Gluten Binge

Well... we are down to only 3.5 days of "normal eating" left before the 30 Day Gluten Free Challenge begins! I find myself spending these last few days binging on all of my favorite foods that contain gluten, knowing that I will not be able to have them for the next month. There is also the possibility that I may have to go even longer if skipping out on gluten results in feeling much improved... that's almost a worrisome thought.

Last night's supper -- my very popular mini lasagnas, which are probably my SO's favorite thing I've ever made. He had 5 for supper last night and was craving more for a bedtime snack only a couple of hours later so I expect the leftovers from the double batch I made won't last long. On the side were tasty buns from Extra Foods - you know those ones that come half baked and you finish them off in the oven at home? Despite the fact that I forgot I was broiling them and maybe (just maybe) toasted them a little too long they were quite delicious! And for dessert... my piece de resistance... homemade APPLE PIE!!

Let me tell you folks, the whole meal was definitely a win on my part! And even better... leftovers! I can tell you that I will be enjoying these same items in about 20 minutes when I break into my lunch.

My SO and I are also headed out for pizza tonight, so I can strike that off my list of things to eat before I no longer can.

This all takes me to the research that I've done on what a person can and cannot eat when going gluten free. An excellent resource for those who want to get into the finer details... www.celiac.ca. There you will find more information on what you can eat, what you can't, and items that you should question, even if you think they would likely be gluten free.

There are a surprising number of different words for gluten, and a surprising number of items that need to be avoided. My plan - to print off these lists and post them in my kitchen. I will need to start off by going through the pantry and clearing out anything that we currently have in our possession that contains gluten. I wouldn't want to have the temptation sitting right there for when the cravings are overwhelming! Next, what I'm sure will be a very expensive shopping trip to replace those items with things we can eat. And finally, a strict meal plan. I can already foresee myself coming home from a long day at work and not wanting to bother with making "real" food. My thoughts are that if I have the whole week's meals planned out and everything ready to go, I won't have an excuse not to make it!

As I begin my journey into the gluten free world, I will be posting here on a daily basis (with pictures) what we eat. I'm sure there will be some successes, and definitely a few failures, but I'm excited to see the end result.

So until next time...

D.