Gluten-Free Week (aka: "Do You Mean I Can't Eat BREAD!?")

We're kicking off our health eating series with Gluten-Free Week!  We're going to start off today with some basic information, and tomorrow week we'll be hearing from a fourteen year old young woman and her journey with eating gluten free and it is REALLY interesting.  We'll also be sharing some of our favourite gluten free recipes, and our own experience eating that way last week!  Scroll down for the gluten free meal plan we used!

Why Eat Gluten-Free? 

A gluten-free diet is a treatment for celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine.  Gluten is a protein found in certain grains, which irritates the intestine of those with celiac disease.  Symptoms can include stomach pain or discomfort, bowel issues, and fatigue.  However, in recent years many people who have not been diagnosed with celiac disease have started eating a gluten free diet to treat similar symptoms.   There are some sources which state a gluten free diet is unnecessary or even harmful for someone without a condition necessitating it.

What You Can't Eat:

Gluten (obviously!)
Wheat
Barley
Rye
Oatmeal
Couscous
Regular store-bought bread, crackers, pasta, pastries
See a more extensive list at reference #1.

What You Can Eat:

Rice
Potatoes
Fruit
Veggies
Meat
Beans
Nuts
Corn (including popcorn!)
Rice Noodles
Dairy (milk, cheese, eggs)
Flaxseed
Quinoa
Specialty "gluten-free" breads, crackers, pastries, etc

References:

1. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gluten-free-diet/my01140
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluten-free_diet
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluten
4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coeliac_disease

 

Our Gluten-Free Meal Plan

Monday
B:Omelet - Asparagus, Garlic, Tomatoes
L:Leftover omelet
D:Quinoa Salad w/ Pork Chops

Tuesday
B: Yogurt, Fruit
L: Leftover Quinoa w/ Pork Chops
D: Rice Pasta Linguini

Wednesday - Moms
B:Yogurt w/ berries
L: Chinese Buffet @ Mom's house - ate alot of sushi, some meat and veggies, and wonton soup broth
D: Thai Ginger Chicken Stirfry

Thursday
B:Eggs w/ Yogurt and Berries
L: Stirfry leftovers
D: Boerekohl w/ sweet potatos

Friday
B:Egg Salad
L:GF sandwiches
D:  The Works Gluten free burgers (but we accidentally ate onion rings!)

Saturday
B: Omelet and Smoothies
L: Stir Fry with brie and tomatoes
D: Stir Fry w/ rice  potato chips, Not gluten free cake

Sunday
B: Eggs and Yoghurt
L: Tante Conny's roast chicken, brussel sprouts, beans, wild rice, apple pie (no crust) /ice cream
D: Tuna Melts

Snacked On:
Gluten-Free Crackers and Cheese
Popcorn
Fruit

On Thursday we plan to share some of our favourite Gluten-Free recipes!