Living gluten-free can be quite a big adjustment at first, especially if you eat a lot of baked goods and pastas. I decided to write this post because sometimes I get emails or tweets from people asking what to change in their diets to become gluten-free.
So here is what I did and maybe it will make the transition easier for you to.
Start with your basic shop: Go to the store and select fruit, veg and salads that you like. Buy as much as you think you will need for your week (I shop weekly so I have fresh fruit and veg and salad).
Buy things that you
like -
no use buying veg or fruit that you hate - cause then you just torturing yourself and you won't want to make the change to gluten-free.Make sure you skip the bread and bakery section!!!
Now buy your meat (chicken, fish, lamb, beef or pork) and dairy (milk, yoghurt,cheese, cream etc). Look at the veggies you have in your basket and think can I make a veggie bake? take your favorite vegetables, peel, chop and add some cream or a cheese sauce and top with a little cheese and bake in the oven.
If you can't have dairy think roasted vegetables with olive oil,rosemary, salt and garlic. Add some salad and meat and you have a meal. For variety try different vegetable and salad combinations. In summer you can eat more salads and add fruit to them too. Think Pear with walnuts and lettuce and a nice salad dressing. And in winter you can eat more baked and steamed vegetables.
Lunches: When it comes to lunch boxes - swop out your bread for rice cakes, corn thins, and 100% rye biscuits (be aware rye has a teeny tiny bit of gluten in it). In winter think soup. In summer fruit and yoghurt.
Pasta: You can replace the regular wheat kind for a 100% rice pasta or corn pasta Be sure to use straight away after boiling. And the pasta strands tend to brake up when reheated. but that doesn't mean you can't have your favorite mac and cheese.. just swop out your usual pasta for the corn or rice based pasta and make the usual way.
Baking: I know you want
chocolate cake - who doesn't? And more than likely you won't be able to just buy cake or bread at the store that is gluten free.But you certainly can make whatever you like with gluten-free flour.
When baking I use these 2 gluten-free flour mixes.
Health Connection Wholefoods - General Purpose Gluten Free flour Mix:
Ingredients: rice, potato, tapioca, chickpea flour and Xanthan gum.
Nature Choice Bio Friendly Gluten Free Cake Flour:
Ingredients: brown rice flour, soya flour, sago flour, potato flour, tapioca and sea salt
I prefer the health connection flour for things like
pizza bases and bread-related type things.
I prefer the nature's choice flour for
cupcakes,
cakes, general baking and light things like
pancakes.
Don't be afraid to try different products. Be sure to read the labels and make sure you can have the ingredients that are contained in the product you are buying.
If you are gluten-free what products do you prefer using?
Best of luck! You can totally do it!
