So I said I would post recipes and ideas for a gluten free diet since I know everyone is so pumped about switching over this cold and flu season in order to help keep the viruses at bay (or heal quicker)! (See my other post on gluten and sickness http://adventuresofhealthyeating.blogspot.com/2011/11/words-my-husband-loves-to-hear.html).
Let's start with breakfast. Breakfast was my toughest meal to plan around because we loved our toast and oatmeal. After doing a search on what people eat for breakfast, these results pretty well sum up what the first meal of the day looks like for the average American.
40% of adults usually skip breakfast
Of those who eat breakfast:
31% eat cold cereal
10% eat bagels, toast, muffins or pastries
20% eat eggs
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/PollVault/story?id=762685#.TtbllErm_Yc
First of all, NEVER SKIP BREAKFAST! Skipping breakfast is a great way to mess up your metabolism and thinking power for the rest of the day and is not a healthy choice no matter how much of a rush you are in. For those of us who have children and busy mornings, plan ahead, get a system of recipes in place and if needed, wake up a little bit earlier - it is worth it!
Next, you probably notice that the recipes below are mainly proteins and fats mixed with only vegetables and fruits for carbohydrates. No processed foods! This combination is recommended by real food nutritionists because it energizes your body with the good fats and proteins without spiking your blood sugar levels like wheat carbohydrates. It's important to remember that if you are having a straight fruit, like an apple, to pair it with a healthy fat like some sort of nut butter to keep balanced.
Some gluten free recipes that are yummy and worth sharing are on Dr. Axe's website here:
http://www.draxe.com/recipes/breakfast/
Dr. Axe is a Christian holistic doctor from Tennessee who is a huge advocate of a gluten free diet and offers a plethora of valuable information on his website. I would encourage you to check it out along with the Nutritional Weight and Wellness website at:
http://www.weightandwellness.com/recipes.html
Both have great pod-casts that will teach you more about food then you could ever want to know!
Our favorite morning recipes evolve around free-ranged eggs by far. Our favorite omelet entails fresh roma tomatoes, onions, a little black beans, cheddar cheese and eggs (with yolks). Don't you dare take out the yolk! Many people take out the yolks because they are afraid of the fat or cholesterol but your body needs the healthy fats and cholesterol that free-ranged chicken eggs offer.
Other gluten-free breakfast items are:
Hard-boiled eggs
Plain (full-fat) yogurt with fresh or frozen berries
Plain (full-fat) yogurt with flax seed
Apple with nut butter
Eggs with free-ranged bacon
Breakfast Smoothies (great recipe on Dr. Axe website for this)
Sweet potato
All dairy should preferably be from raw milk products. Here is a link to an informative video as to why:
http://www.draxe.com/video/raw-milk-is-it-good-or-bad/
If you have any other great gluten-free breakfast ideas, please feel free to post them on our Facebook Page - Christian's Striving for Better Nutrition. And don't forget to like us! Enjoy your breakfast!
