Gluten Freedom: November 2009

Back To School!!!

Ok, so it’s the love hate “back to school” time of year. We love it because we get to go to the bathroom without anyone knocking at the door wanting something that only YOU can do, but we also hate the idea of having to come up with something creative on a daily basis for your child’s lunchbox…which for you newbies is fun…for a while.

If you’re smart, and they’re old enough of course, you will designate an area of your fridge that will hold all of your “pre-approved” lunch “choices” and you will let your child make his/her own lunch, with the goal of course of eliminating yet another thing you are no good at, and handing the responsibility back to them.

However, if your child isn’t old enough and you are relegated to chief cook and lunch maker, let’s look at the gluten free options!

Believe it or not there exists new bread I have discovered, and one that Mana should have in the store by now called Udi’s. Udi’s bread is a godsend!!! I defy anyone to note a difference between Udi’s and any other decent sandwich bread. So….lunch.

Entrees:

SANDWICH!!!!!

*Udi’s bread (Finally one that doesn’t crumble in your hands at first bite!)

*ANYTHING YOU WANT TO PUT BETWEEN DA SLICES!!!

*Left over anything you made for dinner that they liked, placed in a BFA-free reusable container

Ok, so the rest……

(GF sides for lunches)

*Sliced Fruit

Can add for scoopage:

*Almond Butter

*Dips (Read labels)

*Lemon

*Chips (check labels carefully) Safe Chips are:

*Eden Brown Rice Chips

*Mary’s Gone Crackers Sticks & Twigs

*Garden Of Eatin Plain Corn Chips

*You get the picture, but READ labels!

*Veggies

Can add for scoopage:

*Dips (Read labels)

* Hummus

*Lemon

*Roasted Nuts

These are really easy to make! Simply heat your oven to 300-325 (depending on your

Maui oven). Place nuts on cookie sheet, either on aluminum or a silpat, and put in

oven for about 8-10 minutes or until you just start to smell the nuts.

*For Almonds…simply add the almonds and bake

*For Pumpkin Seeds…you have a couple of choices. Personally I love them with

a bite, but if your child doesn’t, just put them on the cookie sheet, add about 1-2

teaspoons of olive oil per pound (453 gm), add Himalayan sea salt (or sea plain

salt) and mix, then bake as above. If you like a bite, add cayenne pepper to taste

when you add salt.

Snacks are easy….Mana is full of gluten free choices for snacks, but while you can, because this won’t last long, have your child learn to enjoy the naturally sweet snacks of the abundant and local Mana fruits we have on our beautiful island home!!!