Gluten-Free, Carb-Friendly Menus & Snacks

Gluten-Free, Carb-Friendly Menus & Snacks
By Lara Rondinelli RD, LDN, CDE

Eating gluten-free for celiac disease and low-carb for diabetes can be challenging to say the least. Here are some great ideas to make this devilish duo more manageable.

Low-Carb, Gluten-Free Menu Ideas
(30 grams of carbs or less per meal)

Breakfast
•    Egg and spinach omelet, 1 slice ham, 1 cup strawberries
•    1/4 cup (dry) buckwheat cereal with 1 tablespoon walnuts
•    ½ cup gluten-free vanilla yogurt, 1 cup blueberries, 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
•    2 gluten-free waffles, 2 teaspoons sugar-free jelly, 1 slice ham


Lunch
•    Green salad made with chicken breast; ½ cup strawberries; 2 tablespoons toasted almonds, gluten-free salad dressing; 10 gluten-free crackers
•    Gluten-free wrap (such as LaTortilla Factory™) made with turkey, cheddar cheese, and 2 tablespoons avocado; side salad with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds, and gluten-free dressing
•    Tuna or chicken salad made with mayonnaise (gluten-free); 10 Mary Gone Crackers (see below); 1 small apple
•    1 cup homemade chicken tortilla soup; side salad with gluten-free dressing


Dinner
•    Turkey burger (with lettuce wrap instead of bun); 1 small baked sweet potato with 2 teaspoons trans-fat free margarine; 1 cup green beans with slivered almonds
•    Pork tenderloin, 2/3 cup cooked quinoa, 1 cup roasted vegetables (eggplant, zucchini, peppers)
•    Citrus Salmon, grilled asparagus, ½ cup brown rice with mushrooms
•    1½  cups turkey chili; large salad with romaine lettuce, veggies, and gluten-free dressing


Gluten-free products have really come a long way — nowadays, you can easily find delicious snacks and treats that are full of flavor to fit into your gluten-free menu every day. But sometimes they are also packed with carbohydrates and unhealthy fats. Below are some healthy, gluten-free snacks that are widely available.

•    Mary’s Gone Crackers®* These crackers are made from organic quinoa, flax seeds, sesame seeds, and brown rice. They are crispy crackers, full of flavor and a nice alternative to plain rice crackers. They taste great with a little peanut butter, hummus, or cheese. They come in 5 flavors, and 13 crackers contain 140 calories, 21 grams of carbohydrate, 3 grams of fiber, 1/2 gram of saturated fat, and an added bonus of 450 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids.
•    PureFit™**nutrition bars are packed full of protein, but without sugar alcohols or saturated fat. They advertise themselves as high protein, no gluten or dairy, and low glycemic. The bars are better tasting than most gluten-free nutrition bars and work well when you are on the go. Since many people with celiac disease always carry food with them, these bars can make a quick snack (half a bar would be snack-size) or mini-meal to throw in your bag — and they don’t melt! They come in a variety of flavors including almond crunch, peanut butter crunch, chocolate brownie, and berry almond crunch. One PureFit™ bar contains 230 calories, 25 grams of carbohydrate, 18 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, and 1 gram of saturated fat.
•    KIND Fruit and Nut Bars*** are gluten-free, low-glycemic-index bars. They are made from walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, sesame seeds, and fruit. They come in flavors such as Sesame and Peanut with Chocolate (my personal favorite), Almond and Apricot, Nut Delight, Almond and Coconut, and others. Make sure to check the label when purchasing, as not all flavors of the bars are gluten-free. They offer a natural sweetness without tasting fake and can really fill you up.  Nutritional content varies per bar, but one apricot almond bar contains 170 calories, 5 grams of saturated fat, 16 grams of carbohydrate and 5 grams of fiber. 

* Mary’s Gone Crackers® are made in a wheat-free, gluten-free facility.
** PureFit™ states nutrition bars contain less than 5-ppm gluten.
***Kind Nutrition and Fruit Bars test products for gluten and state gluten-free bars contain less than 10-ppm gluten.

Resources
1.    www.marysgonecrackers.com
2.    www.purefit.com
3.    http://kindsnacks.com
4.    www.bobsredmill.com
5.    www.latortillafactory.com