Asian Inspiration: Delicious, Wheat-Free Business Lunches
Posted by Kimberly B. on Tuesday, September 9th, 2014 with 4 Comments
It’s easy — and delicious! — to go wheat-free with Asian cuisine.
Photo by Kimberly Bryant.
Variety’s the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavor.
― William Cowper
When’s the last time you had a delicious, wheat-free lunch at work? It’s no secret that many people find wheat difficult to tolerate: more and more of us are going wheat-free, or even gluten-free these days. For employees who are used to eating wheat-based meals, this might sound a bit extreme — but the truth is that once we get familiar with wheat alternatives, it’s easy to be inspired by the myriad options still left on the table.
Why wheat-free is a healthy choice
What’s behind this wheat-free trend? Among numerous reasons, wheat is known to be “a common food allergen, causing [digestive and immune-related illnesses], and weight problems in many.” It’s also addictive, meaning that once we eat a wheat-based meal, we’re likely to crave more. But unless someone on staff has celiac, or a particularly sensitive tummy, there’s no need to go entirely wheat-free all the time. Nonetheless, learning to incorporate tasty wheat-free dishes into our work week business lunches can help ignite office energy during the post-meal afternoon. Going wheat-free also encourages us to think outside the box when it comes to meals. Rather than relying on old standbys like wheat pasta, or white bread, we can look to other cultures for culinary inspiration. In Asia, for example, wheat is not used nearly as much as in the West. Instead, most Asian diets rely on rice to provide the carbohydrate portion of the meal. Rice noodles are commonplace, along with rice-inspired dishes like sushi, or accompanying spicy curries. In lieu of heavy pasta and breaded entrees, countries like Myanmar and Thailand favor light salads that are heavy on flavor.
Burmese Tea-Leaf Salad
It doesn’t matter whether your office is filled with meat-lovers and bread-worshippers: if there’s one salad that will satisfy almost anyone, it’s tea-leaf salad from Myanmar (formerly known as Burma). Located just north of Thailand, Myanmar holds a wealth of inspiration when it comes to wheat-free food.
Tea leaf salad is a traditional Burmese dish that’s not only chock full of nutrients, but delicious and wheat-free.
Photo by Kimberly Bryant.
With a wide variety of rice-based dishes and even more salads, there’s something to please the pickiest eater in the office; still, the tea-leaf salad remains the most reliable crowd-pleaser. Its traditional name is lahpet thohk: lahpet means green tea, while thohk means salad. Ingredients include “soft, pickled tea leaves, crisp, roasted peanuts and other crunchy beans, toasted sesame seeds, fried garlic and, if you like, dried shrimp and chopped tomato.” Even employees who are averse to salads are likely to eat this up.
Thai fresh spring rolls, and Pad Thai
From sweet and sour to hot and spicy, Thai take-out has something to suit any taste — and almost all Thai dishes are wheat-free. Two of the country’s staple food items with which most of us are familiar are pad Thai and fresh spring rolls. Pad Thai is the safest bet for a wheat-free meal that will satisfy pasta cravings. Try offering employees both vegetarian and chicken options to ensure that everyone benefits from a protein-inspired energy boost. And those bored of this common Thai dish can rest assured that there are numerous ways to funk up basic pad Thai by adding mushrooms, shrimp, or extra egg. Be sure to sprinkle extra finely chopped peanuts, and squeeze fresh lime on top.
Meanwhile, Thai fresh spring rolls provide a perfect wheat-free appetizer to accompany virtually any Asian meal. Rolled into soft, wide rice noodles (often referred to as paper or wrappers) are fresh veggies like carrots and mushroom, tofu or chicken, and fresh basil. Adding avocado will give the dish some healthy fats, while a smidge of brown sugar offers a sweet kick. Whether dipping them into soy sauce or sweet and sour sauce, these also make a great snack during overtime hours, or as a late afternoon healthy pick-me-up.
Pad Thai is the perfect wheat-free dish to satisfy pasta cravings.
Photo by Kimberly Bryant.
Weekly wheat-free meal inspiration
While we can always have wheat-free dishes based on the plethora of grains that are still available on a gluten-free diet, it’s fun to challenge ourselves to explore international cuisines. Consider implementing a wheat-free lunch each Monday and Wednesday to get the work week off to a good start, and keep the office energy flowing through the mid-week. Light and full of flavor, Asian dishes can be just the ticket to raise office spirit. With Waiter.com standing by and ready to take you order, you can treat employees to meals that nourish the body and energize the soul.
What are your favorite wheat-free, Asian dishes to lift you up during the work week? Let us know in the comments!
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Wow, interestingly, I didn’t know how wheat caused so many issues.
Hi Duke,
I appreciate your thoughts! Yes, wheat is definitely one to watch out for. Some people are quite sensitive, while others can handle it no problem. 🙂
These are fantastic recipes for some of my most favorite street foods when I visited Thailand. I love that you also incorporated wheat into them!
Hi Steven,
Thanks for the comment! I’m happy to hear you also love the street food versions — so do I!