The Lunch Menu Plan

I've gotten several emails recently asking what my menu plan is. This is a new one I came up with just two weeks ago. I change it up every year or so, so I don't get sick of stuff. :-p My husband gets these same lunches... but I use regular bread for him. :-p

Week 1

Monday

Pastrami sandwich (Tomato/Cheese/Lettuce) (on Udi's bread or wrapped in lettuce)

Melon

Carrots

Popcorn (I use an air popper and make a whole batch for the week)

Pudding (I make a batch of Jell-O pudding to last the week... much cheaper than the cups!)

Tuesday

Enchiladas (sauce made with sour cream, diced green chiles, salsa if you want - all in food processor)

Peach

Green Peppers

Chips (either bean chips or tortilla chips)

Pudding

Wednesday

Pastrami sandwich (Tomato/Cheese/Lettuce)

Apple

Carrots

Popcorn

Pudding

Thursday

Chicken salad (Tomato/cucumbers/sliced almonds/apples/dried fruit w/ mayo)

Chips

Pudding

Friday

Pastrami sandwich (Tomato/Cheese/Lettuce)

Green peppers

Almonds

Melon

Pudding

Week 2

Monday

Ham & Swiss sandwich (Tomato/Cheese/Lettuce) (on bread or wrapped in lettuce)

Banana

Cucumbers

Popcorn

Brownie (Pamela's or Betty Crocker GF mix)

Tuesday

Black Beans/Rice/Cheese/Salsa

Pear

Red Pepper

Chips

Brownie

Wednesday

Ham & Swiss sandwich (Tomato/Cheese/Lettuce)

Banana

Cucumbers

Popcorn

Brownie

Thursday

Egg salad (Cucumbers, Onion, Dill, Mayo)

Pear

Red Pepper

Chips

Brownie

Friday

Ham & Swiss sandwich (Tomato,Cheese,Lettuce)

Banana

Cucumbers

Popcorn

Brownie

Week 3

Monday

Peanut butter & Nutella sandwich x2 (Udi's bread)

Melon

Broccoli

Popcorn

Marshmallow Cereal Treat (Erewhon brown rice cereal or Fruity/Cocoa pebbles) or Rice Chex Muddy Buddies

Tuesday

Pork Fried Rice (San-J Tamari Wheat-Free soy sauce)

Apple

Carrots

Chips

Marshmallow Cereal Treat

Wednesday

Peanut butter & jelly sandwich x2

Melon

Broccoli

Popcorn

Marshmallow Cereal Treat

Thursday

Egg salad (Cucumbers, Onion)

Apple

Carrots

Chips

Marshmallow Cereal Treat

Friday

Peanut butter & Nutella sandwich

Melon

Broccoli

Popcorn

Marshmallow Cereal Treat

Week 4

Monday

Turkey wrap (Tomato/Cheddar Cheese/Lettuce wrapped in lettuce or warm corn tortilla)

Peach

Cucumbers

Popcorn

Cookies (homemade any flavor, Betty Crocker GF chocolate chip mix, or store-bought Kinnikinnick)

Tuesday

Chicken Wings

Plum

Green Peppers

Chips

Cookies

Wednesday

Turkey wrap (Tomato/Cheddar Cheese/Lettuce wrapped in lettuce or warm corn tortilla)

Peach

Cucumbers

Popcorn

Cookies

Thursday

Spaghetti w/meatballs (Tinkyada pasta... leftovers from dinner)

Plum

Green Peppers

Chips

Cookies

Friday

Turkey wrap (Tomato/Cheddar Cheese/Lettuce wrapped in lettuce or warm corn tortilla)

Peach

Cucumbers

Popcorn

Cookies

*Stay tuned for dinners...

The One with Lots of Protein! Yay!

Breakfast:

• 2 corn tortillas filled with cheese (heated and wrapped up)
• Carnation Instant Breakfast w/ 1% milk

Snack:

• smoothie (strawberries, banana, 2 Tbsp hemp seed, 1/2 cup apple juice)

Lunch:

• ham & cheese sandwich (on Udi's bread)
• carrot
• 1/3 cucumber

Snack:

• apple

Dinner:

• ground Italian sausage over brown rice with green peppers and onions

Before Bed Snack:

• Carnation Instant Breakfast w/ 1% milk
  

The Time I Ate Burritos... Twice.

Breakfast:

• Trader Joe's gluten-free granola (YUM-O! I wish I had a store near me...)
• skim milk

Snack:

• boiled red potatoes with butter

Lunch:

• two hot dogs (Hebrew National)
• steamed fresh green beans
• apple
• chocolate chip cookie (made with Pamela's pancake/baking mix)

Snack:

• three bean & cheese burritos (homemade on corn tortillas)

Dinner:

• three bean & cheese burritos

Dessert:

• chocolate chip cookie
  

The First Time I Had Meatballs.

Yesterday, I ate...


Breakfast:

• bowl of Nutty Rice with skim milk
  

Lunch:

• leftover chicken (from the day before)
  
• leftover rice
  
• frozen grapes (Mmmm....)

Snack:

• french fries (from Mighty Fine, Austin TX)
  

Dinner:

• penne and meatballs w/ parmesan cheese
  
• Romaine salad with ranch dressing
  
• frozen grapes (these never get old...)
  

Dessert:

• bowl of vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce
  

Brands (and places purchased):

• penne pasta - Tinkyada (my grocery store, HEB)
• spaghetti sauce - Classico Traditional Sweet Basil (Target or any grocery store)
• meatballs - homemade
• ranch dressing - Hill Country Fare (HEB brand)
  
• ice cream - Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla (any grocery store in Texas)
• chocolate sauce - Magic Shell Chocolate Fudge (any grocery store)

Note: I asked Jeremy (my super-cute hubby) what he wanted for dinner, and he said he wanted spaghetti and meatballs. Just a *slight* problem. I had never eaten meatballs. I had never even seen them made. I called my mom (the chef), and asked her if we had ever had them for dinner. Her reply? "Not once." LOL.

Then my dad (the other chef) piped in saying he used to make them all the time when they had their restaurant in Vermont (apparently, my mother has completely wiped that year from her memory...), and he gave me some tips.

Meatballs Recipe
-hamburger or sausage meat, raw
-tomato or pasta sauce
-Italian seasonings
-oregano
-minced garlic (no excess oil!)
-GF bread crumbs (I used GF oatmeal! You could also use any GF cereal smashed up.)

-olive oil for cooking

So I don't have any measurements for you. I know I used 1/2 pound of hamburger to make eight meatballs (1.5" size). Probably about 1/4-1/2 cup of pasta sauce and about 1 tsp of everything else. Maybe a tbsp or two of oatmeal/bread crumbs.

Smoosh it all together with your hands. Be sure that it's not too runny. It needs to be kinda firm. So start out by just adding 1/4 cup of pasta sauce. Then add as you see fit. Make the meatballs into little 1/5" balls.

Heat a skillet on low-med heat. On a number scale of 1-10, I had mine set to 2.5. Add a bit of olive oil... just a bit to cover the skillet. Place the meatballs on the skillet and cover. Turn as the sides get cooked. When they're finished, sprinkle a bit of salt on them. :)

Then add them to the sauce. I think it's hard to screw these up. They were pretty easy.

The First Day.

Yesterday, I ate...



Breakfast:

• bowl of Nutty Rice with skim milk
  

Then a bit later in the morning...

• oatmeal with milk and butter
  
• two egg whites fried in butter (not scrambled)

Lunch:

• hot ham & cheese sandwich on French roll
  
• yogurt smoothie
• chocolate bar (two squares)

Dinner:

• rotisserie chicken (pre-cooked)
  
• steamed white rice (stove-top)
  
• corn
  
• frozen grapes

Dessert:

• bowl of vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce
  

Brands (and places purchased):

• Oatmeal - Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Oats (Sun Harvest, my local health food store)
  
• roll - Gillian's French Rolls (Whole Foods)
• yogurt smoothie - Cascade Fresh (Sun Harvest)
• chocolate - Choxie (Target brand)
• chicken - Costco
• ice cream - Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla (any grocery store in Texas)
• chocolate sauce - Magic Shell Chocolate Fudge (any grocery store)
  

The Beginning.

Most people feel lost when they find out they need to eat gluten-free. But it's doable. I've been gluten-free now for over seven years, and sometimes I still think, "Hmm... what do I have to eat today?!"

Sometimes I try to mix it up. But usually I stick to my favorites... tried and true. And I go through phases. (Last year was my "peanut butter with honey... EVERY.SINGLE.DAY." phase. LOL.)

I thought I'd use this blog to record what I eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Maybe it will inspire me to try new foods. Perhaps it will help other people find new favorites. Whatever it will do... I'm excited to start this blog. :)

Stay strong.

*reyanna*