MY GLUTEN-FREE LIFE

A friend asked me Sunday about some gluten-free recipes. She has a houseguest coming this weekend that is gluten-free. You do have to be careful if you have celiac or if you are gluten intolerant. I know people who have celiac and they have to be more careful than I do. Any wheat messes them up big time. I can eat a little wheat, but only a very small amount. I still have to be very careful what I eat. I\’ll eat a slice of bread, but I will pay for it when I do.

There is a symbol on gluten-free food that shows it was made in sterile conditions. It will state that it is \”certified gluten-free.\” I try to buy food with that symbol.

There are several foods that are gluten-free that we never think about. I\’d like to list what I use.

Kroger has Kroger Gluten-Free pastas. I love the spaghetti and macaroni. There is also lasagne that is gluten-free. I like Ronzoni or Kroger brand. My husband cannot tell the difference. If you purchase ready-made spaghetti sauce,make sure it has no wheat or flour.

Daisy Sour Cream and Cottage Cheese are gluten-free. I try to use it all the time, but there isn\’t much gluten that you would probably put in cottage cheese or sour cream. You do want whatever you eat to be sterile with no cross-contamination.

Some gluten-free foods that I\’d never thought of is Fritos and Butterfingers. They are gluten-free. Butterfingers are my favorites. I\’m also happy to find gluten-free Oreos.

Watch salad dressings. They can use flour as a thickening agent. Read labels. I\’ve found that to be the most helpful.

Anything with a sauce can mean trouble. I use cornstarch, which is gluten-free, at home when I make gravy or sauces.

Since gluten-free does not mean you\’ll lose weight, be careful how much pasta you eat. I think of my food as similar to what I ate before, and the calories are basically the same. I have lost weight, but I\’ve watched my calorie intake.

I find restaurant eating is the hardest for me. So many foods have wheat products in them. I am beginning to see gluten-free menus at a few restaurants. I\’ll stick with grilled meat instead of fried, and most vegetables are okay. You do get strange looks when you tell the waitress you do not want bread. Breakfast is my hardest meal to eat out.

As more people become gluten intolerant, I believe we will see more restaurants with gluten-free menus. You can survive without gluten, and I feel a lot better.