Newly Dx-ed And Hypoglycemic...carbs?

[Donna F]

Hi!

I've been diagnosed and gluten-free for 1 1/2 months. I am also hypoglycemic and have been having trouble maintaining good sugar levels on this diet. Typically, the prescription for HG is a diet with complex carbs like whole grain bread, pastas and cereals. But, all I've been able to find for bread cereal and pasta is rice pasta, corn flakes cereal (the only gluten-free cereal I can stomach so far!), and tapioca bread (hardly complex!).

I am sick of potatos (never like them anyway!) and rice, and even potatos aren't always a good part of a hg diet because they turn to sugar fast (I guess).

Any recommendations? What on earth do y'all eat for breakfast anyway? What about snacks? I can't eat much for fruit because of the sugar content, and Lays potato chips and corn chips with salsa is getting old REAL fast!

I probably should have put this in the diet forum?

Thanks,

donna

[tarnalberry]

you may want to invest in some gluten-free baking supplies so you can make things like muffins and pancakes and quick breads out of complex gluten-free carbs. Amaranth, teff, quinoa, buckwheat (yep, it's gluten-free, it's just an unfortunate name), millet, and soy flours can be used to great effectiveness.

brown rice is one alternative from white rice, but you can also make whole millet, quinoa, and buckwheat. If you're tired of potatoes, what about sweet potatoes? less so during the summer, but particularly later in the year, root vegetables like turnips, parsnips, and rutabegas can be a good source of complex carbs as well.

[Donna F]

Hi Tiffany,

I'm not much for baking, so not sure I'd be adventurous enought to make my own stuff, but thanks to this forum, I went on-line to Kinnikinnic (sp?) and another one I can't remember the name of to get some breads and buns.

Today I went to Whole Fodds and I just bought some "mighty tasy gluten-free hot cereal" and garbanzo beans and sesame seeds. Found some "mrs may's" snacks: blueberry peanut and nori peanut - yum!

Also, don't know how nutritious it is, but I got cheese curls and "complete nutrition" bars. Everything was from Whole Foods Market. I'd only been there once before a long time ago - what a Godsent it is! I was so sick of the usual gluten-free stuff from my own market here - Shaws.

Thanks for the suggestions. Oh, I've had a sweet potato sitting in the fridge all week I keep forgetting about. Will try soon (if I can remember it!).

donna

[tarnalberry]

as for baking, I've never had a problem with gluten-free muffins. mix all the ingredients in a bowl, pour in the muffin tins, good to go. I haven't bothered braving real breads! :-) the recipe on bob's red mill soy flour for their muffins actually is a great thing for hypoglyecmics for a snack food because it is so amazingly well balanced for a baked-good. but I understand if you don't want to do the baking - it can be a pain sometimes.

for the sweetpotato (by the way, they don't need to be stored in the fridge, unless they've been cut), one thing I do is cut them into french fry size, then dump them in a plastic bag with some olive oil, and spices. (sometimes I'll just do salt and pepper, sometimes a spicy cayanne/chipotle/ancho/paprika/salt blend.) shake well, then dump on a cookie sheet (separated) and cook for 45-60 minutes at 350F. tasty!

[kvogt]

For breakfast options... look for puffed millet, about $1/bag at Wilds Oats, also puffed (brown) rice. I also cook and eat polenta like warm cereal. Also consider cooking whole millet and buckwheat groats. Also brown rice, which in my humble opinion, cooks up significantly different than white rice. I've been also looking for sorghum to try that.

[Donna F]

Thanks for the muffin ideas. REALLY don't like baking though.

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For breakfast options... look for puffed millet, about $1/bag at Wilds Oats, also puffed (brown) rice. I also cook and eat polenta like warm cereal. Also consider cooking whole millet and buckwheat groats. Also brown rice, which in my humble opinion, cooks up significantly different than white rice. I've been also looking for sorghum to try that.

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I tried puffed millet - too light to tie me over at all; like eating air.

Haven't seen puffed brown rice, but I assume it would be similar?

Not sure what polenta is - will look for it.

I got that "mighty tasty gluten-free hot cereal" by Bob's Red Mill which has sorghum and buckweat - I FORGOT to try it this morning!!!

I'll let you know what works. Actually, the eggs and bacon and gluten-free toast is just fine, but getting old fast. Just need another alternative.

The gluten-free waffles are okay, but with the syrup (which is a must-have for me!) it's just too much sugar, especially with OJ (another must-have!)-although I've stopped with the oj and trying pineapple now - less sugary!

Thanks!

[tarnalberry]

Right! No baking! :-)

Lundberg farms makes a hot brown rice cereal as well that can serve in a pinch. Plus, you can cook it with some full-fat soy milk (or regular milk) to add fat and protein to it. (I also like to put nuts in it.) (I cook this in the microwave.)

Polenta is a form of corn - an Italian thing. I've yet to make some that was a consistency I liked, but there's a LOT you can do with it. You should be able to find either packages with pre-made polenta, or mixes of corn ground to the appropriate consistency in the baking section. (D'oh! There's that b- word again. ;-) Nah, you don't have to bake polenta. :-) )

Let me know how the Bob's Mighty Tasty is. I haven't been able to find it and am curious how it tastes.

As for the waffles - have you tried using a sugar-free jam on them? Some of them (particularly a red raspberry one I got at Trader Joe's - yeah, yeah... I DO shop there every week ;-) ) have enough flavor to them that you need very little on pancakes/waffles. And I don't know what you think about watering down your orange juice, but I've mixed mine 50:50 with water to make it not quite so sweet and was still happy with the taste.

Hmm... if you have time to cook, what about using some of those eggs for omlettes? Veggies omlettes can have a wide range of flavors, and if you can have dairy, cheese on top is yummy!

What about potatoes? A pan fry sort of thing? Is that too starchy for you?

I used to make extras at lunch or dinner and have those leftovers for breakfast. Heck, I've even made a fast tuna salad type thing for breakfast before. I've been on a smoothie kick, but I don't know - even with using soymilk and flax meal - if it would be too sugary.

Oh, I scrolled down and saw you had gotten some garbonzo beans. If those aren't too starchy, what about a bean salad for breakfast? You can make bean salads is SO many different ways, with SO many different flavors (I'll bet you could make a fruit-containing one, with pineapple, for a sweet breakfast), and the fiber and protein helps it stick with you longer than breakfast cereal type stuff.

[Guest Libbyk]

hey donna-

For complex carbs, I eat a lot of brown rice, and wild rice. I also like to make up big batches of baked beans, and freeze the extra. The combo of crunchy rice and sweet beens is really satisfying for me.

I also eat a huge amount of "scrambles". I use either eggs or tofu. I start by sautee-ing whatever veggies I have around, at the protien, and spices and maybe some cheese. Another EASY, filling meal.

Lib

[Guest NitaB]

Donna,

I don't like to bake, or cook much either! I'm in the same boat as you, tired of what I've found to eat, that's easy!

I do like the gluten-free frozen waffles. I've been eating mine with jam, and some fresh fruit. I'm using blueberries right now. Maybe that's too much sugar for you, though. I'm trying to add the fruit, as otherwise I'm using too much jam!

Any other ideas out there for breakfast? I'm having a hard time with this, as I'm trying to be dairy free, so no milk for cereal.

[Donna F]

Gee, lots of good ideas...

bob's mighty tasty is very good but I put a little stevia in it and didn't like it so much - will try a dab of honey in it tommorow, though I wouldn' mind just trying salt and butter either.

I've only tried sugar-free preserves once and didn't like the consistency.

Funny you mentioned watering down the oj - I did that with the pineapple today - was ok, but I like OJ watered down better.

I'm growing tired of rice and potatos...

Oh, Polenta sounds really yummy. I bet I'd like that - will look at TJ's!

Omelettes are ALWAYS good too. Haven't had one in a while - will do tomorrow (yum)!

Don't think I could do a bean salad in the am

Garbanzos and fruit would be too much fruit I think, and then there's the bean thing in the am again....

Baked beans with wild rice eh? Do you mix the rice with the beans? You mean like, Boston Baked Beans??? Hmmm...

Not really sure about fresh fruit with my waffles. The problem with the waffles for me is they are dry, which means I'd either have to smother them with butter and syrup, or drink a gallon of juice with them (not good alternatives for a hypo!). I'd have to use a LOT of fruit to satisfy me - which would mean TOO much sugar again!

Thanks for some new ideas! (Trader Joes - here I come!)

-donna

[Guest Libbyk]

hey donna-

I LOVE the might tasty, just dont like cleaning the pan afterwards... I dress it up with a little vanilla and shaved almonds while its cooking, and butter, brown sugar and almond mild (blue diamond orginal). YUM. As for the baked beans and rice, I like to put them in a bowl next to each other, and heat them up int he micro. the flavors kind of blend, but I can pick my ratio with each bite.

I think I am getting hungry now.!

Lib

[Donna F]

Sounds like a good idea! Thanks!