Last week I was visiting some friends back in New York City and had to rely on restaurants for food. Typically when I'm living in New York I buy all of my groceries so that I can cook, know everything I am eating, and can be pretty economic about it, but this time that wasn't as much of an option as I was staying with a friend for only a couple of days.
While on the bus to New York I decided to try and check out some places that were gluten and dairy free so that I would have some good options, knowing that my friends wold entertain and participate in my culinary adventure.
The most interesting find for me was going to the very popular restaurant S'mac. This place has all different kinds of build-your-own mac 'n' cheese, so when I heard that it had gluten AND dairy free options, I was floored. Although it's (understandably) a little more expensive to order the gluten free pasta and the dairy free cheese (mine was around $10), I was still able to enjoy mac 'n' cheese with chicken, broccoli, and mushrooms. I felt like I was having a chicken alfredo dish again!! For people who are extremely sensitive to gluten though, I would be a little wary. The website does provide a disclaimer that they can't completely guarantee that all the ingredients are separate and not contaminated of one another, and I did feel a little sick afterwards. It could be the imitation cheese, or the portion size, but I am always a little skeptical when it tastes so close to the real thing and then I my belly feels a little too full afterwards.
Laster that night my friends and I went to Stogo for dessert. Stogo is located on 10th street between 2nd and 3rd avenue and is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!!! I seriously recommend it to anyone and everyone with or without a dairy allergy. All of the ice cream is gluten and diary free, some made with a soy base, and others with a coconut milk base. I ordered peanut butter chocolate fudge (which was really great!), one of my friends ordered chocolate chip cookie dough (I can't believe it was gluten free), and my other friend ordered almond joy, which was made with the coconut milk to make it taste like a real almond joy. The employees were SOOOOOO helpful and knew everything about their product. Even though the ice cream was a little more expensive, I am definitely going to make a repeat trip there.
These two new discoveries were definitely well worth the trip to NYC. It is always important though to double check and make sure that the employees know what they're serving you. Maybe that "dairy-free cheese" had some gluten in it which made me feel sick? Maybe it was my imagination?
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Finding Food at the Market
Grocery shopping was, at least initially, a huge struggle for me. Every single thing I bought or wanted to buy required that I read all the ingredients. I am continually frustrated by the fact that, although packaged foods are required to highlight their allergen information, they oftentimes do not explicitly state that they contain wheat or gluten or dairy. Therefore, I have to read every ingredient and try to decipher the "questionable food items" for myself.
After many grocery store visits looking like I had some sort of eating disorder for reading every ingredient on every food, and then reluctantly returning it to the shelf, I have finally come to realize that eating the whole foods is what's really best for not only me, but anyone trying to eat healthier. Surprisingly, it is not any more expensive, but it is infinitely more healthy.
In a typical trip to the grocery store, I usually seek out the least expensive, whole food vegetables first, and then build my meals from there. First, I oftentimes buy bananas, which arguably give you the most "bang for your buck." I like to think of bananas as nature's candy bar because they have their own wrapper, are easy to transport, and will fill you up pretty well after eating just one. I also really love to buy frozen fruits and vegetables. Living on my own and buying fresh produce is tough because it can go bad so quickly, frozen vegetables and fruit, however, are actually arguably better for you (because they pick the produce at it's peak and then freeze it, so it has more nutrients) and it will last for months. Some of my favorites are frozen corn, spinach, berries, and mangoes. Just be sure that you buy the frozen items that don't have any added sugar or sodium. They usually will advertise that fact right on the package, but you can also look at the ingredients where it will list anything in addition to the vegetable or fruit.
Beyond that, canned food is actually pretty good too. While you should watch out for sodium, most of the naturally canned products that are gluten and diary free are not too bad for you, and will similarly keep longer. Moreover, they are way less expensive than fresh produce. My favorite dinner recipe I find in canned food items.
"Canned" Mild Chile
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 c. Onions, chopped
- 1 c. Celery, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, chopped (optional)
- 2 12 oz cans of ground chicken, packaged in water (always double check the ingredients to avoid gluten-containing preservatives!)
- 1 15 oz. can of tomato sauce
- 1 15 oz. can of kidney beans
- 2 tbsp. chile powder
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
Saute the onions, celery, and peppers in the oil for about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and continue to saute the mix for about 2 more minutes. Then add in the tomato sauce, chile powder, and garlic powder. Mix everything pretty well, and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes or so. Add in the kidney beans, and continue to simmer for about 20 more minutes.
The total cost of this recipe (which usually makes about 10 servings) is roughly $12. Thats $1.20 per serving!
My favorite way to eat this chile is to bake a sweet potato in the microwave for about 7 minutes, cut it in half and serve the chile over it. It is ABSOLUTELY delicious!
Even though grocery shopping can be a challenge, and may initially take longer to find all the "good" items, at a certain point you;ll be able to sweep through your local grocery store, swiftly picking up all the necessary items that will keep you going with delicious variety and freshness!
After many grocery store visits looking like I had some sort of eating disorder for reading every ingredient on every food, and then reluctantly returning it to the shelf, I have finally come to realize that eating the whole foods is what's really best for not only me, but anyone trying to eat healthier. Surprisingly, it is not any more expensive, but it is infinitely more healthy.
In a typical trip to the grocery store, I usually seek out the least expensive, whole food vegetables first, and then build my meals from there. First, I oftentimes buy bananas, which arguably give you the most "bang for your buck." I like to think of bananas as nature's candy bar because they have their own wrapper, are easy to transport, and will fill you up pretty well after eating just one. I also really love to buy frozen fruits and vegetables. Living on my own and buying fresh produce is tough because it can go bad so quickly, frozen vegetables and fruit, however, are actually arguably better for you (because they pick the produce at it's peak and then freeze it, so it has more nutrients) and it will last for months. Some of my favorites are frozen corn, spinach, berries, and mangoes. Just be sure that you buy the frozen items that don't have any added sugar or sodium. They usually will advertise that fact right on the package, but you can also look at the ingredients where it will list anything in addition to the vegetable or fruit.
Beyond that, canned food is actually pretty good too. While you should watch out for sodium, most of the naturally canned products that are gluten and diary free are not too bad for you, and will similarly keep longer. Moreover, they are way less expensive than fresh produce. My favorite dinner recipe I find in canned food items.
"Canned" Mild Chile
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 c. Onions, chopped
- 1 c. Celery, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, chopped (optional)
- 2 12 oz cans of ground chicken, packaged in water (always double check the ingredients to avoid gluten-containing preservatives!)
- 1 15 oz. can of tomato sauce
- 1 15 oz. can of kidney beans
- 2 tbsp. chile powder
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
Saute the onions, celery, and peppers in the oil for about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and continue to saute the mix for about 2 more minutes. Then add in the tomato sauce, chile powder, and garlic powder. Mix everything pretty well, and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes or so. Add in the kidney beans, and continue to simmer for about 20 more minutes.
The total cost of this recipe (which usually makes about 10 servings) is roughly $12. Thats $1.20 per serving!
My favorite way to eat this chile is to bake a sweet potato in the microwave for about 7 minutes, cut it in half and serve the chile over it. It is ABSOLUTELY delicious!
Even though grocery shopping can be a challenge, and may initially take longer to find all the "good" items, at a certain point you;ll be able to sweep through your local grocery store, swiftly picking up all the necessary items that will keep you going with delicious variety and freshness!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Snacks Galore!
Another challenge I've faced is finding snack foods that I can easily eat. It's really easy to depend on processed granola bars, cereals, chips, and cookies when living a gluten-filled life. Beyond that, any health article lately will tell you how great dairy products are for you, and express the benefit of eating yogurt. Well, being dairy free, I can't eat that either. So I had to get a little creative when it came to snack making. Over the course of the past year I've found a couple of trusty snacks that work really well, especially for when I would have to run out the door, are new and fun to try. The first snack that became something I quickly made every week was baked chickpeas. Not only are they easy to put together, they are extremely inexpensive (89 cents for a can!), very nutritious with tons of fiber and protein, which will make you feel fuller longer, and they are easy to transport!
Baked Chick Peas (Garbanzo Beans)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drain one can of garbanzo beans and rinse, as needed. Then spread them evenly on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for about 15 or 20 minutes, then flip them over, and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until to desired crunchiness. You can also spray off or grease the sheet before putting the beans on, but it is not necessary. Then you can just throw some salt on them and enjoy! You should store them in the fridge and they usually keep 7-10 days.
Another great discovery was that you can make pretty much any kind of bean this way (I also LOVE baked kidney beans), and it makes a really great and easy snack!
I was recently further experimented with the brilliance of baking in the oven to make healthy things taste even more appealing. Just yesterday I decided to explore what baked spinach would taste like.
What I did:
1. Preheat oven to about 375 or 400 degrees
2. Spray off baking sheet with cooking spray.
3. Spread spinach over surface of baking sheet.
4. Spray top of spinach as well.
Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes. The spinach should start to get crispy. I was a bit worried about my experiment but it actually ended up turning out great! They were really delicious and obviously nutritious (I keep reading about how important spinach is to eat all the time, so why not bake some up and snack on it!)
Another mini-meal/snack I would bring to classes last spring was a little combo I made up when I was trying to eat more flaxseed meal. It actually would end up being absolutely delicious, and unlike anything I'd ever had before. Like I've previously expressed, I firmly believe that Peanut Butter can make anything better, so of course there is an obligatory addition of peanut, or any other type of nut butter.
New Twist to Apples 'n' Peanut Butter
- 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal
- about 1/4 cup of almond/soy/rice milk, to cover the flaxseed meal for it to be absorbed
- 1 small diced apple
- 1 big teaspoon of peanut butter
Mix all ingredients together, and you can either enjoy it immediately or let it sit for a while so that all of the milk is absorbed and it's really delicious! This has definitely become one of my go-to snacks when I want just a little something extra. it's a really great combination of carb, protein, and fat, so nutritiously it's a pretty good choice as well!
Beyond these snacks I have also made some important discoveries over the past year. For example, most potato chips and tortilla chips are gluten and dairy free (!), but I would recommend always double checking the label, you never know what they'll throw in there.. The chips discovery was BIG, because it meant that if I ever went to a party or other social gathering, I didn't have to wear the suit of armor and giant sign that said, "sorry, I can't eat anything because I have to obsessively check ingredients, and am allergic to all tasty, processed foods."
Another huge discovery was how great nuts and dried fruit are. I have become OBSESSED with sugar-free dried mango. I also have been known to make my own trail mix of cranberries, raisins, chocolate chips (..:) ), cashews, and almonds.
You almost have to convince yourself of how much healthier your snacks are for you. So we can't have granola bars, but we can still have so many things like fresh fruit and vegetables (with hummus!), nuts, dried fruit, beans, peanut butter (!) The possibilities can be endless, it just requires some creativity at times.
Baked Chick Peas (Garbanzo Beans)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drain one can of garbanzo beans and rinse, as needed. Then spread them evenly on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for about 15 or 20 minutes, then flip them over, and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until to desired crunchiness. You can also spray off or grease the sheet before putting the beans on, but it is not necessary. Then you can just throw some salt on them and enjoy! You should store them in the fridge and they usually keep 7-10 days.
Another great discovery was that you can make pretty much any kind of bean this way (I also LOVE baked kidney beans), and it makes a really great and easy snack!
I was recently further experimented with the brilliance of baking in the oven to make healthy things taste even more appealing. Just yesterday I decided to explore what baked spinach would taste like.
What I did:
1. Preheat oven to about 375 or 400 degrees
2. Spray off baking sheet with cooking spray.
3. Spread spinach over surface of baking sheet.
4. Spray top of spinach as well.
Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes. The spinach should start to get crispy. I was a bit worried about my experiment but it actually ended up turning out great! They were really delicious and obviously nutritious (I keep reading about how important spinach is to eat all the time, so why not bake some up and snack on it!)
Another mini-meal/snack I would bring to classes last spring was a little combo I made up when I was trying to eat more flaxseed meal. It actually would end up being absolutely delicious, and unlike anything I'd ever had before. Like I've previously expressed, I firmly believe that Peanut Butter can make anything better, so of course there is an obligatory addition of peanut, or any other type of nut butter.
New Twist to Apples 'n' Peanut Butter
- 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal
- about 1/4 cup of almond/soy/rice milk, to cover the flaxseed meal for it to be absorbed
- 1 small diced apple
- 1 big teaspoon of peanut butter
Mix all ingredients together, and you can either enjoy it immediately or let it sit for a while so that all of the milk is absorbed and it's really delicious! This has definitely become one of my go-to snacks when I want just a little something extra. it's a really great combination of carb, protein, and fat, so nutritiously it's a pretty good choice as well!
Beyond these snacks I have also made some important discoveries over the past year. For example, most potato chips and tortilla chips are gluten and dairy free (!), but I would recommend always double checking the label, you never know what they'll throw in there.. The chips discovery was BIG, because it meant that if I ever went to a party or other social gathering, I didn't have to wear the suit of armor and giant sign that said, "sorry, I can't eat anything because I have to obsessively check ingredients, and am allergic to all tasty, processed foods."
Another huge discovery was how great nuts and dried fruit are. I have become OBSESSED with sugar-free dried mango. I also have been known to make my own trail mix of cranberries, raisins, chocolate chips (..:) ), cashews, and almonds.
You almost have to convince yourself of how much healthier your snacks are for you. So we can't have granola bars, but we can still have so many things like fresh fruit and vegetables (with hummus!), nuts, dried fruit, beans, peanut butter (!) The possibilities can be endless, it just requires some creativity at times.
Friday, June 4, 2010
It's not like I ate bread.
So I'll be the first to admit, eating gluten and dairy free all the time is extremely difficult. Beyond the blatant temptations of pizza, pasta, cookies, ice cream (brownie sundaes...), etc., there are the hidden pitfalls associated with various seasoning, spicing, and food coloring. A lot of experts in the gluten and dairy field refer to these as "questionable food items" that should be avoided by all people with celiac's disease. Now I will oftentimes think that I am invincible to these items. "I'm not eating bread and milk," is my common defense. But my body doesn't subscribe to my brain's reasoning.
For example, yesterday my mom was making barbecue chicken. She had me read the ingredients on the back of the barbecue sauce bottle, and despite seeing some of these questionable words, like carmel food coloring, I assured her (and myself) that it would be fine, I wouldn't have any problems, and could eat the chicken. Much to my body's dismay, I was wrong. My major symptom inflicted itself upon me within an hour and the rest of the night went downhill from there. I am still paying for it today. Just because of a little food coloring.
My suggestions to all of you out there is to make your own marinade. While it may take more time, it will not only be better for you, but it will also (probably) taste better. My favorite marinades bring together some combination of lemon, olive oil, onions, and garlic. All of the juices end up working so well together that your chicken, fish, tofu, or steak is bound to be delicious (and gluten and dairy free). I'll post more marinade recipes as I discover/make them up!
If you're unsure about some questionable food items, ingredient phrasing, or other mystery items my two suggestions are to either not eat them (you probably shouldn't ingest anything that you can't pronounce...) or check out this website. It's definitely helped me know what I can and can't eat (sometimes much to my dismay, as with the caramel food coloring :( )
For example, yesterday my mom was making barbecue chicken. She had me read the ingredients on the back of the barbecue sauce bottle, and despite seeing some of these questionable words, like carmel food coloring, I assured her (and myself) that it would be fine, I wouldn't have any problems, and could eat the chicken. Much to my body's dismay, I was wrong. My major symptom inflicted itself upon me within an hour and the rest of the night went downhill from there. I am still paying for it today. Just because of a little food coloring.
My suggestions to all of you out there is to make your own marinade. While it may take more time, it will not only be better for you, but it will also (probably) taste better. My favorite marinades bring together some combination of lemon, olive oil, onions, and garlic. All of the juices end up working so well together that your chicken, fish, tofu, or steak is bound to be delicious (and gluten and dairy free). I'll post more marinade recipes as I discover/make them up!
If you're unsure about some questionable food items, ingredient phrasing, or other mystery items my two suggestions are to either not eat them (you probably shouldn't ingest anything that you can't pronounce...) or check out this website. It's definitely helped me know what I can and can't eat (sometimes much to my dismay, as with the caramel food coloring :( )
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Now...What's for Dessert?
Sorry it's been so long since my last post! My life has been crazy transitioning into summer mode (which seems a bit counterintuitive...)
Anyway, today I was DESPERATE for some sweets. Before I was forced into a gluten and dairy free life, chocolate was DEFINITELY my go-to dessert item. Anything chocolate was (and still is) absolutely delicious. Unfortunately, lots of chocolate (even the dark kinds) have milk fat. While an interesting obstacle, early in my diagnosis I was willing to face the challenge to find inexpensive and delectable dairy-free chocolate. Month two of my gfcf life, mission accomplished.
Trader Joe's sells semi-sweet chocolate chips that only contain soy, no milk. This chocolate, along with their natural peanut butter has been my vice throughout this past year. I go straight into the jar and it's like an instant reese's.
It took a lot of research on my part to find some safe treats, but I have been successful. Junior Mints are (surprisingly) gluten and dairy free, so are most jelly beans, skittles (!), jolly ranchers, and starbursts.
Earlier this year, however, I went on a healthy food kick. Upon learning about the damage gluten and dairy can do to my body, I started thinking about ALL the food I was ingesting. This created a bit of an obstacle to my sweet tooth. Cocoa powder was okay, and combined with honey or agave nectar tasted sweeter, but what I was REALLY missing was ice cream. That's when I discovered the BEST dessert:
Banana Nut "Ice Cream":
In a blender put together
- 1 frozen banana (I usually slice a banana when it's at it's prime ripeness, put it in a zip lock bag, and freeze it)
- 1 tsp of peanut or almond butter
- just a little almond (or soy or rice) milk to get the blender moving
Blend all the ingredients and it comes out like ice cream!!! It's so good! I've also experimented by adding a little coconut or cocoa powder, depending on my mood.
I made one today but unfortunately had no frozen bananas, so I tried to make it with a room temperature banana and ice, but the result was more of a smoothie (still good, but not ice cream :( )
Another great sugar free, gluten free, and dairy free dessert recipe was given to me by one of my friends. I believe they are considered "Brownie Balls," and they are also absolutely delicious!
Brownie Balls:
- 1 c. roasted almonds (or you can use almond meal, which can be found at trader joes)
- 15 pitted dates (depends on the size though, if they're small, probably more)
- 2/3 c. cocoa powder
- 1 T honey
- 2 T water
Grind almonds in food processor. Add dates, cocoa powder, honey, and water. Mix until it forms a "sticky mass" Roll into balls, or form into bars, whichever seems more appealing, and either enjoy now, or keep them in the fridge or freezer so they'll stay delicious!
The last treat may be my favorite. It's good because you can eat it for a dessert kind of thing, snack, or I've even had it for breakfast...
Rice Cake "Cakes"
- 1 Rice Cake
- 1 tbsp of peanut butter (like I said, peanut butter on anything makes everything better...)
- drizzle of honey
- handful of raisins or cranberries (or chocolate chips...)
First, spread the rice cake with peanut butter, then drizzle on honey (I've found that making a star puts exactly the right amount of honey on... :) ) Then sprinkle on the raisins/cranberries/chocolate chips. and ENJOY! It's so delicious that I always end up having more than one...
In a gluten and dairy free world it's IMPERATIVE to find some good treats that don't rely on specialty gluten free labels. I'm glad I've found "brownies," "ice cream," and "cake" to satisfy my sweet tooth and chocolate cravings!!
Anyway, today I was DESPERATE for some sweets. Before I was forced into a gluten and dairy free life, chocolate was DEFINITELY my go-to dessert item. Anything chocolate was (and still is) absolutely delicious. Unfortunately, lots of chocolate (even the dark kinds) have milk fat. While an interesting obstacle, early in my diagnosis I was willing to face the challenge to find inexpensive and delectable dairy-free chocolate. Month two of my gfcf life, mission accomplished.
Trader Joe's sells semi-sweet chocolate chips that only contain soy, no milk. This chocolate, along with their natural peanut butter has been my vice throughout this past year. I go straight into the jar and it's like an instant reese's.
It took a lot of research on my part to find some safe treats, but I have been successful. Junior Mints are (surprisingly) gluten and dairy free, so are most jelly beans, skittles (!), jolly ranchers, and starbursts.
Earlier this year, however, I went on a healthy food kick. Upon learning about the damage gluten and dairy can do to my body, I started thinking about ALL the food I was ingesting. This created a bit of an obstacle to my sweet tooth. Cocoa powder was okay, and combined with honey or agave nectar tasted sweeter, but what I was REALLY missing was ice cream. That's when I discovered the BEST dessert:
Banana Nut "Ice Cream":
In a blender put together
- 1 frozen banana (I usually slice a banana when it's at it's prime ripeness, put it in a zip lock bag, and freeze it)
- 1 tsp of peanut or almond butter
- just a little almond (or soy or rice) milk to get the blender moving
Blend all the ingredients and it comes out like ice cream!!! It's so good! I've also experimented by adding a little coconut or cocoa powder, depending on my mood.
I made one today but unfortunately had no frozen bananas, so I tried to make it with a room temperature banana and ice, but the result was more of a smoothie (still good, but not ice cream :( )
Another great sugar free, gluten free, and dairy free dessert recipe was given to me by one of my friends. I believe they are considered "Brownie Balls," and they are also absolutely delicious!
Brownie Balls:
- 1 c. roasted almonds (or you can use almond meal, which can be found at trader joes)
- 15 pitted dates (depends on the size though, if they're small, probably more)
- 2/3 c. cocoa powder
- 1 T honey
- 2 T water
Grind almonds in food processor. Add dates, cocoa powder, honey, and water. Mix until it forms a "sticky mass" Roll into balls, or form into bars, whichever seems more appealing, and either enjoy now, or keep them in the fridge or freezer so they'll stay delicious!
The last treat may be my favorite. It's good because you can eat it for a dessert kind of thing, snack, or I've even had it for breakfast...
Rice Cake "Cakes"
- 1 Rice Cake
- 1 tbsp of peanut butter (like I said, peanut butter on anything makes everything better...)
- drizzle of honey
- handful of raisins or cranberries (or chocolate chips...)
First, spread the rice cake with peanut butter, then drizzle on honey (I've found that making a star puts exactly the right amount of honey on... :) ) Then sprinkle on the raisins/cranberries/chocolate chips. and ENJOY! It's so delicious that I always end up having more than one...
In a gluten and dairy free world it's IMPERATIVE to find some good treats that don't rely on specialty gluten free labels. I'm glad I've found "brownies," "ice cream," and "cake" to satisfy my sweet tooth and chocolate cravings!!
Saturday, May 22, 2010
What is an Allergy?
Every day I like to log on the the New York Times Website and read the latest articles in the Health section. It doesn't matter if it's about nutrition r fitness, I just love to read up on the latest studies, findings and theories. One that really caught my eye last week was an article about allergies and how common (or rather, uncommon, they actually are).
While I personally don't have a gluten ALLERGY, my intolerance, and the effectiveness of a gluten free diet, are very real. The symptoms are undeniable, and I just feel all around more healthy without gluten. I also have come to find that eating unprocessed foods is the best route. Although there are times I can't deny certain gluten free brownies, for the vast majority of the time I really try to eat whole, unprocessed foods.
So while allergies may not be statistically "real" for people based on blood tests, the benefits of eating whole, unprocessed foods, and acknowledging an intolerance to food is largely beneficial to anyone and their health.
While I personally don't have a gluten ALLERGY, my intolerance, and the effectiveness of a gluten free diet, are very real. The symptoms are undeniable, and I just feel all around more healthy without gluten. I also have come to find that eating unprocessed foods is the best route. Although there are times I can't deny certain gluten free brownies, for the vast majority of the time I really try to eat whole, unprocessed foods.
So while allergies may not be statistically "real" for people based on blood tests, the benefits of eating whole, unprocessed foods, and acknowledging an intolerance to food is largely beneficial to anyone and their health.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Want to eat Breakfast?
One of the most difficult things for me when I first was adjusting to my gluten and dairy free diet, was making breakfast. I grew up in a cereal or bagel house. Every morning my brothers and I can choose from tons of cereal, or, it we had tons of time, we'd eat bagels with butter or cream cheese. Both of these options were immediately out for me.
Fortunately, at least at the beginning, it was summer and I had more time to figure some cooking out. I remember the first morning I ate fried eggs, not realizing that scrambled eggs didn't need to have milk in them. For the first couple of weeks I probably ate eggs every morning. This habit, however, could not persist. Apart from the high cholesterol associated with eggs, I simply wouldn't have the time to make them every morning.
After A LOT of studying, I decided that the questionable oats would be okay for me to eat. I still don't get instant rolled oats, I need to get the Irish oats, but they have become an absolute lifesaver.
My first time cooking them was a stressful experience, with several phone calls to my mom, but now that I've gotten the hang of it, I can't imagine my mornings without beloved oatmeal.
Typically on Saturday or Sunday I'll make a big batch of the Irish oats, and then keep it refrigerated so that in the morning I can just pop it in the microwave. The oats get a strange consistency in the fridge, so it's important to combine them with liquid and mix it up so that they're more like traditional oatmeal after reheated. I like to add some almond milk with mine, and stick it in the microwave for about 90 seconds.
Here are a couple of combinations I've put together with my oatmeal to make it extra tasty every morning!
1. Banana and Peanut Butter Oats
After I reheat my oats with the almond milk, I add in:
- 1 mashed banana (mashing it up makes it easier to mix in all the way with the oats and it releases a great sweet flavor that's my favorite!)
- 2 teaspoons of flaxseed meal (flax seed meal is an AMAZING source of fiber, which is very important with breakfast, also, the flaxseed adds a nutty taste that combines really well with the peanut butter)
- 1 teaspoon of peanut butter (I firmly believe that peanut butter makes EVERYTHING more delicious :) )
Mix all the ingredients together and it makes for an ABSOLUTELY delicious breakfast!
2. Applesauce Oats
This one is a little more involved if you want to make the applesauce from scratch. Normally what I've done is I make the applesauce when the oats are cooking.
To Make Applesauce:
- Cut up as many apples as you want (I normally do about 4) and put in a casserole dish
- Cover apples with almond, soy, or rice milk
- sprinkle cinnamon over the apples and milk
Then put the dish in the oven at 375 or 400 degrees, depending on your oven, for about 35 minutes, or until the apples are softened.
THEN
you can mix the applesauce with your oats and it is amazing! This was one of my favorites in the fall!
3. Honey & Raisin Oats
This one is my dad's favorite. It's really easy, and can even be cooked into the oats when you initially make them so that you can just reheat and eat thereafter.
What I usually do is reheat the oats with almond milk and add:
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 2 tablespoons of raisins (or as many as you want)
Even though its easy, it's still really good!!
These are obviously just suggestions for what have worked for me, but it's so nice to have "cereal" back in my life! It may take about 90 seconds longer than just pouring a bowl with milk, but it definitely is still tasty and easy, which is important when you're on the go and don't want a huge clean up afterward!
I think I'm off for some banana and PB!
Fortunately, at least at the beginning, it was summer and I had more time to figure some cooking out. I remember the first morning I ate fried eggs, not realizing that scrambled eggs didn't need to have milk in them. For the first couple of weeks I probably ate eggs every morning. This habit, however, could not persist. Apart from the high cholesterol associated with eggs, I simply wouldn't have the time to make them every morning.
After A LOT of studying, I decided that the questionable oats would be okay for me to eat. I still don't get instant rolled oats, I need to get the Irish oats, but they have become an absolute lifesaver.
My first time cooking them was a stressful experience, with several phone calls to my mom, but now that I've gotten the hang of it, I can't imagine my mornings without beloved oatmeal.
Typically on Saturday or Sunday I'll make a big batch of the Irish oats, and then keep it refrigerated so that in the morning I can just pop it in the microwave. The oats get a strange consistency in the fridge, so it's important to combine them with liquid and mix it up so that they're more like traditional oatmeal after reheated. I like to add some almond milk with mine, and stick it in the microwave for about 90 seconds.
Here are a couple of combinations I've put together with my oatmeal to make it extra tasty every morning!
1. Banana and Peanut Butter Oats
After I reheat my oats with the almond milk, I add in:
- 1 mashed banana (mashing it up makes it easier to mix in all the way with the oats and it releases a great sweet flavor that's my favorite!)
- 2 teaspoons of flaxseed meal (flax seed meal is an AMAZING source of fiber, which is very important with breakfast, also, the flaxseed adds a nutty taste that combines really well with the peanut butter)
- 1 teaspoon of peanut butter (I firmly believe that peanut butter makes EVERYTHING more delicious :) )
Mix all the ingredients together and it makes for an ABSOLUTELY delicious breakfast!
2. Applesauce Oats
This one is a little more involved if you want to make the applesauce from scratch. Normally what I've done is I make the applesauce when the oats are cooking.
To Make Applesauce:
- Cut up as many apples as you want (I normally do about 4) and put in a casserole dish
- Cover apples with almond, soy, or rice milk
- sprinkle cinnamon over the apples and milk
Then put the dish in the oven at 375 or 400 degrees, depending on your oven, for about 35 minutes, or until the apples are softened.
THEN
you can mix the applesauce with your oats and it is amazing! This was one of my favorites in the fall!
3. Honey & Raisin Oats
This one is my dad's favorite. It's really easy, and can even be cooked into the oats when you initially make them so that you can just reheat and eat thereafter.
What I usually do is reheat the oats with almond milk and add:
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 2 tablespoons of raisins (or as many as you want)
Even though its easy, it's still really good!!
These are obviously just suggestions for what have worked for me, but it's so nice to have "cereal" back in my life! It may take about 90 seconds longer than just pouring a bowl with milk, but it definitely is still tasty and easy, which is important when you're on the go and don't want a huge clean up afterward!
I think I'm off for some banana and PB!
Monday, May 10, 2010
Introductions
In this first post I've decided to include some details about how my gluten and dairy free diet came into my life, how I've adapted, and my inspiration for writing this blog.
1. Gluten Filled Life
This time last year I was living in Paris, eating lavish amounts of freshly baked baguettes and brie cheese. I also did some traveling to Italy, where I had pasta, pizza, and gelato. Needless to say, I very closely followed Elizabeth Gilbert's "no carb left behind" diet while traveling around Europe, much to my body's dismay.
When I returned from Europe I was EXTREMELY tired. Initially I thought it was jet lag, then maybe Paris withdrawl, but after a month of persisting exhaustion, along with the inability to lose weight (despite abandoning my rich diet and introducing a serious exercise regimen into my life), among other symptoms, I visited the doctor. Fortunately for me, my doctor treats patients very progressively, chiefly working to find cures through nutrition rather than introduction of drugs and supplements. It was at this meeting that I was first introduced to the word "gluten."
2. Weaning myself off of Gluten and Dairy
After an entire summer's worth of blood tests, elimination tests, and other hospital tests, my doctor and I came to the conclusion that gluten and casein was the source of my discomfort and therefore should no longer be in my diet.
While it may seem cut and dry, I by no means have had an easy time with my diagnosis. Chief among my frustration is the fact that while my body is intolerant of gluten and dairy in terms of how it is able to process food, I don't immediately feel sick after eating a bread crumb. Sickly, I am envious of people who do have such severe and definitive reactions.
I've also certainly had my "falling off the wagon." In February a friend and I traveled to New Orleans. I decided to have a "diet free" weekend (i.e. gluten and dairy filled, complete with King Cake, Po'boys, Fried Chicken, and Pizza) This is when I learned my lesson and had my intolerance re-affirmed.
Ultimately, I am grateful for this experience because it really showed me that I am, in fact, intolerant of gluten and dairy, and I really do feel better without either of these things in my system.
3. Inspiration for writing this blog
After my diagnosis last summer, I was desperate for any and all information. I spent countless hours googling "gluten" "dairy" "restaurants", etc., checked out every book there was on gluten from the library (I believe there were 6), and spoke to anyone who had ever even heard the word "gluten" before. Although I did learn A LOT, I still felt starved for information about being gluten AND dairy free. All of the research I did left me to discover that people who can't eat gluten eat copious amounts of dairy, and vice versa. I couldn't find any blogs about people with a similar experience, and all the information I found when searching "gluten and casein free" came up with information on Autism Spectrum Disorder (which I will talk about at some point in this blog). What I really wanted to learn was:
a.) Basic recipes that were gluten and dairy free
b.) Information on how to eat out
c.) How to go grocery shopping
d.) How I could go grocery shopping without spending exorbitant amounts of money, or feeling like I had to buy specialty products.
Mostly, I had to learn all of this on my own. Having been through the experience, and still learning every day, I want to share the information I have acquired.
Some facts that may inspire you to follow my example (I hope!)
a.) I have found (and made up) TONS of recipes that are really simple, delicious, and nutritious
b.) I am able to eat out regularly with my friends and let them choose the restaurants. Sometimes I run into problems, and oftentimes I don't have a large variety from which to choose, but I have even travelled to Istanbul, Turkey, and Cancun, Mexico (where I can't communicate my allergy) and have been successful in finding something to eat.
c. + d.) I easily go grocery shopping every week (I love it!), spend roughly $25 to $30 a week (which is relatively cheap), and, after many hours of studying ingredients, can quickly buy different delicious items with no problems!
*note - in my blog I use casein and dairy interchangeably. I'm still trying to figure out the distinction, but have been told by eliminating cow's milk, I escape my risk of consuming any casein.
1. Gluten Filled Life
This time last year I was living in Paris, eating lavish amounts of freshly baked baguettes and brie cheese. I also did some traveling to Italy, where I had pasta, pizza, and gelato. Needless to say, I very closely followed Elizabeth Gilbert's "no carb left behind" diet while traveling around Europe, much to my body's dismay.
When I returned from Europe I was EXTREMELY tired. Initially I thought it was jet lag, then maybe Paris withdrawl, but after a month of persisting exhaustion, along with the inability to lose weight (despite abandoning my rich diet and introducing a serious exercise regimen into my life), among other symptoms, I visited the doctor. Fortunately for me, my doctor treats patients very progressively, chiefly working to find cures through nutrition rather than introduction of drugs and supplements. It was at this meeting that I was first introduced to the word "gluten."
2. Weaning myself off of Gluten and Dairy
After an entire summer's worth of blood tests, elimination tests, and other hospital tests, my doctor and I came to the conclusion that gluten and casein was the source of my discomfort and therefore should no longer be in my diet.
While it may seem cut and dry, I by no means have had an easy time with my diagnosis. Chief among my frustration is the fact that while my body is intolerant of gluten and dairy in terms of how it is able to process food, I don't immediately feel sick after eating a bread crumb. Sickly, I am envious of people who do have such severe and definitive reactions.
I've also certainly had my "falling off the wagon." In February a friend and I traveled to New Orleans. I decided to have a "diet free" weekend (i.e. gluten and dairy filled, complete with King Cake, Po'boys, Fried Chicken, and Pizza) This is when I learned my lesson and had my intolerance re-affirmed.
Ultimately, I am grateful for this experience because it really showed me that I am, in fact, intolerant of gluten and dairy, and I really do feel better without either of these things in my system.
3. Inspiration for writing this blog
After my diagnosis last summer, I was desperate for any and all information. I spent countless hours googling "gluten" "dairy" "restaurants", etc., checked out every book there was on gluten from the library (I believe there were 6), and spoke to anyone who had ever even heard the word "gluten" before. Although I did learn A LOT, I still felt starved for information about being gluten AND dairy free. All of the research I did left me to discover that people who can't eat gluten eat copious amounts of dairy, and vice versa. I couldn't find any blogs about people with a similar experience, and all the information I found when searching "gluten and casein free" came up with information on Autism Spectrum Disorder (which I will talk about at some point in this blog). What I really wanted to learn was:
a.) Basic recipes that were gluten and dairy free
b.) Information on how to eat out
c.) How to go grocery shopping
d.) How I could go grocery shopping without spending exorbitant amounts of money, or feeling like I had to buy specialty products.
Mostly, I had to learn all of this on my own. Having been through the experience, and still learning every day, I want to share the information I have acquired.
Some facts that may inspire you to follow my example (I hope!)
a.) I have found (and made up) TONS of recipes that are really simple, delicious, and nutritious
b.) I am able to eat out regularly with my friends and let them choose the restaurants. Sometimes I run into problems, and oftentimes I don't have a large variety from which to choose, but I have even travelled to Istanbul, Turkey, and Cancun, Mexico (where I can't communicate my allergy) and have been successful in finding something to eat.
c. + d.) I easily go grocery shopping every week (I love it!), spend roughly $25 to $30 a week (which is relatively cheap), and, after many hours of studying ingredients, can quickly buy different delicious items with no problems!
*note - in my blog I use casein and dairy interchangeably. I'm still trying to figure out the distinction, but have been told by eliminating cow's milk, I escape my risk of consuming any casein.
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