Forums > Specific Focus > Mexican Kitchen

kirkswig

May 17, 2004, 3:46 PM

Post #1 of 11 (914 views)

Shortcut

Atkin's Diet

Can't Post | Private Reply

Hola!

I am about to make the move to Mazatlan and am busy doing the research to make sure this is going to work. These forums have been excellent (I've read through most all of them) but I do have a question about food.

I'm on the Atkin's Diet. Have been since Jan. 1, during which time I've gone from 250 to 197 lbs, in other words, it's working well for me. How is this going to work for me in Mexico I wonder? For instance, I know there's plenty of eggs and bacon and cheese and chicken and fish, but I'm concerned about my veggie intake. I'm used to having a great big salad with dinner every night, but from what I've read fresh vegetables aren't highly recommended. Tomatos and cucumbers and red onions and the like should be OK, but things like lettuce and green onions require washing, yes? And there are issues with the tap water as I understand it.

I've read a lot here about all kinds of dishes, but veggies don't seem to get discussed too often. Any ideas?

Donald

To boldly go where no wig has gone before.

Marlene

May 17, 2004, 5:03 PM

Post #2 of 11 (905 views)

Shortcut

Re: [kirkswig] Atkin's Diet

Can't Post | Private Reply

Congratulations on sticking to your diet. That's great. We have plenty of fresh vegetables in Mazatlán, throughout the markets and in the large produce sections of our mega stores. Washing your vegetables becomes a matter or course. I just drop mine into a basin with a couple of drops of microdyn and leave them be for a few minutes. Others use just purified water to clean the veggies. (Do a forum search on this topic)

About the tap water, well no, we don't drink it here. In fact we didn't drink it where I came from in Canada either. It's no biggy and you get used to it quickly. All part of living here. You will love Mazatlàn. Welcome to Mexconnect too!

ms mac

May 17, 2004, 5:32 PM

Post #3 of 11 (899 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Marlene] Atkin's Diet

Can't Post | Private Reply

Marlene, where is a good place to find microdyn? I found some at Wal-Mart once but wasn't sure who else would carry it.
ms mac

Marlene

May 17, 2004, 5:44 PM

Post #4 of 11 (895 views)

Shortcut

Re: [ms mac] Atkin's Diet

Can't Post | Private Reply

You can pick it up at various places, such as Walmart and also Soriana, Gigante, Mega etc. It lasts a long time and when I go to replenish it, find that it's location within the store has usually changed!

jennifer rose

May 17, 2004, 5:59 PM

Post #5 of 11 (894 views)

Shortcut

Re: [ms mac] Atkin's Diet

Can't Post |

Microdyne and other brands of disinfectant drops are widely available in large grocery stores as well as small abarrotes and drug stores. Sometimes at a large store such as Gigante, you'll find a display in the produce section featuring Microdyne.

Moving on to the Atkins Diet question. First, a hearty round of applause for your success. I think you'll find a tremendous selection of vegetables in Mexico -- everything from the ordinary to the surprising. All right, perhaps rutuabagas and parsnips are in short supply. I always buy lettuce and celery at Costco, just because it's always clean and there's no waste. You'll have Sam's in Mazatlan, which carries similarly good produce. The central markets and tianguis can be great for locally produced vegetables, and it's not unusual to find specialty items at those markets.

The routine of disinfecting fresh produce may seem daunting at first, but after a while, it'll become so routine that you'll not give it a second thought as it becomes simply another step between your bag of groceries and the refrigerator.I don't bother with the disinfectant drops, because I have purified water from the tap.

I think you'll find the more difficult problem with Atkins is avoiding tortillas and bolillos. I'm still thinking of a way to bring my own romaine leaves to the local taqueria for a lettuce-wrapped taco.

kirkswig

May 17, 2004, 7:29 PM

Post #6 of 11 (885 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Marlene] Atkin's Diet

Can't Post | Private Reply

Aye, I don't drink the tap water here in Nevada either, but I do rinse my veggies in the stuff (although now that I think about it, hmmm...)

Using purified water seems like a waste. We're talking about the big jugs the vendors sell you on the street, yes? I don't think I'll have a home water purification system for some time (if ever.)

However the microdyne drops sound like the way to go. I'm sorry, I guess I did read about that somewhere here (I promised myself I wouldn't make you all repeat yourselves over and over again, oh well) but I was thinking drinking water and not veggie water. The idea of simply rinsing things like lettuce in purified water doesn't seem to me that it would be effective against microorganisms, but zapping them with chemicals does (sort of).

Thank you for the reply.

To boldly go where no wig has gone before.

kirkswig

May 17, 2004, 7:33 PM

Post #7 of 11 (884 views)

Shortcut

Re: [jennifer rose] Atkin's Diet

Can't Post | Private Reply

Yeah, tortillas are going to pose a problem, aren't they. According to my official Atkrin's carb gram counter thing, a corn tortilla weighs in at around 10 grams, so that isn't as bad as the flour kind. I'm assuming there are lots of corn tortillas to be had, yes? I hope to be at the point where I can start easing off the diet by the time I arrive in MX. I don't think the food will be as big a threat as the beer frankly. The beer is how I got to 250lbs. And I see it is cheap in Mexico.

Oh boy.

To boldly go where no wig has gone before.

Esteban

May 18, 2004, 8:40 AM

Post #8 of 11 (869 views)

Shortcut

Re: [kirkswig] Atkin's Diet

Can't Post | Private Reply

The washed lettuce sealed bags and also spinach are available in Mazatlan at Gigante, Mega and Sam's club. I never use microdyn and still don't get sick although I do wash certain veggies in purified water. If you look around you can buy 5 gallons of purrified water directly from the wholesalers.

Carol Schmidt

May 19, 2004, 9:47 PM

Post #9 of 11 (844 views)

Shortcut

Re: [kirkswig] Atkin's Diet

Can't Post | Private Reply

I sent you a long personal post about dieting to the e-mail address you list on your registration page, and it bounced and disappeared--no such address, says Yahoo. If you want more info could you write me at normahair@cybermatsa.com.mx?

(I can't seem to be able to use the personal reply feature of Mexconnect right now--I've been having weird computer problems and only recently began to be able to post again in regular threads!)

Carol Schmidt

Carron

May 27, 2004, 11:21 AM

Post #10 of 11 (807 views)

Shortcut

Re: [kirkswig] Atkin's Diet

Can't Post | Private Reply

WOW on your recent weight loss! And sincere congratulations. We have visited in Mexico for 30 years and lived in country for almost 6. Whenever anyone back in the US asks us our main reason for moving, both my husband and I answer in unison "the food, especially the fresh fruits and vegetables". But the meats such as beef, chicken, and pork are phenomenally tasty also. Fresh lard is available everywhere food is sold and so is delicious butter. Great for cooking meats. Regionally processed heavy creams and cheeses are simply divine. Salsas are great low carb seasonings and also replace the need for salt. Limes are squeezed over everything. Not only no carbs but no calories as well.

We eat most of our meals at home, so we can plan around our individual dietary restrictions, but most restaurants will be more than happy to serve whatever you want. Just brush up on your kitchen Spanish and the waiters and cooks here will grovel at your feet in order to provide you with your dietary preferences.

TomG

May 27, 2004, 8:59 PM

Post #11 of 11 (796 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Carron] Atkin's Diet

Can't Post | Private Reply

In Reply To

Salsas are great low carb seasonings and also replace the need for salt.

SALT? - the secret ingredient of many Mexican cooks? It does pep up the pico de gallo, and the meat, and the eggs, and ....

Anyway, R. and I made a great tasting salsa today, he ran the molcajete while I roasted the stuff, and the women sat around cooing over the baby. We used the salsa with chopped grilled pork tacos.

We grilled:
4 tomatillos
1 tomato
1 large jalapeno (we left the seeds in)

Ground them in the molcajete with:
2 large garlic toes

Threw in some fresh chopped onion

Plenty of cilantro sprigs were on the side, along with avacado, radishes, and lettuce (all stuff we could find).

We drank plenty of agua de sandia - for which it is not hard to find takers. The nicest part was that, because the meal was simple enough, we all were as worry free as a bunch of Mexican men sitting around on Sunday waiting to be fed.