Last week, a Table365 reader mentioned that she has cut wheat out of her diet, but, is still having a hard time coming up with gluten-free (GF) lunches. It’s hard to get out of the routine of sandwiches, pizza slices, burritos, and pasta. Since I’ve been eating gluten-free for the last two years, I’ve spent a lot of time and thought working on good options. The good news is, that I’ve added more vegetables, salads, and fruit to my lunches now that I can’t count on the other staples to fill me up. Preparing gluten-free meals for yourself, or others, can usually be accomplished by thinking outside the wrapper (bread, crust, tortilla, and noodles). Sandwiches can be wrapped with greens, or served on the filling. Pizza and pasta can be deconstructed and the ingredients served as a protein plate or antipasto plate (cheese, proteins, vegetables). Burrito ingredients can be served without the tortilla in a bowl. Eggs can be prepared with an almost endless combination of ingredients for a variety of flavors and styles. And of course, the luncheon standard, a hearty green salad, can be created to accommodate seasonal fresh produce; leftovers; almost any and all protein from nuts to seafood, poultry to cheese; and a wide variety of dressings. Have fun thinking outside the bun!
- Tuna Salad served with tomato and avocado slices. Make it extra fancy by serving a scoop of tuna salad in a seeded half of tomato, or avocado. Sprinkle with fresh or dried dill and a lemon wedge.
- Wrap it Up. Make a sandwich or a hamburger, turkey burger, or veggie burger in a lettuce wrap. Check out our ideas for wraps here.
- Protein Plate. Hard boiled egg, sliced apple, cheese slices, gluten-free crackers or chips (Food Should Taste Good chips are fantastic), almonds or other nuts.
- Rice and Beans Bowl. Top brown rice with black beans, salsa or pico de gallo, and diced avocado.
- Eggs. Eggs are a wonderful base for vegetables, proteins, and the classic pairing -potatoes. Make a frittata, skillet hash, omelette, Spanish tortilla or huevos rancheros.
Let’s do lunch!
