Wheatless Foodie

 Gluten awareness has increased dramatically in the last few years.   Food manufacturers are producing more gluten-free products, and there are several food companies that only manufacture gluten-free foods.   It’s become trendy to be following a gluten-free diet.   While there are those who have been advised by a doctor to give up gluten, there are many people giving up gluten without a doctor’s diagnosis.   Why? Celebrities have helped make gluten-free eating popular.   Some claim to have followed a gluten free diet to lose weight, and others are doing it because it makes them feel healthier.   And when a celebrity does something, people pay attention. With all the delicious gluten-free baked goods on the market, changing out all the wheat containing foods in one’s diet to the gluten-free versions will not result in weight loss.   However, weight loss can result when giving up high fat, high sugar, and highly refined foods in favor of fruits, veg...

I’ve been working on some gluten free recipes, but they’re not quite right yet. I’ll share them when I’m satisfied that they are really good. Anyway, it’s been too hot to do much cooking lately, so I’ve been relying on my old standbys. These are products that I can purchase to hold me over between baking sessions. The product I rely on most often is the Van’s Wheat Free Gluten Free Toaster Waffles from the freezer section at the store. Of all the pre-prepared gf products on the market, I feel that these waffles are the closest to their regular made-with-wheat counterparts. They are delicious. I like to slightly over toast them, which I think produces the best finished texture: crispy on the outside; soft and fluffy on the inside. I eat them in place of toast, either plain or with butter. They are also good topped with peanut butter and sliced banana, or topped with cream cheese and strawberry preserves. Toast two and you can make a great fried egg sandwich. I’ve even used them in place...

For someone with Celiac disease, or gluten intolerance, meals can be difficult when one has to avoid favorite foods being eaten by everyone else at the table. Following a wheat-free diet in our wheat-based society can feel like navigating a minefield. It’s not that there aren’t plenty of foods that we can eat, it’s just that there are so many that have to be avoided. Most regular convenience foods are out of the question. Buying special gluten-free convenience foods frequently requires a trip to the health food store, and can be a real budget-buster. Preparing special foods for one person in addition to other foods for the rest of the family takes more time than we have, or want to spend, in the kitchen. Family meal time is when we can come together to connect with loved ones. Sharing food, stories and laughter provides nourishment for our spirits as well as our bodies. And the communal experience of sharing the same foods is part of the joy of sharing a meal. Toward this end, I am wor...