Adapting to any new diet is hard work. Adapting to a gluten free diet is very hard work.
As a busy teacher I have found the last 3 three weeks very difficult, I have not been organised, I have spent too much money on poor quality food and I have not been getting the nutrients my body needs.
Enter The Summer Holidays. Six glorious weeks of time for me, myself and I.
Whilst I still need to find time to write a dissertation, re-decorate our spare room and give my vegetable patch some long overdue love I am determined to use some of this time to get organised in the shops and in the kitchen.
Over the next few weeks I intend to document my trials and errors at meal planning, gluten-free shopping and cooking - I'd love to see your attempts or hear your top tips for organising a gluten-free kitchen so please do share away!
Stage 1 - Recipe books & a Meal Planner
I am a creature of habit and find that creating new rituals is always a good way to start anything new. I have an extensive collection of beautiful cookbooks and spent the morning pouring over them with a large cup of tea in hand. I also find Pinterest to be infinitely useful when looking for new ideas - click
here to see my pins or even better make your own account and follow me. Having chosen a few recipes I jotted them down onto this lovely sunny
meal planning pad from Knock Knock which comes with a large strong magnet on the back ready to go straight onto the fridge. I then consulted the recipes and jotted down any ingredients I didn't already have.
This week I have planned for four main meals and a range breakfasts and lunches - we have a busy weekend ahead and I'm not yet sure what/when/where we will be eating.
Tuesday: Roast Chicken Pho from Nigel Slater's Eat
Wednesday: Aubergine Curry from Nigel Slater's Eat
Thursday: Courgetti & Lime and Coriander chicken
Friday: Autumn Harvest Wild Mushroom Risotto
For breakfasts: Fruit salad, Smoothies, Homemade Granola and Avocado Toasts
For lunches: Baked Sweet Potato with feta cheese and beetroot, Vietnamese Rice Rolls, Roast Balsamic Veg with Quinoa.
All naturally gluten-free, nutritious foods which should leave us both feeling energised and ready for
Tramlines this weekend!
Step 2 - Shop
I then popped over to the supermarket to pick up the items I would need. I usually prefer to head to a local farmer's market for produce but after a weekend in bed due to excruciating joint pain I missed the boat and headed to Sainsbury's instead.
TOP TIP: If you're like me and can't go to the supermarket without buying things you don't need ditch the car and go on foot. I took two large bags-for-life and didn't allow myself to stray from my shopping list - I knew I had to carry everything I had bought on the two mile walk back to my house so didn't pack my bags with any unnecessary items.
One of the complaints I hear a lot from people adapting to a gluten free lifestyle for the first time is the cost of the food - my advice is to steer clear of the 'Free From' isle and head to the fresh produce instead. I purchased everything below for less than £40.
Step 3 - Cook
The hard work is done! I now know what I am going to eat and when. The food is ready and waiting in the fridge and all I need to do is check my meal planner and pull out the correct recipe.
Whilst cooking from a recipe every night may seem over the top my aim is to try as many new things as I can reviewing and adapting as I go, then, come September I will have refreshed my repertoire and will be ready to start the new term with a few more gluten-free dishes at my fingertips.
I hope to review as many of the above as I can over the coming week and will feedback on what worked (and what didn't).
Do you have any go-to gluten free dishes that always find their way into your kitchen and onto your plate? I'd love to know about them!
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