You Don't Have to Live in the Kitchen

Time for more questions!  There is such a wealth of information out there that I have a hard time deciding what to post on.  If you have any specific questions or topics, please let me know.  I’m going to post on some of the alternative GF grains soon.

Eat 6 meals a day without living in the kitchen

First of all, right now I only have two people to take care of, which equals more time to work in the kitchen.  Since living GF requires making most everything, I will have to learn to do this even as our family eventually grows.  Thus, I am trying to learn time saving tips now.  Here are a few ways I do this, and please realize, that this will be different for everyone.

1.  Seasonal Menu:  I have a rotating, yearlong seasonal menu that I use to give me ideas.  I don’t always follow it, but it’s nice to have something to refer to that I know we like.  I shop for two weeks when I grocery shop, and I usually figure out what I have on hand to work with, and after that, refer to my menu or the internet for ideas (or whatever we’re in the mood for).  I check my coupons and sales flyers to help me as well.  This has been harder since going GF and I know I’m spending more now than I used to do. I also have a seasonal produce guide, specific for my state, and a menu cheat sheet that helps me in planning lunch, breakfast, and dinner.  I have to pack breakfast and lunch for Brian, so I enjoy having ideas to work from.  I’m still learning. J

2.  Keep it simple.  I try to make simple meals that have incredible flavors.  It’s not about using complicated techniques; it’s about making the ordinary extraordinary by using great ingredients.

3.  Once a month I have a baking day: muffins, rolls, bread, bagels, etc.  I partially bake them, freeze them, and then pull them out when I need them.  Quick, easy, and tasty.  I wish I had more freezer space, though…

4.  I make breakfast and lunch the night before.  Brian and I often do this together.  I make a “green smoothie” (whatever I have on hand—frozen fruit, yogurt, juice, kale, flax seed, protein powder, etc).  I make enough for the both of us to sip on all day.  It qualifies as our fruit serving for the day, as well as giving us protein.  We love it and feel great!

5.  Lunch is typically leftovers and a salad.  I hard-boil eggs every Saturday to use as snacks and on my salad.  I also like to put veggies, raisins, nuts, feta cheese, avocado, or sardines/tuna on our salads.  It’s really simple—and, I can make all this up the week before and just scoop some out every day.

6.  Also on Saturday I make our “nut containers.”  I have a trail mix or granola and a bunch of little containers.  I put a small portion of trail mix or granola in each container and voila! Easy snack!  Yogurt, rice cakes, cheese and crackers, and popcorn make great snacks.  I try to do a bit of protein, whole grains, and veggies.  I also make a weekly dip on Saturdays (hummus, black bean, etc) and cut up veggies.  These are divided in a bag for each of us, and again, another easy, cheap snack.  Most of my small meals a day are actually things I prepare every Saturday (full of protein, fiber, and nutrients).  I don’t spend much time in the kitchen at all, minus the effort required to make dinner.  I also try to make all my meals ahead of time for the weekend when Brian is home (and I’d rather just spend the time with him).

These are just a few of the ways I keep it easy, fast, and tasty.  I’ve made all kind of charts and cheat sheets for myself to help keep me organized.  Yup, it’s crazy, but I’m a big planner, and I have the time for it now.  Brian encouraged me to do all this now while I have time to do so, in the hopes that it will save me time later.

It’s now been almost a month since I’ve gone completely GF.  And I feel AMAZING!  I don’t think I’ve ever felt so good before!  Raw foods are super!  No more headaches, huge amounts of energy, no more intense pain, the ability to enjoy a meal without becoming sick or losing it, no more skin rashes or congestion, among other things.  I do long for certain things occasionally….like…donuts, French fries, a 5 Guys Hamburger,  fig Newtons, and a host of other crazy foods that in reality, I rarely ever consumed anyway.

Smiles!