Why Am I Writing This Blog?

It's not like I don't already have too many things to do each day, but I feel like my world got very frustrating when I found out that I cannot eat gluten any longer. I only discovered my intolerance (or allergy) to gluten a few (long) years ago and I'm still pretty angry about it. I used to love my wheat products! I don't know if I ever ate a meal that didn't involve some sort of bread product. And frankly, vegetables are not my friend. Some might call me a finicky eater... and they' be right.

So when I found out that I had to cut gluten out of my diet (term used loosely), I had no idea how much I'd dislike eating. My days of pizza, hamburgers, sandwiches, cookies, even Red Vines were over! No more Pop Tarts? Augh!! What was I going to eat? My friend who helped diagnose me told me I'd probably lose lots of weight once I adopted a GF diet. She failed to mention that was because most people who suffer through a GF diet eat a lot of salads and tell themselves how yummy they are. One problem... I don't like salad (at all)! Nor did I begin eating tons of vegetables, though I am trying to branch out a bit more these days. Desperation, or God's unique design of our bodies, has eventually caused my tastebuds to change a bit. I didn't lose weight... I actually gained a few pounds! I quickly figured out all the products that I could consume that were naturally gluten-free. For example, Rice Krispy Treats don't contain wheat! Neither do Milk Duds, ice cream, Jamba Juice smoothies... you get the point. I comforted myself because none of the foods the GF industry was peddling were palatable. Most tasted like cardboard, and some tasted worse!

It's been several years now, but I have gradually found a number of things that I actually enjoy eating (with varying degrees of "enjoyment"). So I decided to start a blog to help my friends who find themselves needing to eat gluten-free. Many of them have come to me and asked me what they can now eat? My first question is to ask them if they MUST eat GF, or if it's some sick dietary choice they opted for. But I'm a nice guy and so I try to help even those crazies figure out how to survive (most don't stay on a GF diet very long though). For those of us who have no choice and must avoid gluten altogether, this blog is my way of saying, "I'm so sorry this happened to you too!" These posts will archive recipes, "over the counter" products (groceries, etc), menu items at restaurant chains, and other goodies that I find help me survive this GF nightmare.

Warnings! First, I am gluten intolerant. I do not have Celiac Disease. I do not get violently ill or worse if I consume trace amounts of gluten. Therefore, many of these recipes or suggestions will not be 100% certified gluten free. For example, Rice Krispies are not labeled GF because they are manufactured in a plant on equipment that could contain trace amounts of gluten. However, in my case, that's fine (I'd have to eat tons of them to ingest enough gluten to get any symptoms, and let's face it, that much rice would probably kill me first). So, if you have Celiac Disease, I would suggest doing your own research before trying any of these food suggestions. Please use your own judgement and don't take any chances. Second, I am not screening these food recommendations for their health benefits and nutritional value. In other words, some (or many) may not be good FOR you, but they will, in my opinion, taste good TO you.

Not a bad snack!

That's what this blog is all about: Foods that someone with a gluten intolerance, gluten allergy, or have elected to give up gluten (you know who you are) can enjoy. Yes, I did say enjoy! The health food industry has exploded with new gluten-free products and more restaurants are offering GF selections on their menus. In my finicky opinion, about 5% of them are edible. Yet all of their marketing departments will tell you how great their products taste. Let's be clear about this... if you are stranded on an island about to starve to death, then yes, their GF dinner roll might just hit the spot. I've come to realize that most people who turn to eating gluten-free apparently have had a "tastebud-ectomy". I honestly don't know how these companies manage to sell so much of their horrible tasting, dry, crumbly, suck-the-moisture-out-of-your-mouth products. And they all will tell you how "good" it tastes. Are they hoping that if they say it enough we'll eventually believe it?!

My daughter baked me these petite  cupcakes.

That's not good enough for me. I want to enjoy food again. I long to eat a hamburger that tastes like a burger I used to enjoy. Not a burger that if I close my eyes and pretend not to notice I can choke down the horrible bun and tell myself "it's better than never having a hamburger again". I'm tired of doing that and am on a quest to find foods that are really quite good.

If you long to find foods that make you forget, if even for just a little while, that you had to give up eating wheat, then join me on this journey. And together maybe we'll find some relief for mundane meals.