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{Gluten Free} Meal Plan 11.29.10

I’ve to say, going gluten/grain free has been truly liberating.

That whole moderation thing?  It’s a hoax.

You wanna know why?  Carbs are addicting.  You have a bite, and you want more and more and more.  And thus ensues the battle of wills.  How many slices of pizza is, in fact, moderate consumption?  And why, after eating one and feeling full, do I want another slice and then another and then another?  Until I feel like my stomach is going to burst wide open and spew pizza chunks?  (My apologies to you early morning visitors trying to enjoy a cup of coffee.)

When it’s off limits, it is simply that — OFF LIMITS.  Done.  No inner battle to contend with, no demon on one shoulder trying to coerce the angel on the other to have “just another half a slice.”  If you can’t relate, then you probably don’t have a problem.  Obviously I did.

Now, I leave the table after every meal feeling satisfied but never stuffed or bloated.  I don’t crave sweets or carbs unless I don’t get enough good fats.  That, I’m learning, is key to making this work — butter and coconut oil are my new BFFs.

So I’m getting ready to face Week 3 Gluten Free (I’ve pretty much eliminated grains too, but some of my meals may have a grain component for the family.)  I went through my recipe book and made an entire Gluten Free Dinners section to simplify my meal planning.  I do need to find some more recipes, that’s the only thing.  I’m getting tired of the same 5 meals.  And eggs.  I need some new breakfast ideas!!  But this is what I’ve got in the works for the upcoming week:

MONDAY: leftover Chicken Chili

TUESDAY: Broccoli Cheese Soup (with homemade bread and butter for the kids)

WEDNESDAY: Steak with Bernaise, mashed rutabaga, steamed broccoli

THURSDAY: Navy Beans with Italian Sausage, collard greens

FRIDAY: Salmon Cakes (provided I can find gluten-free breadcrumbs) and brussels sprouts with caramelized onions

And that’s a wrap! What’s on your menu plan for this week?

This post is linked up to the Menu Plan Monday blog carnival at Organizing Junkie.

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30 Responses

  1. Wow, so proud of you for staying strong!

    For bread crumbs, couldn’t you just use gluten free store bought bread slices, toasted, and tossed into a mini food processor? At least, that’s what I’ve thought about if I were to embark on gluten free challenge.

      1. I have a request. Once you settle into a groove, would you be willing to share a few days’ menu of what you actually eat each meal to give us an idea of your choices?

  2. Hey, Jo-Lynne — are you eating rice? I’ve been nixing the grains, but I haven’t eliminated brown rice. Was wondering how rice fits in to the gluten free diet. Also, what about using almond flour/meal for the salmon cakes?

    1. I’d rather just eliminate all grains, but rice is gluten free so it’s an option. The problem with almond flour and any nut substitutions is that we have a tree nut allergy in our family. So that REALLY complicates things with gluten free b/c almond flour is a common substitution.

  3. I purchased a cookbook that I love for the slowcooker not knowing it was a gluten free cookbook:) We don’t follow gluten free, but the recipes are wonderful. The cookbook is “Make It Fast, Cook It Slow” by Stephanie O’Dea. I noticed on Amazon yesterday she just came out w/ a 2nd follow up book, but I don’t have that one yet. And she even has a recipe for Creme Brulee:) She also has different drink recipes in the book that are to die for:)

  4. I had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant with M and I totally get the whole liberation thing. I was very restricted with respect to carbs and it got to the point that I never even missed them. I gladly gave up sugar, sweets, bread, pasta and potatoes for my baby and never missed them. I lived on yogurt and eggs and cheese and fresh veggies and all the meat that I could eat and I loved it! Once we move into our house, I am going to try that diet again. I felt so much better on it. It’s just too hard to do while living with my parents because I often don’t get to control what comes into the house and what is made for dinner.

    For breakfast – could you try greek yogurt and a few nuts and a banana? How about a peanut-butter/yogurt/banana smoothie? Gluten-free toast with peanut butter or sun butter?

    1. From what I’m reading, everyone should be on that diet. 🙂

      I tend to forget about yogurt. I do keep farm fresh yogurt in the house, although I really need to start making my own. It would be a lot cheaper.

  5. Ok, please note that I have no idea about gluten-free. So, dismiss this if it’s a stupid question. Is corn gluten-free? I ask because I always use freshly ground corn meal in my salmon cakes and never bread crumbs. I was born and raised in South Louisiana, so this was a common thing down there. Like I said, if corn isn’t a good substitute for you, my apologies. Either way, I hope you find something that works great for you and your family.

  6. Having a hard time with the Christmas Spirit, too. Wouldn’t it be great to have all of the shopping and stressful components (Sometimes, decorating can be stressful for me) done before Advent begins so that you could truly take the time to prepare for celebrating the birth of Christ? Ah….pipe dream that it is, one day, I’ll do it!!! In the meantime, I want to figure out a way to balance the craziness and stress of the season with the peace and joy that is at it’s heart. When I figure that one out, I’ll let ya know.

    I love Christmas Vacation, too. The old movie, “White Christmas” with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye gets me in the Christmas mood, too– although I have to admit I still lose interest about half way through and then pick it back up at the end when the women are wearing their pretty, red Christmas dressses.

    Online shopping has become the norm for me…not quite the same and quite lacking in the rush of the physical shopping experience….the decorations, the music, the other sights, sounds and smells. Maybe I’ll wear a Santa hat, Starbucks Holiday cup in hand, while listening to Harry Connick Jr. when I click, “Place Order.” 😉

    Still dragging my feet with going gluten-free. I can do b-fast and dinner, just have a hard time with lunch. I think I’ve been eating a cheese sandwich for lunch for about 33 years. When I did the sugar detox, a few weeks ago, lunch was the biggest challenge. I need to figure out how to do it without having to make a time-consuming dish/meal that’s different from everyone else. I just don’t have time for that…who does?

    On with my day…thanks for sharing your menu! I always find something new to try!

    1. I usually eat dinner leftovers for lunch – a lot of soup. Or a smoothie. Or sometimes a tall glass of raw milk. I’m often not really hungry for lunch.

  7. Breakfasts have been a huge struggle for me since going gluten-free. I’m not a huge egg fan and have found I feel better staying away from oats also. My new favorite find is brown rice pudding – I can throw together a large batch in a fairly short time with whatever add ins I want (apples, walnuts, dates, pecans, raisins, etc) and then warm up a bowl each morning. It’s filling, warm, whole foods based and flexible…which means it meets my main criteria for winter breakfasts! I’m hoping to finish the recipe up today so I can get it posted on my blog tomorrow.

    1. I’d love to see that. I’m kinda trying not to do rice either, but it might be a nice change every once in a while.

  8. For gluten free bread crumbs, look for Rice based flour and bread crumbs. Typically I find this in our local grocery store in the natural foods section. But they’ll have a lot of options for rice flour, bread crumbs, bread, pastas, etc…

  9. I was just reading your recipe for chicken chili (yum) and noticed your comment about loving homemade chicken stock. I have started making my own stock, too and love it. I tried pouring it in muffin tins and freezing it and then poping them out and into a freezer ziploc bag. Now whenever I need stock, I just grab a few of the frozen stock “muffins” and it is great! Thanks for sharing your menus. I also would love to see some of your gluten-free menu ideas. Go get that Peppermint mocha and then turn on some Christmas music–Johnny Mathis is great–from the growing up years! Merry Christmas!

  10. So funny! I walked down the gluten free aisle of my (locally owned/operated, not a chain) grocery store this very day and saw gluten-free bread crumbs as I strolled along. I had a long ponder over it and summed it up by saying aloud to Peabody, “Huh. Gluten-free bread crumbs. Who’da thunk? But it makes sense, I guess, doesn’t it?” (He didn’t answer me but I could tell he was giving it some real thought.) If you don’t find them, let me know.

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