8.27.2010

Still on vacation, still gluten free.

Vacation is going great and gluten free. I have been surprised how easily I have been able to stay gluten free. Sure, there have been a few bunless hamburgers and salads when I would have preferred something else but all in all, it's gone really well. Mostly this can be chalked up to a lot of preparation. The most recent part of our vacation was a three day trip to Glacier National Park.

It was beautiful and lots of fun! We at breakfast and dinner at our cabin with a full kitchen and were able to cook yummy gluten free dinners (spaghetti & meatballs, sloppy joe's and baked chicken with mashed potatoes). For breakfast I had Udi's lemon streusel muffins. Mmmm!!! Lunches we ate out and they were a little more difficult but doable. So, I've learned on this trip to prep ahead and try to find lodging where I can cook. Feeling good and enjoying being gluten free!

8.22.2010

Chebe Bread Hamburger Buns

I made the Chebe mix today into four hamburger/sandwich buns. I added the parmesan cheese that was suggested on the package and formed it into the four 4" buns. Oh my! It was delicious. I used my first one tonight for a hamburger. Mmmmmm! I'm taking the other three with me on our family trip to use for sloppy joe's and as a go along with our gluten free spaghetti and meatballs.

Speaking of which ... I'm making spaghetti and meatballs for my entire husband's family and I'm making everything gluten free! I bought my favorite gf spaghetti (I buy from amazon in 12 packs) and some gf bread crumbs for the meatballs. I also made gf chocolate cupcakes gotta love Betty Crocker :) with chocolate frosting. Mmmm! Can't wait for our dinner.

8.20.2010

Being bold = Happily Gluten Free

We went to lunch today at a place that has the BEST pastrami reuben sandwich I have ever tasted. I have had this sandwich several times in the past but now of course want it with gluten free bread. So, I was a little bold (for me anyway) and took my Udi's whole grain bread in a baggie and asked them to make it on my bread. They were great and totally happy to do it. I subsequently had the most wonderful sandwich ever and didn't have to feel crappily glutened after. :) Oh happy day.

I should have taken a picture to show how amazing this yummy gluten free lunch looked... unfortunately I was too busy eating it to think of taking a picture. Maybe next time!

8.19.2010

Sharing this yummy recipe!

bacon, brown rice, and beans

Amazing article...

I found this article today. It's what I've been looking for the last four years. Having had the celiac biopsy test and it being negative I have had a hard time keeping myself on a gluten free diet. Even though I know I feel drastically better, it's been a challenge to say the least. I've continued my research in hopes of finding more info on why I (a negative celiac tested, gluten sensitive person) should be on a gluten free diet. This article has convinced me. I'm done with gluten.

8.18.2010

One GF road trip down, hopefully many more to come.

So, our road trip went wonderfully. The food was amazing! I didn't get painfully puffy like I normally do (I often have to ice my feet/ankles when I arrive at the end of our trips because they swell so much and hurt). I'm not sure if it was the lack of gluten or less sodium (than fast food) or the combination...but I don't care, it was great! We also shaved lot's off time off our drive since we weren't stopping for food at mealtimes.

I've been on vacation now for two days and have stayed gluten free. We went to our favorite pizza place here in MT for our first dinner in town (I know a typical GF nightmare) but I took my frozen gluten free crust and they were awesome to cook me up a spectacular pizza on my gf crust. I like the Kinnikinnick frozen crusts. (I am excited about trying the Udi's gf pizza crusts too though, I'll let you know how I like them once I try them)

Whohoo! Gotta love accommodating and understanding restaurants. They didn't have Redbridge gf beer so I drank a diet coke and had a gf beer when I got home.

There you have it. My first road trip without gluten was a success, which means, you can do it too.

8.15.2010

Road trips are scary territory!

I'm heading out in a few hours on a 20 hour road trip leading into a two week vacation. We'll leave the vacation aside (it's also scary) and just discuss the road trip for now. Anyone out there that is eating gluten free is probably scared at this point. Rightfully so (in my mind anyway). Not that you can't eat salads at McD's or a burger without the bun at BK, etc...

I don't know about you, for me though a road trip means a sausage biscuit for breakfast, followed by another equally bread"y" fast food lunch and then donuts or a cup cake for dessert. Yeah, it's no wonder I usually feel like crap when I'm eating gluten.

Today/tomorrow I'm trying something new. I spent many hours today baking fresh gluten free bread, making egg salad, cutting up cantaloupe, watermelon and gouda cheese. I've packed gf tortilla chips, hummus, almonds and a little gf cake. Ok, so I realize that I'm not gonna lose any weight on this trip but my only goal is to avoid gluten during what has previously been a gluten fest.

So, wish me luck. I have a sneaking suspicion that I'm going to feel so much better and enjoy the food even more than my normal fast food fare!

Ha!

So, the last attempt at going gluten free (yeah, the one I posted about on 12/17/09...yes, my last post on this blog...yes it's now August 15, 2010) went so spectacularly horribly that I never posted again *until now* and I quit and gave up for 9 months. Now, I'm back and have been gluten free for about three weeks and have learned several things this time and again am planning on making this a life change from here forward.

For those of you out there that have tried and failed, tried again, failed again, etc. *I think you get the picture* there is hope! There's always another chance, another day a clean slate, so to speak.

I have been baking this time around. I now have an english muffin recipe that I found and feel that I've mastered. And this english muffin recipe makes into an amazing loaf of sandwich bread as well. Mmmmm! How I've been missing bread and butter and a grilled cheese, but no longer! I'll share the recipes soon...

Right now, if you've tried going gluten free and felt better but just can't quite make yourself stick to it, just do it! You'll thank yourself and you can do it.