Gluten-Free Meal Plan & Tips For Newly Diagnosed Celiacs

Written by Meg Gerber, RD, LD, IFNCP, CGN 

 

Meg Gerber, RD


Are you newly diagnosed with Celiac disease? Here’s some of my pro-tips, comin’ atcha from a fellow person with Celiac (I was diagnosed a decade ago!) 

I get it, it can be overwhelming to be told you have to go gluten free for life- down to the crumb! BUT, for a perspective shift, what if this is an INVITATION to find closer connection with your body and show it some support? Your body has probably been giving you some signals in the form of gas, bloating, headaches or fatigue for a while that it was hoping you would listen to! Now that you have been diagnosed, you have a beautiful opportunity before you to honor those signals and take action to FEEL WELL by taking a nourishing approach to going Gluten-Free :)

5 Tips For Those Newly Diagnosed With Celiac

1. Gluten = the protein in wheat, barley and rye 

Look for anything containing wheat, barley, and rye in your dressings, sauces, and packaged items. While wheat is disclosed as an allergen, barley and rye are not. So be sure to read all ingredients and find sources where barley and rye hide.

Pro tip: gluten is also commonly found in oats as they are highly cross-contaminated with wheat in the growing/processing; make sure to choose oats that are certified GF (I like One Degree Organics and GF Harvest)

2. Check for Cross-Contamination

Someone with celiac can react to 1/1000th of a slice of bread -therefore, avoiding any chance of gluten ingestion and auditing your kitchen is paramount! 

Pro tip: Sneaky cross contamination sources can include: nut butter jars, toasters, wooden cookware/cutting boards, pasta strainers, baking sheets, fryers (at restaurants)

3. Read Labels To Find Hidden Gluten

Gluten can be hiding in surprising places! It’s important to ask questions, plan ahead and read labels as you’re getting used to where it can be found

Pro tip: Places gluten may hide:

  • sushi rice
  • scrambled eggs
  • sushi in general/Asian food (soy sauce has gluten)
  • condiments/marinades/dressings
  • broth (some has yeast extract/wheat)
  • protein powders/nutrition bars (many have oats or wheat grass)
  • grilled foods (heat alone does not ‘kill’ gluten)

4. Not All Grains Have Gluten

Not all grains have gluten! Gluten-free grains you CAN eat = rice (including risotto, but not rice pilaf), corn, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, amaranth, sorghum, teff. 

Pro tip: Some other carb-y GF foods that I love include potato, cassava and tigernut (see included in some of my recipes below)

Kissing can be a source of gluten contamination

Pro tip: I know this is a buzzkill but be mindful to ask your partner to swish out their mouth or brush their teeth if they have just eaten pasta or drank beer before they kiss you. It can absolutely contaminate you!

5. Use your diagnosis as an invitation to connect with yourself and others

While a celiac diagnosis can initially feel isolating, especially in social situations, the celiac community is bigger than you think. Connect with others online and find a brand on instagram that caters to your gluten-free needs. You aren't going through this alone.

Connect to your body and gut, it has been hurt by gluten and needs your help to repair it. By eating nourishing, whole foods, you can start to repair your gut microbiome. Introducing fermented foods like sourdough can help build your healthy gut bacteria.

Pro tip: This is an opportunity to TRULY show your body some love by asking others for what you need. When we kindly ask others for help we give them the opportunity to take care of us AND we embrace our own self compassion by receiving their help.

More Reading: 

In addition, it’s important to remember that we have a deep seeded gut-brain connection and therefore being diagnosed with a chronic condition like Celiac can bring up a lot of “stuff” emotionally. Below is a snippet from my cookbook, ‘How To Glow Gluten Free: Going beyond the GF food to embrace a journey of abundance in a diagnosis of restriction’. I take a ‘soup to nuts’ approach to being diagnosed with Celiac by providing guidance on how to support someone with the disease going beyond just eating gluten-free or the resources you may find on Google.

 

How To Support Someone Newly Diagnosed With Celiac:

Here is a snippet from my book to help support a loved one with celiac: Love, Understand, Support, Laugh.

1. LISTEN

  • Simply listening to what we are dealing with.
  • Ask what emotion we are experiencing (often can be loneliness, anxiety, frustration) and how you can support.
  • Reflect on what you are hearing back, so we know that you're present and you care.

2. UNDERSTAND

  • Use this book as your resource!
  • Learn about the emotionality behind autoimmune diseases and GI issues and do additional research to educate yourself on the needs of your loved one. Studies have shown that mental health issues like anxiety and depression are more common in someone with diagnosed celiac disease.

3. SUPPORT

  • Use Chapter 3 to stock your pantry with celiac-friendly items.
    I'll repeat it because it's so important: ask what we need!
  • Tell your friend you are with them and they are not alone.

4. LAUGH

  • While some say variety is the spice to life, I say laughs are! Laughing is scientifically mood-supportive and supports feelings of connection and belonging.² For my journey, my family and friends reminding me to take a moment to laugh at my mistakes, and bumps in the road was important. Ultimately, perfection is not the goal; growth and connection are!


Megan Gerber RD, LD, IFNCP, CGN


Additional Support in the Back of My Book:

  • Setting up a GF-safe kitchen for someone with Celiac:

Sneaky cross contamination sources, My recommended GF pantry stockers, What to do medically if eating gluten free alone doesn’t help you feel well, Restaurant tips for eating outWhat to do if you are contaminated with gluten.

 

Gluten-Free Meal Plan and Snack Ideas:

It’s easy to go gluten-free and eat a bunch of processed food that can make you feel worse. Going gluten free with a mineral-dense, whole foods approach is key! Below are some of my favorite gluten-free, nourishing meals and snacks. You’ll find more recipes like this in my cookbook :) 

Breakfast 

Eggs & Sweet n’ Savory Toast

Eggs and Sweet n' Savory Toast

What You Need:

  • 2 farm fresh eggs
  • Handful of fresh parsley
  • 2 tsp ghee or grass fed butter for cooking
  • 2 slices Bread SRSLY Gluten-Free Classic Sourdough
  • 1 T organic sunflower seed butter (or nut butter of choice)
  • ¼ of an avocado
  • 1 T sauerkraut (I like Wild Brine)
  • ⅓ sliced banana
  • Cinnamon
  • Salt & pepper

How You Make It:

  1. Turn a skillet on medium heat and add 2 tsp of ghee/butter and allow to melt; place bread in your (safe GF) toaster
  2. Crack both eggs into your skillet and cook 3-5 minutes or until white is completely set for over-easy eggs, salt and pepper to taste(flip and cook 3-4 min longer for over-hard eggs)
  3. Serve eggs on a plate with a handful of fresh chopped parsley
  4. After bread is toasted layer one slice with mashed avocado (~1-2T) and a spoonful of kraut + black pepper
  5. Schmear other slice with sunbutter (~½-1T) and sliced banana, cinnamon and a sprinkle of salt
  6. Enjoy!

 

Pumpkin Spice Latte Smoothie

Click here for the recipe!

 

pumpkin spice latte smoothie

 

Blueberry Peach Breakfast Bars + Crispy Sausage Links

 

Blueberry Peach Breakfast Bars

 

Click here for the Blueberry Peach Breakfast Bars recipe!

 

Crispy Sausage Links:

What You Need:

How You Do It:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°
  2. Remove sausage from package and dry off with a paper towel (there is often liquid in the package)
  3. Spread out evenly on a baking sheet and toss in ½ T avocado oil
  4. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes then remove

Tip: I love to prep these for the week ahead and serve over a bed of fresh arugula tossed in lemon and olive oil and 1 Blueberry Peach Breakfast Bar  

Breakfast Tacos

Breakfast tacos

What You Need:

  • 2 farm fresh eggs*
  • 2 Siete tortillas**
  • Handful of mixed greens or arugula
  • ¼ cup diced tomato
  • ½ small avocado - sliced 
  • 1 T green salsa
  • Salted ghee or butter

How You Do It:

  1. Turn a skillet on medium heat and add 1-2 tsp of butter or ghee- allow to melt and then place the tortillas in the pan
  2. Heat tortillas for 3 minutes on each side and then put on a plate
  3. Add 1-2 tsp more butter to the skillet and let melt; crack 2 eggs, whisk them with a little splash of water and then pour into the skillet, turn heat down to low/medium and cook low and slow (5-6 minutes)
  4. Add a handful of greens to each tortilla, top each with scrambled eggs
  5. Layer with sliced avocado, tomato and drizzle with salsa
  6. Enjoy!

*vegans-you can alternatively use ¼ a block of crumbled tofu and saute like a scrambled egg with additional spices (salt/pepper, cumin, paprika); for egg-free, meat eaters you can alternatively use 3-4 oz ground organic sausage

**you can use corn tortillas instead- make sure to check for flour in the ingredients- many brands sneak in some gluten!

Lunch

Kale Caesar Salad With GF Croutons & Easy Roasted Salmon

Kale Caesar Salad with GF Croutons

What you need:

    • 1/2 bushel of organic kale- dinosaur or lacinato
    • 1/2 head of organic romaine lettuce
    • 1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
    • 1 T lemon zest
    • ½ cup Parmesan cheese (for those who cannot tolerate cow dairy, I recommend pecorino or vegan Parmesan)

DF Caesar Dressing (below) GF Croutons (below) Easy Roasted Salmon (below)

How You Do It:

  1. Wash and chop tomatoes into halves
  2. Wash and dry lettuce/kale; destem kale leaves and chop all greens-place in a large bowl with tomatoes and lemon zest
  3. Toss DF Caesar Dressing all over greens; massage into the greens for best results
  4. Add GF croutons and Easy Roasted Salmon overtop and sprinkle with cheese

DF Caesar Dressing:

What You Need:

  • 1/2 cup tahini
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 1 whole lemon, juiced
  • 1/2 T Dijon mustard
  • 1 large clove garlic
  • 1/2 T gluten-free Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ T wild anchovy paste
  • ½ tsp salt
  • Fresh cracked black pepper
  • Optional but recommended: 1 tsp hot sauce

How you do it:

  1. Blend together all dressing ingredients in a blender
  2. Add 1-2 T warm water to thin dressing out if you like a thinner dressing 

GF Croutons:

What You Need:

How You Do It:

  1. Preheat oven to 300°
  2. Toss the bread, ghee, garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper in a large bowl until well coated
  3. Spread the bread cubes on a single, even layer on a baking sheet and bake for 2 minutes; remove them from the oven, toss and cook for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown
  4. Let the croutons cool and store them at room temp in a sealed container for 2 weeks

Easy Roasted Salmon:

What You Need:

  • 4 oz salmon filet
  • 1 T coconut aminos
  • 1 tsp avocado or coconut oil

How You Do It:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°
  2. Brush salmon with oil and coconut aminos and bake for 10 minutes
  3. Broil for 2 minutes until it flakes easily with a fork
  4. Enjoy!

Dinner

White Chicken Chili

Click here for the recipe!

Tip: garnish with avocado and corn chips!

White Chicken Chili

Fish Taco Bowls with Crispy Plantain Chips

Click here for the recipe!

Fish Taco Bowls with Crispy Plantain Chips

Egg Roll in a Bowl

Egg Roll in a Bowl

 

Makes ~3-4 servings

What You Need:

    • 1 T coconut oil 
    • 1 small yellow onion
    • 1 bundle of scallions 
    • 1 pound organic ground pork 
    • 1 package organic broccoli slaw 
    • ½ package of cabbage slaw mix (or 1 cup chopped cabbage)
    • ¼ cup coconut aminos 
    • 1 T minced ginger root 
    • 1 T fish sauce 

Garnishes: cubed avocado, cilantro, extra scallions, sriracha, Siete cassava tortillas 


How You Do It:

  1. Dice onion and chop scallions (portion aside about ½ cup chopped whites/greens of the scallion)
  2. Turn large pan on medium heat on the stove, add oil and chopped onion/scallion
  3. Add ground meat and start to brown; once almost fully browned add in broccoli and cabbage slaw
  4. Cover and let saute for a few minutes until the veggies start to wilt down 
  5. Add coconut aminos, ginger root and fish sauce, give it a stir
  6. Saute for a few more minutes until cabbage is fully cooked through and starting to brown a bit 
  7. Serve in a bowl with a rolled up warmed Siete tortilla on the side (like an egg roll shell) and garnish with cilantro/scallion greens/sriracha and some avocado as desired
  8. Enjoy!

Snack 

Corn + Black Bean Salsa with Siete Chips

Corn and Black Bean Salsa with Siete Chips

What You Need:

  • 3 ears of corn
  • 1 large roma tomato 
  • 1 small green bell pepper
  • 1-2 limes
  • 1/3  cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 can organic black beans
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • Salt and pepper

How You Do It:

  1. Cook corn and cut the kernels off of the cob
  2. Mince one clove of garlic and add to a bowl
  3. Dice tomato and pepper and combine in the garlic bowl, add chopped corn
  4. Add black beans and squeeze juice of 1 lime over the mixture and add salt, pepper to taste
  5. Add fresh cilantro and serve with Siete Chips
  6. Enjoy!

Chomps Jerky Stick + Apple with Sunflower Seed Butter

 Take your favorite Chomps Jerky stick and pair it with a small/medium apple (slice it) and 1 Tbsp sunflower seed butter!

Sliced apple with sunflower butter

Apple Tigernut Morning Muffins + spoonful of organic full fat greek yogurt with pumpkin and cinnamon

Apple Tigernut Morning Muffins + spoonful of organic full fat greek yogurt with pumpkin and cinnamon

Makes 12 muffins

What You Need:

    • 1.5 cups tigernut flour (sifted)
    • 1/4 cup arrowroot starch
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
    • ½ tsp salt
    • 2 eggs
    • ½ cup applesauce
    • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil or ghee
    • 2 tsp organic vanilla extract
    • 1 cup diced apple with skin
    • 1/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts
  • Optional: add 2 T raw honey to the wet ingredients if you like a sweeter muffin

How You Do It:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350° and grease or line a muffin tin with paper liners
  2. Toast the walnuts in the oven for about 6-7 minutes
  3. Sift together the dry ingredients (first 6 ingredients)
  4. Whisk together the wet ingredients (eggs thru vanilla) in a separate bowl
  5. Combine wet and dry ingredients, mix until well combined
  6. Fold in apples and nuts
  7. Scoop into muffin tins, fill ~3/4 of the way
  8. Bake for 22-23 minutes or until appearing golden brown around the edges
  9. Remove from the oven, let cool (the hardest step of all!) and enjoy :)

Tip: Store on the counter for 2 days or in the fridge for 3-4; these muffins also freeze well!

 

Meg Gerber is a Functional Medicine Dietitian, Breath Work Teacher, Amazon Best Selling Author, and the Founder of Grounded Nourishment. She helps overwhelmed but motivated women suffering from bloating, stress and digestive issues to feel clear headed, supported and knowledgeable. Through her own journey with Celiac disease, Meg has learned the power of combining root-cause focused nutrition, functional testing and supplements with ongoing nervous system tools for a sustainable approach to gut health and longevity.

Her cookbook is available for purchase on Amazon, and her expertise has been featured on Mindbodygreen , Any Question and TZR. You can connect with her at www.groundednourish.com, @groundednourish on IG/TikTok.

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