On going Gluten-Free... Day #11

A little over a year ago I gave up dairy, something I swore I'd never be able to do.  Somewhere deep down I knew gluten would be next but, like dairy, I always swore I'd never be able to give it up.  Well, September 25th was my first GF day.  Why?  Well, because I've recently had incredibly painful gas & suffering from (yes, suffering) loud, painful burps.  And I NEVER burp.  Not because I'm so "lady-like" & proper, but because I just never burp.  So after reading lists on several different reputable websites of foods that could cause excessive gas I came to the conclusion that gluten was the most likely culprit as it was the only food on every list that I ate every day, several times/day.  *SIGH*  So buh-bye gluten.

My goal is to give it a month & see how I feel.  Today is day #11 going GF.  The first few days sucked, honestly.  Totally suck-fest.  I was sooo hungry all the time!!  Ravenous.  One of my cousins went GF in solidarity with her beau who has Celiac's disease & she assured me that this was normal.  

One of my favorite things, makes me so happy, & is versatile, can be eaten on a hot or cold day, is a simple bagel sandwich.  I cut a bagel in half, cook it face-down in a griddle with a skim of olive oil until golden brown & the edges are just a tad charred.  Smear with a little Vegenaise or smashed avocado if I'm lucky enough to have a perfectly ripe one in the house, then top with local veggies, usually a few thin slices of tomatoes, onions, & a few pieces of lettuce.  O.  M.  G.  YUM.  That is my heaven right there.  On a bagel.  I miss that.

One thing I've found with a lot of certified GF food is they're not organic.  They might also be vegan, but they're not organic or even GMO-free.  And because so many contain soy, potato, and/or corn products which are all likely GMO if it doesn't clearly state "organic" or at least GMO-free & those are all GMO's that I avoid like the plague, it's been challenging.  Not impossible, but challenging.  Suffice it to say I am back to reading labels again until I find GF products which are also dairy-free & organic or at least GMO-free brands that I trust (not owned by General Mills, etc).  

Not one of the GF bread, bagel, or wrap brands at my local co-op states "organic" or even "GMO-free".  Suffice it to say my stomach growls & I feel like a rabid caged starving animal every time I make a toasted bagel for the hubby or the kiddos!!  But it is getting easier.  Very slowly...

Tinkyada makes great GF rice pastas, but, fair warning, they sell both organic & non-organic varieties.  The organic ones state "100% organic" in the upper right hand corner of the package.  At $3.99 for a 12 oz. package (at our local food co-op), it's a tad pricier than the regular organic pasta I buy from the bulk bins for $3.99/pound, but it's not "unacceptably" more expensive.  Plus, *score*, it tastes great so the extra cost is worth it.  

[Above - Just a photo of the empty bag.  I bought two bags this week & they're both gone, it's that good. ;) ]

Long story short, I am FINALLY giving up gluten, & it's not easy, but it's doable!  ;)  I'll be journaling about it occasionally as well as reviewing GF products.  So stay tuned! 

And Happy Eating!!  :)