Favorite easy wheat free lunches?
September 11, 2020 7:22 PM Subscribe
I am very quick to lunge for a sandwich or bagel at lunch but it's seeming like wheat doesn't agree with me these days. I'm going to go off it for a while and see if it's the culprit, but I need some suggestions.
Easy things to make, things from chain restaurants, stuff I'd find at Whole Foods (I got some Rice Ramen cups that are ok), whatever you sometimes have for lunch that doesn't require a lot of thought. I actually like cooking but lunch is more a meal of lazyness/convenience. My one prohibition offhand is I generally find salads bleak and punitive.
Doesn't need to be strictly gluten free. I did a blood test for celiac a few years back and it was negative. I'm just exploring the idea that I may have a low key intolerance for wheat. (Pasta gives me heartburn and makes me spend hours belching. Same for beer and bread a lot of the time.)
Easy things to make, things from chain restaurants, stuff I'd find at Whole Foods (I got some Rice Ramen cups that are ok), whatever you sometimes have for lunch that doesn't require a lot of thought. I actually like cooking but lunch is more a meal of lazyness/convenience. My one prohibition offhand is I generally find salads bleak and punitive.
Doesn't need to be strictly gluten free. I did a blood test for celiac a few years back and it was negative. I'm just exploring the idea that I may have a low key intolerance for wheat. (Pasta gives me heartburn and makes me spend hours belching. Same for beer and bread a lot of the time.)
Corn tortilla is whatever you want rolled up inside. You do sandwich roll-up type food like cold cuts and cheese as well as more mexican style options.
posted by metahawk at 7:30 PM on September 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by metahawk at 7:30 PM on September 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
Soup/stew/chili is my fall/winter go to meal. Either make a batch for dinner and have leftovers, or you have various options at the grocery store.
Some folks don't think of soup as a meal, so if you need crackers or bread to make it a meal, like ananci says try some of the GF options out there. Or go for southern-style cornbread that has no wheat flour. You can also add stuff like grated cheese or other toppings. Dried cherries and pumpkin seeds are lovely on top of butternut squash soup.
posted by cabingirl at 7:37 PM on September 11, 2020
Some folks don't think of soup as a meal, so if you need crackers or bread to make it a meal, like ananci says try some of the GF options out there. Or go for southern-style cornbread that has no wheat flour. You can also add stuff like grated cheese or other toppings. Dried cherries and pumpkin seeds are lovely on top of butternut squash soup.
posted by cabingirl at 7:37 PM on September 11, 2020
I make a lot of bean salads (usually garbanzo) but if you think gluten is a problem, you want to specifically get gluten-free brands as cross-contamination is a thing. A super basic one I enjoy is garbanzos with lemon juice, olive oil, dried Italian seasoning, and a bit of Parmesan. It's very adaptable and quick to make.
If you like salmon, Whole Foods sells salmon pinwheels (salmon, cream cheese, capers) that make a quick and easy lunch over cucumber.
posted by sm1tten at 8:14 PM on September 11, 2020 [3 favorites]
If you like salmon, Whole Foods sells salmon pinwheels (salmon, cream cheese, capers) that make a quick and easy lunch over cucumber.
posted by sm1tten at 8:14 PM on September 11, 2020 [3 favorites]
Chili all the way. Easy to make a big batch, pack it into containers for the week, still tastes good by the end of it.
Also, snack platter lunches. Some cheese, some fruit, some veges, some hummus or dip. Done. Plantain chips are perfect for this, very filling, easy and cheap.
Rice bowl, filled with veges, meat, and a sauce. Rice dries out without the sauce.
posted by Dynex at 8:35 PM on September 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
Also, snack platter lunches. Some cheese, some fruit, some veges, some hummus or dip. Done. Plantain chips are perfect for this, very filling, easy and cheap.
Rice bowl, filled with veges, meat, and a sauce. Rice dries out without the sauce.
posted by Dynex at 8:35 PM on September 11, 2020 [2 favorites]
If you're looking for chain restaurants, a burrito bowl from Chipotle is basically everything that would go into a burrito, but with no tortilla. I think the tortilla is the only thing that has wheat.
My lazy way to do lunch is that I make something on Sunday and stick it in individual containers to take for lunch during the week. I'm not avoiding wheat, but the things that I make usually don't have wheat in them. Last week I did slow cooker jambalaya. Next week I'm thinking slow cooker chipotle honey chicken tacos, which I could either dump over rice or eat with corn tortillas.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 8:44 PM on September 11, 2020
My lazy way to do lunch is that I make something on Sunday and stick it in individual containers to take for lunch during the week. I'm not avoiding wheat, but the things that I make usually don't have wheat in them. Last week I did slow cooker jambalaya. Next week I'm thinking slow cooker chipotle honey chicken tacos, which I could either dump over rice or eat with corn tortillas.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 8:44 PM on September 11, 2020
Depending on how wheat-free you want to be, you should be aware that soy sauce and soy sauce based sauces typically contain wheat (the secret thing you want is tamari or tamari-based sauces, which is usually wheat-free). GF bread is alright, and a lot of slightly nicer fast food places will have a GF bun or lettuce wrap option. Your best bet for wheat-free fast food is Mexican, anything with a corn tortilla or in a bowl is great.
The best easily available gluten free delivery pizza is dominos, IMO.
A word of warning—most wheat-free alternatives, like GF bread or GF pasta, are nowhere near as good as the real thing. It’s better to just choose something else unless you’re like totally craving pasta. And while wheat pasta reheats like magic, I’ve yet to find a GF Pasta that isn’t garbage leftovers. Whereas next day rice is magic.
posted by sleeping bear at 9:10 PM on September 11, 2020 [3 favorites]
The best easily available gluten free delivery pizza is dominos, IMO.
A word of warning—most wheat-free alternatives, like GF bread or GF pasta, are nowhere near as good as the real thing. It’s better to just choose something else unless you’re like totally craving pasta. And while wheat pasta reheats like magic, I’ve yet to find a GF Pasta that isn’t garbage leftovers. Whereas next day rice is magic.
posted by sleeping bear at 9:10 PM on September 11, 2020 [3 favorites]
A thing that makes non-bread lunches a lot less effort is a bit of investment in good containers. These are things like glass containers with leak proof lids that are the right size for a you-portion of rice and toppings, or a good bowl and thermos set for soups, or a sectioned bento box for "a little bit of a bunch of different things" lunches. That way it becomes just as easy to pack, say, a scoop of leftover rice with some salsa and some chicken and cheese, as it would to assemble a sandwich and wrap it up. If you have to go hunting for a bunch of different containers and they don't have good lids or aren't the right size or whatever, it's more effort and you'll gravitate back towards utensil-free sandwiches. But if you've got that thermos ready to go, soup is just as easy.
I think room temp corn tortillas are unpleasant but room temp corn chips are good, so if you're doing latin flavors go with those as your starch if you don't have rice. Also great for topping a lot of soups, if you're used to dipping bread or crackers in them.
Some GF wraps are okay but I much prefer a big collard leaf used as a wrap instead, then you put less lettuce/cabbage/etc in your wrap filling and stuff it with more of the other things. In particular I have enjoyed the heck out of a banh mi style collard wrap with a bunch of pickled veg, herbs, and pork, and bulked out a bit with some rice vermicelli - a creation of a grocery store deli I used to frequent that I now sorely miss. I'm not GF or wheat-sensitive but the collard version was for some reason superior in every way. Low effort you can just do your bog standard sandwich fillings too. Tuna salad is nice, put in some apple for sweetness to balance any bitterness from the greens.
You can buy little molds to help shape rice balls. I used to be snooty about it and was all "I need to learn how to form them by hand!" but then I got some and it's soooo much easier and more rewarding to have perfectly shaped and evenly sized rice balls. You can make them the day before and fridge them, then they come to room temperature during the morning. Lowest effort with highest reward is to make them plain but roll them in furikake seasonings or other crushed up yummy things on the outside (sesame seeds, dried fruit bits, chopped nuts, herbs), and have them alongside a protein (eggs! cold chicken with sesame dressing! edamame salad! summer sausage and cheese - go nuts!) instead of trying to stuff them with anything in the middle. You can also just pack a little container of rice and sprinkle things on top but rice balls are much more fun and also finger food.
posted by Mizu at 9:33 PM on September 11, 2020
I think room temp corn tortillas are unpleasant but room temp corn chips are good, so if you're doing latin flavors go with those as your starch if you don't have rice. Also great for topping a lot of soups, if you're used to dipping bread or crackers in them.
Some GF wraps are okay but I much prefer a big collard leaf used as a wrap instead, then you put less lettuce/cabbage/etc in your wrap filling and stuff it with more of the other things. In particular I have enjoyed the heck out of a banh mi style collard wrap with a bunch of pickled veg, herbs, and pork, and bulked out a bit with some rice vermicelli - a creation of a grocery store deli I used to frequent that I now sorely miss. I'm not GF or wheat-sensitive but the collard version was for some reason superior in every way. Low effort you can just do your bog standard sandwich fillings too. Tuna salad is nice, put in some apple for sweetness to balance any bitterness from the greens.
You can buy little molds to help shape rice balls. I used to be snooty about it and was all "I need to learn how to form them by hand!" but then I got some and it's soooo much easier and more rewarding to have perfectly shaped and evenly sized rice balls. You can make them the day before and fridge them, then they come to room temperature during the morning. Lowest effort with highest reward is to make them plain but roll them in furikake seasonings or other crushed up yummy things on the outside (sesame seeds, dried fruit bits, chopped nuts, herbs), and have them alongside a protein (eggs! cold chicken with sesame dressing! edamame salad! summer sausage and cheese - go nuts!) instead of trying to stuff them with anything in the middle. You can also just pack a little container of rice and sprinkle things on top but rice balls are much more fun and also finger food.
posted by Mizu at 9:33 PM on September 11, 2020
I’ve been kind of into rice cakes (brown rice, salted) recently. I dress them with stuff I would otherwise put on a sandwich except that I use butter where I would use mayo.
posted by vunder at 9:48 PM on September 11, 2020
posted by vunder at 9:48 PM on September 11, 2020
Composed salads are great. You basically can assemble whatever vegetables (or nuts or fruit or legumes) you want the night before, or even make a serving for a few days and let them marinate. Here are some examples:
Tiny green lentils with carrots, celery, tomatoes, walnuts, and sauteed mushrooms, with a dressing made of sherry vinegar, walnut oil, and shallots.
Cucumber, tomatoes, steamed broccoli or cauliflower, black olives, and garbanzo beans in a vinaigrette.
Black beans, tomatoes, carrots, celery, zucchini, jicama, and corn in a cilantro-lime dressing.
Sliced leftover chicken, almonds or cashews, dried cranberries, and green onion with a raspberry-blood orange vinaigrette.
You can also bake extra potatoes when you bake them or make extra rice - I love Lundberg Wild Rice blend - and use that as a basis for your salad.
Once the weather gets cold, I switch to soups or stews, and add potatoes, cooked and chilled rice, or other root vegetables and/or legumes so I don't get too hungry later.
posted by dancing_angel at 10:32 PM on September 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
Tiny green lentils with carrots, celery, tomatoes, walnuts, and sauteed mushrooms, with a dressing made of sherry vinegar, walnut oil, and shallots.
Cucumber, tomatoes, steamed broccoli or cauliflower, black olives, and garbanzo beans in a vinaigrette.
Black beans, tomatoes, carrots, celery, zucchini, jicama, and corn in a cilantro-lime dressing.
Sliced leftover chicken, almonds or cashews, dried cranberries, and green onion with a raspberry-blood orange vinaigrette.
You can also bake extra potatoes when you bake them or make extra rice - I love Lundberg Wild Rice blend - and use that as a basis for your salad.
Once the weather gets cold, I switch to soups or stews, and add potatoes, cooked and chilled rice, or other root vegetables and/or legumes so I don't get too hungry later.
posted by dancing_angel at 10:32 PM on September 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
Seconding rice cakes, the big ~4-inch diameter ones, salted is best. I like them with peanut butter and jelly, peanut butter and honey, or jam and butter. Something creamy or soft is a nice contrast with the crunchy rice.
Tacos, quesadillas, or wraps on corn tortillas are fast too. Sauté small pieces of meat and veggies in a hot skillet and add to tortillas warmed in the microwave. Skillet quesadilla with cheese and any other filling or topping you want. This can be reheated in a microwave too.
Burrito bowl - open a can of beans and drain, make minute rice or use leftover rice, quickly sauté some meat if desired. Heat beans on the stovetop or microwave, add onions and garlic if you have time. Combine a serving of each in a bowl with desired burrito type toppings: salsa, pico de Gallo, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, crumbled corn chips, hot sauce, cooked or raw veggies, shredded lettuce, etc. You can pick and choose what to include based on what you like or have available. I often skip the rice (it's filling enough without it) and add sautéed veggies like onions and bell peppers plus cheese and hot sauce, as these are the toppings I usually have around.
posted by Red Desk at 11:30 PM on September 11, 2020
Tacos, quesadillas, or wraps on corn tortillas are fast too. Sauté small pieces of meat and veggies in a hot skillet and add to tortillas warmed in the microwave. Skillet quesadilla with cheese and any other filling or topping you want. This can be reheated in a microwave too.
Burrito bowl - open a can of beans and drain, make minute rice or use leftover rice, quickly sauté some meat if desired. Heat beans on the stovetop or microwave, add onions and garlic if you have time. Combine a serving of each in a bowl with desired burrito type toppings: salsa, pico de Gallo, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, crumbled corn chips, hot sauce, cooked or raw veggies, shredded lettuce, etc. You can pick and choose what to include based on what you like or have available. I often skip the rice (it's filling enough without it) and add sautéed veggies like onions and bell peppers plus cheese and hot sauce, as these are the toppings I usually have around.
posted by Red Desk at 11:30 PM on September 11, 2020
Yup, been there and I went the beans and pulses route. Get a couple of those square lunch boxes and make these up on Sunday or the night before. Very quick
Quickest meal - Chickpeas with sundries tomato paste or pesto is your friend. You can get canned or bottled precooked ones. A dash of olive oil and your done. You can supplement with veggies you roasted at the weekend. Sweet potatoes, courgettes, aubergines.
I also have a puy lentil salad recipe, with rocket and pickled beetroot. I add hot smoked salmon but if you’re vegan you can leave it out.
Chilli from a can (or beans with premade sauce) on crispy lettuce is really nice. If not vegan you can throw in chorizo.
Seconding rice cakes for something quick but I found I got bored with them as quickly as I got bored with sandwiches (Which was half the reason I switched up my lunch routine. Now I’m back on bread again now I make my own - they don’t upset my tummy as much for some reason as the store bought). YMMV
posted by BAKERSFIELD! at 12:00 AM on September 12, 2020 [2 favorites]
Quickest meal - Chickpeas with sundries tomato paste or pesto is your friend. You can get canned or bottled precooked ones. A dash of olive oil and your done. You can supplement with veggies you roasted at the weekend. Sweet potatoes, courgettes, aubergines.
I also have a puy lentil salad recipe, with rocket and pickled beetroot. I add hot smoked salmon but if you’re vegan you can leave it out.
Chilli from a can (or beans with premade sauce) on crispy lettuce is really nice. If not vegan you can throw in chorizo.
Seconding rice cakes for something quick but I found I got bored with them as quickly as I got bored with sandwiches (Which was half the reason I switched up my lunch routine. Now I’m back on bread again now I make my own - they don’t upset my tummy as much for some reason as the store bought). YMMV
posted by BAKERSFIELD! at 12:00 AM on September 12, 2020 [2 favorites]
I like BAKERSFIELD!'s suggestions.
Wheat-free soba noodles. I find them very easy to make in the morning and tasty cold at lunch. Dress them with a little sesame oil, tamari, sesame seeds for crunch, maybe some strips of nori, maybe a splash of lemon or rice vinegar.
I'd bet you could make them at night too, if you aren't a morning person.
You can top it with shrimp or with chopped cucumber and/or other veg like scallions, pointy cabbage, kale, or raw mushrooms, but then it becomes more of a project than you seem to want.
When I was a student and we worked late at night, one of my friends combined a tin of chickpeas with a tin of red sauce, to be eaten cold. The rest of our little group were shocked, we were food purists at the time, but it was surprisingly good.
Here, one can buy a lot of different instant porridges - just add boiling water, like with a soup. Nourishing and filling, but on the sweet side. Another simple store-bought thing that is on the sweet side is a plain greek yogurt with a wheat-free granola topping.
posted by mumimor at 1:24 AM on September 12, 2020
Wheat-free soba noodles. I find them very easy to make in the morning and tasty cold at lunch. Dress them with a little sesame oil, tamari, sesame seeds for crunch, maybe some strips of nori, maybe a splash of lemon or rice vinegar.
I'd bet you could make them at night too, if you aren't a morning person.
You can top it with shrimp or with chopped cucumber and/or other veg like scallions, pointy cabbage, kale, or raw mushrooms, but then it becomes more of a project than you seem to want.
When I was a student and we worked late at night, one of my friends combined a tin of chickpeas with a tin of red sauce, to be eaten cold. The rest of our little group were shocked, we were food purists at the time, but it was surprisingly good.
Here, one can buy a lot of different instant porridges - just add boiling water, like with a soup. Nourishing and filling, but on the sweet side. Another simple store-bought thing that is on the sweet side is a plain greek yogurt with a wheat-free granola topping.
posted by mumimor at 1:24 AM on September 12, 2020
I keep single serve containers of rice (I like the red rice mixes) and single serve cans of tuna at work. Both are shelf stable and microwaved rice with tuna stirred in with some salt for seasoning is very tasty.
Can also confirm that gluten free bread is amazingly improved compared to a decade ago. Generally better toasted but some are better for sandwiches.
Btw, don't underestimate the power of gluten. I also tested negative but went strict gluten free on medical advice as a test and ifelt so amazingly better (magic indeed) if you haven't gone the whole hog before it can be very interesting.
posted by kitten magic at 3:31 AM on September 12, 2020
Can also confirm that gluten free bread is amazingly improved compared to a decade ago. Generally better toasted but some are better for sandwiches.
Btw, don't underestimate the power of gluten. I also tested negative but went strict gluten free on medical advice as a test and ifelt so amazingly better (magic indeed) if you haven't gone the whole hog before it can be very interesting.
posted by kitten magic at 3:31 AM on September 12, 2020
Do you have easy access to pre-made sushi or onigiri (rice balls)?
If you have a rice cooker, there are some very low-faff rice dishes you can make for lunch at home - smoked salmon on rice, fried egg on rice, yesterday's leftovers on rice... and seconding Mizu, with an onigiri mould and a little practice, making your own rice balls can be something you do as quickly and effortlessly as making a sandwich.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 3:52 AM on September 12, 2020
If you have a rice cooker, there are some very low-faff rice dishes you can make for lunch at home - smoked salmon on rice, fried egg on rice, yesterday's leftovers on rice... and seconding Mizu, with an onigiri mould and a little practice, making your own rice balls can be something you do as quickly and effortlessly as making a sandwich.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 3:52 AM on September 12, 2020
Totchos. Like nachos, but with tater tots. You can make a variety of different flavors, not just nacho. I used to do buffalo chicken (chicken, buffalo sauce, bleu cheese) and bbq (ground beef, cheddar, bacon, and barbecue sauce) frequently. It’s a simple formula: tots + meat + cheese + condiment(s). The key is to bring each ingredient in a separate container so that your tots don’t get soggy.
posted by kevinbelt at 4:12 AM on September 12, 2020
posted by kevinbelt at 4:12 AM on September 12, 2020
I love spring rolls--it's a little tricky figuring out how to roll them at first, but they're tasty, filling, cheap and gluten-free, and you can get creative with the fillings. The only caveat is you have to store them in an airtight container if you're making them the night before; they dry out otherwise.
posted by Nibbly Fang at 6:37 AM on September 12, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Nibbly Fang at 6:37 AM on September 12, 2020 [1 favorite]
Any type of food that comes with rice instead of bread (stir-fries, curries, some greek food, some cajun food, sushi/poke, bowls, stuff like that).
Like you I just can't with lunch salads unless there's some decent protein and fat. I love lettuce but in pre-made salads it adds bulk at the expense of other energy-giving ingredients. Sometimes taco salads, nicoise or chef salads are okay, or caesar salads to which I can add salmon or chicken.
If I'm prepping my own lunch, I might do a salad with no leafy greens - a mix of cooked or raw veg, nuts, cheese, fruit, protein and dressing. I might or might not heat it up.
posted by bunderful at 7:14 AM on September 12, 2020
Like you I just can't with lunch salads unless there's some decent protein and fat. I love lettuce but in pre-made salads it adds bulk at the expense of other energy-giving ingredients. Sometimes taco salads, nicoise or chef salads are okay, or caesar salads to which I can add salmon or chicken.
If I'm prepping my own lunch, I might do a salad with no leafy greens - a mix of cooked or raw veg, nuts, cheese, fruit, protein and dressing. I might or might not heat it up.
posted by bunderful at 7:14 AM on September 12, 2020
- Rice cakes packed separately from typical sandwich stuff; egg salad is great.
- Soup, esp. hearty soups. I make soup from the remains of a rotiss. chicken - pick off the meat, simmer bones and scraps for @ 2 hours. strain. add back the chicken, carrots, potatoes, kale, and some sausage - hot Italian or chorizo - adds spice and really perks it up. I make a huge pot, freeze 1/2 in containers for 1 or 2 meals.
- Chili can be regular ground beef, red kidney beans, or you can use different or no meats(try sausage), different beans, add vegetables like carrots, cabbage, kale, potatoes. It can be a lot like curry; chili spices are also curry spices.
- Bake a potato or sweet potato at home. At work, warm in the microwave, add stuff like butter, sour cream, salsa, leftovers, nacho cheese.
- wraps or soft tacos with gluten free or corn tortillas. Search stuff to put in a wrap so many options, and breakfast wraps with scrambled egg, sausage or bacon, beans, rice, spinach are excellent any time of day.
- rice noodles with peanut sauce and some chopped fresh or pickled jalapeno, maybe some cucumbers
posted by theora55 at 9:00 AM on September 12, 2020
- Soup, esp. hearty soups. I make soup from the remains of a rotiss. chicken - pick off the meat, simmer bones and scraps for @ 2 hours. strain. add back the chicken, carrots, potatoes, kale, and some sausage - hot Italian or chorizo - adds spice and really perks it up. I make a huge pot, freeze 1/2 in containers for 1 or 2 meals.
- Chili can be regular ground beef, red kidney beans, or you can use different or no meats(try sausage), different beans, add vegetables like carrots, cabbage, kale, potatoes. It can be a lot like curry; chili spices are also curry spices.
- Bake a potato or sweet potato at home. At work, warm in the microwave, add stuff like butter, sour cream, salsa, leftovers, nacho cheese.
- wraps or soft tacos with gluten free or corn tortillas. Search stuff to put in a wrap so many options, and breakfast wraps with scrambled egg, sausage or bacon, beans, rice, spinach are excellent any time of day.
- rice noodles with peanut sauce and some chopped fresh or pickled jalapeno, maybe some cucumbers
posted by theora55 at 9:00 AM on September 12, 2020
Amy's brand has gluten free (which also means wheat free) items. I like the lasagna, and purchase it on a regular basis. A microwaved potato is another good choice. You can pile all kinds of tasty things on a baked potato.
posted by SageTrail at 11:31 AM on September 12, 2020
posted by SageTrail at 11:31 AM on September 12, 2020
Response by poster: Thanks for all this. I should have asked someone specifically to compare "gf pasta made of chickpeas" vs "gf pasta made of rice" etc etc but there's a lot to go through here.
posted by less of course at 12:04 PM on September 12, 2020
posted by less of course at 12:04 PM on September 12, 2020
should have asked someone specifically to compare "gf pasta made of chickpeas" vs "gf pasta made of rice" etc
Seriously, stick with the soba noodles and rice noodles. Noodles made of legumes get weird when cold, IMO. On the other hand, I love, love, love Vietnamese summer rolls with rice noodles in them. I didn't suggest them above because I usually buy them instead of making them myself, and they are a bit above my everyday budget. But you can make them for less than a dollar a day, I think. And maybe you have a more affordable vendor near you?
posted by mumimor at 1:20 PM on September 12, 2020
Seriously, stick with the soba noodles and rice noodles. Noodles made of legumes get weird when cold, IMO. On the other hand, I love, love, love Vietnamese summer rolls with rice noodles in them. I didn't suggest them above because I usually buy them instead of making them myself, and they are a bit above my everyday budget. But you can make them for less than a dollar a day, I think. And maybe you have a more affordable vendor near you?
posted by mumimor at 1:20 PM on September 12, 2020
Fruit can be component of a multipart meal, like banana on a rice based cereal. Eggs are also underrepresented in the answers so far.
posted by SemiSalt at 6:22 PM on September 12, 2020
posted by SemiSalt at 6:22 PM on September 12, 2020
I have been trying a gluten-free diet the past few months and I pretty much always eat chicken salad or tuna salad for lunch, scooped up in GF crackers. I really like Blue Diamond Artisan Nut Thins Multiseed (sometimes in the regular cracker aisle, sometimes in the GF aisle depending on your grocery store.
I have been experimenting with different chicken salad recipes. I usually make 4 servings at a time which is great for time savings. If I have the time I bake my own chicken breast (marinate in Italian dressing, make sure it's GF or just mix up your own with olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and garlic). If I don't I just use canned chicken and add more seasoning.
Recently I have been adding jarred pesto, mayo, and chopped celery. If I have the time I make Hungry Girl BLT Chicken Salad.
Also I like to make a scramble for lunch on the weekends, no reason it has to be a breakfast or brunch dish! I am obsessed with Applegate Turkey Bacon, or lunchmeat works great, and I usually use up whatever veggies and cheese I have on hand.
posted by radioamy at 10:45 PM on September 12, 2020
I have been experimenting with different chicken salad recipes. I usually make 4 servings at a time which is great for time savings. If I have the time I bake my own chicken breast (marinate in Italian dressing, make sure it's GF or just mix up your own with olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and garlic). If I don't I just use canned chicken and add more seasoning.
Recently I have been adding jarred pesto, mayo, and chopped celery. If I have the time I make Hungry Girl BLT Chicken Salad.
Also I like to make a scramble for lunch on the weekends, no reason it has to be a breakfast or brunch dish! I am obsessed with Applegate Turkey Bacon, or lunchmeat works great, and I usually use up whatever veggies and cheese I have on hand.
posted by radioamy at 10:45 PM on September 12, 2020
Oh another thing I have done (come to think of it, I should make it again soon) is a chicken caprese salad.
- Cold chopped chicken breast (great use for leftovers, or just bake some marinated in Italian dressing at the same time you're baking something similar)
- Cherry tomatoes
- Mozarella cheese (the kind that comes in water, either in a big hunk or already in little balls
- Basil cut into ribbons (chiffonade)
- Dressing made from olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and minced basil
posted by radioamy at 10:55 PM on September 12, 2020
- Cold chopped chicken breast (great use for leftovers, or just bake some marinated in Italian dressing at the same time you're baking something similar)
- Cherry tomatoes
- Mozarella cheese (the kind that comes in water, either in a big hunk or already in little balls
- Basil cut into ribbons (chiffonade)
- Dressing made from olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and minced basil
posted by radioamy at 10:55 PM on September 12, 2020
Corn pasta is way, way better than rice or wheat pasta if you can find it. Less gluey, and it reheats well, too.
posted by Andrhia at 7:57 AM on September 13, 2020
posted by Andrhia at 7:57 AM on September 13, 2020
I can't believe I forgot to mention rye bread sandwiches. Depending on where you are, you may be able to find whole rye bread. Maybe Aldi has it, Amazon has some that I haven't tried. Rye bread is delicious and nutty and very filling. It leaves you with a completely different feeling than any other breads. You fill it with anything you would put into a wheat bread sandwich.
posted by mumimor at 10:29 AM on September 13, 2020
posted by mumimor at 10:29 AM on September 13, 2020
Personally I've found a mixed grain gluten free pasta is better than single grain gf pasta. And generally the Italian gf brands are superior (Rummo is the best I've tried and has the closest texture to wheat pasta) to the domestic ones.
posted by Ashwagandha at 2:31 PM on September 13, 2020
posted by Ashwagandha at 2:31 PM on September 13, 2020
I make a Tortilla Española a lot of Sundays and eat it cold or room temperature throughout the week.
posted by cyndigo at 3:33 PM on September 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by cyndigo at 3:33 PM on September 13, 2020 [1 favorite]
Leftover curry over rice works great for me. Heated up is nice, but I like it just fine cold. I'll usually take a bottle of Trader Joe's simmer sauce (madras curry, Thai yellow curry, whatever), add a bunch of vegetables, add tofu to the Thai or chickpeas to the Indian for some protein, then put a daily serving into a single-serve container with a healthy dollop of (leftover) rice.
posted by kristi at 5:26 PM on September 14, 2020
posted by kristi at 5:26 PM on September 14, 2020
I just happened on a YouTube video of Jaques Pepin making rice cakes.
posted by SemiSalt at 5:54 PM on September 14, 2020
posted by SemiSalt at 5:54 PM on September 14, 2020
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Also poke bowls (seasoned raw fish over rice, kind of like sushi but in a bowl) are amazing, as are sashimi bowls.
Quinoa as a base can make for interesting dishes, you can saute whatever veg you have on hand and add some protein as well for a filling meal.
Snacking plates with cheese, salami or other deli meat, olives, and rice crackers are fun.
posted by ananci at 7:29 PM on September 11, 2020