Irresistibly Gluten Free Cookbook

People often ask how I cook for 4 celiacs, and 4 non-celiacs! When I explain my meal plan system they want in on the action. So here is an example menu for a week for 4 celiacs.

I have chosen more simple meals, especially designed for those who may be new to the diet or who don’t cook a lot, but now find it necessary in order to eat gluten free. And if you have non-celiacs in the house you can plan to feed them the same meals. I buy wheat bread, wheat cereals, wheat pasta etc for the wheat-eaters at my home, but they eat the same meals otherwise. The amounts I have used here in the meal plan and grocery list are for 4 gluten free eaters for the week.

These meals can also be made casein free (milk free) by following the milk-free directions to each recipe in Irresistibly Gluten Free, and by omitting cheese, sour cream etc. (See “Need a milk free Soup Mix?” post to make the cream soup mix casein free to use in dinners #6 and #7.)

I personally don’t like to assign each day a meal, it just feels too restrictive! So I simply make a list of meals and shop for everything I need, then I eat them as I want during the week.

I start my week by making my own gf mixes (read “Mixing Up Savings” post and click on “labels” for more info.) You will want to start by making a medium batch of UNflour and a small batch of Cream Soup Mix from Irresistibly Gluten Free.

I find baking multiple things on one day and freezing them until I  need them is helpful too. The baked goods from Irresistibly Gluten Free freeze well, and can be thawed and softened in the microwave when ready to serve.

So here are seven breakfasts, seven lunches, seven dinners, a couple snacks, and the shopping list you will need to be ready.

Click here to download a printable PDF of this one-week meal plan.

Week Meal Plan

Breakfast

1. Pancakes (page 30 of Irresistibly Gluten Free), scrambled eggs.
2. Rice Chex or Corn Chex cereal, fruit of your choice.
3. Hash browns and sausage, yogurt.
4. Banana muffins (page 26 of Irresistibly Gluten Free), eggs and juice.
5. Breakfast tacos (white corn tortilla filled with eggs, bacon or sausage and cheese plus left over toppings from dinner #1.)
6. Cream of Rice hot cereal with honey and milk (or Mighty Tasty cereal from Bob’s Red Mill.)
7. Crepes (page 32 Irresistibly Gluten Free) filled with yogurt and fruit.

Lunch

1. Baked Potato Bar (bake potatoes and top with whatever is in the fridge; cheese, taco meat, tomatoes, sour cream etc.)
2. Taco Salad (left over taco meat, lettuce and tomatoes etc from dinner #1, cheese, crushed corn chips and ranch dressing.)
3. Sandwiches, fruit and chips. (see Bread recipe page 16 Irresistibly Gluten Free, make 1 loaf bread and 1 batch hamburger buns to use with dinner #3)
4. Macaroni and Cheese (page 38 Irresistibly Gluten Free)
5. Pizza (page 22 Irresistibly Gluten Free) and side salad. For a quick lunch, make the crusts ahead and freeze, then top and bake when ready.
6. Progresso gluten free soup of your choice, quesadilla (melt cheese between 2 white corn tortillas.)
7. Tuna fish on rice cakes, carrot sticks and apple slices. (Mix drained tuna with mayo and put on top of rice cake or mini rice  cakes. You can also top it with tomato and cucumber slices if desired.)

Dinner

1. Tacos : White corn tortillas filled with a portion of 2 lbs ground beef cooked, drained and seasoned, chopped lettuce, tomatoes, (chop extra to be used for lunches #1 and #2 and breakfast #5) grated cheese, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and salsa to taste. Be sure to warm tortillas first to soften them.
2. Spaghetti and garlic bread: Cook noodles according to directions on package. Warm spaghetti sauce with cooked ground  beef, top with Parmesan or grated cheese to taste. Using the left over bread from lunch #3, top with butter and garlic salt and toast in oven on broil for 2-5 minutes or until golden brown on top.)
3. Sloppy Joe’s (page 58 Irresistibly Gluten Free) and carrot and celery sticks with ranch. Use the hamburger buns made while  making bread for lunch # 3 or make rice for “Sloppy Chan”.
4. Orange Chicken (page 44 Irresistibly Gluten Free) with rice, and steamed veggies of your choice.
5. Stagg gluten free chili and corn bread (page 24 Irresistibly Gluten Free)
6. Hawaiian Haystacks (page 50 Irresistibly Gluten Free)
7. Chicken Casserole (page 46 Irresistibly Gluten Free), steamed broccoli and carrots.

Treats and Snacks

1. Brownies (page 64 Irresistibly Gluten Free)
2. Microwave popcorn (check label for gf)
3. Sugar Cookies (page 62 Irresistibly Gluten Free)

Tips

• Cook all 6 lbs. ground beef at one time and reserve 1/3 to use with each dinner #1 and #2 and #3. Do the same with 4 chicken breasts if you are not using canned chicken for dinners #6 and #7.)
• If you will not be eating the bread and hamburger buns fresh, slice them first then freeze to save for later use. But they are better the day they are made, so you may want to do lunch #3 and dinner #3 on the day you make the bread and buns.
• Most grocery stores will carry everything on the grocery list. If you can’t find something try asking for help, often some of these items are put in strange places. If they don’t carry an item in the grocery store try a health food store and they will have it.
• Be sure to save the cans from the chicken to use for making hamburger buns!

Grocery List (Simply mark off any of these items you already have on hand.)

Irresistibly Gluten Free: Simple Family Favorite Recipes cookbook (available at Amazon.com, or ask for it at your local book store and they can order it for you if they don’t already carry it.)

Brown or white rice flour (about 48 oz or 6 cups)

Corn starch (about 56 oz or 7 cups)

Tapioca flour (32 oz or 4 cups)

Xanthan Gum (you will be using about 6 teaspoons for the week)

Chicken bouillon powder (such as Knorr brand) 1\4 cup

Instant dry milk (powdered milk) (you will be using about 32 oz or 4 cups)

Black pepper

Thyme

Tarragon

2 packets instant dry yeast

Sugar (about 4 cups)

Brown sugar (less than 1 cup)

Vanilla (check for gf)

Baking powder

Salt

Baking soda

Cocoa

Pillsbury strawberry frosting (gluten and milk free)

Corn meal (1 cup)

Applesauce (1 cup)

Canola or vegetable oil

Flaked coconut

1 package chocolate chips (check for gf)

Worchestershire sauce (check for gf)

Ketchup (1 cup)

Apple cider vinegar

Dried onion flakes (or fresh onion chopped)

Soy sauce (check for gf, like LaChoy)

Dijon mustard

Cream of Rice hot cereal (or gf multi grain hot cereal if available)

Honey

Ranch dressing (check for gf, most are)

GF Spaghetti noodles (like Tinkya’da brand)

GF macaroni elbows (like Tinkya’da brand)

Boxed wheat mac and cheese to use the cheese packet only (check label on cheese packet for gf)

2 cans White Albacore Tuna

Mayo or salad dressing

Rice cakes or mini rice cakes of your choice.

2 cans Progresso Soup gf flavor of your choice

2 cans Stagg Chili gf flavor of your choice

2 jars or cans spaghetti sauce (one for pizza, check for gf)

1 can pineapple tidbits

1 can mandarin oranges

Parmesean cheese

2 cans (12.5 oz) chicken

6 lbs ground beef or ground turkey (2 lbs each for 3 meals)

4 chicken breasts (or 8 if not using canned chicken)

2 lbs ground sausage

1 package Sausage links or patties

1 package pepperoni (check for gf)

1 package lunch meat of choice (check for gf)

1 package frozen hash browns (check for gf)

1 package frozen peas

1 can frozen orange juice concentrate

1 bag corn chips (check for gf)

Microwavable popcorn (check for gluten free)

1 box Chex gf cereal of your choice

1 package White Corn tortillas

1 package rice, brown or white (you will be using about 6 cups uncooked) I recommend Basmati Brown Rice

4 lbs cheese or grated cheese (I prefer the cheddar and mozzarella mixed)

2 doz eggs (1 dozen for recipes and one for scrambling etc)

One 32 oz container of yogurt of your choice, or 6-8 individual flavors

1 24 oz container sour cream

1 lb butter (or butter substitute like Nucoa margarine)

1 gallon milk (or milk substitute like rice or soy milk)

Fruit of your choice (at least 1 banana for muffins) apples, oranges, grapes and/or strawberries etc

Carrots

Broccoli

Celery

Tomatoes

Potatoes (at least 4 baking potatoes)

Cucumbers if desired

2 heads or bunches lettuce or baby spinach

1 onion (if desired on tacos or salad, and if not using dried onion flakes)

Cilantro

Avocado

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