gluten-free Cooking For One?

[libbyann]

Does anyone have any hints for cooking for one busy person? I'm a single mom, working and going to school, and of course there's just no time. I've learned to cut a lot of recipes down to one serving, but then I have to cook every time I'm hungry. I can make regular recipes, but my freezer's pretty small and there's not much storage space.

One thing I'm looking for is gluten-free snacks. Sometimes I come in from work starving, and I wish I could find something to munch on. The stuff I make doesn't have preservatives and doesn't keep very well. Crackers go mushy or stale too fast. Potato chips are just too salty for me to eat very often. Meat, veggies, fruits, milk - those are all easy for me. But I have trouble getting enough grains in my diet unless I get in the kitchen and cook.

Libby

[confusedks]

Hello,

I noticed you said you're a single mom. You can make your meals for you and your child gluten free. For example, if you make chicken veggies and rice...you child can eat all of it and you can have it too, so you won't have to make seperate meals. We do that around here for dinner and it makes things easier. For snacks you could have:

turkey lunch meat, tomato and avocado with rice cakes or corn thins*

trail mix

yogurt* with gluten-free granola (Trader Joe's now carries it...depending on where you live)

quinoa flakes for breakfast with banana and cinnamon or whatever you want to add (it's like oatmeal)

Lara Bars or Think Thin bars* (protein bars)

carrots and some gluten-free ranch dressing*

smoothie (any frozen fruit with soy milk, and flaxseed oil)

hummus with red, yellow or orange bell peppers (my personal setting)

*contain dairy, if it's a problem for you, ignore these ideas

I'm sure people will suggest more ideas. Do you cook quinoa? It doesn't take very long and if you use chicken broth instead of water, it tastes good (otherwise I won't eat it...lol)

Kassandra

[mtraezme]

Do you have a rice cooker or a crockpot? Those would make it easy to make something without a lot of effort.

[Lisa]

Hi Lilbby:

You have some great suggestions already.

I usually keep some cooked (with HerbOx chicken bouillon) brown rice in my refridge and its great to have with an egg in the morning. Sliced carrots dipped in peanut butter is a great snack. Lately, I have been on a kick with rice crackers and Kraft singles and Yoplait Yogurt.

On the weekend you can bake a chicken and stretch it out with....chicken fajitas, stuffed potato with chicken, chicken omelette, salad with chicken or soup.

[kevsmom]

I have a perfect 15 minute meal.

1 box of Purdue Shortcuts (Says right on the package Gluten-Free)!!!!!!!! - microwaved

1 10 minute bag of rice (Success or whatever) - boiled in water

1 Pkg of frozen veggies - microwaved

I usually put garlic salt or gluten-free bullion powder on the rice. Sometimes I stir some cashews in.

It would be a good meal for your child(ren) and yourself, or you could split it up and have a few of meals from it. The leftovers are only a 5 minute meal,

[NewGFMom]

Here's the easiest thing I make.

I take a gordita (thick corn tortilla) put on some spaghetti sauce from a jar and a slice of muenster cheese (shredded would work for this too.) I put it in the toaster oven at 400 until the cheese melts, and I have a mini pizza. Easy, fast and very yummy.