Please help if you can...

[leggova]

Hi All,

My BF has pretty shitty genes. His father died fairly young of  heart disease and he has just been diagnosed with dangerously high cholesterol levels. He really needs to get on top of this, but the problem is he lives in a tiny flat in HK that doesn't really have a kitchen. All he has is a microwave and he eats out a lot (which is making the problem worse). He comes to my place and we cook together but we are often apart during the week.

I want to put together an recipe book of simple recipes for him  that he can make with only a microwave as a present. Do you have any on hand?

Thanks.

[Ice Cream]

For me, the MW is only for reheating foods. 

I do make my apple sauce in the MW and store it in the fridge, but it sounds as though there is no fridge, either.

[merigayle]

rice cooker!!! you can cook beans in it as well.

[leggova]

He has a fridge. No room for a rice cooker.

[merigayle]

He has a fridge. No room for a rice cooker.

i thought it was a requirement to own one there j/k. That stinks, not even a very small one? They have microwave rice cookers. Can you two cook his week of meals at your place and he reheat them at his? Are there healthy meal services there like here?

[merigayle]

I do know there are microwave cookbooks for college students, etc, so maybe look into those. I do not use a MW, so i am no help there.

[leggova]

Thanks meri...yes...looking fr the type of recipes..something simple..steaming some fish etc..,

[Magic Microbe]

Meat is a hard one in the microwave but steamed veggies and a "baked" potato is something I commonly do.

[omega lambda]

Dangerously high cholesterol is difficult to control through diet alone.  Is he on meds? 

The thing about cholesterol is that your body has a set point and it makes it's own cholesterol.  The cholesterol you eat saves your body from having to make it.  So - reducing the amount of cholesterol you eat helps so that you remain at your body's natural set point.  Having said that though, the best way to reduce cholesterol levels is through regular bowel movements - you excrete the cholesterol instead of reabsorbing it through your intestines.  A heavy fiber diet will really help so lots of high fiber fresh fruit and veggies will help as will bran and whole grain cereals.  For the microwave - he can make lots of hot cereals and veggies.  He can steam rice in there too (will he switch to brown rice?).  There are probably some very decent frozen meals to be had as well.  Not sure if you have some of the same brands in HK, but something like Weight Watchers or Lean Cuisine would be way better than eating out all the time.

You didn't really ask for this, so I'm guessing you/he already know which foods to avoid and which ones to substitute (i.e. 1% milk for whole milk).

Good luck!

[Run Amok]

I almost wonder if helping him make better choices when he eats out would be a more practical approach?

[teetime]

I agree with both omega lambda and Run Amok.  Is he overweight?  If not, tackling the problem via diet is likely only one pronge of what will need to be a multi pronged approach.

But, for now, things you can do ...

Bake him a batch of oatbran muffins to have at home during the week.
Oatmeal in the microwave (with raisins etc.)
Egg white omlets in the microwave (eggwhite, mushroom, spinach, tomato, salt&pepper)
Salads topped legumes and lf dressing.

[triciaflower]

So he has a fridge.. How about salads? I like to put Hemp hearts on mine. It adds incredible heart-healthy nutrition and protein.

[leggova]

Thanks for the thoughts. He is tall (6'2) and thin but has a bit of a belly which is of course the worst place to carry weight as we now know. Genetics. Doubt he will ever totally lose it.

Baked potatoes, omlettes are both good ideas. These are the kind of ideas I am looking for. He is already eating oatmeal for breakfast. Salad s good but he doesn't like it nd therefore is unlikely to follow through.

[leggova]

Oh and his doctor wants to give him a chance to see if changes in diet will work before putting him on drugs.

[rocketgirl]

Not that it's super-awesome or anything, but when I lived in a hotel for 5 months, I did pasta noodles in one of those small plug-in hotpots that are really just made for soups or water for instant beverages, and microwaved the sauce from a jar.  Mostly I ate sandwiches though.  The fridge was just one of those tiny ones that only come up to your knees and the freezer only held an ice cube tray, so I was pretty limited.

[leggova]

Yes, sandwiches are a good possibility. He lives opposite a subway sandwich too which he has been going to. Getting a roast chicken and having it  without the skin for a few nights is also an idea.

[Magic Microbe]

Also look up high cholesterol foods that he should avoid. Shrimp was one that surprised me.

[diablita]

Yes, I was going to suggest a roast chicken that he could eat a small portion of with lots of veggies and some brown rice or similar.

[triciaflower]

I've seen a lot of precooked brown rice. It's not that great. But it'll do in a pinch when all you have is a microwave.

[diablita]

it's nice how much you care about him.  must be a special guy.

[The Turtle Whisperer]

I almost wonder if helping him make better choices when he eats out would be a more practical approach?

1

based on what I'm reading... he's going to have to make some big lifestyle changes.  What he's eating is a big part of the problem. 

Can you get brown rice in HK eateries?  He's going to need to lay off the white rice. 

[leggova]

Yes, he knows he needs to make some big changes. Very rare to get brown rice. He actually doesn't eat a lot of rice. Bread more so. He is of Indian descent and loves heavy curries and bread. Punjabi food.

[leggova]

And thanks for all the comments so far.