So this week you are in store for a treat! Recently, as I have posted before, I have been having some health issues. Still don't know what is going on, and after two failed attempts to see a doctor about it, I am starting to take things into my own hands. I have an appointment with a new doctor in a few weeks and I'm hoping that she will be able to get me somewhere. Anywho, something is out of whack in my nervous system and it is making my whole entire body all messed up. I have no energy most days, I blackout when I stand up, I'm shaky, tired, have trouble breathing sometimes.... Yah, it can be quite scary! Thankfully today I'm having a pretty good day!
So that brings me to this weeks challenge: food. I have a pretty good feeling that I am gluten intolerant. Being a celiac can cause a lot of the problems I have. If it isn't found within your first year of life, then it can go unnoticed for years only to have some major bodily change click your intolerance in gear. An example of this is a major infection, a major injury, pregnancy, etc. Ever since I've had my girls, my body just hasn't been the same. I have had issue after issue and after researching and reading about celiac disease, well it makes a lot of since! Now we aren't for sure if this is my problem but I am going to take it up with the new doctor in a few weeks and see what she thinks. I don't know, but I think I'm on to something!
So what is gluten you ask? Well it is a protein that is found in wheat, rye, barley, and other grains. Ok, so no bread right? That's not so bad. WRONG! Gluten is found in just about everything you eat in a day like coffee, chips, candy, beer, salad dressings, pasta, and pretty much every pop in the microwave meal you can find. When I was first suggested this and I looked up what it was. NO WAY! Nuh, uh! Not going to do it! And that was that. Put that out of my mind, but somehow it kept creeping back to me. Everything I was researching about what could possibly be wrong with me kept going back to that. Sigh. So I take another look at it. Research it some more. Bought a book. And you know? I don't think it is all that bad. Actually, after reading that book a lot of things clicked and made tons of sense! So I really did my homework and asked around to a lot of people that are celiacs. My first trip to the store was pretty overwhelming. I didn't know what to get. But then I learned to have a plan. Get a meal plan and go to the store knowing what you need instead of wondering the isles clueless. And that proved to be a lot better!
I am actually pretty stoked about this. Yah, it sucks and it is a major change, but there really is a whole lot of options out there. You just have to learn to be a label reader and eat a lot of fresh foods. All meats, vegetables, and fruits are gluten free. Most dairy items are. There actually is a lot more than you think. The plus side of this is that it is healthy! People actual go on this diet just to be healthy. I remember reading somewhere that our bodies weren't meant to eat gluten. When man first came to be it was meat, fruit, vegetables, everything from the earth. And then man made wheat, and all these other grains. Our bodies just weren't meant for it and it is said that 1 in every 160 and some people (can't remember the exact number) are gluten intolerant. But only 10% of them know it. It takes most people an average of 7 years to figure out they are celiac! I have been living with these problems for over 4 years and I'm figuring it out. I can't imagine another 3! So I am hoping that this may be my problem. And then again, I'm hoping its not. But I guess when it's all said and done, whether I am or not, I have definitely learned a lot. Plus it opens my eyes to what goes into what we eat. Seriously, check the labels of the ingredients that go into your next meal. Do you know what everything is on there?
So anyways, that is my intro/narrative to this post. Sorry it was so long, but I have a lot to say about it. If this proves to be my problem then you will be hearing a lot more about my gluten free journey. As for now it's just a month's test run to see how I feel. So in the process, what better way to use this week's post on this journey!?
Here we go, a dive into the gluten free world!
There is a look of a few items that came from my first successful gluten free shopping trip!
A friend who has a son with a wheat allergy was so kind and showed me a few things and even brought me the pancake and waffle mix! Haven't tried it yet, but thinking about it for breakfast tomorrow! Can't wait to try the brownies too!
These are actually quite yummy and addicting! I have been on this cream cheese and jalepeno jelly dip kick and these are soooo good with that! Mmmmm!
Salmon! ... Is whats for dinner. Or, was in my case. =)
Tomatoes and peppers fresh from our garden!
This my friend, is my overstuffed fridge prepared for gluten free meals for the next two weeks! I really don't think I can fit anything else in there. But notice a majority is fruits and veggies! Not everything in there is G-free... but I do have a husband and children who aren't particularly excited about this whole thing. And check out that huge jar of minced garlic I found yesterday! I hit the jackpot with that thing! .... yah... so, we like garlic....
Ok, so onto my experiments today...
I found this yesterday and was sooo excited! Go Betty Crocker with the G-free cookie mix! So I had to give it a shot....
Tada! Looks the same right!? I was a little leery of my first bite.... but I went for it. A few little changes obviously.... hmm.... ok.... not so bad.... well lets try another one.... um...wow... this is actually pretty darn good! And about 5 cookies later...well I'm sure you can guess the outcome. =)
And so on I went to try out some bread. This by far is the biggest thing I am heartbroken over loosing. I can not begin to tell you how much I love bread and how much I actually eat it! Well... ate it I guess. So I am on a mission to find a decent tasting bread and as I have been told and read about... that is pretty hard to find. So here is try #1 with a mix I found at Hy-Vee....
So I can't say I've ever made a bread dough with a regular electric beater before. But I don't think you would want to knead it with your hands as it is very sticky! I usually use my bread machine but until I know if this a gluten free intolerance I have, the love of my life is off limits. =( Long story here, but basically I will never get to use it again if I am celiac unless I can really hard core clean it. Plus I need to find a good recipe and perfect it too before I can figure out how to put it in the bread machine lol....Anwho, here we are letting it rise...
And the final product:
Well it looked pretty good. Looked like normal bread. Cut like normal bread fresh out of the oven. So here we go for the first taste test...... and well.... eh, is all I can say. It's not terrible, but it's also not the best bread either. Not real happy with it, but right now it's all I got to go on. For the first attempt I'd say it's pretty ok after hearing the bad stories about G-free bread. I'm not going to give up just yet!
So there you have a few of my first adventures on this new diet. I think I may continue to post more as time allows (school starts next week!). If I do turn out to be a celiac, I may start a new blog about it all. But I will definitely keep you all posted!
