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  #1   ^
Old Wed, Nov-13-02, 11:40
RCFletcher's Avatar
RCFletcher RCFletcher is offline
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Posts: 6,068
 
Plan: Food Combining
Stats: 220/175/154 Male 5feet5inches
BF:?/27.5%/19.6%
Progress: 68%
Location: Newcastle UK
Question What would you bring back from England?

Now. Imagine you were living in an ex-Soviet country. You could buy meat, veg and all the essentials for life - even all the essentials for low carb living.

However you belonged to a bullatin board where people who lived in more developed countries kept on talking about things you could never find in your local gastronom (grocery shop) and health food shops don't even exist.

You are visiting good old Blighty for Xmas (hooray!).

What would you buy in the supermarkets and health food shops in England that you think would improve the quality of life (food wise) in your Eastern European home?

Go on. Inspire my Christmas shopping.

Love to dear ol' England.

Robert

From Belarus.
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  #2   ^
Old Sat, Nov-16-02, 15:07
Talon's Avatar
Talon Talon is offline
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Posts: 2,512
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 242/203.5/140 Female 64 inches (5' 4'')
BF:
Progress: 38%
Location: Ohio, USA
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Not being from good old Blighty, I can't offer specific suggestions - but are there spices that you can think of that you just can't get there? Weren't you talking at one time about not getting enough fiber - psyllium husks or some such might be good.

Just think of some of the things/recipes you've seen on here and see what you can bring back to help increase your variety.
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  #3   ^
Old Sun, Nov-17-02, 02:47
RCFletcher's Avatar
RCFletcher RCFletcher is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 6,068
 
Plan: Food Combining
Stats: 220/175/154 Male 5feet5inches
BF:?/27.5%/19.6%
Progress: 68%
Location: Newcastle UK
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Thanks Talon,

A big thanks for coming to talk to me.
It's a pity that after all the views this posting has had, non of my compatriots has come to talk to me.

Yes, I'll be bringing more psyllium husks. I recently had a teacher fly out from England so he brought two pots with him which have cleared up my fibre problems thank you. Also there are spices and flavourings I will bring.

I was just hoping some Brits would like to imagine themselves on a fantasy shopping spree with me so I could find out any recent low carb goodies available in British supermarkets which aren't available over here.

Come on you Brits!!!

Robert
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  #4   ^
Old Sun, Nov-17-02, 17:09
lucyr lucyr is offline
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Posts: 158
 
Plan: atkins-modified
Stats: 228/185/154 Female 172cm
BF:
Progress: 58%
Location: UK
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I have been thinking about your post for days! Part of the trouble I have had is not knowing exactly what is there for you in Belarus. I imagine lots of basics. Actually I imagine lots of turnips and mutton, but that shows my ignorance.

So, with that in mind, I came up with the more continental things we have here. Pesto, mozzarella and olives. to say nothing of olive oils of all types and balsamic vinegar. Artichokes and stuffed aubergines in tins. Pine nuts, and interesting tinned fish. (I don't eat meat, so my thoughts run to other things)

Then a range of indian spices, to cheer up the mutton! And chilles, dried from the Cool Chille Company.

And finally, some good old sugar free jelly. which is disgusting if you want real food, but fills the sweet gap sometimes.

Have fun.

lucy
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  #5   ^
Old Mon, Nov-18-02, 04:01
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alibubble alibubble is offline
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Posts: 226
 
Plan: low-carb Ali style
Stats: 175/167.5/145 Female 5ft 7inches
BF:No idea
Progress: 25%
Location: Herts-England
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Hi belarus,

Tell us what you CAN get ?
It's very difficult for us to imagine what would be available in the shops out there.
How about packing that suitcase with spices, nuts, s/f jelly but only raspberry, the others are disgusting. Maybe dried fruits, soya flour could be a good one to make your own bread.

Best wishes from blighty
Ali
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  #6   ^
Old Mon, Nov-18-02, 07:12
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LittleAnne LittleAnne is offline
Posts: 11,264
 
Plan: Atkins & Schwarzbein
Stats: 234/157/90 Female 4' 6"
BF:56.4%/38.8%/23.9%
Progress: 53%
Location: Orpington, UK
Exclamation Shopping in the UK

Hi Robert

Like the 2 before I am afraid I have no imagination for that type of thing as I don't know what you have already.

When I went to Tunisia I picked up lots of herbs and spices because they were cheap, whenever I go abroad I love to look around their supermarkets to see what is available. However, I do not usually set out with shopping list before hand.

I must admit as a low carber I keep my food intake pretty simple and so suspect I'm not of much help.

Anyway, when are you coming over to the UK? Where will you be based? Do you want to try to get together with other UK members? Questions for you, instead.
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  #7   ^
Old Tue, Nov-19-02, 02:14
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IcicleWork IcicleWork is offline
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Posts: 182
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 308/221/199 Female 63 inches
BF:ugh!
Progress: 80%
Location: Scotland
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Hi Robert...
I have to agree with the others... if we have no idea what sort of things they have in Belarus, it's going to be a bit difficult to suggest anything.

However, i will throw in my secret weapon...
Sainsburys does these mini Polish kabanos.... 6 coarse-cut alderwood-smoked dried sausages. They are brilliant... the entire pack of 6 weighs 150g.. the carb count per 100g is only 0.1 gram carb!
I eat these almost every day... they are chewy and a wee bit spicy. Only problem with taking them back to Belarus is that they are to be kept refrigerated... but im sure you'll think of something!

BTW, Safeway does these as well, but they have a higher carb count. The Sainsbury ones taste better too.


And Lucy... well done for mentioning the Cool Chile Co! One of my favourite online shops! I always buy tons of chipotles... i use them in many dishes that i cook, and i also make chipotles in adobo... soak the chipotles in boiling water for 20 min, then simmer in vinegar, a wee touch ketchup, as much chopped garlic as you can stand, and a finely sliced onion. I simmer that for an hour, then put it in a jar as a sort of condiment. It's killer!

Last edited by IcicleWork : Tue, Nov-19-02 at 02:19.
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  #8   ^
Old Tue, Nov-19-02, 07:34
lucyr lucyr is offline
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Posts: 158
 
Plan: atkins-modified
Stats: 228/185/154 Female 172cm
BF:
Progress: 58%
Location: UK
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thanks for killer recipe. I love pickles that don't have loads of sugar in.
I use the sweet smoked chille powder a lot. you can slice courgettes and peppers and cover them with oil and ispices. Bake and eat
In the old days. I loved tortillas made with their Masa harina. ah, happy days.
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  #9   ^
Old Wed, Nov-20-02, 00:51
IcicleWork's Avatar
IcicleWork IcicleWork is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 182
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 308/221/199 Female 63 inches
BF:ugh!
Progress: 80%
Location: Scotland
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Quote:
Originally posted by lucyr
In the old days. I loved tortillas made with their Masa harina. ah, happy days.


Ah yes, the old days. I'd even dragged a big metal tortilla press back from America with me to make perfect flat round tortillas with. I guess i can put that to the very back of the cupboard now!
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  #10   ^
Old Wed, Nov-20-02, 08:32
lucyr lucyr is offline
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Posts: 158
 
Plan: atkins-modified
Stats: 228/185/154 Female 172cm
BF:
Progress: 58%
Location: UK
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Dear Mr Belarus, this thread has taken on a bit of a life of it's own. It's become rather chile orientated! Sorry.
However, it is relevant, because it is about how to make this WOE more varied and enjoyable, which is what you wanted to achieve.
I too have a tortilla press and the rest of the family use it. So what can I do?
Anyone got any ideas of how to make sandwiches, or tortilla wraps, without using any carbs? I have had very limited success with soya flour.
It's not the taste of bread I miss as much as its function!!
I have seen some of your recipes, Mr B and I know you are an interested experimenter with recipes. what do you do? I have tried using Quorn slices, but they taste a bit strong and are too expensive to use all the time.
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  #11   ^
Old Thu, Nov-21-02, 01:18
RCFletcher's Avatar
RCFletcher RCFletcher is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 6,068
 
Plan: Food Combining
Stats: 220/175/154 Male 5feet5inches
BF:?/27.5%/19.6%
Progress: 68%
Location: Newcastle UK
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Hello again everyone,

I can buy chillis here! Also pork (the commonest meat), beef, lamb, chicken, hare and tons of different kinds of sausages. On the veggie side it's also quite good. The only good tinned foods here are tinned fish and cooked beef (full of fat!). What I can't get is anything from a health food shop or any supermarket branded products you might find in the UK.

With regard to tortilla presses I can only guess what they are. I lived in Spain where a tortilla is a potato omelette! I suppose you mean Mexican tortillas? Why don't you try soya flour mixed with protein powder to lower the carb count. You could also add a little wheat gluten (if you can get it there) to make them stick together. I miss bread too. I make 'scotch pancakes' with soya flour, protein powder and eggs to spread pate and caviar on (oh yes, caviar is common here and affordable!)

Well if you want to carry on discussing chilli you're welcome.

Love to all in the UK.

Robert
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  #12   ^
Old Fri, Nov-22-02, 11:23
lucyr lucyr is offline
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Posts: 158
 
Plan: atkins-modified
Stats: 228/185/154 Female 172cm
BF:
Progress: 58%
Location: UK
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I was in a supermarket on the way home from work yesterday. I looked at it all with a view to what would I want to take to a country which sounds like it has so much going for it. Most of the stuff is just over processed junk, AND full of sugar. So I return to pickles, traditional tastes like stilton and llots of southern european delights.
I'd miss peanut butter (the sugar free kind) if it wasn't available, and for those difficult times, sugar free squashes. Also some granulated sweetners.
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  #13   ^
Old Fri, Nov-22-02, 13:59
RCFletcher's Avatar
RCFletcher RCFletcher is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 6,068
 
Plan: Food Combining
Stats: 220/175/154 Male 5feet5inches
BF:?/27.5%/19.6%
Progress: 68%
Location: Newcastle UK
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Thanks lucyr

Peanut butter is definatly on my list. Here I've had to buy it on day trips to Poland or Lithuania (and it has sugar, so intake has to be limited). Granulated sweetner is also on the list. My last batch I bought while on a long weekend in Latvia! Some type of imported blue cheese is available here but it isn't stilton and it costs a fortune so stilton goes on the list. Sugar free squashes: yes I'll take some. There are many kinds of sugar free pop here (although you only know it by reading the ingredients - sweetner is cheaper than sugar!). But I miss squash. Pickles, people here are experts. Even I have pickled my own cucumbers, tomatoes and onions.

Thanks for the suggestions people. Keep 'em coming.

I'm looking forward to coming home!

Robert
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  #14   ^
Old Fri, Nov-29-02, 12:42
Reena Reena is offline
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Posts: 64
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 250/240/110 Female 5ft 5"
BF:
Progress: 7%
Location: London, UK
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Hmmmmm......

i'm sure with everyone's ideas you could fill up a whole suitcase...but here are a few of my own suggestions:

1. Tobasco sauce...they have a few different types...my favourite is the new chipotle sauce and the original is quite good too. i'm not sure if you already can get these chilli sauces already but they really liven food up and are 0 carb! You can buy these from most supermarkets.

2. Gia pastes in sun dried tomato, garlic, chilli and pesto....these are amazing! Very low carb..and again great for experimenting with....the cost about £1 each and i've found them mainly at Sainsburys and sometimes at Waitrose.

3. Pataks Lime Pickle.....from any supermarket...

4. www.lowcarbmegastore.com and www.carblife.com
i'm not sure if you have low carb internet stores where you are, but these two are great....delivery is approx £5 for unlimited products and you can have next day delivery for a little more....

I recommend the carblife chocolates (YUM...like cadbury!)...but be careful as they can stall you...but nice for an occasional treat. Other products....splenda, keto shakes (in cartons and powder form are nice)...low carb tortillas...flaxomeal cereal (cinammon is yum)...and pork crunch (these are slightly different tasting than normal pork scratchings....they're puffed up and crunchy)...& many many things imported from america...worth having a look....

5. Holland & Barrett is a health store that have a great selections of supplements....not sure when you are coming over to the Uk but they have a sale on right now where lots of things are half price. You mentioned you are going to buy pysillium husks...at H&B they have Regucol which is the psyllium mixed in with "friendly" bacteria....its good stuff.....and on sale right now...

6. I'm guessing that soem things you may not be able to take back with you...but there are tonnes of things to try while you're here.....at Waitrose they have these grilled aubergine in a marinade of oil and spices....
A great restaurant to go to is Nandos (already mentioned in another thread here).....sometimes nice to go out instead of cooking...

7. have a read of the sticky thread on low carb foods in supermarkets....i've found alot of useful tips from there....


There are so many things that i can't seem to remember right now...but i'll have a look in my food diary and post anything else i can find....
i hope you have a great holiday....
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  #15   ^
Old Fri, Jan-03-03, 08:21
lucyr lucyr is offline
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Posts: 158
 
Plan: atkins-modified
Stats: 228/185/154 Female 172cm
BF:
Progress: 58%
Location: UK
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Well, what did you buy?? what caught your eye? and how did you find dear old Blighty after all this time? WET, mainly as far as my part of the country was concerned. I hope you had a lovely break whatever.
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