No one has ever told me this before, but when people hear "gluten-free," I imagine them thinking of some factory where all of the fun/ allure/ taste is squeezed from a person's previously favorite foods... this, of course, is not the case. Gluten-free foods, though some don't compare to conventional wheat-based foods, can be delicious--so delicious, in fact, that once you try them, you may not even notice.
My husband and I have been gluten-free well over a year now. We decided to alter our diets to accommodate his gluten intolerance and the transition to a gluten-free diet was accomplished with (relative) ease. After the first week, where Danny basically ate peanut butter with a spoon, we got the hang of it pretty quickly.
In case you are just starting your gluten-free journey or giving it a try to see if it helps your ailment (see this post for a list of conditions and how a gluten-free diet might help), you might also wonder what kinds of foods around which to base your new diet.
I know that you might already struggle with the "what's for dinner?" question, so choosing a more limited diet might not seem like a wise decision, but if you feel you may benefit from it, I recommend giving it a try. Though I don't "need" it, I feel great and my husband feels much better than he used to daily.
As mentioned in "Going Gluten-free With Ease," many recipes can be easily converted to be gluten-free. Below are a few things we eat regularly, including links to recipes, in case you'd like some ideas to give gluten-free a try. Every recipe I've posted thus far on Making Mindfulness is a gluten-free recipe, so a great place to start is the list below or the "Mindful Eating" tab. But, even if you have no interest in gluten-free, these recipes are still pretty great!
Breakfast:
fruit and veggie smoothies (with superfood add-ins)
Blueberry, Banana, Kale, Spinach Smoothies
Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
gluten-free cereals
fruit
Fruits & Veggies: Clean Fifteen/ Dirty Dozen
yogurt (if you're also dairy-free, maybe give the almond or coconut yogurt a try)
GF oatmeal
cream of rice (take a look at this delicious rice porridge recipe from Whole New Mom)
granola
Lunch &/ or Dinner:
soups (If you're modifying a favorite recipe for a creamy soup, just use GF flour)
Sweet Potato Black Bean Soup
salads
Five Ways to Get Veggies into Your Day Today
snacks
celery or apples & pb
carrot, celery, green pepper sticks
Pistachios
Everyday Trail Mix
granola
lettuce wrapped wraps
fresh juice
Get Your Juice On: Beginner's Guide to Juicing
fish/ chicken/ meat/ beans
Pan-Roasted Chickpeas
GF Slow Cooker Greek Chicken & Pasta
Black Bean Salad (beans AND veggies!)
rice/ potato/ sweet potato/ quinoa
Cinnamon Almond Cranberry Quinoa
Cinnamon Sweet Potato Skins
vegetables
Mallorcian Sea Salt & Maple Syrup Carrots
Oven-Roasted Red Cabbage
Carrot, Apple, & Celery Salad
Sautéed Green Beans, Mushrooms, & Almonds
Easy Beet Salad
pizza
GF Pizza with handmade dough
Quicker Than a Quesadilla PizzaLabels: Go Ahead--Try It!, Mindful Eating
