Need Hotdish Help with No Hamburger

[Natanni]

Hey Guys

We are starting the crazy school/skating/hockey season next week and I need HELP

Nathan's cholesterol is finally under good control but we need to get rid of all this hamburger we still eat (although it is "diet" hamburger) but we eat it several times per week in hamburgers, hotdish (like the traditional tator-tot) and tacos. I need some kid friendly easy-to-whip-up-after-work ideas. Love the crock pot too! Anyone have experience with the soy fake hamburger crumble and INR effects? Hotdishes seem to be the easiest, just throw a few things in a dish and pop it in the oven, but I can't think of anything without hamburger. Well, tuna hotdish I guess?

Last day of my vacation and the dog just ate 10 hot chocolate chip cookies off the table Figures!

 

[Ross]

Anything with soy is going to affect his INR if a sudden diet change takes place. I'm in the same canoe here. I've switched over to just about everything I can think of and I'm hoping for some lower numbers come October.

 

[hensylee]

have you ever tried using ground turkey in place of hamburger. Just add enough seasonings and you will never know it's turkey. Easier to digest, too. We use it a lot, like in spaghetti. Never hurts to try and very little cholesterol. No fat shows up when we cook it.

 

[Karlynn]

Soy was the reason I found VR.com. It was "hidden" in a protein bar I was having 2 of a day and I couldn't figure out why my INR was 1.8 and not budging.

I would recommend staying away from anything soy. You'd have to eat it so consistantly (several times a week) in order to adjust your dose to it, that if you stopped, you'd (he) would go too high.

Hmm, hot dishes, let me think on that one.

I buy the canned chicken breast and turkey breast. They are quick ways to make hearty meals with soups or casseroles.

I also love my pressure cooker. You can cook a beef roast in about 45 minutes and it's so tender. I will brown chicken breast, put it in the pressure cooker, add chicken stock (fat free), carrots, potatoes, or any other vegie. I'll season it in many different ways and pressure cook it. It take about 25 minutes.

 

[swim mom]

My youngest daughter has high cholesterol and we use ground turkey breast (be careful the cheap ground turkey with both white and dark meat can be rather high in fat) in place of ground beef in everything. I have to think about it but I have a lot of quick healthy recipies mainly because I have girls who swim 5 nights a week and there is little time for healthy food! I will try to post some tomorrow.

 

[Missy]

I have had to cook like this for several years for my husband. It does work and diet alone controls his cholestrol and triglycerides.
I use lots of chicken. Chicken tacos are delicious. Just season them correctly. A quick way is to add cumin to taste and mix taco sauce in. Top with cheese, onions, lettuce and tomatoes.

I have also found when using ground white meat turkey (my husband is not on salt restricted diet. Can have all he wants) to add brown gravy mix or boullion (high salt) or au jus sauce. Just enough to flavor it. Makes a big difference. Makes great chili , no one can tell it is ground white turkey. Use it anywhere you use hamburger.

I also make low fat chicken pizza with flat bread. Very good.

Chicken makes great soups and stews. Tortilla soup is a good soup to fix. Also chicken posole.

 

[sonavogel]

Hi, Natanni!

It's a real challenge, finding food concoctions to tempt kids, especially when you're looking for hamburger substitutions that are low in fat and nutritious.

Ground turkey is fabulous. So is ground chicken. And yes, you need to check to make sure you're getting the "leaner" ground (just as you do with beef).

There are delicious salmon burgers and tuna burgers in the freezer section that can be crumbled into food combo dishes. Naturally, you don't want to eat too much of either per week (mercury).

And there are delicious veggie (non-soy) burgers available:

http://www.gardenburger.com/eat-positive/burgers/gardenvegan.php

Gardenburger makes non-soy varieties that are yummy and taste like beef. (Well, at least I think so.)

Good luck!

 

[Bina]

Most kids love pasta, chicken or tuna, and cheese or tomatoes.
On the weekend we bake a glass dish full of skinless chicken breasts, which are then frozen in ziploc bags for during the week dinners.

Boil up some pasta, or potatoes, or rice.
Place in casserole dish with chicken or tuna, add veggies or tomatoes.
Add any kind of Campbells soup (mushroom, cream of chicken, tomatoe)
and top with cheese or bread crumbs.
Even the fussiest kid (like me) will eat this meal. Leftovers are amazing

 

[swim mom]

I have more but I need to put them in the computer one at a time and I am still finding some of them.

Harvest Corn Soup
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 slices turkey bacon, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 pound small potatoes, cut into small chunks

one 10-ounce box frozen corn

1 medium or 2 small zucchini, finely chopped

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon paprika

3 tablespoons flour

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup milk

1 cup fat free cream or fat free evaporated milk

1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Salt and pepper

Hot pepper sauce


1. In a medium soup pot, heat the olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp at the edges. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the potatoes, corn, zucchini, bay leaf and paprika and cook for 4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour into the pot, stir and cook for 1 minute. Gradually stir in the broth and simmer until thickened a bit. Stir in the milk, cream and parsley and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 8 minutes.


Makes 4 servings

 

[Lynlw]

I've tried a couple of recipes from the campbells site and they are usually pretty good and easy http://www.campbellkitchen.com/RecipeSearch.aspx?searchText=
I noticed you can check a box for either under 30 min OR "wellness recipe" which i would guess would be healthier

 

[swim mom]

My kids and the other teens we have around the house like both this recipie and the one for the corn soup. I was worried about the zucchini in the first recipie as we had a teen visiting who doesn't eat vegetables. Luckily everyone ate a LOT of it.



Ham and Pea Casserole


FOUR SERVINGS
Prep Time: 25 min
Cook Time: 45 min


1/2 pound sliced baked ham, torn into small pieces
(about 1 1/2 cups)
7 ounces cornbread, cut into small cubes (2 cups)
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
2 cups whole milk
3 eggs plus one yolk, lightly beaten
Salt


1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly butter a 9-inch casserole dish. In a bowl, toss the ham, cornbread, peas and thyme; transfer to the baking dish. In the same bowl, beat together the milk, eggs and yolk and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Pour into the baking dish. Let stand for 15 minutes.
2. Bake until the custard is just set in the center, 40 to 45 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with a green salad.

 

[swim mom]

Shortcut Mexican Lasagne

1-10oz can enchilada sauce
1-14 1/2oz candiced tomatoes, undrained
1-6oz can tomato paste
1 -16oz can blackbeans, rinsed and well drained
9oz lasagne noodles
2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Pre heat oven to 375. In a bowl, combine enchilada sauce, tomatoes with their juice, and tomato paste. Mix to blend well. Stir in black beans.

2. Spoon a third of tomato sauce mixture over bottom of a 12x8-inch rectangular baking dish. Top with 3 uncooked lasagne noodles. Spread evenly with 1 cup cottage chees and sprinkle wiht 1 cup cheddar cheese. Spoon on half the remaining tomato sauce mixture.

3. Add another layer of 3 noodles, remaining 1 cup cottage cheese, then sprinkle with 1 cup cheddar cheese.

4. Add remaining 3 noodles in a single layer, remaining tomato sauce, and remaining 1 cup cheddar cheese. Cover tightly with foil.

5. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until noodles are tender. Let stand at least 5 minutes before serving

 

[betterway]

What about ground buffalo as a compromise? I use it all the time, it's lower in fat, and often the bison are grass fed and antibiotic free which I think is a big plus for kids. The kids would never know the taste difference unless you tell them. You need to cook it a little less because it will dry out due to the lower fat content. It's also a little more expensive than beef. B

 

[Natanni]

Wow! You guys are GREAT! I am printing it all off now

We did just try some buffalo hamburger-not bad, we used in in burgers. Our market only gets it from time to time.

Once upon a time, we ate ALOT of gardenburgers-but I never tried to soy free vareity yet! I do love their fake sausage links. My daughter could eat an entire package.

We have a hard time with salmon. Our fishing group of friends just brought back 400lbs of Halibut from Alaska-he deep fried some, very good for we pickey fish eaters

Thanks so much again.

Ann

 

[Bina]

Bison is amazing.
For low sodium recipe versions, check Campbell soup labels, and use tomato paste or real tomatoes, instead of canned tomatoes.

 

[catwoman]

Our fishing group of friends just brought back 400lbs of Halibut from Alaska-he deep fried some, very good for we pickey fish eaters

I have a great recipe for Sicilian-style baked halibut. Will dig it out when I get home tonight and post it. It's a Weight Watchers recipe but you'd never know it was a low-cal recipe.

 

[catwoman]

Bison is amazing.
For low sodium recipe versions, check Campbell soup labels, and use tomato paste or real tomatoes, instead of canned tomatoes.

I use bison, too. It's supposed to be 98% fat-free.
Wal-mart has some no-sodium-added canned tomatoes -- 16oz cans of diced tomatoes. I buy those for casseroles & soups. I use real tomatoes for salads & sandwiches.

 

[pamela]

Hi everyone. I was just browsing the forums. (call it new member enthusiasm) and I use the Heart & Stroke Foundation's Recipes for ideas. I also visit this Diabetic Meal Planning site. I don't have diabetes, but it is sometimes a wise way for me to eat and plan menus for my family.

I bless the slow cooker.
Vegetarian Crockpot Recipes
Busy Cooks, Healthy Crockpot Recipes.
Happy dining!

 

[catwoman]

Natanni:

Here's a soup recipe you could substitute soy crumbles for the ground beef:

One Point Hearty Chili

10 oz (93%) lean ground beef
1 med onion, diced
2 (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes
2 med zucchini, diced
2 med yellow squash, diced
1 (15 oz) can black or pinto beans
2 (15 oz) cans f/f beef broth
4 celery stalks, diced
2 bell peppers, diced
1 (1 1/4oz) package dry chili seasoning

In a large pot, brown ground beef & onion. Add the remaining ingredients. Simmer over medium heat until vegetables are tender (about 30 minutes).

This makes about 16 cups.

I use 1 can of black beans AND 1 cup of pinto beans. I have found packages of reduced-sodium chili seasoning, and use those.
I bag this up and freeze it in quart-size bags. Grab one out of the freezer in the morning and take it to work. Store it in a refrigerator. I usually eat between 11 & 11:30, and it only takes 3 1/2 to 4 minutes to get it hot in a microwave.
This helps me maintain my Weight Watchers weight goal.
My parents like it, my sisters' families like it and so does my husband. Add some cornbread or chips & a salad, and you have a meal.

 

[Natanni]

Thanks for the slow cooker links! Pefect!

I have been using the ground turkey breast for a few weeks now and all is going quite well! I made a chicken wild rice hotdish that was pretty good and then I got this one from 30 minute meals Rachal Ray;

Greek Spinach Pizza

Brown l lb of ground chicken breast, adding half of a red onion and 2 cloves of garlic while browning. Sprinkle with favorite griller seasoning mix (I used some with Cajun seasoning). Defrost and drain 2 packages of frozen spinach and add to chicken. Sprinkle mixture over your prebaked pizza crust (which we added salt, pepper, EVOO and parsley flakes) Add some feta cheese and top with mozarella or provalone, olives and jarred red peppers and bake until brown! Everyone loved it and while it did take me a few minutes longer than 30 it was pretty easy and no red meat!