TRIALS OF A GLUTEN-FREE LIFE

It might surprise you to know that a gluten-free diet is not a death sentence. It is an adjustment. Sometimes it is very hard, and at other times, it\’s easy. It swings both ways unless you really put your mind to why you are doing this.  It has not been that difficult during the past year, but my mind still wants bread, cakes, cookies, etc. Training my mind is the hard part. If I know what will happen if I eat bread and all the other goodies, I can do well. I do slip and fall back into my old ways. I also pay the consequences, which I don\’t like.
Friends and family are always asking what I can eat. Give me a plate of meat and veggies, and I\’m fine. My biggest problem is pasta, but there are delicious gluten-free kinds of pasta on the market.

Also watch anything breaded. The breading is usually made from wheat bread crumbs. One thing I\’ve learned is cornbread is a great way to get bread that is gluten-free. We get a cornbread mix from Aldis that is called LiveGFree. Love it!
There are also several useful blogs and websites on the internet. My favorite is Nicole Hunn at GF Shoestring. Her recipes are simple, and I\’m going to try her baking mix. I think that will make my baking better.
Recently, I began making slaw dressing from scratch. It does not have any gluten, and my hubby loves it. I found it on the internet because my husband likes vinegar dressing instead of mayonnaise dressing. It doesn\’t matter to me, but most mayonnaise dressings have gluten.
What do I eat? We have a lot of either home-canned and frozen vegetables or fresh vegetables. We prefer fruit that is fresh to canned fruit. I do keep some on hand for emergencies. If I make a sauce, I use cornstarch to thicken it. There is also potato flour/starch that I use as a thickener. We are learning each day how to eat healthier, and it\’s working.
Gluten-free eating may not be for you, but if you are having tummy problems, headaches, and foggy brain, give it a try.