Cooking for 1..Gluten free-Need suggestions to motivate

I am new to this site and hope I can get some good ideas on an issue I've had and noticed a lot more now that I am trying to eat better.

I live alone and have dietary restrictions, I have to have Gluten free meals. I've been dealing with the gluten free pretty well since diagnosed with the issue about a year and a half ago. I seldom eat out, especially fast food.

My dilemma is that it is VERY hard for me to motivate myself to cook for 1 person, when I decide to cook ahead it's usually a situation where I end up with a lot of whatever I make, i.e. soups in crockpot, roasts..etc. I've gotten better but it is an issue that is bugging me due to ending up eating a lot of same things day in and day out and I do tend to lean more on specialty, packaged foods just for convenience. There's lots of decent gluten free stuff out these days but it's pricey!

I also work a schedule where when I get home in the evening I'm usually very tired and it's not a time of day that I want to start an involved meal. So, I eat whatever is quick and handy. My goal is to make more appetizing things that are quick and easy so I will eat better and stay on track with my weight goals.

Any suggestions welcome! Also happy to make some new support friends here, feel free to send request if you like.

Replies

  • I'm GF as well, and I know what you mean! I'd say continue to do what you're doing, but tweak it a bit - try to make your big batches more often, and freeze single servings (with labels!) so you've got quick and easy meals in the freezer to bring out when you have long days, and there's more variety than just one big vat of soup in the fridge.

    When I'm organised, I'll do a curry, a pasta dish and maybe a big salad on the weekend, so there's a few days' worth of stuff in the fridge/freezer for fast meals.
    Good luck! :)
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    I'm gluten-free, dairy-free, and have a few other intolerances. It can be quite difficult to figure out how to eat well, I'll admit there are times I don't want to eat because it does seem like a hassle. I am married but it's easier to make my husband's meals than my own. I eat a lot of chicken and rice. I have a rice cooker which is a great thing when you're tired. Just toss in the rice and gluten-free chicken broth and you've got tasty rice in less than 10 minutes. If you don't have a slow cooker or crockpot, get one and find some good GF meals online. Toss the stuff in there in the morning, and when you get home, supper's done! There are also some great new GF pastas I've noticed - Ronzoni's got some good ones.
  • Jesea
    Jesea Posts: 376 Member
    When I cook for my family, I always cook a little extra and freeze the leftovers in single-serve containers. I'm a substitute teacher, so I don't always know ahead of time that I'll need a lunch. It's very easy to throw a frozen meal in my lunch box and go. The the above poster is right, be sure to label everything, unless you like surprises!

    When I cook a lasagne or other casserole-type dish, I'll make 2, one to eat for dinner (with one extra portion to freeze for my lunch) and one to freeze for another time. Meatloaf and some soups freeze well, too.

    Cooking for one can be fun, even if you have to be a little creative. Egg dishes are great for a quick evening meal, too. You can add different veggies, spices, and cheeses to make them taste differently every day.
  • caranais
    caranais Posts: 101 Member
    I cook for one, and I try to batch cook, but split it. If I have 8 chicken breasts, I'll cook them all, then have one say for dinner with veg and potatoes, one to chop with salad for lunch next day, make up some curry sauce with 2, enchilada sauce with 2, and maybe a white sauce for 2. (add whatever herbs and spices and veggies you like, and freeze separately. I also cook a large batch of stewing beef or pork, and onions with stock, and split into curry (I like spicy food), peppered beef, beef stew, casserole etc. It's then easy to cook some fresh or frozen veg, pasta, rice or potato after work to go with the main meal I've taken out of the freezer. It's also a lot cheaper to buy the larger packs of meat, or whatever is on offer. I've found mashed potato can be successfully frozen and heated quickly if you open freeze spoonfulls and then put into a freezer bag and use however much you need at a time. I freeze gravy and stocks in ziplock bags and make soups etc when I've veggies that need to be used up. I hope this helps a bit.
  • Jill_with_a_G
    Jill_with_a_G Posts: 58 Member
    Both are GF.

    Both make several servings but the corn recipe freezes well. Just cut into portions prior to freezing.

    The poblanos are great to freeze as well. Just freeze one or two halves per bag for an easy reheat and eat.


    Maize Corn Chili

    Pre-set oven to 350 degrees

    Spray baking casserole with Pam, or you can use a little of olive oil to prevent from sticking.

    2 eggs well beaten
    2 cans Cream Style Corn
    1/3 cup oil
    1/2 cup Corn Meal ( I used ¾ cup Bob Red Mill GF Corn Bread Mix)
    1 Tsp. baking powder
    1/2 Tsp. garlic powder
    1 Tsp. salt
    1 - 7oz can diced green chilies (remove water)
    ½ to ¾ of 4oz can diced jalapeno peppers – strained (remove water)
    1 ½ cup grated cheddar cheese

    Whisk Eggs. Mix all of the rest of the wet ingredients in a large bowl (eggs, corn, oil, chilies, jalapeno peppers). Now mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl (corn meal, baking powder, garlic powder, salt) … mix well to make sure dry ingredients are blended. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and blend with cheese.

    Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes. Feel the texture in the center, it should be firm, if not fully firm watch it till it is firm.

    Optional - Add extra cheese to top till melted and serve, or re-heat casserole and add cheese to top for last 1 minute of heating.

    Stuffed Peppers

    Stuffing

    4 big fresh Poblano peppers (try to get straight ones – they’re easier to stuff)
    1 lb very lean ground beef
    1 1/2 cups cooked white rice
    1 or 2 eggs (depending on size)
    1/2 cup chopped roasted, skinned, and seeded green chile. Save 3 tbsp for the sauce! (canned chile will do, in a jar or frozen better, but freshly roasted is always best)
    3/4 cup diced sweet yellow onion – again…save 3 tbsp for the sauce!
    3 cloves garlic, 2 for the stuffing, 1 extra for the sauce
    1 tsp fennel seed
    1/4 tsp cumin
    1/2 tsp crushed coriander
    salt and pepper to taste

    Sauce

    1 cup heavy cream
    (or thick crema fresca if you can find it)
    1 cup chicken stock
    3 tbsp butter
    corn starch to thicken
    3 tbsp of the chopped green chiles
    3 tbsp of the diced sweet yellow onion
    1 clove garlic
    salt and pepper to taste

    To start, cut the poblano chile peppers in half length wise and remove seeds and membrane. I like to be sure to have a bit of stem on each half for appearance sake. (The chiles in the picture still have seeds and membrane). Blanch in boiling water for 2-3 minutes to soften a little and set aside to cool and drain.
    Pan fry the lean ground beef until done. I like it just a little browned. Add onions, green chile, garlic and sauté until onions are clearing. Don’t burn! Add spices and stir well, cooking for a few more minutes to marry the flavors. These spices are important to the flavor – don’t substitute! Set mixture aside to cool while you make the sauce.
    Sauté the onions and garlic in butter, (oil is ok, but butter is always better!) When onions are clearing add the chile stir and sprinkle with corn starch. Stir again and then slowly add in the chicken stock a little at a time and continue to stir. Add salt and pepper. Continue to stir as you reduce liquid by about half and then add the cream. Stir it all up and let cool.
    When everything is cool enough NOT to cook the egg, combine the meat mixture, the rice, the egg, and about 1/4 cup of the sauce in a bowl and mix up well to distribute the egg throughout as a binder. The mix should not be soupy, but should hold together well. One egg may be enough – try one at a time and see.
    Arrange chiles open side up in an oven proof baking pan, sprayed with a little oil so the peppers don’t stick, and spoon mixture into each chile. Push mix in with spoon and fill them up tight. Spoon remaining sauce onto the mix and if you like, sprinkle a bit of a mild white cheese, like queso fresco or some buttery asadero. Not really needed, but a nice addition for cheese lovers.
    Bake for 45 minutes to an hour at 350º. Garnish with shredded lettuce and diced tomato if you like. Eat ‘em up!
  • caranais
    caranais Posts: 101 Member
    Love the sound of this. Are poblano peppers like romano peppers? long, thin and sweet flavoured? thanks in advance xx
  • Jill_with_a_G
    Jill_with_a_G Posts: 58 Member
    Not sure what is romano pepper is. Poblano's are long and green but have lots of room inside to stuff. No spicy once cooked. I wouldn't call them thin.
  • takerbrat
    takerbrat Posts: 81 Member
    I just posted a couple of gluten free snack recipes on my MFP blog - Strawberry Lemon Quick Bread and Oatmeal Peanut Butter Protein Cookies. I was diagnosed with a gluten sensitivity last August (for a year or more the doctors thought I had lupus) so as a cook book publisher/author I have focussed on converting my favourite recipes and trying new ones . . . all of the recipes on my blog are gluten free - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/takerbrat/view/2-great-gluten-free-snack-recipes-619803