I’m a lover of bread. I’m a lover of pasta. And I mean I’m a lover! Lately though I’ve tried to cut back on my loves and just change my diet slightly – cut out wheat and try add more healthy but enjoyable food. I was feeling sluggish with not enough energy to keep running a household, a job that I enjoy and two active kids. For me it was either all or nothing so I went cold turkey and cut it out of my diet completely. Not the right decision…

Although I did fine in the first couple of days, I found I was constantly (and I mean CONSTANTLY) thinking about bread or pasta for lunch, and I wasn’t a happy camper. Life is too short to be grumpy with food so I gave myself two cheat days in which I could eat a sandwich or have pizza with my boys on a Friday without feeling like I failed. And it’s been a much happier decision. There has been the odd day where I’ve slipped up but all in all it hasn’t been too bad.

What I’ve found is that there are other options to a sandwich lunch and I’ve been enjoying avocado a lot more! Here are some of those options and remember – if making dinner make extra and pack a lunch size portion; use sliced or mashed avocado to mix it up; add pepper or herbs for more flavour.

• Eggs, avocado and feta
• Sweet potato fritters (add a side of sauteed spinach for extra veg intake)
• Nachos
• Sweet potato bites (with a side of sauteed mushrroms and spinach – YUM!)
• Butter chicken with cauliflower rice
• Fried rice (I used gluten free soy sauce)
• Bacon, zucchini, carrot and cheese muffins (I swapped 1:1 with gluten free flour)

Are you a bread and pasta lover?? Are there other alternatives you eat?

Source: photo from Boston Magazine