Does Whiskey Have Protein? [annieloux] page

[annieloux]

My lifelong dietary habits can be easily illustrated in the following timeline:

• Ages 4 to 17: Taco Bell, Doritos, Pepsi, mashed potatoes, and Hamburger Helper
• Ages 18 to 23: beer, whiskey, drugs, macaroni and cheese, tuna sandwiches, pizza, and cheeseburgers
• Ages 24 to 25: whiskey, wine, vegetables, corn tortillas, pasta, beans, tofu, and very small amounts of lean meat (I blame that damn Bay Area hippie culture)

After acquiring an unwanted amount of chub due to the comfort of a new relationship, I realized my lazy ass had two options: cut calories or get myself a nice cocaine habit. The former seemed to be the cheaper option (we are in a recession, after all!) and exercise was out of the question.

I was used to cutting calories every once in awhile, but I needed to cut even more and I knew the pasta, rice, and bread made up a hefty chunk of my caloric intake. Recalling an anti-grain rant someone had made on an internet forum in the past, I googled, “Are grains really necessary?” Found quite a few good arguments on the matter and upon researching it further realized it all made so much sense. Not to mention I always felt great when I was low-carbing it. It was something I only maintained short-term (to get rid of bloat) because everyone in the world seemed to be screaming “WHOLE GRAINS! FIBER! FULLNESS!”

It didn’t take much convincing for me to go balls to the wall with this shiz.

So yesterday I ate zero grains. Well. I had two pita chips dipped into some hummus - I couldn't help myself.

Today I have a headache, but that might be attributable to the bottle of Shiraz I drank last night. One thing at a time though, right?

I am still experiencing difficulty getting enough protein in my diet, only because I am so used to it not taking center stage in my meals. My boyfriend couldn’t be happier that I am starting to cook meat-centric dinners. Poor guy. Making him eat all those vegetables and rice must have been torture.

Obviously still a work in progress, but if I plan a little better I think I can be in this for the long haul.

[girlarchitect]

Welcome!! Your recent eating habits look almost exactly like my diet before I starting a primal lifestyle about two months ago. I'm currently 15 pounds lighter (half way there) and still trying to figure it out.

And I'm with you on the protein - I'm simply not used to buying more than one little tray of meat or seafood for any one shopping trip and now .... jeez. It's going to take a bit of time to develop the instinct to know that I am getting enough protein and fat while holding down the carbohydrates.

I must tell you a bit a bad news ..... sadly, whiskey (or more critically IMHO scotch) does not have protein. We should figure out how to fix that.

[annieloux]

Thank you!

Regarding the meat thing, I was thinking of joining some kind of meat "CSA." I don't know if it's cost-effective, as I'm still waiting to hear back from this group, but it might be a good way to get a shit ton of humanely raised, grass-fed beef for a reasonable price. Not sure what the CSA climate is like in your neck of the woods.

I must tell you a bit a bad news ..... sadly, whiskey (or more critically IMHO scotch) does not have protein. We should figure out how to fix that.

Welcome to Baconation!: Bacon Whiskey

[girlarchitect]

They do have buying programs from area farms with local pick-up locations in greater DC and I do on occassion to buy from them. There are a great resource for pasture-raised meats than you can find in a typical store. There is a certain amount of discipline required in planning your meals in advance for the order than can be very useful. We are also lucky in that we do have Whole Foods and several good local sources at markets - and I particularly like to support the local providers.

I am still figuring it out but after my first week, I realized that I needed a plan. This is currently my rough weekly approach to getting my protein that may or may not help you get started:

With protein at every meal, I need t 19 - 21 servings of protein a week. Per meal, I am finding that typically eat about 2 eggs, 3-4 ounces of meat /poultry, or about 5-6 ounces of seafood. This is somewhere between 3.5 - almost 8 pound of protein which is a huge range for planning purposes. So I've broken it down further ..

I will typically have 4-6 salads a week to which I often include a can of tuna or salmon. I can get wild supposedly sustainably caught cans at Whole Food and - and buy in volume - 10-20 cans at a time. Cans are easy for the brown bag lunch and 'easy' works in the morning.

I typically eating 4-6 meals of fish per week. I usually buy my fish frozen from Whole Foods and Safeway (I can get a limited selection of sustainable fish there). I like the frozen packs that have two vacuum sealed 6 ounce portions per bag - typically I can find salmon, tuna, swordfish, cod and haddock. I find I can either defrost the fish in advance or pop the frozen fillet right in the oven wrapped tight in foil and vegetables - 20-30 minutes later I have a simple delicious meal. It's essentially a frozen dinner. If I am full and can't eat a full 6 oz, I can always make fish cakes with the leftovers. Because they are frozen, I have the flexibility of eating more or less fish & I try to keep at least 8 fillets in the freezer so I know I have the option.

I plan on 4 meals with eggs. Either (A)6 hard-boiled plus 2 scrambled/fried OR (B)one 8 egg frittatta that I will eat once hot and have leftovers for three meals. I like eggs and I know not everyone does. Frittattas and hard-boiled eggs are great for breakfast, lunch or dinner so it's not all eggs every morning. I am considering alternating eggs with an occasional Sunday roast (leg of lamb, roast chicken, brisket) that will contribute to about four meals.

I try to make on big dish of some meat and veggie combination - these are typically stews and casseroles - again for the simplicity. Recent success includes a Green Curry Chicken and Primal Shepard's Pie.

All of the above gets me 16 servings of protein - which leaves me with 3-5 meals to figure out on the fly.

I know I will probably eat out for a couple of them. Other nights, it's nice to make something special. I love fajitas and I quite happy without tortillas provided I still get homemade guac. I also love a giant pot of steamed mussels, clams or crabs from the fish market.

I also usually have some bacon or Canadian bacon - these last for at least two weeks in the frig. It's not a major protein source but nice to have on hand.

[annieloux]

Damn, girl. You've got that figured out like crazy!

I was thinking of plopping down during my hike this weekend and really focusing on how I am going to make this work. I hope I can do it without the help of spreadsheets. God, I love spreadsheets.

I really appreciate the information and I will definitely keep your planning style in mind. The furthest I got was, "Well. I guess I'll just buy a ton of meat and put it in the freezer, consult with the boy when I get home about what direction we want to go with it for dinner that night."

I'm still trying to get on board with the seafood. It's coming though, I can feel it! I've been having some nibbles of salmon here and crab dip there. And for whatever reason I've been experiencing this insatiable urge to go fishing (and drink beers in the sun - oops!) one of these weekends. Sounds like cheap protein to me!

[annieloux]

It may be the changes, the wine, The Bourne Identity, or some combination thereof, but I had a dream last night that Brian Cox raped me. Probably just the wine and the movie.

Anywho, zero grains yesterday, for reals this time. I did not sneak one pita chip and even put my taco filling and toppings in lettuce leaves. Not as good as a corn tortilla, but like a little handheld taco salad and that's something I can get down with.

Great and unexpected news: my boyfriend is on board! Though I suspect I will have to ease him into it. For instance, I got an "Are you fucking kidding me?" look and smirk when I suggested we eat stir-fry (gasp!) without the rice tonight.

Whatever, jerk. Eat your damn rice. I will go without.

Oh well. Baby steps.

I hope someone sexier rapes me in my dreams tonight.

[girlarchitect]

Damn, girl. You've got that figured out like crazy!

I was thinking of plopping down during my hike this weekend and really focusing on how I am going to make this work. I hope I can do it without the help of spreadsheets. God, I love spreadsheets.

I really appreciate the information and I will definitely keep your planning style in mind. The furthest I got was, "Well. I guess I'll just buy a ton of meat and put it in the freezer, consult with the boy when I get home about what direction we want to go with it for dinner that night."

I'm still trying to get on board with the seafood. It's coming though, I can feel it! I've been having some nibbles of salmon here and crab dip there. And for whatever reason I've been experiencing this insatiable urge to go fishing (and drink beers in the sun - oops!) one of these weekends. Sounds like cheap protein to me!

Oh yes, spreadsheets were involved. It was glorious.
If you don't like seafood, then don't eat it. The first month can be tough so, I think, as a reward for carb flu, you should eat what foods you like as much as you can. I love seafood so I include a lot of it in my diet. There is nothing that says you need to (but do to take a omega3 supplement every day). Frozen meat is good - particularly when it's vacuum sealed in individual portions for quick meals. I don't know how I'd feed myself many nights after a long day at the office without them.

[Finnegans Wake]

Meat CSAs are a great option for folks who don't have freezer space, but if you have even a small cube freezer, you can buy a quarter beef and fit it. The price of buying in bulk is much lower than CSAs, at least in my experience.

I just ordered a quarter, and the price per pound was ridiculously low for grass-fed beef: $2.50 per pound hanging weight. Of course, there is butchering waste and moisture loss due to aging the beef, but even still I estimate it should be $4.75 per pound for a mix of steaks, roasts, and ground (plus liver, soup bones, etc., which most people don't want). In a few months, I'm going to also order a half pig and a half lamb, and I should be good to go for a while.

Last year, I organized a bulk beef buy (Beefapalooza), but interest wasn't there this year so I'm just doing my own thing.

We're not a big metro area, and getting quality fish can be hit or miss, but we do have a few sources that I trust. And I have to say, i just love fish. I could eat salmon morning, noon, and night. Halibut, cod, swordfish, mackerel, Chesapeake bluefish, bass, trout, mahi, tuna... I have a nice piece of ahi tuna and a piece of bluefish at home right now. I think people just need to become better familiarized with fish, and how to prepare it. Mrs. FW is pescetarian, so I make a lot of fish and shrimp...

[girlarchitect]

.... when I suggested we eat stir-fry (gasp!) without the rice tonight.

Try this. - doesn't take long to make and, strangely, it's a pretty delicious alternate.


Here's hoping for better a rapist for you tonight. (yikes, that is a weird wish)

[annieloux]

Oh awesome! I really wanted to make the cauliflower rice (especially for yellow curry), but we don't have a food processor with different blades.

Maybe Santa will bring me one for Christmas.

Thank you!