesson: when you are cooking protein substitute find the seosoning and options that work for you. Experiment and dont give up becouse you didnt like the first 10 attempts. You can find the ones that work for you. Pps I never had my gallblader removed but I agree with what most people said so far eggs can be donne in many diferent ways so it doesnt get repetitive and you can with some testing find 2 or 3 ways that are fast and easy to make that you find good also fruit is a good breakfast item some light acidic fruits like oranges and peanaples are good complements for it.
+1 on the quinoa and finding your own seasonings. Quinoa is delicious and you can throw whatever you want into it.
On the salmon – most store-bought salmon is farmed; I forget what species they use. If you can find sockeye, which is only available wild-caught, that’s a whole other story. Much less fatty, and consequently you have to be more careful on the timing. It tastes better IMO though. Of course wild-caught salmon of any species is going to be less fatty than farmed.
We were told Dover sole and tilapia have the lowest fat content in fish.
How’s some sort of milk rice?
Rice, cooked in Coconut milk or any other you can eat (soy, almond etc.etc). With a little vanilla, cocoa or cinnamon; with light fruits, something like that?
I had my gallbladder out a few months ago and I lean heavily on zero fat Greek yogurt smoothies. I make a peanut butter, chocolate banana smoothie. I use peanut butter powder that is 90% fat free, cocoa powder, half of a small frozen banana, fat free milk and the yogurt. If I feel my body can handle it I’ll add a few tablespoons of steel cut oats I soaked over night.
Sounds delicious!
Avocado toast with tomato? Avocado does have fat but perhaps it would be more digestible. Can you skip the breakfasty things and have something like tuna salad, maybe on whole wheat toast or ryecrisp? Or egg salad, substituting yogurt for mayo, or greek yogurt with sliced banana and other fruit?
Nonfat, high protein Greek yogurt and sugar free granola have been my go-to since my gallbladder removal. Quick, easy, and tasty.
Termites are healthy and edible. Not that I would eat them, but I have heard that it is true, and they would probably taste better than the paper.
Although I have eaten paper.
Can you have eggs? Egg whites? If so, you could make an omelet of whatever few things you CAN eat, minus fruit. Mushrooms, very ripe bell peppers, asparagus, spinach, etc.
Can you have potatoes? Olive oil? If so you could make all sorts of stir fry with otherwise bland ingredients.
I know you can’t have regular cheese, but what about feta? It could dress up all sorts of stuff if you can have it. Especially a cucumber salad.
A lot of Indian cooking is low fat and low sugar, with a lot of flavor. I would imagine that beans are not good for you, but they use a lot of lentils. Moroccan cooking uses those same ingredients in a lot of different ways, again no beans, and neither of those nationalities uses the broccoli family.
I wish you success in finding yummy foods that don’t hurt you.
Hugs to you.
I don’t know if it’s available where you are, but spelt crackers/toast (dinkel wheat/hulled wheat), might those be an option? Not carb free, but it’s the kind of carbs that take longer to digest. Can be topped with anything you like and can handle, just like regular crackers/toast.
Then again, this might be a European thing, in which case it won’t help at all…
Have you thought about consulting a registered dietician/nutritionist? Lots of great ones out there who take health insurance and most likely offer virtual appointments.
I lost my gallbladder 12 years ago when a cyst that was removed from my liver had surrounded the gall bladder and they came out together. The nurse warned me that there might be times when I ate something and my system would swiftly eject it. I avoided fat and spice and gave up my much loved twice cooked pork with cabbage and peppers and onions. Eat carefully for the first few weeks then slowly try things and reintroduce the foods you love the most. We eat a lot of hard boiled eggs for breakfast and they are great sliced on avocado toast as well. Get protein in you, then try fruits and veggies. Just take your time and pay attention. Good luck!
I have had my gallbladder out and have other stomach/dietary issues. I cook eggbites every week and they do not bother my stomach. When all else fails I go back to the BRAT diet my mother fed me growing up with a bad stomach. Which is Bananas, Rice, Applesauce and toast. Obviously, something plain there are low sugar varieties of applesauce to keep your carbs down.
As a massage therapist into Organics, nutrition, and other health related subjects, have an eye out for helpful items published world wide. There was a study done some years ago, that revealed that cooked potatoes that were chilled, at least overnight in the refrigerator, had a Lower GI than the once cooked. Potato salad, ‘re-fried’ potatoes with…or In something, are options. Will include Some of the links that came up: (1) https://nutritionfacts.org/video/glycemic-index-of-potatoes-why-you-should-chill-and-reheat-them/ (2) https://somethingnewfordinner.com/blog/10-ways-to-lower-the-glycemic-index-of-potatoes/ (3) https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cooling-resistant-starch
Hope this assists!
I recently heard this about rice. Rice eaten after 24 hours in the fridge won’t affect blood sugar as much as freshly cooked rice.
May I suggest some Indian breakfasts if you have access to Indian stores/ingredients.
You can try poha. Its flattened rice and has lower GI than rice as it’s less processed. The dish is highly customizable and you can make it any veggies of your choice and skip what you don’t like. Here’s a recipe link : https://mytastycurry.com/vegetable-poha-recipe-indian-breakfast-poha-made-healthy
You can also try daliya with veggies (it’s not gluten free if that’s a concern)
Daliya is basically broken wheat. It can also be customized with any vegetables of your choice.
Recipe link : https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/dalia-khichdi-recipe-dalia-recipe-baby/#wprm-recipe-container-36968
Another option is sooji Upma. Sooji is also broken wheat but a little more processed.
Breakfast:
1) Rice pudding with cinnamon or turmeric (replace milk with coconut milk – but here you have to pay attention to the ingredients such as stabilizers)
2) millet casserole with baked apples (Boskop variety)
Further ideas:
caraway anise fennel helps with different types of digestive problems
shallots are easier to digest than regular onions
One of my challenges with breakfast is it’s the one meal I need to be “grab and go” for 3 days of the week. I usually rely on Two Good low fat yogurts for this. I might top it with berries and/or nuts, or just ground cinnamon and ginger.
Two Good Low Fat Vanilla – 90 cal, 2g fats, 40mg sodium, 13g protein, 4g carbs (2g sugar). Their Lemon and Peach have similar stats, and also taste really good.
If you’re looking for something off the beaten path, check out dashi. You can make it a number of ways (bonito flakes are the best IMO), and add almost anything to it. Wakame, tofu, miso paste, mushrooms, fish, and veggies to name a few. My favorite toppings for it are scallions and daikon. Experiment until you find a combination of stuff you enjoy in it.
Wishing you all the best!
eggs, yogurt, digestive no sugar biscuits, blueberries, simple no sugar mixed grains, bananas, mango, avocado, everything you like made out of soy (if it isn’t gassy for you), spinach, wholewheat toast, there is more fish in the sea other than salmon like tuna, and that’s all from the top of my head
Chia pudding or quinoa possibly? So long as cook the quinoa up with water instead of chicken stock (unless you want a savory!), you can mix it with a lot of the same things you’d have rice or oatmeal.
As for lunch/dinner, if you can have lean chicken, I chop chicken and cook it in a pan, and quinoa and stock, steam for suggested cook time. Seasoned to taste and then stir in baby spinach and cheese before plating up. But you can leave off either if anything is a no-go.
Hopefully you feel better soon. My mother had a rough couple months after the gall badder came out, and then she was back to being able to eat anything but avocado – just too rich. Salmon has been fine for her.
I love breakfast scrambles. I don’t know if you want to consider it, but waxy potatoes are supposed to be low starch.
My mom is a long-time diabetic and has cereal every morning (usually Cheerios). My Dad likes to makes juices for her and they saw some positive test results after he started incorporating celery into her juices.
I also don’t know if there’s a correlation, but she takes collagen daily.
Baked turnip is my no starch replacement for baked potatoes. Cut into smaller pieces as they take longer to cook. I just season with salt and bake with a little avocado oil. Tastes delicious.
I’m long time diabetic and now on a low-potassium diet. My favorite breakfast lately is a whole wheat English muffin with mashed fruit on top. 30 g carb for the muffin. Strawberries and a tsp of so of Splenda munched and mixed. Spoon on top of the muffin and zap for 30 seconds. Strawberries are remarkably low in sugar so enjoy. For variety you can add peaches, pineapple and banana, but they will add sugar, so use restraint.
All veggies are good, but watch out for avocados they’re very fatty.
Ham is a lean meat if you avoid those tasty fat stripes.
I don’t know if keto is okay, but I have a keto waffle recipe that uses almond flour, egg, water and olive oil (I think those are the ingredients). Then you can make them salty or sweet with what you put in them. And you didn’t mention eggs for breakfast, do you not like them? I like them scrambled with a bit of cream cheese. Or Greek yogurt with blueberries and strawberries. You don’t even need to sweeten it.
Lol. Surgery sucks.
Food is food, labels are bad.
Your new breakfast may not be a breakfast food, but we promise not to tell. Find something you like on your list and eat it for breakfast.
These muffins are the best. Grain free and very tasty. And the author is a diabetes specialist.
https://www.drdavidludwig.com/grain-free-pumpkin-spice-muffins/#pumpkinmuffinrecipe
I had my gallbladder out in October 2023. My go to breakfast is non fat plain Greek yogurt. Sometimes I add fruit sometimes I don’t. I found plain had less sugar than the flavored ones. If you like cottage cheese there is a low fat version of it also that has protein. I eat a lot of beans different ways. I can now eat some salmon, steak, bacon all in moderation. I wasn’t given a list of foods to stay away from. It’s basically been let’s try and see what happens. Sometimes I take a digestive enzyme before eating really fatty foods like a burger. Take it slow in trying some foods. My body seems to handle fried food ok but if I use too much low fat sour cream it’s a no. So what works for one person might not work for everyone. Good luck. You got this.
And there are support groups on FB that sometimes has helpful info. You are welcome to contact me if you have questions also.
I have no practical help except to say it gets easier and your body will slowly adjust ( to having no gallbladder ) A couple years after removal there were all kinds of things I couldn’t eat without a frantic trip to the restroom. Ten years later I eat everything and really only remember I had it out from the scar. Glad you are starting to feel slightly better. I think people really underestimate the recovery from gallbladder surgery. It is a big surgery. Be gentle to yourself we will all still be here ready to read when you feel up to it.
I’m so with you! I had my gallbladder removed just a month ago! I also have PCOS so carbs are technically bad for me.
My doctor said heart-healthy, low fat, low carb, high fiber diet. (Like just eat air??!)
Variety is the spice of life soo…
Day 1- oatmeal for breakfast. Lemon tuna pouch mixed with a tbsp of no fat ranch, carrots, hard boiled egg, sugar free vanilla pudding for lunch. Slow cooker chicken breast, side salad, green beans, fresh cut pineapple for dinner.
Day 2- carb master yogurt, cut strawberries for breakfast. Leftover chicken breast on whole wheat or low carb bun, sliced apple for lunch. Zucchini pasta with low sugar spaghetti sauce(I add cooked ground turkey to it)for dinner. Cottage cheese with sliced peach for dessert.
Day 3- skinny whole wheat bagel, 2 tbsp low fat cream cheese for breakfast. Shred a piece of leftover chicken add taco seasoning, black beans, chopped up bell peppers, serve over cauliflower rice with a dollop of sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt) for lunch. Salmon, baked sweet potato, spinach salad for dinner.
Day 4- frozen mixed berry smoothie (add ice, protein powder if you want, I add car master vanilla yogurt) for breakfast. Leftover zucchini pasta if you have it. Otherwise chicken broth for soup, cottage cheese, fresh pineapple for lunch. Slow cooker shepherds pie- cooked ground turkey, can or frozen bag of mixed veggies (or just add carrots and green beans and whatever veggies you like- corn if allowed, leftover peppers, peas etc), cauliflower mashed potatoes (or real ones), jar of beef gravy. Serve with a biscuit (or dinner roll) if allowed for dinner.
Day 5- oatmeal for breakfast. Leftover shepherds pie for lunch. Grapes or some blueberries and carb master yogurt for snack. Grilled veggie or turkey burger on low carb bun or in a lettuce wrap with tomatoes, pickles, carrots and no fat ranch for dipping, cottage cheese for dinner. Grilled peach with a scoop of sugar free vanilla ice cream for indulgent dessert.
Day 6- baked egg with chives, sprinkle of pepper, chopped bell pepper, diced tomatoes, sprinkle of cooked ground turkey, sprinkle of cheese for breakfast. You can make a bunch of these in a muffin tin. I usually eat 2 at a time and freeze extras in pairs. Grilled chicken strips with honey mustard dipping sauce and side salad for lunch. Banana for snack. Slow cooker pork chops, sprinkle with dry stove top stuffing and pour on no sugar added can peaches (juice an all- 2 cans), cook on low 6 hours. 1 pot meal for dinner.
So many great ideas!
Another veggie pasta idea — we love spaghetti squash! You can do it in the microwave, just stab a few holes and cook the entire squash until it’s a bit soft, then scrape out the flesh. It won’t satisfy if you’re looking for carb-y pasta, but it’s tasty and holds sauce well so we find it very appealing. Probably a bit more starchy than zucchini, but hopefully not too bad!
Low-fat yogurt with small amounts of fruit? My mom makes “smoothies” by mixing fat-free plain Greek yogurt with unsweetened soymilk. Egg white omelette with spinach and low-fat cheese?
This morning I fried up some spinach and chopped pepper (yellow/orange/red) and chopped tomato with a bit of coconut oil and then scrambled eggs. I topped with a tiny sprinkling of cheddar. I’m new to the Diabetes game and it didn’t effect me much. I had my gallbladder out a few years ago. I only have issues with meat sometimes now so hopefully you have success in your dietary adventures in the future.
What is breakfast to you? I wouldn’t have thought broccoli or cauliflower would fall into that category but you mentioned those. My go-to would probably be Asparagus Soup – I got this recipe from the “Outsmart Diabetes Cookbook” (Prevention.com) years ago and it is delightful…
Asparagus Soup
2T Butter
8oz Shitake Mushrooms (stems removed) sliced
1 large onion, chopped
2lb asparagus, trimmed, roasted or grilled, then cut into pieces (reserving half tips)
2.5c chicken broth
1/2t salt
1. Cook the mushrooms in 1T of the butter on med-high.
2. Cook the onions in the same pan in the other half of the butter until brown/caramelized.
3. Puree everything except the mushrooms and reserved asparagus tips in a food processor.
4. Put the puree in a pot with the mushrooms and bring to a boil. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Garnish with reserved asparagus tips.
I imagine you need to skip the onion but I left it in the recipe for the wider audience.
I know you specifically said you wanna chill on the oats, but maybe later on when you’re less sick of them?
I love to do a baked apple stuffed with oats.
There’s a million recipes and varieties on it. Like a healthy apple pie, and so delicious.
IMO, make an appointment with a nutritionist. Your doc should have a recommendation.
Have you looked at the Low Fodmap diet? I think it naturally cuts out the foods you are worrying about and there are recipes online that you can try. The diet is designed around removing hard to digest foods like sugar, onions and cruciferous vegetables. The diet is for avoiding foods that could upset your digestive system and you add the restricted foods one at a time to see if they trigger any negative reactions. I have found it helpful for identifying triggers for my IBS but it is used for other stomach disorders.
Pepperoncini? Okra? I don’t know how much starch you can have. My mom has had her gallbladder removed for years. She just started keto and says she feels amazing. The strange thing is that fried foods are hard for her but she can go on a high fat diet. I feel like she should ask an expert about that.
I’m with your mom. I can’t tolerate fried breaded coatings but can eat cake no problem. It isn’t just the amount of fat.
Sadly, post gall-bladder I can’t tolerate coffee at all. It isn’t a fat issue. Just a more irritable intestine. My husband who had a much more major surgery can still drink coffee- usually!
When I was having issues on breakfast, I pretty much “gave up” on anything traditional and went with a Vegan Chocolate Protein Powder (0 fat, lots of fiber and protein, sweetened with Stevia) which I mix with Unsweetened Almond milk and coffee. So it’s basically a mocha coffee that is filling and full of “good stuff” so it didn’t trigger any of my other issues. Added bonus, as long as you have no allergies to the ingredients it will fit in literally any diet plan as it’s low carb, low fat, no dairy and high protein.
The protein powder I use Garden of Eden’s Fit line in Chocolate. Other flavors are available as well as unflavored.
I used to hate “drinking” my breakfast but I converted quickly and have actually had trouble switching back. It was also convenient for travel. I’d get a coconut milk powder (can’t seem to find an almond milk one, not that I’ve really looked) and pre-pack single serving snack bags with the protein + milk powder so on the road I could just add half a bottle of water, shake, top with coffee and I’m good.
The coffee is a preference for me (as my preferred AM caffeine source) – but you could absolutely just drink it in milk or as part of a berry smoothy for something different.
Mom had her gallbladder removed decades ago. Her breakfast is usually greek yogurt, oatmeal or eggs (omelet or with a slice of whole wheat toast). The fat in even whole fat yogurt or one or 2 eggs don’t seem to be a problem for her – but I also recall there was a medication change that made small amounts of fat not be a huge problem. She even has a slice of bacon with us on Sunday Sourdough Waffle day…..
I had my gallbladder out (thanks to the NHS) about a year and half ago. I wasn’t told that there would be any restrictions and frankly the only thing I’ve noticed is spicey food travels through me at the speed of light (pardon the description) I eat well but balanced and try to eat smaller portions as it allows my body to process. I would suggest introducing foods you love in small amounts and watching thr reaction. honestly I’ve not had any pain and I enjoy the odd English breakfast now and again..
sending healing and a big hug
Cottage cheese is good, but I cant do the texture. I blend it with non fat greek yogurt and its more protein. You can take it a lot of places to flavor wise. It’s great with veggies as a dip, you can mix in ranch seasoning or do a swirl of sugar free berry jam and nuts. Its also a good base for meat salads like chicken or tuna salad if there is a kind of protein that works for you. I lean towards a savory breakfast myself
Kale Smoothie, something like this
https://www.loveandlemons.com/kale-smoothie/
First, keep reminding yourself that this diet routine is most likely temporary. When I had my gallbladder removed, my doctor also told me to stay on a strict (low fat etc) for the first few months, because she said that would prevent issues while healing. Then, after I was fully healed, she said I could add things back in, a little at a time. Long story short, I followed her advice and have had almost no issues. (Ok, the fried kippers and other fried foods the time I vacationed in Ireland did me in for a day or so, but totally worth it: how often am I going there?!!) 😁
Regarding breakfast ideas, the best thing I did while recovering was throw categories out the window. Something was a breakfast food if I felt like eating it for breakfast.
Example: do you like savory breakfasts? Then you should try some savory breakfasts such as congee (if you can have rice) or shaksuka (spelling?) made with less spicy ingredients. My daughter and I enjoy savory breakfasts even now that I can eat pretty much anything. Also check out vegetarian recipes or cookbooks…lots of good ideas there.
Good luck and glad you’re feeling better! 😁
If you like asian cuisine, try Kani (there’s a little bit of starch), cucumber and carrots sliced with kewpie mayo and and tofu with eggs.
I have no gall bladder and an ‘at risk for diabetes’ A1C. A meal plan I was given does low-fat cottage cheese with a teaspoon of honey, a small slice of whole grain toast with the tiniest shred of butter, and 2 hard boiled eggs for one breakfast. An alternate day is a piece of fruit with 1 piece of whole grain bread topped with less than a teaspoon of mayo, 1 hard fried egg, 1 slice of ham lunchmeat, and an ounce of sliced cheese.
I also get a lot of protein shakes with water (or lowfat milk), cashews or almonds, string cheese, Greek yogurt (plain or low sugar), and no sugar added applesauce. Additionally there are healthy green salads that include chopped carrot, tomato, and sliced cucumber, topped with tiny amounts of dressing, and lots of lean meat.
Alternatively, instead of dressing (depends on what’s in your dressing) you can use lemon or lime juice with a touch of olive oil. All the fats on my meal plan are measured in 1 teaspoon or less amounts. Occasionally I get a single serving of whole grain pasta or seasoned rice or 1/2 cup of potato. Lots of water and no fruit juices.
I got curious about the onion so I looked it up. Apparently it is “poot” inducing.
Gas-Inducing Foods: Some foods like beans, cabbage, broccoli, and onions can lead to gas and bloating. Monitor your reactions and adjust your consumption accordingly. (source:https://www.drsuniltibrewal.com/diet-plan-foods-to-eat-avoid-after-gallbladder-removal-surgery/)
Maybe go Asian for a little while? Mung bean / cellophane noodles are a filling, easy to digest go-to for me to bulk up salads and soups.
Caveat: mung beans are beans. And lentils are legumes and can have a similar effect. Apparently sprouting either one reduces the specific sugars that cause the gassiness.
And hummus is mashed chickpeas/ garbanzo beans so both that and soybeans are also legumes and therefore potential gas-producers [including processed forms like tofu]
Rats. can’t edit posted comments. wanted to suggest cold noodle salads like https://pupswithchopsticks.com/yum-woon-sen-thai-glass-noodle-salad/ or https://www.hungryhuy.com/banh-xeo-savory-vietnamese-crepes/ using alternative milk to the coconut cream.
no fat cottage cheese or plain yogurt (I actually like to mix them) with a runny egg on top. add wilted greens and/or pickles for a savory breakfast bowl.
idk if any of that’s on your list. This sounds terrible, it sucks, I’m sorry!!!
Hmmm
Funny peculiar how recomendations are different from one country to another.
The danish recomendation is to eat what you like, but eat smaller meals.
Scrambled eggs and ham and avocado? Try adding a pinch of lemon juice to the eggs for extra smoothness (samin nosrats book “salt, fat, acid, heat)
Our family eats a mix of roasted and raw nuts on yoghurt. A mix of roasted almonds, hazelnuts raw and roasted, cashews, sunflowerseeds and a smaller amount of whole buckwheat dryroasted for ekstra crunch.
Best wishes for a speedy recovery
Very sorry to hear about this trouble. I don’t have a specific recipe but your description reminded me of when we introduced solids to the kids, perhaps look at some ideas for Baby-led-weaning (real food instead of mush) for inspiration? They make muffins out of the most absurd stuff like zucchini and squash. Or sweet variations with bananas, dates, apples.
Fingers crossed!!
Wow, thank you for sharing! We are on the Bresaden Protocol (reversing Alzheimer’s) to help with inflammation, brain fog and fatigue. Turns out what’s good for the gut is good for the brain and heart. We also have pre-diabetic and other aging issues.
Our diet is lean grass fed meat (Costco sells New Zealand meat boxes once a year) and local eggs, wild caught fish to reduce heavy metal exposure, low carb vegetables, healthy fat: olive, avocado, Thai kitchen coconut cream as a dairy substitute (no carb, sugar or cholesterol) and MCT (skips the liver goes straight into stomach to be used asap) and small amounts of ghee for the butter taste without dairy.
Fruit low glycemic berries or cherries. 2 servings max per day and usually with cinnamon to control sugar spikes. We use tiny amounts of local honey or maple syrup. Take sugars trigger the bad gut bacteria to grow which can manifest into everything you eat going straight to storage instead of into fueling your body. ‘Overfed and under nourished’
Fiber offsets carbs. Flax seed and raw vegetables are our friend.
As we age (starts in our 30’s) we lose the ability to produce our own folates such as B-12 which makes digesting dairy, grains, legumes including peanuts and peas, night shades (onion, bell pepper, potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant) more difficult and inefficient.
I recommend you have tests done for heavy metal, folates and other vitamin deficiency such as D, magnesium etc so you can focus on what your body really needs to reset your gut health.
You might have to seek out a functional doctor. Bad news, they don’t usually take insurance. Good news you can do appointments online and they can order tests most HMO’s can’t and use a discounted test service.
They can also offer outside the HMO box solutions such as low dose naltrexone for lowering inflammation and brain fog by triggering your own body to produce opiates. They can order compounded hormones high enough to protect your brain, joints, heart but low enough to not raise the risk of cancer. These are tweaked as needed.
Plus they can get discounts from reputable supplement companies that are independently tested for impurities and know how combining certain things that will help your body absorb them. I didn’t know methylcobalamin b12 was easier for the body to uptake.
I hope this helps Big Love!
Very interesting, glad to see this.
yogurt and fruit? that’s my go to breakfast
Is dairy ok? How about low fat cottage cheese or ricotta with fresh berries. Egg white omelet with spinach, vegetable soup with wild rice ( I like soup for breakfast). I haven’t read the rest of the comments yet so hope these aren’t all mentioned already.
I really enjoy a frittata or scramble for breakfast. Eggs and maybe Canadian or turkey bacon with spinach , mushrooms and garlic or whatever veggies you can have? Some low fat cheese on top?
Best wishes for fast healing and some amazing food options that work for you.
The Mayo Clinic has a set of low-fat recipes, for exactly this sort of circumstance: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/low-fat-recipes/rcs-20077196
Good luck, and wishing you a speedy recovery
My go to:
–Scrambled eggs with mushrooms, spinach, peppers, and parmesan (some times I throw in cut up lean meat)
–A slice of whole grain bread with nut butter and cheese (or avocado if no dairy)
–French toast (made with whole grain bread, eggs and yogurt) with banana and nut butter instead of syrup
Navy bean soup with greens and salsa added (better with a little bit of pork)
Baked acorn squash with salsa and chicken (lots of spices).
much commiseration! i struggled with just low fat meals after my gall bladder was removed. i don’t have diabetes, so i could freely eat carbs and sugar. i have missed butter and mayo, having never realized exactly how MUCH fat is in just one single tablespoon. plus i had to admit to myself that what i put on my sandwiches was definitely NOT just a single tablespoon.
if i cheat and eat too much fat in one meal, i get stomach pain. so that has motivated me to stick to the damn low-fat restrictions. i AM making progress, i really am getting better, but i desperately crave all the yummy high-fat comfort foods i haven’t been able to have.
i ate a lot of soup. chicken noodle, or beef and barley vegetable soup. and i’d toast a piece of bread and dunk it in the soup. the campbells soups were pretty low fat. other than that i mostly ate pasta, rice, and potatoes, plus fruit. all carbs, but that’s what i lived off that first month and part of the second before i was able to start cooking more regularly.
if all these dietary restrictions are too darn much, perhaps call your doctor who is handling your diabetes/prediabetes and ask if its ok for you to relax on the carbs restrictions for just *only* a couple months while your body heals from this surgery, then as you’re able to add more fat in, go back to the low carbs and low sugar. the doctor might say its ok as a temporary measure.
everyone, my surgeon included, says this IS a temporary situation. and truly, my body IS adapting, it absolutely is getting better, albeit slowly. my mom had hers out and she too said it takes a few months. i’m trying to be patient. but as everyone in the hoard knows, patience is hard. here’s wishing you all the extra patience to deal with these food restrictions, and here’s hoping your body heals and recovers quickly.
It’s so hard for we humans to change our habits. If we do it slowly, one taste, one bite, one meal, etc at a time we can do. Is it fun? Hell no. It’s ok to stomp your feet and scream in protest. You’re among friends.
Breakfast can be anything – in Norway it’s hard boiled eggs, leftover fish, caviar and a variety of cheeses, very small slices of bread and some jam. Try goat cheese from Trader Joe’s. Amazon has egg white wraps you can try. I use them with hummus, cucumber and sprouts. You can get them plain or with spices. Shred, potatoes (gold and sweet potato), zucchini, mushroom and carrots and either fry it up or make patties with a little egg and bake them to your desired crispness. I usually put a couple of poached eggs on top. Salt/pepper to taste and maybe a little cilantro on top (leaves only)
Sending you very gentle healing hugs!
Cherrios with one blueberry?
Turkey bacon! Moderately. Blt with avocado instead of mayo with turkey bacon. And you can skip the tomato.
Egg “biscuits”. Cook in a cupcake tin and freeze. Use as needed. Personal favorite is flavored with rosemary and gruyere cheese. Use a “dry” hard cheese due to your condition in very small amounts. And I think you are limited to egg whites. We also like red bell pepper in them. And mushrooms.
You have a lot less bile without a gallbladder. The liver does it, but it’s a longer process. Harder to breakdown fats. Family members have gone through this. I remember one doctor stating onions may cause bleeding, affect blood sugar. That was years ago.
Lots of chicken, turkey. 😊
Well maybe entomatadas (corn tortillas, filled up with chicken covered with seasoned tomato sauce, cream and cheese) thy are like enchiladas but not spicy you can have them green or red, and you can change the chicken for scrambled eggs or meat, or just eggs they are many ways to cook them
Congee – it contains rice, but it mostly water/broth and can be dressed up with protein, vegetables and spices.
Recipe: 1 part rice to 9 part water/broth (so 1 cup of rice makes a lot of congee)
Bring water/broth to a boil. Stir in rice. Simmer until porridge (~45min-1hr). Dress up as you like: steamed/leftover vegetables, meat, eggs, spinach, whatever.
I love to add shredded cabbage when I add the rice, which means by the time it’s done the cabbage is silky and soft.
Good luck
While I’ve got a different set of guidelines, what’s helped me the most is realizing breakfast doesn’t have to be breakfast foods. I’ll have soups/salads/rice bowls etc
I think that with your dietary restrictions, that you should see a dietician or nutritionist, to help you with your diet and meal planning. I am a nurse and I know how confusing it is for post gallbladder removal and prediabetic. Some people have no issues eating after surgery but some people do. Sometimes its just experimentation to see what your digestion will tolerate.
I really enjoy egg-muffin bakes – I put cooked turkey sausage (or turkey bacon or chopped ham or chopped canadian bacon or no meat at all) and finely-chopped bell pepper or whatever veggies fit your current guidelines (I usually microwave the veggies for a few seconds to soften them) in muffin tins, with or without a bit of shredded cheese or crumbled feta, then pour beaten eggs over the meat/veggies, mix a bit, and bake (for reduced fat, can use egg whites or a mix of whole eggs and whites).
I make these in big batches and then freeze them; they defrost great for a quick breakfast. I like them with a bit of salsa but that may not be on your current list of best-for-you items at the moment.
I also do egg-mugs (search Hungry Girl Egg Mug recipes for inspiration) for a quick breakfast when I’m short on time.
I hope you’re able to find amazing, simple, delicious things to eat that make your body and mind happy while you heal!
Quinoa Egg Bites are my go to for breakfast. Easy to make and add in the veggies that work for you, they keep for a week in the fridge or you can freeze them. Low calorie/low carb and they’ve never affected me and I’m 2 years post gallbladder removal.
Easy recipe found here-https://goodcheapeats.com/easy-quinoa-egg-bites/#recipe
Egg Muffins, oatmeal pancakes, turkey bacon (I like mine extra crispy)
Egg whites (Kirkland) – use spray butter in dish to prevent sticking and put in microwave for 1 min (increase in 15 sec increments based on amt or microwave. I season with Ms dash (no salt) lemon pepper/ everything seasoning. I add in veggies if I have any – so it’s like a microwave omelette. You can use non-stick pans too.
ok as a diabetic post gallbladder. Oatmeal is ok IN MODERATION. Bananas are ok with my gallbladder, and leaner meats and nicely cooked veggies that are nice and soft. Raw veggies are a hard no. Bacon is a no as well. Sirloin steak is a yes as it is leaner. I didn’t have issues with onions, but green peppers and okra caused lots of problems. Red bell pepper was ok if cooked. best advice in my personal situation was to eat 5 small meals per day and have protein at each even if I just dipped an apple in nut butter.
You’ve got me looking – and I found this on the aarp website – sounds like a healthy breakfast parfait:
“Create several alternating layers of berries and Greek-style yogurt in a milkshake glass, then sprinkle with toasted almonds or roasted pistachios. For the more adventurous, grill or pan-grill skewers of strawberries, drizzle with balsamic vinegar or a balsamic reduction, sprinkle with toasted sliced almonds and fresh basil, and serve atop ricotta or plant-based ricotta.”
I like this and plan to try it – I can make most of it ahead of time and it feels like it has a little Orro-like panache!
Another breakfast food I do enjoy is toast (whole wheat) with feta or goat cheese and sliced red bell pepper on top. You can fancy it up with pea shoots or cucumber slices as well. It’s great on hot mornings. You could use ricotta as a spreadable cheese a option that would be better for your diet right now.
I have been doing the Plant Paradox diet for nearly five years. It focuses on certain plant proteins, lectins.
For breakfast, a green smoothie or one of his muffin-in-mug recipes are pretty good, and you can tweak them to your tastes. Recipes call for organic stevia for a little sweetness.
https://gundrymd.com/plant-paradox-green-smoothie-recipe/
I like to add a little lime juice, too – mint and lime… green virgin mojito, anyone?!
https://gundrymd.com/lectin-free-muffin-recipe/
You can add almost anything to this recipe – seasonal fruit, spices, Lily’s chocolate chips…
I think a beet salad with tangerines could be good.
Maybe mashed turnips with nuts or your favorite savory items. (Can we make fried turnip cakes?)
Don’t forget your root vegetables! Yes, be cautious of the sugar content but the fiber helps with that.