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.
Every morning I have four ounces baked sweet potato (no skin), two ounces salsa or marinara sauce, two hard boiled eggs, six ounces frozen blueberries, and a big mug of tea. The sweet potato and salsa freeze well so I pre-make individual servings and once a week take out six, let them thaw in the fridge overnight, and add the eggs the next day and voila! I have six days of breakfasts ready to go. I sometimes add cinnamon to the blueberries and half a cup of high protein Greek yogurt if I feel extra hungry.
I eat a lot of turkey bacon that I cook in my air fryer until it’s crispy. Aldi house brand is my favorite.
I know you said no oats but I wonder about that. My doc always told me it was a good choice for low glycemic, but I guess maybe just in comparison to the other grains?
I like my oats raw with salt, a spoonful of chia seeds, and milk. Or if I want something hot, they’re also good cooked and savory with soy sauce, sesame oil, and ginger.
My brother swears by chia seed pudding with sliced fruit. He assembles it the night before and gets it out of the fridge in the morning, making it a super speedy breakfast.
Breakfast tacos with vegan chorizo?
Kate Farms meal replacement shakes?
Not sure how you feel about breakfast soup, but I love miso soup for breakfast or a different seaweed soup called miyeokguk –you can usually get quick packets at Hmart.
I saute up shredded cabbage and zucchini (sometimes add spinach) and once it’s good and singed, I either throw in a couple of eggs and scramble it all together, or fry the eggs separately and serve them on top. I like to top it with Siete japaleno hot sauce or a chili crunch or something. I use avocado oil spray in cast iron, so the cooking fat is pretty minimal.
Also, I wonder if something like banana pancakes would work? You just mash up a ripe banana with an egg and cook it like pancakes. You can add cinnamon or salt or other things to spice it up.
If you can have chickpeas, Farinata (chickpea flatbread) is really good. It’s generally served as an appetizer, but I like it leftovers for breakfast, topped with an egg or with veggies or avocado.
Baked barley is good as well. I make it for dinner (with chicken or meat), and then have leftovers for breakfast with whatever I have around.
Farinata:
1 ½ cups chickpea flour
2 cups water
1 tsp fine sea salt
4 tbsp olive oil, divided
finely chopped fresh rosemary
coarse sea salt and/or freshly ground black pepper (optional)
Whisk together the chickpea flour, water, fine sea salt and 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a good size bowl (one with a pouring spout is helpful) until the flour is completely incorporated and the batter is smooth and slightly frothy. Cover with a clean towel and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours (the longer, the better).
Shortly before ready to bake, preheat the oven to 450F. Add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil to a rimmed nonstick 13×9” baking pan or 12” rimmed nonstick pizza pan. Pour in the batter. Sprinkle the top with the rosemary and bake the farinata for about 15 minutes, or until the edges are set and it is firm in the center. It should be a nice golden color with some brown spots; if desired, put the pan under the broiler for a few minutes to get additional browning. Sprinkle with a little coarse salt and/or pepper if you’d like, and allow to cool slightly. Cut into squares or wedges, and serve hot.
Optional: Sprinkle some topping(s) on the batter just before baking. Very thinly sliced zucchini or onion, chopped sun dried tomatoes in oil or well-drained fresh tomatoes, pine nuts, mixed herbs, or slivered Kalamata or niçoise olives are all good choices. There’s no need to stick with tradition; add whatever toppings suit your tastes.
what about Kasha? with allowed fruit and cinnamon? or with sauteed mushrooms ?
Egg muffins – a misnomer, it’s lazy omelette baked in a muffins tin in the oven but they’re tasty and versatile, you can check whatever is safe for you in there https://www.wellplated.com/healthy-breakfast-egg-muffins/
No gallbladder since 1979 and diabetic for over 20 years. My Dr. said that sourdough bread has less effect on blood sugar than other types (and can be made with all types of flour). It is slower to digest so it is easier on the GI tract, causes much less of a sugar spike. It is also more filling than regular bread. And it’s fun to make.
Have you looked at plant based butter? Check the label for fat content.
Turkey bacon and sausage is good.
A quesadilla with turkey sausage, tomato, low fat cheese, mushrooms, maybe avocado. Low carb tortillas are easily found. Use your favorite meat and experiment. Avocado oil cooking spray works well when you need just a touch of an oil to cook something.
Another no carb protein meal is: a package or 2 of chicken drummettes, a large ziplock bag, your favorite fajita seasonings (as hot or mild as you like), and a good splash of lime juice. Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Place in ziplock bag, add seasoning of choice. Close bag and shake. Add lime juice to bag, close and shake. Place bag in fridge for a few hours or overnight to marinate. Dump in a baking dish and bake in the oven at 375 for about 45 minutes or until chicken juices run clear. 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer. Good cold too. Also works with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Variation: use the salt, pepper and lemon. Discard the lemon juice before baking. Lightly spray the chicken with cooking spray of choice. Bake. About 10 minutes before done cooking, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
It will get better. After all these years the only thing that might give me trouble is something fried and too oily. Since fried foods aren’t good for diabetics anyway, it doesn’t happen often. The gallbladder restrictions you mentioned are temporary. It only seems like an eternity!
Take your time. When you tire, rest! Don’t try to do “just one more thing”. Very little can’t wait for a few more hours, or days (even the BDH).
Best wishes on your recovery.
Hi, both myself and my husband have had our gall bladder removed. I haven’t changed much in my diet from before and he has issues with too much mayo and some fatty stuff. We both eat salmon, just don’t cook it in something fatty. You may be able to eat some of your regular diet, just pay attention to what happens with different foods. One thing I have for breakfast is Greek vanilla yogurt with peaches, blueberries,and strawberries blended into a smoothie. It fills me up for hours. I also use different granola with my yogurt.
Good luck with trying different foods-keeping a list of reactions will help.
I had an unexpected diagnosis of gestational diabetes with my 2nd kid. (Kind of explained the first kids 99% big head though 😉 And I really struggled with breakfast as everything I could think of that counted to me as “breakfast” had too much sugar or carbs.
Some dietiticians are great, others were terrible and triple dosed me with Mom guilt for eating cream cheese due to the fat content when I was only trying to control sugar.
Anyway in the 4 months I was a diet-controlled diabetic, I never found a happy place on breakfast, so I don’t have any ideas for you. My advice though is to reassess how important your earlier food rules are compared to your new ones. And find one of the good dietiticians who will help you carve out enough space for some creative meals that balance all of your restrictions with some give and take from day to day.
Gluten free waffles are 90 calories each, and the pumpkin and chocolate chip ones are reasonably not-cardboard flavored. I’m an RN, BSN, CCM and work with a LOT of diabetics via phone to discuss eating habits. It’s not about “fewer carbs” as it is about “smarter carbs.” You want to look for things with a low glycemic index to help slowly increase sugars and keep the sugar stable for a bit rather than simple carbs that spike and then drop sugars. Ex: compare sweet potatoes vs. regular white potatoes. Sweet potatoes are full of fiber -the complex type that produces less gas than things like cauliflower- and nutrients without spiking the sugar. Oatmeal is actually phenomenal for diabetic and prediabetic patients, and if you want to swap out flavors, throw canned (or better yet, roast it yourself) pumpkin in there to help soften it and improve the texture and flavor. Also, maple syrup -the real stuff, not overly processed cheap things- and honey for sweeteners if needed are more helpful to the body and easier to process than white sugar.
While eggs have fats in them, they also have the enzymes to break them down as well as HDL to counteract and work with the LDL numbers. Cooking them in coconut oil instead of butter may taste a little less creamy and buttery, but helps the liver and gall bladder process and filter things rather than putting the extra saturated animal fat into your body. And don’t put with carbs. Similarly, salmon, yes, as you say, is also fatty, and but if you love to eat it, do so!! Just eat it a little less frequently and without carbs. In a given meal, carbs + fats = more difficult to digest and process, which is why when we eat 3 meals a day spread apart, we need them both. If, however, we graze and nibble on 5 smaller meals, our blood sugars tend to stay a bit more stable overall, and we can omit either fats or carbs from a given meal without our bodies crying havoc and letting slip the dogs of hangry war.
Also, minimizing processed dairy may help. Milk especially is difficult to digest. But if you can’t go without, try having your glass of milk or cup of warm milk without anything with it, then 30-45 minutes later (or beforehand) have whatever you’d eat normally with it to satiate your taste buds. The time lapse allows your pancreas to start getting the enzymes to digest the dairy without extra complex work.
Truly and honestly, it’s about coupling things appropriately. I’ve a diabetic who couldn’t give up doughtnuts, but eating one once per week instead of daily and without pairing it with proteins, (no more bacon with the doughnut) he was able to drop his A1C by 3% without medication changes. That said, it’s not 100% ideal, but any steps in the right direction help.
Anywho, not trying to go too long here. But back to the sweet potato bit; if you slice them about the thickness of bread and toast them, they make a reasonable substitute for toast and can be paired well with almond butter, peanut butter, various types of trail mix and fruits, etc.
Thinking lots of healing vibes!!
Not sure if this will be accessible in the US, but BBC Food has so many healthy-type breakfast ideas:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/collections/healthy_breakfasts
Greek yogurt is a go-to for me with raw honey and some chopped walnuts. Scrambled eggs? Frittata with vegetables? Fruit smoothies? Breakfast bagel with cheese and ham? I tend to add chia seeds to a lot of things I eat for an extra protein hit without a lot of added calories. Sometimes Cheerios and a banana are my best friend in the morning. One thing that I can eat day and/or night is spanakopita – for me it transcends meal rules because it’s just that delicious!
Savory French toast instead of the usual version with tons of butter and maple syrup? I fry 1 slice whole-grain bread soaked in 1 beaten egg in a skillet using a very small amount of olive oil with rosemary sprinkled in the skillet’s heating oil, and then on the surface of the cooking slice. Any leftover egg gets tossed with Italian seasoning + whatever veg I have on hand as a topper. If broccoli and kale are on the restricted list for now, what about asparagus, green beans, baby spinach, bell peppers, or shredded Swiss chard?
I did post a savory oatmeal recipe in response to the initial announcement of your surgery, too.
Egg white omelet with low-fat cheese and mild herbs?
Chicken or turkey sausage is still pretty lean if meat choices are still on the table. I basically substitute everything red meat wise to turkey or chicken like bacon.
Yams/ sweet potatoes are very versatile and low glycemic index. Also crabmeat is pretty great with eggs for an eggs benny if you want to substitute a crabcake for the English muffin. Shrimp tacos are not fatty – avoid fried seafood though and avoid butter which will be a difficult for gallbladder issues. Avoid oils like olives and avocado etc. and I just read ricotta and cottage cheese are good ones for no gallbladder diets, there are a ton of recipes which use ricotta.
Just a bit of your friendly oil- I like olive oil, add salt and pepper and Dill and let them heat up with the pan while you scramble your eggs.
You can have different herbs with your eggs to change things up, but I can eat dill scrambled eggs multiple times a week and enjoy them – 🙂 also if sweet potatoes aren’t too much, they are lovely 🙂 even if butter is off the menu, a bit of cinnamon turns them into cookies 🙂
Food limitations suck, and it gets better when your body starts to appreciate it 🙂
Good luck and speedy healing!
Good luck with finding a balance with what you can and cannot eat. No advice from me.
Glad you can stretch without pain.
Please get plenty of rest when you need to and don’t worry about the Horde.
Low carb and low fat together can be tough. Here are some ideas, as you may not be up to cooking right now.
1. Purely Elizabeth keto granola w/almond or coconut milk
2. Veggies Made Great Frittata ( https://www.veggiesmadegreat.com )
3. Keto oatmeal (the BOMB with Berries) – https://thebigmansworld.com/low-carb-keto-overnight-oatmeal-paleo-vegan/
4. Roasted Asparagus and cherry tomatoes w/ chicken breast ( having dinner for breakfast..)
I hope this helps.
from a keto perspective, are you allowed almond flour to make things with? low to no carbs i just dont know if there are limits from other areas. plus a lot of keto diet items have a lot of fats and i dont know whats acceptable. avacado eggs might be your new best friend.
poached eggs with turkey bacon? They cook in water and can be low fat and turkey bacon is lower in fat than regular bacon.
I searched using the criteria of “high protein low fat low carb breakfast” and got a bunch of stuff back. Some was using a wrap with eggs, frittatas and others.
I can’t eat onions or garlic. I make spinach and tomato, (or whatever veggie you have) frittatas and eat for breakfast or lunch. Low fat cottage cheese with whichever fruit you can eat or low fat yogurt with grain free granola. English muffin toasted, topped with natural peanut butter and banana slices. Ha ha sometimes I just have corn flakes. Scrambled eggs with whatever veggie you prefer, tho I frequently have them with a small tortilla and a little salsa. I have also followed the Low Fodmap diet for stomach issues.
I roast a big batch of mushrooms and peppers (and lots of chillies but that’s optional of course) with roast peppers and garlic seasoning every weekend. I then add a few tablespoons of the mix with some spinach and chopped fresh coriander and I make an omelet with egg whites and low fat cottage cheese! absolutely delicious and very filling – high on fiber and protein.
For dinners I marinate chicken thighs in Cajun seasoning, chillies, garlic, fresh coriander and honey and then bake. we eat these with baked sweet potatoes and sugar snap peas.
Hope these help! feel better soon!
You might research the low histimine diet. My sister had many of the same issues and taboo foods. When she follows this, she has very little to no pain. Here’s a site with recipes https://www.throughthefibrofog.com/low-histamine-recipes/
If you limit sodium, a lot of low histamine recipes may need to be modified – EDS/MCAS/POTS are common comorbids, so a lot of low histamine recipes (for MCAS) are also high sodium (for POTS). My cardiologist wants 5-10 grams of sodium a day (preferably 10) for the POTS, and that’s pretty common.
Eggs.
Wild salmon is a lot less fatty than farmed salmon too.
I had gall bladder symptoms not when my son was a few days old. Went to A&E (ER) referred by GP as pain was bad so I can commiserate it is not fun.
First off they tried to say they’d admit me – I pointed out I had a young baby, was breastfeeding and was in no way going to be separated. Doc then prescribed antibiotics and told me to ‘eat low fat food like soup and ice cream’ I said I was pretty sure ice cream wasn’t low fat. Doc said ‘get the low fat type of ice cream’
🤦🏻♀️ Nurse snuck back in to make sure I knew not to eat ice cream. 🙄
Doctors can be surprisingly dumb for smart people.
Low fat type of ice cream has a lot of sugar to compensate for not having the fat. Also, there is a lot of water in the low fat varieties causing ice crystals and very hard ice cream. Depending on the ice cream manufacturer air is pumped into the ice cream to give it more overrun. I learned this from America’s Test Kitchen when I was watching one of their episodes on ice cream.
Anyone would be better off with just a small teaspoon of the full fat version of ice cream than the low fat stuff.
We like frittatas in my house. My wife is much better at it than I. Lots of vegetables sautéed then added to beaten eggs.
Have you tried steel cut oats? I used to use a recipe where I boiled them the night before and finished them up in the morning.
Hope you are recovering well from your surgery despite the mointains of paper piling up.
You could try Shakshuka if eggs are an option. There are many versions, the classic having peppers and Tomatoes, the onions and spices could be left out/adjusted to your taste. Since the eggs simmer in the sauce it’s quite nice to prepare and can be any meal really.
Also thank you for giving us Sanctuary first as a serial and then as a Novella- juhuuu
I eat hard boiled egg with an apple. Maybe whey protein shakes? Or low fat yogurt?
My mom was a severe diabetic and had no gall bladder. She also had multiple myeloma cancer so she needed a diet high in iron. She ate lean meats high in iron like steak and roast with the fat trimmed off. All her veggies were cooked and she focused on greens and beans/peas. Raw veggies were not a friend to her digestive system.
My SIL ate a lot of protein shakes and soups during the year after her surgery. Blending the soup seemed to help with the gassier veggies. Lots of carrots, spinach, peas, and potatoes. Have you tried quinoa instead of oatmeal? It doesn’t spike my blood sugar as much, but has a similar mouth feel. You can also bake it and make “crispy” quinoa, then add it to egg white fritters. Good luck <3 it's a long recovery, but my SIL feels amazing now.
You are more dedicated with your diet than I was when I had my gall bladder removed. I honestly don’t remember if I was told to avoid certain foods but I just ate what I wanted and suffered the consequences if it didn’t agree.
I have altered my diet the last year to lose 35 lbs. My favorite breakfast meal is wholewheat toast with almond butter and topped with a sliced banana with cinnamon sprinkled on top. I love the taste and it is filling. Not sure if this would fit your dietary needs though….
So I think the challenge is that bananas aren’t great for diabetes (fruits like apples and grapes are much better).
I think oatmeal if you’re using steel cut is fine in diabetes (not instant).
Greek yoghurt with fresh berries.
Indian breakfasts tend to be savoury – so I’ll often make a veggie rice dish called khichidi. I use 50% brown basmati and 50% quinoa mix. One part rice/quinoa mix and one part split mung Dahl lentils (also known as mung Dahl chilka). Wash in water until clear. Then to 1 part dried ingredients you add 1.5-2 parts water, depending on how loose you want the final result. Add a bit of salt and a pinch of turmeric. Cook in the instant pot for 8-10 minutes or in a pressure cooker for the equivalent time.
Stir in a knob of butter before serving. Really good with a simple pea and potato curry or with Khadi (a yoghurt soup) or even just on its own. Plain like this is often eaten when you’re not well.
If you want to jazz it up can temper some cumin and fennel seeds with a bit of ginger and add in some veggies.
Here is an excellent base recipe for khichidi and you can riff off this to suit.
https://www.sanjanafeasts.co.uk/2018/11/village-style-gujarati-khichdi/
Actually I have to say all of Sanjana’s recipes are fantastic.
That dish is the parent of the British kedgeree mentioned in some comments far above. Both sound delicious – I’ve only had the kedgeree, and the one I had was adapted to add greens. I’m going to try your own version with some greens added.
Enjoy!
Yes it is exactly that!
This blog also has an excellent recipe for kadhi – a sour yoghurt soup made with chickpea flour roux.
It doesn’t sound appealing but it’s delicious esp with khichidi
Urgh; best of luck! I shall simply admit my lack of knowledge and wish you the best.
I’m so sorry you have been struggling! My blood sugar also started creeping up, so last fall, I started fasting and eating keto, and I’m happy to say it knocked out my high blood sugar, high cholesterol, and high triglycerides in 6 weeks. My father had the same experience. It definitely takes some getting used to. You can google “Dr. Fung diabetes”, and he’s also written several books. He is a very reputable doctor and his research sources are excellent. My board certified internist, functional medicine licensed dietician, and board-certified functional medicine internist all agree.
I haven’t been able to eat gluten, dairy, eggs, or soy in years, so I have a lot of experience with menu modifications. I used to be an avid baker and I really miss bread, so I found this recipe in January and I’ve been very happy with it. Gluten-free baking is a bit tricky, but, accordingly to my completely normal husband who can eat anything, it is pretty good.
I will eat a slice or two for breakfast as avocado or just plain regular toast, along with some lean chicken sausages from Costco, a big handful of microgreens, and a small amount of blueberries and raspberries.
I also make a “cereal” out of hemp seeds, chia seeds, chopped pecans, and freshly ground flax seeds that I spoon over raspberries and blueberries and then pour in coconut milk, but I would imagine any non-dairy or dairy milk you can tolerate would work as well. There is a good amount of fat in the nutritionally dense “cereal”, so it may not work for your gallbladder-less self.
I also make smoothies in my Vitamix with a base of green tea or coconut milk, spinach, berries, fresh ginger, a lemon slice, kale or another green, and sometimes an avocado. It is not the yummy grape juice-based smoothie I used to drink, but it is super good for you. I may try adding some dates and cherries for variety this week.
Here is the bread recipe:
https://www.sweetashoney.co/keto-bread-loaf-no-eggs-low-carb/
You may want to consider consulting with a good functional medicine doctor. That changed my life! Also, you may want to consider starting to take digestive enzymes with every meal. Those really helped me for years before I recovered from my gut and autoimmune issues, and they may help with gas from cruciferous veggies.
Please reach out if you have any questions! Good luck and rest assured, at least one person is out here suffering along with you! 🙂
This is off topic but do we have an update on the arcane society orders? I’m a little bummed because they were supposed to be my birthday present and they’re not here. 🙁
When I look at the website it just says in production and should be shipped at end of March.
Hi Ashley, when you check the updates page atm it adds that the books are expected at the warehouse on April 19th and to be shipped to readers the week after.
https://arcanesociety.com/updates/
As a member of the gallbladderless club, ability to eat cars will come back. But it’s small slow amounts. I can eat a cheeseburger but takes 30 minutes if I want to keep it down. No more 5 minute meals while running errands!
In the meantime, baked zucchini, veggies in babaganoush, smoked trout on rye or sourdough due to low glycemic or miso soup as I heard someone else mention.
Good luck and feel better soon
welcome to “dumping syndrome”! 15% of us missing gall bladders do develop it. High fat meals, certain caffeine’s can incite it (I could drink Starbucks blond roast but not Duncan Donut anything; I can do m 2% milk but not half and half or cream; I can do light butter at least). It is trial and error. For 2 years my go to meal or snack was low-fat vanilla yogurt with muesli or Cheerios cereal mixed in, or scrambled eggs with turkey bacon. My gall bladder loss was triggered by my 35lb weight loss. My poor little bile reservoir could not handle all the waste filtering through it and it literally “backed up”, swelled up, and almost exploded, Do not give up, you will eventually even out, though it took me 2 years
I deal with pretty severe food restrictions – lost more than 20% of my body weight in less than 3 months, and finally ended up on a low histamine diet. I did all the elimination diets – cut gluten, soy, eggs, dairy for 6 months then added them back in one at a time; the autoimmune diet; FODMAP; the two page food migraine trigger list from the neurologist – all of them before finally getting a few dx that explain things.
On all of the elimination diets, smoothies are the easiest food to modify to get the macros/micros I need for a specific meal (and they play nicely with mild gastroparesis). They can have as much or as little protein or fat as you want. I usually use frozen berries as a base. Adding Greek yogurt (full fat), protein powder, peanut butter, avocados, chia seeds, etc. gets me the protein/fat ratio I’m looking for.
I’ve had the best luck with Orgain for protein powders and nutrition replacement shakes. I have systemic allergic reactions to Boost and Ensure even medicated 🤦♀️
Have you heard of Buddha bowls? They’re also really easy to modify – choose your protein, your fat, your carbs, your seasoning/dressing and just layer it. Eggs make a good base for bowls when I can tolerate them.
You can try using buckwheat instead of oats to make porridge. Buckwheat is a very low GI food and is supposed to be easy to digest and good for your gut. You could do buckwheat porridge with cinnamon, some fresh fruit and a light drizzle of maple syrup for breakfast. Or if you wanted something savoury, cook it with chicken broth and a couple of tablespoons of white miso paste, top with any lean protein and cooked veggies you fancy.
For lean protein that you can use in any meal, I recommend steamed chicken. Get a heatproof dish that will fit into your steamer and put a small upside down bowl in the middle (a rice bowl works well if you have one). Place some chicken drumsticks or legs (needs to bone in) around the bowl. You can add aromatics like sliced ginger and goji berries if you wish but it’s not necessary. Sprinkle about half a teaspoon of salt. Place in your steamer and steam for about 20 minutes. Once cooked, remove the chicken, and holding the small bowl, carefully invert the dish. The bowl will be filled with a golden brown liquid. This is chicken essence and is intensely flavourful and nutritious. Skim the oil off the top and you can either drink it neat or use it for cooking porridge. Shred the chicken meat and use however you’d like. It will be very tender and moist.
Wishing you a swift and easy recovery!
I had my galbladder out at 19 (yay genetics!) and found that there was so much I couldn’t eat. My body has adjusted to most things over the 20 years since, but not completely. I’m also celiac so I get the bread restricted, ‘omg why so much oatmeal’ nature of your experience. I’m glad you’re on the mend and sorry it was such a harrowing experience!
I did a lot of ground turkey breakfast scrambles with half egg whites at the time. No peppers or onions because your stomach acid levels need time to adjust and stop giving you heart burn (what my doc told me). I also love this recipe right now – https://callascleaneats.com/cookie-baked-oatmeal/. It’s still oat based but is delicious and doesn’t feel like more of the same old thing. I add 1/2 tsp of vanilla and almond extract, and put frozen berries with the chocolate chips into the divided mixture before baking.
Good luck! We the galloping horde hope you feel back to normal (ish) soon!
Sounds like you could eat for a year without repeating using these suggestions. Take good care of yourself.
In a similar yet slightly different boat. I just got my very first carton of egg whites and I’ve been going nuts with it. Omelets, scrambled snacks, dashed into questionable ingredients in a frying pan. The experiments keep it interesting.
You may want to look at Maria Emmerich’s Protein Sparing books and recipes as this will meet all of your needs. It’s Keto but without all the fat. In addition as she is a licensed nutritionist, a consult with her may help you in general. (I have her books. The recipes are yummy and I don’t make a dime for the recommendation so this is not a plug or advertisement for her.) I hope you feel better and I’m so sorry you have gone through this.
I had my gallbladder removed a few years ago. I still have rough moments, as sometimes I’m good with a certain food and sometimes not. But I know I can eat Greek yogurt, small amounts of cheese, eggs, bananas, veggies and most fruit. Salmon doesn’t seem to be problematic, but I don’t eat large amounts. Sourdough bread/English muffins can be used for sandwiches or just toasted for jam, honey or pb. Some granola is good.
Be careful with cooking oils and dressings. I’ve found them to be problematic. If you eat something fatty, be careful for a few days.
Chopped Kale salad w quinoa and Garbanzo beans( you can add grilled chic or small amts of salmon).
If you like this idea I can type up the whole recipe. Its not hard, just long. It has a lemon based dressing with grape-seed oil as the fat.
Avocado toast; I live for this fast breakfast. 1 small haas avocado sm diced tri colored peppers,(smash up with fork) s&p to taste. Spread on toasted whole grains & seeds bread.
Fiber one cereal w almond milk.
I make Puerto rican beans and place it over romaine lettuce ( I almost spelled it Roman😳 ) lol
I don’t know if you like Spanish bananas ; plantains. I buy them let them get yellow cut them into thick (1/2 in)circular slices; soak them in salted (sea salt coarse freshly ground) cold water for 1/2 hr then air fry them until a Caramel brown( my boys like them burnt on the outside bcse they are crunchier w soft sweet middle). They are a sweet treat.
Quinoa (I use the quick Success boil in a bag)
I don’t know if you like tuna, not your Tuna but the canned one😂; you can finely chop up the tuna mix with sm diced celery, basil, and peppers with mayo( there are low fat choices) s&p to taste and put them on 1/2 (seeded middle scooped out) Roma tomatoes with a bit of mozzarella on the side.
“not your Tuna but the canned one” 🤣. That cracked me up!
When I typed it, I was giggling 🤭
Yeah, we do not want to eat the furry and fluffy kind of Tuna. 😉
Egg bites can be really useful. You can use onion or garlic powder, which often doesn’t have the same gassy problems as sauteed onion or garlic. They’re also really flexible; you can make them vegetarian or not, use more egg whites than eggs, add salsa verde to a batch, whatever floats your boat. I really like using frozen spinach (thawed and then very well drained) and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese (lots of flavor for relatively little fat) as a treat.
You can find recipes all over the internet, but here’s one targeted for diabetic-friendly: https://healthydiabetic.us/recipe/diabetic-breakfast-make-ahead-egg-cups/
Use silicone baking cups if at all possible; much less prone to sticking problems.
Deviled eggs? Although I top mine with home made bacon bits, you can leave those off. Minced celery in there gives them a delightful lift. There are many ways to cook eggs–quiche makes a delightful breakfast and can be low in carbs. You can keep fat content down by limiting the cheese.
Let’s see. I do not know the carb content of hulled barley (Natural grocery store carries it) but you can fix it like oatmeal–dress it up with just about anything after cooking.
Miso soup–with or without tofu (I sub in mushrooms because I’m not a tofu person). You can dice veggies in there and the miso broth is very soothing, almost like tea (Natural Grocery store carries a great white miso. The red is very strong. The color is actually yellow, fwiw.)
Feel better soon!
Carb Balance tortilla (I have T2 diabetes and these are great for my blood sugar) with peanut butter and some grapes, berries or apples, or with egg, refried beans and salsa, or with hummus and cherry tomatoes?
Would be able to have vegan breakfasts? Oh She Glows cookbook has a chapter on breakfast and we like the smoothies (or do fruits have too much sugar?). You could check it out from the library.
Personally, I like soup for breakfast. It’s warm, satisfying and for me is comfort food.
Scrambled eggs (limit butter) with chives. Yogurt with a bit of fruit and if ok granola (within acceptable amounts), Cottage cheese.
Can try a Japanese style breakfast of miso soup, grilled white fish, and rice if there is a rice option that’s not too complex (not sure about this one)
Maybe see if Sourdough toast is ok. True fermented sourdough has a different structure which can make it ok where other breads may not be but I’m not sure if this applies to your situation.
The greens of onions are usually ok for non-onion diets as it’s the sugars in the onions (and garlic) that are difficult to process and gas producing. They’re water soluble which is why infused olive oil can sometimes still be ok when the actual thing isn’t.
Can you eat avocados? I like mashed avocado on Wava crackers. Not sure if that is too much fiber. How about Cream of wheat – my husband likes it with milk and honey or sugar, I eat it like grits with salt and butter 😀 He is from Maryland/ Pennsylvania and I am from Georgia/ Virginia. We have a bit of north south tastes going on.
Cream of wheat? I just looked at the nutrition vs oatmeal and I think it might work for you. I’m so, so sorry you’re having to deal with this. Hopefully you will normalize after time like my Mom did.
As a pre-diabetic, I’ve been leaning heavily on whole wheat bran blueberry muffins! Here’s a pretty good recipe that works for me: https://foodess.com/blueberry-bran-muffins/
Sometimes I take out half the sugar and add in a banana or applesauce.
Omelette with finely chopped halloumi cheese and plenty of dried spearmint. Even with the spearmint alone it’s delicious.
I’m 18 months post GB removal and once I got over my fear of eating anything I’ve just tried to eat “reasonably” and accept much of what I eat will either produce awe inspiring gas or require a trip to a private washroom in 15 min. If I’m trying to be really good I cook out of the “Plant You” book my doctor recommended.
https://www.amazon.ca/PlantYou-Ridiculously-Amazingly-Delicious-Plant-Based/dp/0306923041?dplnkId=a689ed49-9808-498c-9ef5-8a60166bdb3c&nodl=1
I bounced back from the surgery quickly, the mini incisions heal up in no time, the gas though…so much gas.
Zucchini fritters, 2 eggs and 1 grated zucchini (courgette).
As others have mentioned, I cannot eat Gluten, Dairy, or soy. Also, teetering on the line of diabetes and high A1C.
I found this protein powder to use in Gluten free baking.
https://a.co/d/19qNYgH
You can also use for a smoothie with banana, fruit, coconut milk and a bit of stevia or honey or real maple syrup.
I make my own ghee, and fry eggs in coconut oil with a tiny bit of ghee.
I use quinoa a lot as well, high in protein and fiber.
Love all the new suggestions from the Horde and send you healing vibes!
Get plenty of rest and take care of yourself!
I like to have rice heated in a pan with my homemade kimchi and an over medium egg on top.
How about fruit in yoghurt?
Ensalada de Bacalao (cod fish salad) recipe is online. OMG! Mi Abuelita would make this early in the mornings ( she lived right off the beach in Puerto Rico) .
Dont use the onions and I never used peppers in the salad. You also eat it with cooked Hot yuca and yautia (root veggies) tho they aren’t needed we just used them bcse we didn’t eat alot of meat. With virgin Spanish olive oil drizzled on top.
Green apples,(or bananas) with havarti cheese and avocado ( sliced thin)
Cantaloupe/honeydew w greek yogurt or havarti/provolone cheese
I like using homemade tzatziki sauce for dipping Radishes/celery/carrots /cucumbers/olives (can u eat radish?)
We are a large multi cultured international family. I think I’ve eaten about everything.
I do not know if any of these choices would bother your stomach, just giving alternatives.
I totally feel you! I have found all natural peanut butter on gluten free bread or English muffins is a quick breakfast that is filling. I just make sure I stick to the portion size for the peanut butter. I’ll even do a PBJ with sliced strawberries instead of jelly. I also like packaged tuna. you have to watch the portion size, but I don’t think it’s as fatty as salmon. I’ll mix a tiny bit of mayo and dill relish with it and put it on top of a thick slice of tomato or a gluten free spinach wrap. there are flavored options but I’m not sure about the salt levels. Sending healing thoughts!
We make “Yum Yum Rice”.
It’s cheap, easy, and Yummy.
Boil your favorite rice according to directions
(ie Basmati, Black Rice, Mixed, Jasmine…)
Finely mince up 4 Cups of your favorite Veggies
(ie carrot, celery, asparagus, zucchini, etc…)
Chop up your favorite pre-cooked protein
(ie Steamed White Fish, Chicken Breast, Boiled Egg Whites, Crushed Toasted Almonds, etc..)
Gently mix 1-2 cups cooked rice with the 4 cups of Veggies in a large bowl.
Now you are ready to make *Single servings* in a microwaveable bowl. Fill the bowl 3/4 of the way, add 1 TBL Spoon Sesame Oil to veggie & rice, stir it in. Microwave on high to soften & warm the veggies to your preferred texture. Once it’s ready, stir in Bragg’s Amino Acids (Best Flavor) or Soy Sauce to taste with a serving of your Protein.
It’s a lot of chopping, but totally worth it! We make a HUGE BOWL when we’re going to have a busy week and alternate having it for lunch and dinner for a few days. It’s also wonderful as part of scrambled eggs/omlets.
The main fat in salmon is the skin.
Skinless salmon has very little fat! I steam mine in the microwave, wrapped in the butcher paper the meat counter wraps it in. Less than 2 mins, lemon for garnish.
Grahm cracker with reconstituted peanut butter powder and mashed strawberries
Hmm, those are some seriously restrictive restrictions! If it were me, I think I’d do as several people above have suggested and ditch traditional ‘breakfast’ foods, most of which are deliberately geared toward fat and carb loading to support a day of physical labor.
Maybe Grilled or roasted chicken breast, spiced however you want, maybe in a low-carb wrap with roasted peppers and mushrooms?
Or Vietnamese Summer Rolls (lean protein like chicken or shrimp, carrots, cucumber, a small amount of rice noodles, fresh herbs, all dressed in an oil-free vinaigrette, wrapped in lettuce and rice paper, then spritzed with a wedge of lemon or lime and dunked in a peanut sauce).
I have good luck making a batch for lunch one day and sealing the leftovers in a Tupperware for the next day as well, so I could easily see making them the night before and having them at breakfast.
Being able to just grab them out of the fridge and eat them is a huge plus.
Or heck, maybe just a run-of the mill sandwich- lean meat, veggies, mustard, thin-sliced bread, etc.
In any case, I really hope you find something that works, and best of luck for a speedy and smooth recovery!
Vietnamese summer rolls are one of my absolute favorite things. I can’t take the spice in the sauce anymore, and I seem to have developed an allergy or intolerance to sesame oil, so I have to make my own with peanut butter, rice vinegar, and soy sauce.
protein shakes (my go-to is muscle milk) 32g protein; turkey bacon; ham; smoothies with protein powder; powdered peanut butter (it has most of the fat removed but retains protein)
honestly, look at body builder meals and just eat smaller portions
As far as veggies go, l find the cucumbers and mini snacking peppers were great alternatives to the gas causing veggies. If you get low fat or non fat Greek yogurt it makes a great base for veggie dip. Pork tenderloin is low fat and very versatile. We really enjoy this recipe: https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=743409
I’ve used the tenderloin in it and it works great. Putting t the spice rub on the meat the night before makes a huge difference in flavor. I’ve found its easier to deal with fatty meats if they are balanced out with lots of fiber.
Huh, I had my gallbladder out in January and I had zero restrictions for diet afterwards. The doc said I might want to avoid fatty and spicy foods for a few days… overall I haven’t found anything in particular that gives me issue post gallbladder removal.
Soup. Vegetable soup for breakfast is great.
Eggs- perhaps a vegetable omelet with mushrooms and (fat free) cheese? Yogurt is also supposed to be very digestible, and plain, Greek-style is pretty tasty without being carb heavy. If you can tolerate a small amount of fruit, it will make the yogurt feel like a treat. Protein shakes are a last ditch alternative. Also consider ditching ‘breakfast’ norms, if those are clashing with your dietary restrictions. Have some soup and a salad- I certainly won’t judge you.
Low carb tortillas with low fat cheese, ground beef (well drained) and salsa are good. If you can have dairy chocolate milk and low carb bagels with low fat cream cheese, sliced tomato, and thin sliced turkey is a personal favorite.
Ack – no onion so no salsa. Diced tomatoes and lettuce is also good.
Can you have Jimmy Dean turkey sausage? I always have it in the freezer to add to eggs. I usually add in potatos but you could use any vegetable that’s on your nice list.
I love frittatas! Sauté up some spinach in a nonstick pan ( or maybe a squirt of Pam & wipe excess with a paper towel). Add some tomato & spices plus any other allowable veggies and then either break an egg on top or scramble. Add a bit of low/non fat cheese. Yum!
I don’t know anything about diabetes or gall bladder issues. I like quinoa. When its done cooking and still hot I add nuts, cinnamon, and chopped up dehydrated fruit and let it steam while it cools. You probably can’t have the fruit but its good warm with milk or cold with yogurt. Quinoa swells to a four times increase when cooked. Shaklee makes several flavors of protein shakes and the Life shakes contain vitamins.
I don’t know if eggs are allowed but or egg beaters, low-fat cheese and some cumin salt pepper and a little chili powder? Or rosemary and thyme?
Canadian bacon is very lean and only 60 cals per slice. Instead of oatmeal try cream of wheat or grits? Hard boiled eggs or yogurt with berries?
There is also a carb balance tortilla from mission. You might see if it’s something you can eat. I use them instead of bread and there is also a keto bread from natures own that is very good.
Oh man this is tough. How about miso soup with tofu and mushrooms? Drink it out of a coffee mug so it feels like a morning thing?
Did a search and found this page about doing the ketogenic diet where the person does not have a gallbladder. Not saying you have to do keto per se, but it *will* give you ideas on what you may or may not be able to eat without aggravating the prediabetes.
https://modernyum.com/keto-without-gallbladder/
This quinoa salad with nuts and golden raisins and a touch of cinnamon is good.
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016222-rainbow-quinoa-salad?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share
Or perhaps this classic:
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023168-huevos-rancheros?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share
Not sure if these are good for you, but you can probably determine that – my go to breakfast right now is waffles made of:
2 bananas, mashed with a fork
20 gram wheat flour or almond flour (or half /half/whatever you prefer)
20 gram oatmeal
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1-2 tablespoon butter or coconut oil, melted (mostly so it doesn’t stick too much)
Whip everything together and bake the waffles for 3½ minutes (at least in my waffle iron, depends i assume).
I eat them with fresh fruit – blueberries, strawberries, bananas, mango whatever is available, and a little bit of honey if i am in the mood. You can use whatever you have instead of bananas of course, i just like these.
In Denmark there is a dairy product, called “Skyr” which is extremely lowfat, protein-high kind of like yoghurt. Should be healthy too, but not sure it is available in US. I can’t stand it, but my kids love it.
Or fresh carrots, apples, and almonds. Had an old health-freak colleague who insisted that this was the best.
Or juice made of fruit & vegetables: carrots/celery/beetroots. Beetroots are so healthy although it’s an aquired taste (i lived on this juice for 5 weeks once, now i am a bit allergic to the smell of it).
Hope you can find something and best wishes for getting better.
Big slices of steak or heirloom tomatoes, mozzarella and tuna, dribble a bit of olive oil on top (if allowed) and add some fresh basil leaves, salt and pepper. Get the tuna in water not oil and go for the more posh types of canned tuna that have it in large chunks, not shredded. If you get “real” tomatoes and proper tuna it will taste like heaven. You can also add eggs if you want more protein. Ate this when I was in holiday in San Sebastian pretty much every day for 2 weeks and it was amazing.
You should also try eggplant dishes. Cut in half, shred the insides and add chopped tomatoes and cheese. Slice it up, grill it and add it in a salad and so on. Eggplant is a fantastic substitute for more starchy foods and it can be prepared in a million ways. When you are feeling better and can go back to eating more types of food ask Mod R about the famous Romanian “salata de vinete” 😉
greek yogurt with peanut butter
Trying to remember what all I made when a friend had her gall bladder out a few years ago — cucumbers with hummus IIRC, egg white salad (no fat mayo, no fat bread if you can do the carb). Our local grocery stores sell fat free feta, which if you can find you could combine with the egg white omelette suggestion elsewhere in the thread. There’s a spray form of “I can’t believe it’s not butter” that’s zero fat, which I used to cook. Lentils are also good — I baked a casserole with I think lentils, rice, carrot, and feta. That’s all I can remember right now — hope you find something that works for you!
I hope you keep healing and feeling better. <3
Some of my go-to items from shifting to a leaner, lower-sugar diet that I have really appreciated:
1) Jones Chicken Sausages: a much healthier alternative to pork sausages (more protein, less fat, less carbs, and less calories – what's not to love?) and are delightfully flavorful. Available in links and patties.
2) Fairlife ultra-filtered milk: higher protein, less sugar, and pre-treated with lactaid to be lactose-free. Available in all the usual milkfat percentages.
3) Using sourdough starter (ripe or unfed) in baking recipes – I frequently swap it for buttermilk and a portion of the flour in pancakes, for example, to reduce sugars and fats. It also give a nice flavorful acid source when used this way, while removing the dairy component. King Arthur Baking has a selection of great starter discard recipes, and some advice on swapping starter into recipes on your own, plus their baker hotline is great for getting help with recipe adaptations.
My diabetic aunt’s go to is
Protein powder, fresh or frozen berries, unsweetened almond milk, and greens like kale or spinach blended until smooth.
I’m bad at food ideas so can only second what Elisa said above – find what works for you and enjoy it at breakfast. just wanted to say I’m glad you are feeling better😊
It may not fit all the requirements as I’m not familiar with them but lentil soup may be a good option. I find it doesn’t spike my blood sugar unlike most carbs. I find it take like 3/4 of a cup of the resulting soup to give me enough energy for quite a few hours.
The ratios can be modified as you wish since they are not particularly important.
Sweat a classic mirepoix ( you can forgo the onion if that works better for you) for a few minutes.
Add spices (turmeric and paprika are fan favourite) and some tomato (fresh, canned, paste – doesn’t matter. It’s meant for taste).
Then when it feels ready add lentils and some potato that has been cut into roughly dice size pieces. Top with broth or water. The lentils and potatoes will be ready at the same time and you will be able to tell thanks to their texture.
It tastes lovely cold and keeps well – may be a good meal once you start having more options but still don’t want to spike your blood sugar.
It’s the family’s go to meal and we usually have a pot of it in the fridge during the summer and everyone grabs a laddle full whenever they get hungry.
I hope this works for you – I know it can be frustrating when people offer advice but it doesn’t fit with your requirements. Get well soon!
there are very limeted choices. But what I learned during my weight reduction is always combine protein with carbs. So propably cottage cheese in the fat reduced variaty is light enough for your stomach. Add some fruits or vegetables
Speedy recovery
Sorry to hear about this – hope you recover soon! I’m also on a low carb diet and my go to breakfast is chia seed pudding (warm or chilled) with berries and chopped nuts – high protein, high fibre and low carb. You can also add cinnamon or matcha to change up the flavour a bit!
All will be well soon. Keep the positive energies flowing thru you and we’ll keep chanting to heal you . ❤️❤️
I couldn’t eat for months and resorted to making my own smoothies with ‘unjury ’ a medical grade protein powder. If I wanted a snack I added fruit, ice and a little tofu and i pretended I was eating ice cream.
Hope that helps, in the meantime ,we will keep you warded with our thoughts and prayers and help shield you from the memories of and desires for dastardly foods that may hurt. Heal Well ❤️
Fellow former owner of a gall-bladder, here: It gets better!
Salmon, my favorite fish, still gives me cramps two years after surgery. *sigh*
It’s certain kind of fats that do that do me, now. Might be different for you, though.
So, onwards to breakfast: Oatmeal not good indeed. Lovely, downright perfect is cooked quinoa with nut butter, cinnamon, turmeric and fresh (or thawed) fruit like mango. The nut butter keeps the blood sugar spike down despite the high fructose.
This is my nutritionist’s recipe:
“GOLDEN QUINOA PORRIDGE” (translated from German)
– oatmeal-free –
4-6 servings, depending on appetite and person
– 1 cup of quinoa (any kind is fine, I prefer the rainbow kind)
-> boil with water and a tiny pinch of salt, treat the cooking process like you do with rice (takes a little practice, you want it to be soft but not mushy), for the last 5 mins simmer on low temperature until all leftover water is evaporated
– while you wait, wash and cut or thaw your favorite fruits; apple or mango is recommended
-> when it’s ready, take the quinoa pot off the heat and add a cup of plant-based milk (I prefer pea milk like the one from “Vly”, there’s an unsweetened variety, green package)
-> add 1 tbsp of ground tumeric, 1-2 tbsp of cinnamon, bit of vanilla extract, no sugar, no honey, if you must a bit of Xylite powder and stir well
-> then add 2-3 tbsp of almond butter, the dark, pure variety (often needs to be stirred in its container first, because it doesn’t stay soft and the oils swim up top)
The mix should now be nicely golden to brown and smell amazing.
Serve with fruit and toppings.
Other toppings:
– cocoa nibs
– shredded golden linseed / flaxseed
– cashews, almonds
Enjoy! It’s become my favorite brekkie, once I got the hang of it.
….
Get better, soon!
….
My nutritionist’s page is German, but if you still want to look at some of the breakfast choices and try your luck with a translation plug-in, here it is:
https://nobodytoldme.com/rezepte_category/fruehstueck/
Scrambled eggs or egg whites mixed with desired approved veggies. Perhaps wrapped in high protein low carb flour tortilla (not sure what they taste like) or use corn tortilla.
It isn’t a food specific suggestion, but small meals more often to avoid overwhelming your system. That is from my brother whose gall bladder was removed 20 years ago when he was 23 years old.I recently asked him for another friend. I can say that post-surgery he started consuming a large variety of vegetables in quantity and still does. My sympathies as you figure out what now works for you.
Hi Ilona
Sorry to hear about how awful the last months have been.
Here are some ideas based on what I ate with gestational diabetes. Some of this may be higher in fat but you can adjust the proportions as needed.
1. Low carb toast with avocado, fried egg (white), tomato, chilli oil and miso soup + black coffee
2. Home made chia pudding (light milk, chia seeds with a spoonful of almond butter and some berries – leave overnight. +/- oats
3. Smoothie with low fat milk: yoghurt/ almond butter/ protein powder/ frozen berries
3. Tortilla with egg white, avocado and salad
4. Tofu scramble with low carb toast and vegetables
3. Tuna salad with chickpeas and a citrus dressing (add avocado, cucumber, lettuce, tomato, capsicum etc).
For snacks:
Oven baked chickpeas with hummous
Edamame beans with seasoning of choice
I’m a diabetic myself, and have had my gallbladder removed, so I hear you. For breakfast, try kefir smoothies – I culture my own kefir from skim milk (far easier than making yogurt, as you just use milk straight from the fridge in a Mason jar with the kefir grains on the counter) as the price of kefir from the store is ridiculous. Just blend the kefir with whatever fruit you want – I like frozen berries, add some whey and stevia, and you’ve got a very filling breakfast.
Leftovers for breakfast are a popular item in my household. But I often take a mix of long grain rice and quinoa (ends up a cup cooked) and toast it in a nonstick skillet til the quinoa starts to pop then add water and stir occasionally till the rice is cooked. I either mix in leftover dinner proteins and vegetables or I will top with an over easy egg. (If I’m really tired I make a hole in the center of the rice before it finishes cooking and put the egg in the center to cook like that). My favourite seasonings are soy sauce and ginger with a dab of sesame oil to start the rice, but I generally use whatever is leftover or to hand.
Do not try to use coffee as the water substitute. This does not work although leftover tea does, but dilute it if it steeped overnight. 🤪 and no mater how desperate making oatmeal with coffee is a bad plan. 😳
I also like homemade hummus on a tortilla or small naan especially with veggies or homemade “salsa” (salsa in our house is anything diced or shredded and soaked in vinegar and spices)
Thank you to everyone who mentioned avoiding all alliums if you can’t have onion. I can’t have garlic and never realised onions were cousins.
Thanks for all the ideas. Trying several new things!
Egg whites omelets
Cake from red beans
Yogurts with nuts and sour fruits like berries
Boiled eggs with whole grain bread
Danish ‘Knäckebrot’ with ham from the pig’s front leg
Sorry, really difficult
Not sure if anyone else has already suggested this, but you could lean Chinese and have rice congee for breakfast. (It’s what I grew up with for breakfast.) It tends to be gentle on sensitive GIs, and you can add your choice of fixings. An easy one is to poach some chicken in the congee while it’s cooking, or you could do some egg with it.
https://thewoksoflife.com/20-minute-congee-recipe/