Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and other grains. Many processed foods contain it, which makes it quite difficult to detect.
Do you have celiac disease or are sensitive to gluten? Then you know that reading product labels is a real sport! If you want to limit interaction with gluten, the easiest way is to cook mainly with raw ingredients from known sources.
For these menus, I chose not to include industrial gluten-free products (like bread, cake…). You can prepare them “homemade” to add more indulgence to your desserts.
The animal proteins in some menus can be replaced with another source of plant-based protein, depending on your preferences.
Not sure how to cook one of the dishes from the menu? By typing its name in your favorite search engine, you will find detailed recipes, I’m sure.
Read also | The 8 best meal boxes according to a dietician
Monday
Morning
- Plant-based milk with buckwheat flakes and berries
Noon
- Stir-fried Asian rice noodles with vegetables (broccoli, bell peppers) and cashew nuts
- Bonus: add smoked tofu cubes or two scrambled eggs
- Plain yogurt with a spoonful of jam
Evening
- Gluten-free corn wraps, lettuce, smoked salmon, and cottage cheese
- Bowl of vegetable soup
- Fruit salad
Tuesday
Morning
- Rice flour pancakes with maple syrup and fruits
Noon
- Chicken breast with mushrooms in cream
- Wild rice
- Emmental
- Apple
Evening
- Potato and cauliflower gratin, with chorizo cubes (optional)
- Salad
- Apple-pear compote
Wednesday
Morning
- Quinoa porridge with fresh fruits
Noon
- Vegetable medley and salmon steak
- Gluten-free cornmeal
- Fromage blanc with 70% chocolate chips (make sure it’s gluten-free)
Evening
- Oven-roasted sweet potatoes with spices and honey
- Basmati rice
- Slice of crustless flan
Thursday
Morning
- Scrambled eggs with vegetables
Noon
- Crustless leek quiche with salad
- Banana/strawberry smoothie
Evening
- Tuna rice salad with green vegetables and homemade vinaigrette
- Chocolate cream
Friday
Morning
- Coconut flour muffins with fruits and Greek yogurt
Noon
- Pollock fillet with quinoa and oven-roasted vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips)
- Plain yogurt with honey
Evening
- Quick chili sin/con carne
- Apple
Saturday
Morning
- Chia pudding with a piece of 70% chocolate
Noon
- Grated carrots
- Caramelized tofu and basmati rice
- Banana
Evening
- Margarita pizza with a crust made from cauliflower or sweet potato
Sunday
Noon
- Cucumber and feta salad
- Creamy leek and shrimp risotto
- Vanilla dessert
Evening
- Shakshuka served with green salad
- Apple
Eating Gluten-Free: My Opinion
If you are neither sensitive nor celiac, you might wonder what is the point of eating gluten-free?
For me, there are three major benefits: variety, cooking, and eating more healthily.
- Vary your carbohydrates: by reducing gluten, you’ll discover a whole range of foods that can replace gluten-containing products. Explore different grains (buckwheat, various types of rice, barley,…), quinoa, legumes (kidney beans, lentils, red lentils…) and new flours you might not know about yet (rice flour, tapioca flour, chickpea or coconut flour, for example).
- Cook a little more: by eliminating gluten, you will probably need to cook a bit more. Indeed, by using new sources of carbohydrates, you will find new recipes to change your daily routine. Are you a fan of cakes? There are many gluten-free cake recipes to make at home using gluten-free flours.
- Eat more healthily: gluten is found in many industrial products, cakes, and various preparations. So by reducing gluten, you avoid all these processed foods and can turn towards healthier options.
Also read | What to replace bread with?
