psychoticparrot
psychoticparrot
- Time of past OR future Camino
- April, May (2017)
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I was watching my protein trying to get a minimum of 100g per day if not 150 mg. I'm normally a vegetarian but in Spain I put my vegetarianism on hold and the food is worth it. Most salads have some tuna on top, there are lots of bean and lentil options if you can eat those. The jamon and manchego cheese is ubiquitous. You can pick up tinned scallops/tuna/clams which goes well in a homemade bocadilla along the way. The good thing about the menu del dia is that the serves of meat etc are not hideously huge compared to veggies etc. Think about a portion the size of your palm. So that is 20-30g of protein. Tapas are probably the perfect size for you! You will not come across much milk and certainly not fresh milk. The first fresh milk ie something that did not come in a tetrapak and was UHT treated, I found in Ourense, 5 days out from SdC. Only took 32 days to find it! And then it was in a vending machine at the Ourense markets!However, the surgery did change my nutrition requirements. I can only eat a few ounces of food at each meal and I must have a few ounces of protein for at least two of my three meals -- meats, chicken, fish, or eggs. That's another reason I need to know when and what kind typical Spanish fare is served. It would be very easy for me to become malnourished on the Camino unless I become very savvy about Spanish cuisine.
Since I won't be staying in public alburgues, I won't be cooking my own food. So, how do I manage on Sundays when everything is closed?
Pick up cans of tuna (not all can be open without a can opener but some are), or sardines. Buy nuts, or an chunk of ham which keeps nicely even if not refrigerated (you see them hanging in window shops after all: it has enough salt to keep for a few days, if not many days). Bars on the Frances will still be open on Sumdays as they cater to pilgrims.
I was watching my protein trying to get a minimum of 100g per day if not 150 mg. I'm normally a vegetarian but in Spain I put my vegetarianism on hold and the food is worth it. Most salads have some tuna on top, there are lots of bean and lentil options if you can eat those. The jamon and manchego cheese is ubiquitous. You can pick up tinned scallops/tuna/clams which goes well in a homemade bocadilla along the way. The good thing about the menu del dia is that the serves of meat etc are not hideously huge compared to veggies etc. Think about a portion the size of your palm. So that is 20-30g of protein. Tapas are probably the perfect size for you! You will not come across much milk and certainly not fresh milk. The first fresh milk ie something that did not come in a tetrapak and was UHT treated, I found in Ourense, 5 days out from SdC. Only took 32 days to find it! And then it was in a vending machine at the Ourense markets!
Ham, mmmmmmmm. I've heard wonderful things about Spanish ham. Thanks for the tips.
While many tapas are served on a small slice of bread others can be mostly protein. Another food to carry around, if you can eat high in fat, is chorizo, a paprika salami. Palacios is a brand I like. Chorizo is typically sold in plastic bags for 2€ or so for some 20 inches in all small shops and grocery stores. Yum!"Tapas are probably the perfect size for you."
That sounds about right. When Mr. psychoticparrot and I go out to eat, I often order a starter instead of an entree. The problem with starters here is that they tend to be low on protein and high on starch and fat. The 20-30g protein portion in the menu del dia more than meets my protein requirements for a meal. I don't eat or drink much dairy, so milk scarcity is not a problem.
Ham and canned fish will take care of the rest. Sounds like I'll need to pack a spork. Thanks for your help.
Hi psychoticparrot, I did not know you had special dietary requirements, so I'm glad the other posters have filled in those gaps. As they say, protein will absolutely not be a problem. Spaniards eat a lot of meat, and even their vegetable dishes typically have ham, sausage, or other meat in them. This may drive the vegetarians/vegans crazy, but it will be great for you. The tortillas (typical egg omelettes) are also one of the most widely served "tapa" or appetizer. And canned fish and seafood of all kinds are available in every little store you will see. There are plenty of those easy-open cans, so you don't risk your life opening them with a knife.
And I have been told many times that if you eat Spanish jamon iberico (Iberian ham), you don't have to worry about the fat. Supposedly, that type of cured ham (which is different from your more common cured ham, jamon Serrano) has omega-3 acids because of the fact that the pigs are fed an all-acorn diet. Whether that is scientifically based or not, eating jamon iberico is quite a treat, but you will insult the person who serves it to you if you cut off the buttery fat, as I once saw someone to, much to the waiter's horror.
While many tapas are served on a small slice of bread others can be mostly protein. Another food to carry around, if you can eat high in fat, is chorizo, a paprika salami. Palacios is a brand I like. Chorizo is typically sold in plastic bags for 2€ or so for some 20 inches in all small shops and grocery stores. Yum!
When in SpainMy husband and I are 65-year-old Americans and eat our 3 daily meals at the usual American times -- around 7am for breakfast (usually eggs/toast/fruit/coffee); around 1pm for lunch (soup/salads/sandwiches); and around 6pm for dinner (our biggest meal).
How do the meals vary in Spain in both content and frequency in cafes or restaurants? I've gleaned a bit of info from several threads. It seems the cafes don't open for breakfast until 9am (at the earliest) and then generally serve only cafe con leche w/bread or pastry, so it's best to purchase something the day before to hold you over until they open. I also saw somewhere that cafes close for siesta in the afternoon, so no food until they open at 6pm (at the earliest). Is this correct?
We know we'll have to alter our eating hours and habits on the road, but by how much? When are the best times to stop to have meals? We don't plan on staying in public albergues, so we won't be doing the communal meal thing. We'll be depending on cafes and restaurants to feed us.
But isn't tortilla too bulky for someone with gastric bypass of some sort, and with little protein relative to potatoes? It was my understanding people who have had this type of surgery can only eat a few bites/ounces at a time?Most bars will have tortilla when they open for the day. It will give you a boost of protein energy. Give it a try with your first coffee!
Urgh... is it the chewy stuff? We have just started getting in real chorizo here in Montreal, before people used to try to pass the chewy portuguese stuff as chorizo. Yuk. I like my fibery chorizo, and even more when it's been hanging for a few days shedding extra oil and moisture on the floor, to my dogs' delight.Definitely intend to sample the chorizo, which I hope will taste better than the various chorizos I tried in Nicaragua, which were (no offense to Nicaraguans!) a little less than tasty. It could be that my gringa taste buds weren't accustomed to it. I noted your Palacios brand in my permanent notes, so I'll remember your recommendation. Thanks.
But isn't tortilla too bulky for someone with gastric bypass of some sort, and with little protein relative to potatoes? It was my understanding people who have had this type of surgery can only eat a few bites/ounces at a time?
Urgh... is it the chewy stuff? We have just started getting in real chorizo here in Montreal, before people used to try to pass the chewy portuguese stuff as chorizo. Yuk. I like my fibery chorizo, and even more when it's been hanging for a few days shedding extra oil and moisture on the floor, to my dogs' delight.
Oh, pastel de tres leches ... Someone needs to start adding this to the Pilgrim menu!I can't quite describe the taste of Nicaraguan chorizo because it doesn't have much taste at all. It has a meatlike texture and a vague meatlike taste. I'm not even sure what kind of meat it was made from. In one restaurant, we saw horse steaks on the menu. Again, no offense to Nicaraguans. Where Nicaraguan cuisine goes wrong is when they try to replicate dishes from other countries, like American beefsteak or Spanish chorizo, for example. Whenever I tried comidas tipicas nicaragua, I was nearly always very pleasantly surprised. Pollo jalapeno -- num-num. Vigoron is also very good. I also ate tres leches cake more often than I should have.
Oh, pastel de tres leches ... Someone needs to stop adding this to the Pilgrim menu!
Ooops, no they don't. Should have wrritten "need to start serving it", will go edit my post.Oh no! They have it there too?
But you have to cook it first and it falls appart easily, not an easy food to carry during the day as a snack. Plus it has to be refrigerated. But yes, if in a restaurant, yummy!Try the morcilla instead of the chorizo. It is chock full of protein.
Come to think of it, Torta de Santiago is pretty high protein! Basically it is almond meal, sugar and eggs. Yum.
Try the morcilla instead of the chorizo. It is chock full of protein.
You will easily find it in and around Burgos. Had a great morcilla bocadillo at the cafe next door to the San Juan de Ortega albergue.Googled chorizo and morcilla. They have similar calorie counts per 100g, but morcilla has slightly more protein and less fat. Will try it if/when I encounter it.
Can you bring a bag of prepackaged trail mix from the US or is better to buy them there?Hi @psychoticparrot, I don't have very much to add as you've already got some great advice. Just one other suggestion - I always bring a small ziplock bag of milled flaxseed, which I add to yogurt or other foods to boost the protein content. I bring it from home, but I've managed to replenish in the larger supermarkets along the way. I usually have some natural yogurt with fruit and flaxseed before I start walking and I always carry nuts and dark chocolate (the Spanish dark chocolate with almonds is especially nice!).
As others have said, if you're walking the Camino Frances you shouldn't have too many problems.
Keep in mind customs rules and regulations regarding what you arw allowed to being into the EU. Food is typically a no-no.Can you bring a bag of prepackaged trail mix from the US or is better to buy them there?
Emulate many of the Spaniards with your big meal at the midday! Let tapas and wine well before bedtime be your evening fare.We had the most difficulty adjusting to the late evening meals as sleeping on a full stomach was yuck.
I would buy trail mix, which is basically nuts and dried fruit in Spain - think of what Spain produces! Almonds and fruit. Trail mix is everywhere. Although I would not think dried fruit would be good for someone who has had bariatric surgery.
with all this walking you may be able to pass on the prunesI have no restrictions on what I am able to eat, but to lose weight, my diet consists mostly of protein with some low-carb vegetables and a little fresh fruit. I sometimes eat a few prunes in the evening for obvious reasons. But as a general rule, you're correct, dried fruit is a high-carb/high-calorie snack I usually avoid. Same for nutritious but very high-calorie nuts.
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