Good Cheap alternatives to Potato, Rice and Pasta?

[theboyfold]

I'm pretty much living on pasta and rice at the moment and need an alternative to them.

What do people suggest to replace pasta as a base to a lot of meals that I have?

[pugwash4x4]

cous cous- add water for a variety of flavours- only just started to like it, but its a good addition to lots of meals.

try brown rice with some wild rice thrown in- tastes totally different to normal rice.

[theboyfold]

Sorry, meant to add that I'm looking to drop the carbs as well

[V8mate]

I often use stir-fried vegetables instead of a usual carb in a meal.

[Silver993tt]

theboyfold said:

Sorry, meant to add that I'm looking to drop the carbs as well

Why are you looking to drop the carbs?

[theboyfold]

Silver993tt said:

theboyfold said:

Sorry, meant to add that I'm looking to drop the carbs as well

Why are you looking to drop the carbs?

Because I'm piling on the pounds, and really eat too much rice / pasta and potato.

[AndyAudi]

V8mate said:

I often use stir-fried vegetables instead of a usual carb in a meal.

+1
Really fast & also easy to vary it a bit (Sometimes it's all I eat)

Favourite = Stir Fried Broccoli with a sweet chilli dipping sauce

[V8mate]

AndyAudi said:

V8mate said:

I often use stir-fried vegetables instead of a usual carb in a meal.

+1
Really fast & also easy to vary it a bit (Sometimes it's all I eat)

Favourite = Stir Fried Broccoli with a sweet chilli dipping sauce

I'm much lazier. Tray of stir-fry-prepped vegetables with beansprouts etc from supermarket. Then just vary the sauce which gets dolloped into it. Sweet chilli sauce on the veg is great if you have fish with it.

[Silver993tt]

theboyfold said:

Silver993tt said:

theboyfold said:

Sorry, meant to add that I'm looking to drop the carbs as well

Why are you looking to drop the carbs?

Because I'm piling on the pounds, and really eat too much rice / pasta and potato.

Do youeat brown rice or white rice? White or wholemeal pasta? What do you eat with the rice/pasta potato, some kind of sauces?

Nothing wrong if you eat brown rice because you'll need smaller portions that white rice, the same with wholewheat pasta. If you're frying the rice, that's not so good because you'll be adding oil. With regards sauces/toppings for the rice, if they contain not so lean meat (as in spag bol/chilli con carne), the sauce will be the biggest problem. It's very simple to make a healthy tomato sauce from fresh tomatoes, onion and garlic for pasta (for example) or steam some vegetables then quickly wok them in a bit of olive oil and soy sauce to add to the rice. What about the potatoes? Fried, oiled, with butter/milk (mashed)? Try and use sweet potatoes or try steaming the potatoes. Are you eating baked potatoes? What kind of topping on those? Cheese/chilli etc contain loads of calories.

[theboyfold]

Silver993tt said:

theboyfold said:

Silver993tt said:

theboyfold said:

Sorry, meant to add that I'm looking to drop the carbs as well

Why are you looking to drop the carbs?

Because I'm piling on the pounds, and really eat too much rice / pasta and potato.

Do youeat brown rice or white rice? White or wholemeal pasta? What do you eat with the rice/pasta potato, some kind of sauces?

Nothing wrong if you eat brown rice because you'll need smaller portions that white rice, the same with wholewheat pasta. If you're frying the rice, that's not so good because you'll be adding oil. With regards sauces/toppings for the rice, if they contain not so lean meat (as in spag bol/chilli con carne), the sauce will be the biggest problem. It's very simple to make a healthy tomato sauce from fresh tomatoes, onion and garlic for pasta (for example) or steam some vegetables then quickly wok them in a bit of olive oil and soy sauce to add to the rice. What about the potatoes? Fried, oiled, with butter/milk (mashed)? Try and use sweet potatoes or try steaming the potatoes. Are you eating baked potatoes? What kind of topping on those? Cheese/chilli etc contain loads of calories.

White pasta and rice. Normally with a pan fried (very little oil) meat. Normally turkey, chicken and sometimes beef.
If it's a quick and easy meal, I'll use a jar of sauce, if it's something like a spag bol I'll make my own.

As for the spuds, I'll normally have them as a jacket or roasted in winter, but I also make wedges sometimes and have oven chips.

With the chilli, I make my own, which I don't think is as bad, normally more beans and veg (by weight) then meat. Always try and use a little oil as possible.

I'd like to replace the starchy foods as all they do is act as a base, and too much of anything isn't good for you. I'd also like to try and drop some weight and add new flavours to what I cook.

[Silver993tt]

You might just need to increase your amount of excercise so there is an escape route for the intake of calories? Not sure if you regularly excercise or not.

[theboyfold]

Silver993tt said:

You might just need to increase your amount of excercise so there is an escape route for the intake of calories? Not sure if you regularly excercise or not.

Not at the minute no, I'm not finding/making the time to at the moment. Work, eat, wedding plan/try to get business idea off the floor, sleep.

In a way it's not totally about the calories/carbs intake, it's also about a mixture of flavours and cooking styles that I'm struggling for.

Tonight is chilli beef and peppers, tomorrow night tuna steaks with something or other

[Cotty]

Noodles make a change from rice with a stir fry.

Or just cut the potatoes out and use more veg. Go out of a walk, I have just bought a pedometer to see how far I actually walk. Going to do Hadrians wall next year probably average 8/10 miles a day so need to boost the miles I walk beforehand.

[bint]

Bulgar wheat.
Butternut Squash, parsnips, turnips, swedes - selection of roast veg without the spuds?
Wholewheat versions as suggested of pasta and rice.

[Silver993tt]

you can also make great curries/dhals from pulses such as mung beans, chick peas, various types of lentils etc. You can also freeze them so you can make quite a large batch in one go. If you combine these curry dishes with brown rice they are really tasty, filling and very nutritious containing various vitamins, minerals and fibre.

Edited by Silver993tt on Tuesday 4th August 21:13

[theboyfold]

Well, night one of my pasta (etc) amnesty has seen me whip up chilli beef and peppers. Mighty nice it was too

[Silver993tt]

That looks very nice. On occasion you can try adding thinly sliced aubergine. It woks quite well, although it can absorb alot of oil if you keep adding it. Also maybe a small portion of thin wholewheat noodles would accompany your dish quite nicely

[theboyfold]

Silver993tt said:

That looks very nice. On occasion you can try adding thinly sliced aubergine. It woks quite well, although it can absorb alot of oil if you keep adding it. Also maybe a small portion of thin wholewheat noodles would accompany your dish quite nicely

Woks quite well. I like it

It was really tasty actually, I might try aubergine in there.

Might also look into some of the other dishes mentioned up above.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions so far all

[Silver993tt]

theboyfold said:

Silver993tt said:

That looks very nice. On occasion you can try adding thinly sliced aubergine. It woks quite well, although it can absorb alot of oil if you keep adding it. Also maybe a small portion of thin wholewheat noodles would accompany your dish quite nicely

Woks quite well. I like it

It was really tasty actually, I might try aubergine in there.

Might also look into some of the other dishes mentioned up above.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions so far all

Well, for the dhal dishes you can buy the ready made Indian sauces, some aren't too fatty if you choose carefully. Simply cook the mung beans (after soaking for an hour) and just before they're ready, fry a chopped up onion and a clove or two of garlic in a little olive oil in a pan until the onions are going golden brown. Then add the cooked mung beans, curry sauce mix and cook for a further 5 mins on a low heat. Add extra chilli powder/ tabasco as required. Then it's ready.

[Colonial]

Chickpeas.

Just the tinned ones.

Marinate some chicken in a harissa mix.

Chuck in a wok, seal, add some chickpeas to heat through, serve. Bloody brilliant.