How Can I Live Gluten-Free?
Five years ago I felt like my life was over. After having stomach pains for years and not knowing why, I got the results of a blood test. My father found out two weeks prior that he had something called celiac disease. I had never heard of it before. Sure enough, that is what my blood results showed. Close to 2.8 million Americans suffer from this autoimmune disease. About ninety-five percent of celiacs are undiagnosed. Celiac disease requires gluten to be removed completely from a person’s diet. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. It is found in flours, breads, pastas, cereals, cakes, and pastries. It is also found in many things you wouldn’t expect to find it in, such as soups and seasonings. Now, after eating whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted for 20 years, I had to completely change my diet. I called my mom crying and asked her to come over and help me figure out what I had in my pantry that was gluten-free. We read label after label. Spaghettio’s? No. Macaroni and cheese? No. Oreos? No. Crackers? No. Flour tortillas? No. Tears streamed down my face because I had nothing I could eat in my house. I could no longer run to the first fast-food restaurant I saw and grab a hamburger or chicken nuggets. If I went to a birthday party or family gathering I couldn’t eat anything. Five years ago there weren’t a lot of gluten-free foods to turn to. They didn’t have much taste to them, which made things frustrating. Through the years it has become easier for me and gluten-free foods taste better.
Going gluten-free can be very challenging, expensive and time-consuming. The gluten-free community is growing rapidly, not only by those affected with celiac, but those choosing to go with a healthier lifestyle. There are many more gluten-free products available now than there were five years ago.
There are several foods out there that are naturally gluten-free. For example, vegetables, fruits, meats, and legumes are all gluten-free. A few alternatives to all-purpose flour are rice, corn, tapioca, and potato flours. Some companies even make different blends of gluten-free flours that are similar in texture and taste to regular flour. Gluten-free foods have come a long way in the past few years and are available in most grocery stores. Living a gluten-free lifestyle can be expensive but having recipes to make homemade meals can help. The authors of these cookbooks make it easier and healthier to live not only gluten-free but sugar-free and vegan as well.
Amy Green, author of Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free (SS & GF), has a book packed full of amazing, healthy and easy recipes for those going gluten-free and have busy lives. All recipes in SS & GF can be prepared in about 20 minutes. I really love that she includes a basic flour blend that is used in several of her recipes. This can come in handy not only for recipes in her book, but recipes you might find elsewhere. There is a very nice kitchen essentials portion in the back of the book that is very helpful. This includes alternatives to sugar as well as equipment and resources to help make living gluten and sugar-free easier. From Apple Spice Muffins to Seven Layer Avocado Dip and Cauliflower Soup to Vanilla Bean Sponge Cake, there are recipes for everyone.
Are you vegan and gluten-free? The 100 Best Gluten-Free Recipes For Your Vegan Kitchen by Kelly E. Keough is the book for you. Being vegan means completely animal-free. It is a challenge to be both vegan and gluten-free. Kelly’s book shows how you can do both without having to sacrifice the flavors you love. She shows you how to make delicious smoothies, entrees, desserts and so much more. Kelly also gives advice on what essentials you need, tips for easier preparation and how to save money. Two appealing recipes are Blueberry Cornbread Muffins and Hot Tamale Pie. As the title says, she has 100 recipes to choose from and information in the back to help with making sure your kitchen is stocked with the essentials.
Whether you have been gluten-free for years or just decided today, these books have some great recipes that can help make it easier. It is challenging to be gluten-free but it can be done. It is fun to try new recipes and it is nice that there are gluten-free cookbooks to help make this lifestyle more manageable.
