gluten free

ok, so gluten free seems to be the new fad. gluten is a protein found in grains, namely wheat.
i completely understand why people go gluten free if they have celiac disease, but it seems like a lot of work otherwise. the world is made of wheat... bread, pasta, muffins, bagels, cookies, cereal, etc.......
however, i've been feeling pretty sluggish lately. i remembered that i had a lot more energy in college when i did the elimination diet and cut out gluten. i decided to trial it for a few days, and much to my chagrin, i have more energy now that i've cut out wheat. so i'm going to try to keep my wheat intake low and see if my energy lasts.
here are a few gluten free recipes that i really like:

this is my version of rice krispie treats, except it's whole grain and way more delicious!

millet treats

7 cups puffed millet cereal
1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks
1/2 cup craisins
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 stick butter
1 bag jet puffed marshmallows

just follow the directions on the marshmallow bag.

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as my friend larissa says, this recipe made a "gang" of food. that means it makes a lot. unless you're feeding a small army, i'd say you can cut this recipe in half and use either kale or chard instead of both. i'll post the original recipe though. i got this at work from sarah morales, our work place wellness dietitian at pvhs. thanks sarah!
one more thing, i made this salad with quinoa, which is a high protein grain. i made this as a main dish, it has all my requirements for a meal: protein, starch, and vegetables.

grains and greens greek salad

salad:
2 cups barley (uncooked) - or other whole grain such as quinoa, bulgar, couscous, etc.
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic
1 bunch kale, rinsed and chopped, stems removed
1 bunch swiss chard rinsed, and finely chopped, tough stems removed
1 bunch curly parsley, stemmed, washed, and coarsely chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and grated
1/2 cup coarsely chopped kalamata olives
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
1/2 cup reduced fat feta crumbles

dressing:
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp lemon zest
4 tbsp fresh lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1. cook barley (or other grain). drain and rinse with cool water.
2. saute the garlic and onion in olive oil for a few minutes over medium heat; add kale and cover a few minutes until kale is wilted and bright green. (chard can be cooked or added raw.)
3. combine greens, cooked grain, and all other salad ingredients except feta.
4. whisk together dressing ingredients and pour over salad, gently mix.
5. sprinkle with fetta and enjoy.