Beginnings

A little over three weeks ago, I was diagnosed with a gluten allergy.  I have to admit that this was sort of upsetting - I honestly love bread and pretty much all other forms of carbs.  It's weird, I don't have a lot of symptoms with go along with the gluten allergy, but the allergy is keeping me from processing my nutrients correctly and contributing to not enough calcium getting to my bones. 

And though I had known weeks before that there was a good chance I had the gluten allergy, I didn't want to follow the diet until I got the official results from endoscopy.  And still cheated 4 days afterwards.  I had what I thought was good reason - it was the first time I was in New York City and wanted New York pizza and a blueberry cake doughnut (can't seem to find them in California)!  Though about halfway through the trip, I have to admit I wasn't feeling great.

Since then I have done my best to stay gluten free.  My Aunt June told me that there is gluten in soy sauce (which is definitely not something that would have ever crossed my mind)!  Thankfully, gluten free versions do exist and so sushi can still be eaten!  Another thing that I thought I was going to miss dearly was beer.  My family is of mostly German descent and I really do like imported and small domestic brewery beers.  Again, checked out Whole Foods and they had gluten free versions!!  And even though they are made with different ingredients, they still taste great (or at least the first one I tried, Bard's does)!

I had have dietary restrictions before where I wasn't eating a lot of salt, so I can used to reading labels already.  So now, it's just looking for different things - wheat, barley, rye, malt, etc., etc.  And yeah, sometimes that means you have to pay more for products, but if they are keeping me healthy, than it's completely worth it.

This blog will be following my journey of trying new recipes, restaurants and experiences of staying on a gluten free diet.  Today's new try was a gluten free savory spinach and pesto muffin from Trails Cafe.  It was kind of like an eggless quiche in the form of a muffin, but honestly tasted delicious after a hike in the shady areas of Griffith Park.  I hope that if you have a similar allergy or just trying to stay away from gluten, then this blog will help you.  I will try to include recipes and pictures in the coming posts!