I never classified what kind of diet habits I have until I met my friend who needs to be on a Gluten-Free diet. There was never any inconvenience when we prepared the food together or went out to eat until one day we had a cook out with a lot of other mutual friends. I noticed that he needed special diet care on that occasion. “Gluten-Free diet” was a new phrase for me. In the beginning I thought it had something to do with weight control however after some research I learned that it’s actually a diet habit for Celiac disease, dermatitis herpetiformis or to avoid wheat allergy.
I surprisingly found that my diet is close to a Gluten-Free diet. As a gourmet lover, my diet is never boring or unpleasant. Here are some food preparation tips and simple recipes for daily food preparation. It might be helpful to inspire some people who are new to the Gluten-Free diet or spice up the menu.
Here’s a no-no list for a Gluten free diet: all food and drinks containing: Barley (malt, malt flavoring and malt vinegar are usually made from barley), rye, Triticale (a cross between wheat and rye) and wheat. Most of the food ingredients should be from beans, seeds, nuts in their natural, unprocessed form fresh eggs, fresh meats, fish and poultry (not breaded, batter-coated or marinated), fruits and vegetables, also most dairy products.
Recipes:
Entrée: Sesame Tofu (6 serving)
This is a great cold entrée for summer. It almost costs nothing to prepare but it’s super nutritious and delicious.
Ingredients: firm Tofu, black/white Sesame, sesame oil, sugar, soy sauce
Cut a box of firm tofu to cubes with ½ inch each side. Throw in a spoonful amount of sesame, sesame oil, sugar and another spoon of soy sauce. Stir well and rest the dish in the fridge before serving.
Dessert: Yogurt Mousse
This is also an easy healthy Gluten-free dish. You can prepare a lot and store them in the fridge.
Ingredient: 0 fat yogurt (1 cup), extract lemon juice, Chia seeds (1/5 cup).
For a cup of yogurt, put in 1/5 cup of Chia seeds. Small amount of extract lemon juice to give more flavor. Stir all ingredients well and let it sit for 20 minutes before serving. If you got extra left they can be stored in the fridge to be enjoyed later.
As for main dish I always go for steaks or ribs. Grilled meat is also cheerful for my appetite. I am sure there’s less restriction when it comes to meat. And I think that’s why my special diet need friend found it’s easy to eat the food in my house.
Being healthy and being gluten free doesn’t mean eating disgusting or unpleasant food. Be gluten free, be healthy and be yummy!
Reference link: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gluten-free-diet/my01140
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluten-free_diet