Menu Plan for the Week of April 30, 2012

Only four days to plan for this week as the husband and I are headed out of town this weekend to celebrate our anniversary.

I have really got to get proactive on the menu planning stuff. I plan meals, I just have lost my way as far as planning for more than one day at a time. There was a time I would plan and go shopping for two weeks at a time--with two young children and my pregnant self. Sometimes my neighbor would join me with her two young children. We lived about 45 minutes from the nearest grocery store. You should have seen the mini van loaded down with four kids, ice chests and food for two families for two weeks. Wow! Can't believe we did that.

*I will make the necessary changes to make these recipes gluten free.  We are pretty much loving this change in our diet.

Most of these recipes are linked although for some reason my blog won't display them as such.  Just mouse over to see if there are links.
 
Monday

Breakfast: Coconut Flour Banana Muffins 
Lunch: Waffle Iron Hash Browns with Spinach & Fried Eggs
Dinner: Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas  

Tuesday
Breakfast: Pumpkin Muffins 
Lunch: Tuna Casserole and Peas
Dinner: Sweet & Sour Chicken and Asian Slaw  

Wednesday
Breakfast: Refrigerator Oatmeal 
Lunch: Black Bean Salsa & Corn Chips
Dinner: Chipotle Chicken  

Thursday
Breakfast: Pancakes
Lunch: Alfredo and Mixed Veggies
Dinner: Taco Corn Fritters & ???  

Friday
Breakfast: Pancakes & maybe Mini Quiches

The one where . . . we decide to try gluten free

It has come to my attention that for various reasons my husband and I should venture into the land of gluten free. I also think that it may be beneficial for my oldest and youngest children, and that it may not even be a bad idea for my middle child. Consequently, I am deep in research mode on this front. I have been making more gluten free choices and two weeks ago, my husband said that he actually wants to give it a try. That makes it easier for me, so the research mode has been amped up.

In my dilemma over making this decision, I wrote the following e-mail to a friend who lives gluten free:

The idea of just taking baby steps until it is accomplished seems more reasonable now than just going cold turkey. I have made dietary adjustments before, so I know it is possible; there is just a bit of mourning that goes along with it. With everything else I was able to have a conversation with myself. "It is not like you will never have chocolate ever again. You can do this and enjoy the times when you can have the treat." But bread? It is the staff of life. No, it turns out. Not so much.

I think one of my biggest mental blocks is the idea that there will be times when I will ingest gluten, albeit unintentionally (or intentionally at times--I am still human and I cannot comprehend that I will absolutely NEVER give in to temptation), and it makes me wonder if it will all be for naught. Will an occasional slip-up completely negate all the hard work of avoiding gluten?

For years I have been a creature of moderation in eating. There are certain things that we have totally said, "No," to, but those are things that, while not always easy to avoid, have been very doable. But the idea of staying away from those vegetables and fruits that are known to be heavily sprayed while still eating some conventional has been a simple switch. The idea that all the good could be undone with only one bite is where I am stuck. Add to all that the fact that a high-fiber diet is how I have been living for so long and now I have to change is daunting. And it is not as though I eat with no thought or concern. I put a lot of careful attention into our/my diet.

So here we go, on a gluten-free adventure. I am excited, overwhelmed and frustrated. However, it is a journey and I am looking forward to traversing the terrain.