Cooking With Low Protein Foods | Vitafriends Explorers Club

How do I cook using low protein foods?

A few helpful hints and tips for cooking with specially made low protein foods:

Low protein pasta

Make sure the water is boiling rapidly with a little oil in to keep the pasta from sticking together whilst it’s cooking.
Stir constantly for the first 2 minutes when the pasta goes into the boiling water.
Always rinse the pasta in cold water after cooking to remove the starch and stop it sticking together.
Cooked pasta can be placed in a zip lock bag or stored in an airtight container with a teaspoon of oil to prevent it sticking together. This can be stored in the fridge then microwaved on high to let the steam refresh it before eating. Reheated pasta should be eaten within 2 days.
Warm or cold pasta can be offered at meal times as “finger foods” to encourage your child to develop self-feeding skills.
Low protein lasagne sheets work best if you soak the sheets in warm water, with a teaspoon of oil, for 5 minutes prior to making up the lasagne.

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Low protein rice

Make sure the water is boiling rapidly with a little oil in to keep the rice from sticking together whilst it’s cooking.
Stir constantly with a whisk/fork for the first 3-4 minutes when the rice goes into the boiling water.
Cook for no longer than 9 minutes.
Always rinse the rice in cold water after cooking to remove the starch and stop it sticking together.
Rice can be coloured and flavoured by adding ½ teaspoon of turmeric or tomato purée into the water when cooking.

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Low protein bread

When baking bread, adding psyllium husk creates a spongy texture and makes it last longer.
Warm (but not hot) water is required to activate the dried yeast in low protein bread recipes.
Store in a zip lock bag to freeze.
A loaf of bread, if placed in an airtight container, will last for about a week (the bread will dry out quicker than this if there is no psyllium husk used in the recipe).
If required, refresh slices of bread by microwaving for 10 seconds in between pieces of kitchen roll.
Adding herbs and spices to the dough creates flavoured bread i.e. dried basil, thyme or oregano.
Bread machines make good low protein bread – follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Slice homemade low protein bread and freeze (label with date).See our bread recipe.
For variety try bread recipes alternatives ie: rolls, wraps. Rolls freeze well.

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Low protein cakes

Brown sugar (not demerara) creates a moister texture than white sugar.
Lemon or orange juice helps to flavour and colour cakes.
Permitted fruit added in to cake recipes provides texture and variety.
If cooking cupcakes/muffins to provide at a party or day care cook in patty cake liners so it is easy for your child to identify the cake which is theirs. These freeze well so you can always have a stock on hand.

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Additional useful tips:

Vegetable soups freeze and keep well.
Don’t freeze cooked spiralized veg – it won’t freeze well and will be soggy when defrosted/cooked.
Batch cook lasagne, bolognese and ratatouille to have ready-made meals in advance.
Use vegetables like sliced butternut squash or leek instead of low protein pasta sheets in lasagne.
Frozen low protein food keeps about the same length of time as equivalent frozen food.
Make sure dishes are wrapped and protected well in the fridge/freezer to keep them at their best.
Remember to label and date foods when freezing.

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