So long, sugar! See you in a few weeks!
November 1, 2014 12:36 PM Subscribe
Upon the recommendation of my new personal trainer, I am to go sugar-free for the next two weeks! Difficulty: vegan.
Looking for recipes, suggestions for desserts/breakfast/anything delicious, really. I already make most of my food from scratch, so assume I have pretty good kitchen skills.
(I am allowed fruit during this time period. If it goes well and I can get some good recs here, I will look into maintaining this for the long run. Also, my trainer is vegan too.)
Looking for recipes, suggestions for desserts/breakfast/anything delicious, really. I already make most of my food from scratch, so assume I have pretty good kitchen skills.
(I am allowed fruit during this time period. If it goes well and I can get some good recs here, I will look into maintaining this for the long run. Also, my trainer is vegan too.)
Best answer: Since you're allowed fruit, I assume "no sugar" means "no isolated simple sugars poured on top."
Most vegan diets don't use simple sugars as a significant calorie source, so all your standard high-calorie vegan foods still work. Avocado slices on a roll with salt and olive oil. Curried lentils. Rice and beans. Oatmeal with coconut oil or peanut butter. Stir-fried tofu/tempeh/seitan. Potato hash.
For vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, or root vegetables drenched in oil and roasted. Mesclun greens or romaine lettuce tossed with olive oil or dark toasted sesame oil, pepitas, and supremed oranges. Red cabbage or collard greens or kale stir-fried with garlic.
For snacks: raisins and peanuts, chia seed soaked in coconut milk (the soluble fibre thickens the mixture into a kind of cold pudding), apples with peanut butter.
Maybe it would help if you named a few recipes you current make that would be prohibited for these two weeks? Otherwise the question is a bit broad.
posted by d. z. wang at 1:22 PM on November 1, 2014 [2 favorites]
Most vegan diets don't use simple sugars as a significant calorie source, so all your standard high-calorie vegan foods still work. Avocado slices on a roll with salt and olive oil. Curried lentils. Rice and beans. Oatmeal with coconut oil or peanut butter. Stir-fried tofu/tempeh/seitan. Potato hash.
For vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, or root vegetables drenched in oil and roasted. Mesclun greens or romaine lettuce tossed with olive oil or dark toasted sesame oil, pepitas, and supremed oranges. Red cabbage or collard greens or kale stir-fried with garlic.
For snacks: raisins and peanuts, chia seed soaked in coconut milk (the soluble fibre thickens the mixture into a kind of cold pudding), apples with peanut butter.
Maybe it would help if you named a few recipes you current make that would be prohibited for these two weeks? Otherwise the question is a bit broad.
posted by d. z. wang at 1:22 PM on November 1, 2014 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Sorry, you're right! I'm a baker, so good recipes for cake/pie, etc would be good too. I would still like to make sweet treats.
We eat lots of soups, stews, meals in a bowl, etc. Breakfast is usually homemade granola or slow cooker oatmeal on weekdays, pancakes/waffles on weekends. Lunches are salad and whatever leftovers from dinner. Snacks are bad junk food, so definitely need some help there (I have done bananas/apples w/nut butters before.)
posted by Kitteh at 1:29 PM on November 1, 2014 [1 favorite]
We eat lots of soups, stews, meals in a bowl, etc. Breakfast is usually homemade granola or slow cooker oatmeal on weekdays, pancakes/waffles on weekends. Lunches are salad and whatever leftovers from dinner. Snacks are bad junk food, so definitely need some help there (I have done bananas/apples w/nut butters before.)
posted by Kitteh at 1:29 PM on November 1, 2014 [1 favorite]
You might find the I Quit Sugar website/blog/book by Sarah Wilson useful. Good luck!
posted by jrobin276 at 1:38 PM on November 1, 2014
posted by jrobin276 at 1:38 PM on November 1, 2014
You could try modifying some vegetarian recipes from the Whole30 folks, a challenge that eliminates sugars, soy, ...pretty much everything except veggies, fruits and meat. I'm not sure what protein sources a vegan would use on this program; even quinoa and beans are off the list of "Whole30 compliant" foods. Here's a blog that did a vegetarian version of Whole30: http://mypieceofsunshine.com/whole-30-a-vegetarians-perspective/
The veggie dishes on the Whole30 site (whole30.com) will have no sugars in them but, from my experience, are pretty tasty.
posted by LOLAttorney2009 at 1:39 PM on November 1, 2014
The veggie dishes on the Whole30 site (whole30.com) will have no sugars in them but, from my experience, are pretty tasty.
posted by LOLAttorney2009 at 1:39 PM on November 1, 2014
If you get tired of nut butters on your apples, here are some vegan Nutella-like substances. Not sure if you'd count that as sugar.
I know someone who chops up spaghetti squash and eats chunks of it raw. It looks and tastes kind of like cantaloupe, but less sweet and less juicy.
Hummus on crudites? You can carry that unrefrigerated for up to a day without problems. If you have a food processor, you can make the hummus pretty easily yourself from dried chickpeas and bought tahini.
If you get tired of raisins, try dried figs, dates, or mango.
I don't trust myself to give baking advice, but here are a few baking links.
posted by d. z. wang at 1:57 PM on November 1, 2014
I know someone who chops up spaghetti squash and eats chunks of it raw. It looks and tastes kind of like cantaloupe, but less sweet and less juicy.
Hummus on crudites? You can carry that unrefrigerated for up to a day without problems. If you have a food processor, you can make the hummus pretty easily yourself from dried chickpeas and bought tahini.
If you get tired of raisins, try dried figs, dates, or mango.
I don't trust myself to give baking advice, but here are a few baking links.
posted by d. z. wang at 1:57 PM on November 1, 2014
Are you allowed to sub in other sweeteners for sugar? Like honey or molasses or maple syrup?
If you're interested in baking, you might look at desserts targeted for paleo folks. Although a lot of paleo stuff is decidedly non-vegan, the desserts/treats often are. This for example.
For snacks, you can put your nut butters on celery or have some avocado (very satisfying). I buy a lot of portion-sized packages of almonds and cashews for snacking. I like Lara bars for a portable, low-effort snack. I also snack on olives (pitted kalamatas with crushed red pepper are my favorite) and pickles (I really like the Wickles pickle chips - spicy and sweet, but may violate your no sugar rule).
posted by jeoc at 2:38 PM on November 1, 2014
If you're interested in baking, you might look at desserts targeted for paleo folks. Although a lot of paleo stuff is decidedly non-vegan, the desserts/treats often are. This for example.
For snacks, you can put your nut butters on celery or have some avocado (very satisfying). I buy a lot of portion-sized packages of almonds and cashews for snacking. I like Lara bars for a portable, low-effort snack. I also snack on olives (pitted kalamatas with crushed red pepper are my favorite) and pickles (I really like the Wickles pickle chips - spicy and sweet, but may violate your no sugar rule).
posted by jeoc at 2:38 PM on November 1, 2014
dates are very sweet, and can be eaten by themselves or used in recipes.
posted by bearette at 3:28 PM on November 1, 2014
posted by bearette at 3:28 PM on November 1, 2014
Best answer: I think the best thing you can do for two weeks is try to reset your tastebuds. So the goal is not "replacement sweets and baked goods" but different food choices altogether. Oatmeal or olive oil granola with no added sugar (add toasted unsweetened coconut and maybe some vanilla to the wet mixture), tofu scrambled with veggies for breakfast, tofu/veggie tacos, lots of Indian lentil and other dishes.
Snacks: make crispy baked chickpeas, kale chips, seaweed snacks, bean dips with crackers or raw veggies, miso soup, etc.
The best thing about adding a constraint to your diet ("no sugar") is all the ways you have to be creative to eat well. This will help to reset your choices and tastebuds in ways that eating stevia-waffles won't accomplish.
posted by barnone at 3:57 PM on November 1, 2014 [12 favorites]
Snacks: make crispy baked chickpeas, kale chips, seaweed snacks, bean dips with crackers or raw veggies, miso soup, etc.
The best thing about adding a constraint to your diet ("no sugar") is all the ways you have to be creative to eat well. This will help to reset your choices and tastebuds in ways that eating stevia-waffles won't accomplish.
posted by barnone at 3:57 PM on November 1, 2014 [12 favorites]
If they are available in your area, I find fresh pomegranates sprinkled with (dry) rolled oats and/or nuts to be heavenly--like, they taste as delicious as a sugary berry crumble. They are also really good for you. This time of year, a significant portion of my food budget goes towards pomegranates!
posted by whistle pig at 4:28 PM on November 1, 2014
posted by whistle pig at 4:28 PM on November 1, 2014
I agree with barnone. At times in my life when I've abstained from sugar for more than a couple of weeks, roasted starchy vegetables, especially sweet potatoes, have achieved a "Wow!" level of sweetness to my reset palate.
posted by telegraph at 6:35 PM on November 1, 2014
posted by telegraph at 6:35 PM on November 1, 2014
Apple butter often doesn't have any added sugars and is REALLY FUCKING GOOD in oatmeal and whatnot.
it is good on everything, everything ever, i am eating it out of the jar right now and no one can stop me
posted by poffin boffin at 6:52 PM on November 1, 2014 [2 favorites]
it is good on everything, everything ever, i am eating it out of the jar right now and no one can stop me
posted by poffin boffin at 6:52 PM on November 1, 2014 [2 favorites]
Know this: if you don't eat any sugar it is easier not to eat sugar. I went sugar and most carbs free and after a few days it was easy to resist temptation. If I were to have sugar, a dessert at a restaurant for example, the next day it would be harder to resist but again a couple days after much easier.
posted by Pembquist at 10:19 PM on November 1, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Pembquist at 10:19 PM on November 1, 2014 [1 favorite]
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posted by needs more cowbell at 12:57 PM on November 1, 2014 [1 favorite]