Gluten-Free Recommendations?

[omega lambda]

We are having house guests next week and one of them is on a gluten-free diet.  I could use a little help with providing some good snack options and for not making a big mistake with meals.

I found a what's allowed/what's not list from the Mayo Clinic, so that's a good start.  So breakfast would be something with eggs and maybe a yogurt/berry parfait.  Lunch -   Dinner would be some kind of grilled meat, potatoes, veggies, salad, etc.  I did read that soy sauce is out - how about miso?   Also, I know there are foods labeled gluten-free, but since I've never tried them specifically, I don't know what's good.  Can you help me avoid a major mistake and provide some ideas for good, gluten-free snacks?

Thank you in advance!

[redkitty]

GF snacks: These are some my sister eats, she has eaten GF for almost a year now.  Nuts, cheese, home made popcorn (so not the microwave kind)...sometimes she will flavor the popcorn, fruits, veggies with or without dip.  Potato chips are often GF. It also makes a difference if this person/people can eat foods with cross contamination or not. My sister can. Most true celiacs (my sister is not) cannot. 

Things that might seem GF that are not are often ketchup, soups, white rice (a lot are processed with gluten). 

For lunch, you can think of alternative whole grains.  Quinoa, millet (I think millet is icky), oats.  NOT barley and NOT farro.  Anything you can make for dinner you can make for lunch. 

As far as GF products, i would ask your guests if they have suggestions or would like anything in particular.  My sister likes most of the GF pastas, but others I know think all of them taste like crap.  So it is a personal preference thing.  I have not had any of the GF pastas so cannot recommend any myself.

[radial]

Honestly, it's not that tough to avoid gluten.  Just make what you would ordinarily make, but figure out substitutions for any ingredients that involve wheat, barley or rye.  If in doubt, leave it out.  Sure, there is wheat in lots of things, particularly processed foods.  But, if you use whole ingredients whenever possible, ditch the bread and pasta in favor of some other starch like rice, corn, taters, or beans, and check the labels on things you aren't sure of, you should be fine. 

There is gluten free soy sauce, by the way, and it tastes fine.  You can also use that Braggs Liquid Amino stuff for a similar effect, but I prefer real soy sauce.  Just check the label.  For snacks, serve corn chips and salsa, rice crackers and hummus or guacamole, deviled eggs, jalapeno poppers, etc.  If you feel like you might have to use bread, be aware that most gluten free bread tastes like crap.  Whole Foods has a great brand though, called Prarie Bread.  Makes great toast.  People in my family who are not gluten sensitive now prefer that abrand of bread and buy it on purpose. 

Another thing to be aware of is that most beer has gluten in it.  If you want to serve something roughly similar to beer, get some dry hard cider.  Wine is fine too.

[omega lambda]

Thank you redkitty and radial.  We eat mostly whole foods anyway.   The guys can drink beer if they want but I will definitely have wine available.  Good call on the hummus; that with fresh veggies should be a good snack. 

[teetime]

Hard cider is a good beer alternative too.

I usually just avoid stuff but on vacation with my parents my mom had bought quite a few GF snack things and they were all fine/good ... blue corn chips, rice crackers, chex cereal, etc.

For snacks, cheese and fruit platters with nuts and dried fruits.

Lunch ... salads with meats, tacos (easy to find GF taco shells), seafood, etc.

[Clementine]

The Nut Thins crackers are deliciously addictive and gluten-free.

http://www.bluediamond.com/index.cfm?navid=34

[omega lambda]

Thanks!  I happen to have some hard cider in the fridge, and the nut thins look yummy.  I am happy to see that the almond growers have found many uses for their almonds instead of begging us to buy one can a week!

[Mom of Scooby]

I make a 3 ingredient peanut butter cookie that everone has raved about ever since I started making them..
they are gluten free since no flour  1C sugar, 1 Cup peanut butter ( the natural does NOT work well since it falls about ) .. 1 egg beaten... Mix sugar and peanut butter.. add in beaten egg.

Optional is to roll the dough in a little sugar before putting on cookie sheet.. I feel like this does give coopies a good texture

 bake @ 350 approx 8 min.. let sit on the tray for a few min to form better before transferring   (NOTE.. A DO ADD 1 TSP BAKING POWDER TO THE SUGAR, EVEN THO  RECIPE DOESN'T CALL FOR IT AS IT HOLDS COOKIES TOGETHER BETTER)
Some times I make these with the hershey kissies on top.. not sure if chocolate is gluten free though...

I am telling you.. not sure if you are looking for a sweet option but these cookies are so easy and quick and I have brought them as last minute things to places where I have been invited and to work things twice and I have never had anyone rave about anything as much as these cookies

[omega lambda]

I make a 3 ingredient peanut butter cookie that everone has raved about ever since I started making them..
they are gluten free since no flour  1C sugar, 1 Cup peanut butter ( the natural does NOT work well since it falls about ) .. 1 egg beaten... Mix sugar and peanut butter.. add in beaten egg.

Optional is to roll the dough in a little sugar before putting on cookie sheet.. I feel like this does give coopies a good texture

 bake @ 350 approx 8 min.. let sit on the tray for a few min to form better before transferring   (NOTE.. A DO ADD 1 TSP BAKING POWDER TO THE SUGAR, EVEN THO  RECIPE DOESN'T CALL FOR IT AS IT HOLDS COOKIES TOGETHER BETTER)
Some times I make these with the hershey kissies on top.. not sure if chocolate is gluten free though...

I am telling you.. not sure if you are looking for a sweet option but these cookies are so easy and quick and I have brought them as last minute things to places where I have been invited and to work things twice and I have never had anyone rave about anything as much as these cookies

Thanks MoS.  I was going to rely on fresh fruit for a dessert, but these are definitely an option.  Not sure if they are coming back (long story - they were here for two hours and had to leave for the ER - he had gall bladder surgery yesterday), but if they do, I think I will make these.

[caribougrrl]

I make a 3 ingredient peanut butter cookie that everone has raved about ever since I started making them..
they are gluten free since no flour  1C sugar, 1 Cup peanut butter ( the natural does NOT work well since it falls about ) .. 1 egg beaten... Mix sugar and peanut butter.. add in beaten egg.

Optional is to roll the dough in a little sugar before putting on cookie sheet.. I feel like this does give coopies a good texture

 bake @ 350 approx 8 min.. let sit on the tray for a few min to form better before transferring   (NOTE.. A DO ADD 1 TSP BAKING POWDER TO THE SUGAR, EVEN THO  RECIPE DOESN'T CALL FOR IT AS IT HOLDS COOKIES TOGETHER BETTER)
Some times I make these with the hershey kissies on top.. not sure if chocolate is gluten free though...

I am telling you.. not sure if you are looking for a sweet option but these cookies are so easy and quick and I have brought them as last minute things to places where I have been invited and to work things twice and I have never had anyone rave about anything as much as these cookies

that's the recipe on the back of the Kraft smooth peanut butter jar; those ARE good cookies.  I use a 1/2 c sugar and I do use natural peanut butter (or almond butter or tahini) in and and find it works just fine.... I bake on parchment paper on my rimless cookie sheet and slide the paper to a cool rack rather than trying to lift the cookies before they are completely cool, which might make a difference in the likelihood of falling apart.

[cgraz]

Our friends who don't eat bread, etc. do salads and lettuce wraps for lunch...grilled chicken with veggies, wrapped in a big lettuce leaf, etc.

When we were on vacation with them, we snacked on veggies, guac, corn chips, etc. And lots of fruit and fruit salad.