Hello guys

Looking for some help, please.

I'm recovering from some major stomach surgery and the treatment will be ongoing and sounds nasty.

We are travelling to Granada, Seville and Cordoba in about 7 weeks time and no way is this treatment going to stop me traveling there.

The bad news is my diet has been severely restricted consisting of only a very light lunch then dinner in the evening. I've not to eat rice or pasta and the docs have told me not to stray from boiled potatoes with meat, hot or cold.

Can anyone tell me of particular foods in Spain that I should check out. Do you know of any dinners available in restaurants that are served with simple boiled potatoes? Not roasted or baked but boiled.

This is probably the daftest question on the board but after this stressful time it would make it so much easier if I knew what to order. I've searched the web but it has been a struggle to get some answers.

Thank you,

Joe

Perhaps it may be best to get an apartment with a kitchen and then you can cook exactly what fits your restricted diet? That way you could stock up on groceries and cook as you wish, what you wish, when you wish...

thanks bkluvsNola.

It's a tour we will be on and hotels are included. Having somewhere like our own apartment would be ideal but it's not possible on this trip.

No matter what though - we will STILL be taking this trip as it's something to look forward to after a horrible few months.

Joe

Hi Joe, On this tour, you are going on- are meals included, meaning will you have organized dinners with the tour group nightly? I know on most tours, for travelers with dietary restrictions, once restaurants are confirmed, the tour company would advise the restaurant of any specific dietary needs/requests.

What types of meats (red meat, chicken, etc) are you allowed on your new diet? Can you eat salad, cheese?

Here at the comunidad valenciana we have very popular dish called "hervido" which is green beans and potatoes boiled "hervido" means "boiled" in Spanish. But I don't think it will be readily available in Andalucia...maybe you can ask and the hotels restaurants will do something for you, boiled potatoes and meat is not an unknown combo in Spanish cuisine

joe,
Sounds quite strange: I would recommend you get a second opinion from a reliable gastroenterologist.
M

Yes, it sounds strange..usually when you have a diet that you cannot eat pasta or rice...you cannot eat potatoes at all, all of them are carbohydrates. I'm curious to know

if you can choose your restaurants, and give them a little notice, explaining your problem, they should be happy to peel a potato or two and have them boiled for you 30 minutes later.

I'm curious as well. I would imagine that mashed potato - literally mashed potato minus cream, butter, etc. would be even easier than a boiled one; much the same as a baked potato with the skin removed after cooking.

How are you allowed the meat to be cooked - steamed/grilled/fried/etc?

Hi freeman0819

Meals are not included in the tour. We are left to our own devices in the evenings and our dining arrangement are ours to make. Thanks for the suggestion though.

Yes I can eat most meats including chicken & red meat plus salad and cheeses. I've been told though to only eat small quantities of most of those, apart from normal servings of chicken & red meat.

Kenderinia. Thank you very much. That's just what I needed to know. I will ask also if hervido is available.

Mikemo. I am also an insulin dependent diabetic and because of the stomach surgery and subsequent treatment due to begin on Monday the gastroenterologist has told me to eat only potatoes after taking my insulin in the evenings. Rice and pasta normally take longer than potatoes to be converted by a 'normal stomach' into sugars to counter my insulin and he feels following the surgery it would be even slower. He has told me to only take potatoes as, he says, this will give a quicker 'hit' and stop any bad insulin reaction plus my stomach should digest them better and more quickly.

I'm still going though!

Joe

Having just returned from those places - I never saw boiled potatoes - in the expensive places to the Tapas bars.

Be careful, SOOO many things are fried there.

You will see lots of ham and lamb - littel chicken,... The only bland things are the bread~
YOu may want to get other Dr. suggestions.

Have Fun!!!

Thanks m_kingdom2, mashed potatoes are fine and I hope I can find them. In fact those would be much better as they'd be easier on the stomch and coverted into sugars more quickly.

Lincasanova, never thought about phoning ahead and I could get some restaurant recommendations from the hotel, I bet.

Anne, bread might be a good substitute especially if it's white bread. I'll check that out with the gastroenterologist.

Sorry guys, I'm probably just panicking a little but it's been a bad couple of weeks and I feel I need now to keep myself busy, think ahead and get ready for a trip we've been looking forward to for a long time.

Thanks again

joe

If only you were going to Italy! I remember being directed to the "restaurant" (more cafeteria in appearance) in what was only a little two star hotel in Sorrento, the food was really basic, really classical Italian "peasant" food - homemade pastas, simple sauces tasting of sunshine, and somehow they'd managed to make some plain boiled potatoes taste absolutely delicious (hence my recollection)!

In Spain the most obvious thing with mashed potato that comes to mind is croquetas which are - believe it or not - croquettes of mashed potato but usually with cream/herbs/butter/cheese/meat in the mix somewhere so obviously these are most unsuitable for you! However, I am sure that most places will be very accomodating when you explain your condition. I'm not sure if I've had these on not on mainland Spain as they're originally from the Canaries, something called patatas arrugadas (I think) which are simply young potatoes boiled in sea (now I think heavily salted water is substituted) water and left in their skins. Traditionally served with a delicious sauce. If you can find these then I think you could peel the skins away and the remaining potato will be suitable for your diet.

i was just with my insuln dependent mom for two months.. and i thought potatoes were not the best choice for diabetics?? i didn´t let her eat any!!!

you should have no trouble. a small, family place will be happy to do that, in fact, your hotel may be the best place to ask for those favors.

i am confused.. do you HAVE to eat potatoes, or is it that IF YOU EAT potatoes, only to have them boiled?

Great information m_kingdom2. More names to add to the list. Thank you very much. It'll be Italy next year, that's for sure!!

lincasanova, due to the recent illness my weight has dropped dramatically and therefore my insulin doseage has too.

However, the doc has told me in the evenings to eat, at dinner, around 50 grams carbohydrate. Not much, but I'd probably feel even more seedy than I do at the moment if I had to eat more and he realises that. Although its only 50GCH, he has told me to make sure the carbs are fast acting i.e. simple boiled potatoes. If the potatoes are fried, for example, the fat slows down the conversion to sugar and I might get the insulin hit. Your mother can probably eat other types of carbs to counter her insulin but the doc says this is the best way for me at the moment.

joe

aaaaw Joe, sorry to read that you've been unwell. I remember you kindly gave me some great info on Greece a while back and I was very grateful.

What about breakfast time? Most diabetics I know need to take their shots in the morning also. Do you need some suggestions for 'easy' breakfast food to help with the stomach digestion? I've never been to Spain so can't help but perhaps others here can.

Keep thinking about that vacation!

love, milley

Ask if you can have white bread (which is the usual bread here in Spain) instead of the potatoes...50 grams of potatoes is not even a whole potato...let alone a dish made of it.
Anyway, there are lots of diabetics here..sure you find a lot of things to eat (many more than you actually can eat because of the stomach surgery )

I don't often read threads about Spain but the title caught my eye.

Joe, I don't know where in this wide-world you live but here in the UK you can buy small sachets of instant mash potato. If you have them where you live then think about taking them to Spain with you. Not the best tasting potato but they could get you out of an awkward situation.

I'm also on insulin and have used them before when absolutely necessary and they will definately give you the 50GCH hit and quickly too. I am sure if your difficult circumstances are explained to the restaurant they'll supply the hot water to mix the potatoes in or do it for you. At least you'll be buying other food such as meat/chicken from them so hopefully they wouldn't object.

Kenderina, it's weird how the diabetic measurements convert but 50 grams carbohydrate of potato works out to about 4 large ones. The same measurement would allow Joe to eat about 2.5 large slices of bread.

Confusing isn't it?

bill

Joe, can you have eggs?

If so you might have tortilla for dinner - it is a sort of omelette with potatoes. The potatoes are sauteed in olive oil first, then eggs are poured over and it is cooked until set. Tortilla can be found everywhere - tapas bars, restaurants...

Hope this helps.

stay away from the scrumptious tortilla. the oil in the potatoes is not what you are looking for.

when you feel better, do try it as it is delicious.

a boiled potato is a boiled potato.