The Gluten-Free Vegetarian Diet
A vegetarian diet and a gluten free diet can certainly go well together with one caveat. You have to make sure you get enough protein. In other words, you have to eat gluten free foods that make up for the lack of protein due to not eating meat. This is not hard to do if you include protein planning in your gluten fee diet planning.
Gluten free foods high in protein include nuts, milk, cheese, eggs and some gluten free flours such as Garfava. Garfava flour is from garbanzo and fava beans. The key to making sure you get enough protein in your gluten free diet is to include protein in each meal. There are other foods high in protein also including tofu, spinach and broccoli.
The gluten free vegetarian diet may be meat free, but it doesn’t have to be flavor free. There are lots of great recipes on the internet for vegetarian dishes that don’t contain gluten. Don’t forget to take advantage of the flavor spices can add to any dish. Following is a list of ideas you can use to begin your search for interesting recipes.
• Gluten free lentil soup
• Gluten free spaghetti sauce
• Gluten free vegetarian spinach and rice pilaf
• Gluten free veggie burgers
• Gluten free potato pancakes
• Mixed vegetables
• Gluten free sweet potato casserole
• Gluten free egg and vegetable casserole
• Vegetarian cheese, onion and squash casserole
• Egg Foo Yong with shredded vegetables
• Vegetable stew
• Vegetarian chili
• Gluten free pasta salad with vegetables
The gluten free vegetarian diet can be just as interesting and varied as a gluten and meat filled diet. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, gluten free living always requires pre-planning. It’s not a spur-of-the-moment diet. Actually, quick food decisions are not recommended, because that’s where many gluten intolerant’s get into trouble. (There’s no such thing as a “little gluten” that’s okay to eat).
You may have to develop your own vegetarian favorite-foods list over time. It’s important to not get impatient though, because you’re blending two dietary lifestyles. The important things to remember about the combination of gluten free living and vegetarian diets are the following.
• If you’re newly diagnosed as gluten intolerant, let your intestines heal before attempting a balanced vegetarian diet also
• Once you go vegan, make sure you are eating balanced meals supplying essential daily nutrients
You can successfully follow a gluten free diet and a vegetarian diet and be healthier than you have ever been in your life! Don’t forget to let your doctor know you’ve gone vegetarian too. Your doctor can provide invaluable advice about the kinds of foods you should be eating.
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Here are a few more delicious vegetarian recipes to try:
- Quinoa Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
- Quinoa Harvest Casserole
- Quinoa Tahini Salad
- Pepita Pesto & Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta (omit cheese)
- Lasagna & Veggie Roll-Ups
