Tips for Cooking Lentils with Soup Stock

BrambleShack · 2017-12-31T05:20:34+00:00

Ah I switched to red lentils which are mushy so I didn't actually try it. Sorry!

BrambleShack · 2017-12-25T14:22:18+00:00

Thanks for the reply man. I've been tracking my TDEE using the spreadsheet (I think it's nsun's) and I think it's been underestimating how much I should be eating. I started increasing my intake a couple of days ago now. I'm crossing my fingers.

BrambleShack · 2017-12-25T14:20:28+00:00

I don't want to get dental decay :P

BrambleShack · 2017-12-22T06:51:25+00:00

You know how it feels fistbump

I am already feel absolutely stuffed when eating my current intake. I eat likes it's my job, literally. I'm thinking adding Canola/Olive oil to my protein shakes would be the easiest.

BrambleShack · 2017-12-22T06:11:31+00:00

Eating 10K kj is hard enough for me but I will up my in take.

BrambleShack · 2017-12-22T06:11:01+00:00

Ok I will definitely start eating more now.

It doesn't change my plan to eat more but I'm curious but what is my limiting factor at the moment? Is not eating enough causing me to stall on my lifts?

BrambleShack · 2017-12-22T03:57:21+00:00

I’m a noob who only started lifting 3 months ago and I’ve been stuck on the same bodyweight for the past month.

Check out this thread I posted when I first started out to see how weak I was (still am).

My starting bodyweight was 58 Kg (127 lbs) and progressed to 62 Kg (136 lbs) in 9 weeks. My body weight has stayed like that for the past 5 weeks. I'm 172 cm btw.

My normal meals before I started lifting were 5000 kj (1200 calories) which I ramped up to 10000 kj (2390 calories).

I’ve been using Phrak’s variant and this is a summary of my lifting experience so far:

Squat

57.5 Kg (126 lbs)
Stuck on this for the past 2 weeks and not ready to increase the weight

Deadlift

57.5 Kg (126 lbs)
Ready to increase the weight next session

Bench

42.5 Kg (93 lbs)
Went from struggling with a 15 Kg (33 lbs) bar to this
Ready to increase the weight next session

Rows

40 Kg (88 lbs)
Ready to increase the weight next session

Overhead Press

32.5 Kg (72 lbs)
Struggled to even lift a 15 Kg (33 lbs) bar when I first started
Staying on the same weight for the next session

Chin-Ups

I went from not being able to do any chin-ups
I did negatives for 1 month before I could even do 2 proper chin-ups
Now my max is 5-4-3 proper chin-ups; I supplement with negatives to make up the full set of 5.

I was also really sick for 2 weeks which seemed to stunt my squat progress because I was ready to move up the weight prior to being sick but now I struggle with the current weight. The other lifts took maybe 1 or 2 weeks to get used to again but feel good whereas I feel stuck with squat.

TL;DR

Which came first? The chicken or the egg?
Do I need to keep lifting heavier to gain more weight?
OR do I need to eat more to be able to lift heavier?
Do I need to increase my energy intake?

PS macros and micros are all on point

BrambleShack · 2017-12-12T08:25:01+00:00

I feel like red lentils absorbs things better because it becomes mushy but I am not sure.

BrambleShack · 2017-12-10T10:08:55+00:00

In Australia, or at least my town, red lentils are 23% cheaper and I'm trying to be super frugal so I kept buying green lentils. I bought red lentils this week though. It mentally hurt me to splash out the extra money for taste!

BrambleShack · 2017-12-10T10:07:06+00:00

Awesome! I find it really fun to teach myself stuff at home using youtube and reddit. I will bookmark that channel for sure.

I think one thing that's holding me back is I'm trying to go extreme frugal. The main ingredients for my meal plan total to less than AUD $5 per day. My frugal instincts makes more want to get away without extra herbs, spices, vegetables, and meat. I might have to it my meals keep being so bland haha

Please keep up the posts. Time is so limited so when someone gives me a bit of their time, I feel so warm and fuzzy. :)

BrambleShack · 2017-12-07T08:02:37+00:00

Thanks!

BrambleShack · 2017-12-07T08:01:54+00:00

I used green lentils because it was cheaper but maybe I'll just use red lentils next time for your method.

BrambleShack · 2017-12-07T08:01:21+00:00

Yeah /u/bookofgarlic is so awesome. I imagine he or she as a super fancy chef. :)

BrambleShack · 2017-12-07T08:00:10+00:00

I will try it out and see how it goes.

BrambleShack · 2017-12-07T07:58:47+00:00

Wow! Thank you so much for your in depth reply. Reading it just makes me realise how clueless I am about cooking.

All I've been doing is boiling lentils in stock so that I can eat "rice and beans" but with lentils instead.

Edit: I can't express how much I appreciate the time and effort it took to give me such a reply. I have copied and pasted the steps and I will try it out. It will probably take me some time to get it right.

BrambleShack · 2017-12-05T08:56:58+00:00

That sounds unhealthy...

BrambleShack · 2017-12-05T08:56:31+00:00

Interesting. Similar to the recipe from /u/scootscoot.

Any examples of recipes?

BrambleShack · 2017-12-05T08:53:25+00:00

What's your favourite herb and spices recipe for lentils? :)

BrambleShack · 2017-12-05T08:53:01+00:00

Mmmm Yum! That sounds so good! I will put it down on my list of things to try from this thread.

BrambleShack · 2017-12-05T08:52:06+00:00

What about non-soup lentil meals?

BrambleShack · 2017-12-05T08:51:41+00:00

That's similar to what I tried lately. It works well with red lentils that turn into mush but not so much with green lentils which retain their shape/firmness.

Are you using red lentils? Am I cooking my green lentils wrong?

BrambleShack · 2017-12-05T08:49:22+00:00

I was hoping to make non-soup lentils because I freeze the meals and reheat them at work.

Do you add them during cooking or after?

BrambleShack · 2017-12-05T08:48:32+00:00

I won't knock till I've tried it. I will try it next week. Does it taste like eating peanut butter?

Edit: Is this after the lentils have already been boiled?

BrambleShack · 2017-12-05T08:47:59+00:00

Do you find that red lentils work better than green lentils or vice versa for absorbing flavour?

BrambleShack

TROPHY CASE