Sample Menus and Recipes for a Gluten Free Diet Plan
re you intrigued by a gluten free diet plan? Well, Diet Plans Weekly has compiled a two-day sample menu to kick start your weight loss journey. Be sure to refer to the recipes to create healthy, low-calorie dishes. These gluten free diet plans are nutrient-dense, heart healthy, and waist line friendly. While 1,200 calories tends to be the standard intake for weight loss, men and very active women sometimes need more. Therefore, someone on a 1,600 calorie, gluten free diet plan will want to add two more servings of carbohydrates (15 grams of carbohydrates is equivalent to one serving), two more servings of lean protein (7 grams of protein is equivalent to one serving), an extra fruit, and an extra vegetable per day. This can be achieved by simply doubling the amount of chicken at lunch or opting for a whole cup of quinoa.
Vegetarians can easily adapt the sample menus by including tofu and meat alternatives, as long as they contain no wheat. Always remember to read labels to avoid additives that may not be gluten free. In addition, never eat less than 1,200 calories per day as it will bring your metabolism to a standstill. Keeping these tips in mind, those on gluten free diets will find a wealth of ideas for spicing up their current menu.
Day 1 – 1,200 Calories
Breakfast
White millet hot breakfast cereal (See Recipe)
1 cup skim milk or organic reduced-fat soy milk
1 cup, fresh blueberries (sprinkle on cooked millet)
Snack
1 medium orange
Lunch
1 cup of mixed greens, topped with tomatoes, and 2 ounces of grilled boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 tsp vinegar and oil salad dressing
1/3 cup of quinoa, cooked
6 ounces of nonfat vanilla yogurt or soy yogurt (read labels)
Snack
Sliced, raw bell peppers (variety of colors)
Dinner
Singapore Chile crab (see recipe)
¾ cup of cooked teff
½ cup steamed cauliflower
Dessert
1 cup of sliced strawberries
Day 2 – 1,200 calories
Breakfast
Herb frittata (see recipe)
1 slice of gluten-free buckwheat toast
1 cup of skim milk or reduced fat soy milk
Snack
1 cup of melon
Lunch
Bean and wild rice salad (see recipe)
6 ounces of fat-free yogurt or soy yogurt
Snack
1 medium nectarine
Dinner
Pork chops and vegetables (see recipe)
½ cup of steamed broccoli
Dessert
Baked apple slices (topped with dried cranberries, cinnamon, and agave nectar to taste)
Recipes:
Millet Hot Breakfast Cereal (4 Servings)
Ingredients:
1 cup of hulled white millet
1 ½ cups of water
1 tsp of extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt
Directions:
- Roast the millet by placing it in a dry pot. Stir it over high heat until it starts smoking. Continue to stir for one minute more. This provides it with a nutty flavor.
- Rinse the millet and drain. Add 1 ½ cups of water, roasted millet, 1 tsp of oil, and a sprinkle of salt to the pot. Cover and bring to a boil.
- Turn heat down to low and let it simmer for about 10 minutes or until water is gone.
- Remove from heat and let it sit for 10 more minutes.
- Fluff with a fork and serve with blueberries on top. Add a drizzle of agave nectar (optional). Serve
Singapore Chile Crab (4 Servings)
Ingredients:
½ cup of water
¼ cup of ketchup
1 tbsp of tomato paste
1 tbsp of low-sodium, gluten free soy sauce
1 tsp of corn starch
1 tbsp of toasted sesame oil
¼ cup of shallots, minced
2 tbsp of garlic, minced
2 tbsp of red chile, minced
1 ½ tbsp fresh ginger, minced
6 ounces of baby spinach
1 pound of pasteurized crabmeat, drain if necessary
Directions:
- In a medium bowl, whisk the water, soy sauce, ketchup, tomato paste, and cornstarch.
- Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Toss in shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 minute or until softened. Add chile, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add spinach and stir until it is just wilted or approximately 2 minutes.
- Stir in the sauce and crab. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through or about 2 minutes.
Herb Frittata (1 Serving)
Ingredients:
1 cup of onion, diced
¼ cup of water, plus 1 tbsp of water (divided)
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
½ cup of liquid egg substitute
2 tsp of chopped fresh herbs, your choice, or ½ cup dried
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp of reduced-fat ricotta cheese
Directions:
- In a nonstick skillet, bring onion and ¼ cup of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover and cook for about 2 minutes, until the onion is softened. Uncover and continue cooking until the water evaporates, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add oil and stir until coated. Stir frequently and cook until the onion starts to brown, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Pour egg substitute into skillet and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring constantly with a spatula, until the egg starts to set, about 20 seconds.
- Continue cooking and lift edges frequently so that the uncooked egg flows underneath until nearly set, about 20 seconds.
- Turn the heat down to low. Sprinkle herbs, salt, and pepper over the frittata. Spoon the cheese over it. Lift up the egg and pour the remaining 1 tbsp of water under it. Cover and cook until the egg is completely set and cheese is heated, about 2 minutes.
- Slide the frittata out of the skillet with the spatula and serve.
Bean and Wild Rice Salad (6 servings)
Ingredients:
1 cup of wild rice
3 cups of water
2 tsp of cumin seeds or 1 tsp ground cumin
¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup of sherry vinegar
1 tbsp or fresh copped oregano or 1 tsp dried oregano
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
¼ tsp of salt
½ tsp of pepper
2 15-ounce cans of pinto beans, rinsed and drained
8 scallions, trimmed and sliced
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
Directions:
- Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan. Add wild rice. Reduce heat and simmer covered for about 40 to 45 minutes. Kernels should be starting to puff open. Uncover, fluff with a fork, and let simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat, drain any excess liquid, and let sit for 10 minutes. Spread out on a large baking sheet. Allow the rice to cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
- Toast cumin in a small saucepan until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes for seeds and 1 minute for ground cumin. Place it in a blender/food processor and let it sit for a few minutes until cool.
- Once cumin is cool, add olive oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper to blender or processor. Process until garlic is finely chopped.
- Add rice, beans, scallions, and peppers to a large bowl and toss. Add the dressing from the food processor and toss until coated.
Pork Chops and Vegetables (4 servings)
Ingredients:
2 tsp of parsley flakes
½ tsp of dried marjoram leaves
½ tsp of garlic salt
½ tsp dried thyme leaves
¼ tsp of coarse ground pepper
4 pork rib chops, approximately ½ thick (one pound)
6 new potatoes, cut into fourths
1 ½ cups of mushrooms, cut in half
1 medium green bell pepper, sliced
1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
1 medium tomato, cut into 8 wedges
Olive oil flavored non-fat cooking spray
Directions:
- Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 15 ½ by 10 ½ by 1-inch jelly roll pan with cooking spray.
- Spray both sides of pork chops with cooking spray. Mix the parsley, thyme, garlic salt, pepper, and marjoram together in a small bowl. Sprinkle pork chops with 1 ½ tsp of herbs. Place the pork chops in the corners of the pan.
- Combine the potatoes, mushrooms, bell pepper, and onion in a large bowl. Spray vegetables with cooking spray and mix. Sprinkle remaining herbs on top of vegetables. Toss to coat. Spread the vegetables evenly in the center of the pan between the pork chops.
- Bake uncovered for 45 minutes. Turn the pork chops and stir the vegetables. Place tomato wedges over the vegetables. Continue to bake uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes more, or until pork chops are slightly pink when cut near the bone and vegetables are tender.
