What I’ve Learned Going Gluten Free

I’ve been doing gluten free for about 6 months now.  mostly GF, I’d say about 90% of the time. I essentially skip bread, grains & pasta but if there is gluten in a sauce or something I eat it. I don’t order from a special menu at restaurants and if I want a bite of something I have it. 

That being said, Friday I decided to make a cheat day and had an egg souffle from Panera. A few hours later my stomach was cramping and literally almost as swollen as it was the day after surgery.  HUGE.  Like poking out of my shirt swollen.  Once I realized it was from breakfast I figured I might as well go all the way and I ate cupcakes that night. 

Today my belly finally went back to normal after two days and I decided that this is it- I’ve ruined gluten foods for myself.  In order to eat them and enjoy I’d have to slowly re-introduce them back into my diet and that is just crazy!  Eating it just isn’t worth the discomfort later.  I honestly can say I havent had a SINGLE cheat that was worth it.

  • I have noticed that I need to be conscious of my carb intake- not eating grains at all can make it difficult to eat enough carbs.  If I am missing them in healthy foods i find I crave sugar.  like candy.  pure junk.  Its very important for me to balance my foods and continue to eat zoned meals or it throws my diet totally out of whack
  • Its not inconvenient if I plan for it.  I rarely have situations that I cant find anything to eat.  When they do happen it tends to be at parties or gatherings and I have learned to plan for that.  I usually eat a 1-2 block zone snack beforehand that way if there isn’t anything I can eat I can wait until I get back home.
  • Gluten makes me gain weight- the day of and after I cheat I am up 4-5lbs!  it goes down the following day so it must be water weight.
  • along those lines is GF has stopped bloating.  unless I eat Gluten I just dont have it.
  • Being GF doesn’t mean you can eat GF cake and brownies all day and be healthy.  I still try my hardest to stay away from processed food as much as possible.  A friend asked If I ate GF bagels and my response was no, its still a bagel! 
  • the weirdest thing about going GF is that it essentially RUINS a lot of foods.  It seems like many dont even really have a taste at all.  Bagels, bread, English muffins, pancakes- all dont really taste like anything at all.  dry, and not flavorful.
  • Recovery is faster as well, my body just feels better overall
  • finding new cheat foods has proven to be a challenge.  Turns out that my main cheats were pizza and pasta (specifically mac & cheese) which I didnt realize until it was no longer an option.  So it actually feels like my cheat days arent as satisfying as before since I am not really eating many off-limits foods.  I need some ideas on this if anyone has good cheats that are GF

All in all, good experiment and I am really happy I did it and have stuck with it.  I think its important for anyone who is trying to go GF to be strict that first week so that your body gets it out of its system.  that way when you have a cheat you feel it.  you can tell the difference in the way your body responds. 

thats all for now! 

Gluten free waffles made according to the mix directions except I used slightly less mix and added a scoop of vanilla protein powder instead. Served with eggs and fruit. Yum!

Gluten free waffles made according to the mix directions except I used slightly less mix and added a scoop of vanilla protein powder instead.
Served with eggs and fruit. Yum!

Two for two successful surprise parties this year. This one was for my boss and I broke myGF rule in order to try all 10 flavors of cupcakes…

Two for two successful surprise parties this year. This one was for my boss and I broke myGF rule in order to try all 10 flavors of cupcakes…

how did you prepare the polenta? btw, the habanero sauce is pretty tasty! thanks for the rec.

crossfithobbit

Good! Glad you like it!
I just get the prepared polenta and slice and either pan “fry” or put in the oven and broil until crispy. It’s actually pretty good, I think the crisper the better.

Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps this recipe was recommended by a friend and was really easy and really good. I didnt have celery so I used celery salt and I spiced it up a little more with Secret Aardvark (or course) I would recommend Iceberg lettuce for the wraps- I used Boston, the kind I use in my Asian Chicken wraps and I missed the crunch that I crave in wings.  otherwise it was delish!  Thanks Wendy for the recommendation!!

Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps

this recipe was recommended by a friend and was really easy and really good.

I didnt have celery so I used celery salt and I spiced it up a little more with Secret Aardvark (or course)

I would recommend Iceberg lettuce for the wraps- I used Boston, the kind I use in my Asian Chicken wraps and I missed the crunch that I crave in wings.  otherwise it was delish!  Thanks Wendy for the recommendation!!

Its now been 2 weeks and 4 days since my surgery, and overall I am feeling pretty good. 

I decided that today would be my first day back working out and it was a little disappointing.  I tried to work on Double Unders and the jumping was no good.  Then I took the dogs for an attempted run; also no good.  wound up just walking a few miles and hobbling the last bit home.

I need some more time but I’m happy to say I’m recovering pretty well. The pain I have now is different then the pain before surgery which is a positive sign.  The Dr said to take it pretty easy for 4-6 weeks post op as too much can create more scar tissue (which is why I had the surgery in the first place!) so While i am itching to get going again I want to be smart about it…

But on another note, I read that Jillian Michaels has the same condition I have and her feelings toward the disease mirror some of mine.

Meat Sauce over Polenta when I was googling ingredients I saw that some recipes used a little cream. I added a bit at the end and it did make a big difference! It gave the sauce a lot more depth and richness

Meat Sauce over Polenta

when I was googling ingredients I saw that some recipes used a little cream.
I added a bit at the end and it did make a big difference! It gave the sauce a lot more depth and richness

I can’t believe I’m missing Murph!! There’s no way I’m up to it yet and it’s such a bummer.
I don’t even have my surgery followup for 2 more weeks. Going a little crazy so I plan to start back Wednesday and really scale until I get the ok

Dinner a BLT + avocado on Ezekiel Bread.  I’ve been reading up on Gluten Free breads and even though Ezekiel isn’t GF I thought I’d give it a shot.  apparently because of the sprouted grain your body processes it differently then gluten?  I feel ok after eating so that’s a good sign. lettuce & tomato are from my garden which makes it taste even better

Dinner

a BLT + avocado on Ezekiel Bread.  I’ve been reading up on Gluten Free breads and even though Ezekiel isn’t GF I thought I’d give it a shot.  apparently because of the sprouted grain your body processes it differently then gluten?  I feel ok after eating so that’s a good sign.

lettuce & tomato are from my garden which makes it taste even better

I was at Whole Foods tonight buying dates from the bulk department.  These seem to be the base in alot of gluten free sweets.  They were so sticky and it took forever to grab a pound of them, and about halfway through the process I started thinking that they looked like cockroaches.  I almost put them back…but that would have been crazy so I bought them and I will use them in something delicious.  and I’ll be sure to post the recipe

I was at Whole Foods tonight buying dates from the bulk department.  These seem to be the base in alot of gluten free sweets. 

They were so sticky and it took forever to grab a pound of them, and about halfway through the process I started thinking that they looked like cockroaches.  I almost put them back…but that would have been crazy so I bought them and I will use them in something delicious.  and I’ll be sure to post the recipe

Dinner was Moussaka.  Love the stuff and I have been craving it for some reason.  It was also a good way to use some of the ground meat we have.  it was seriously so good.  Nick and I each had multiple servings- i actually ate 3 :)  I doubled the bechamel sauce because thats kind of my favorite part. I kind of followed this recipe from Sandra Lee-My changes are below 1 eggplant sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices  2 potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick lots of Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 medium onion, chopped 1 pound (80 percent lean) ground venison 4 cloves chopped garlic 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning 1 tbl morajan 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes 2 tbl sugar 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons cornstarch 3 cups milk, at room temperature 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Directions Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Put the eggplant & potatoes in a single layer onto 2 (9 by 17-inch) baking sheets. spray both sides with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Bake until browned and softened, 10 to 15 minutes. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt a little butter and add and the onions and cook until they soften, about 3 minutes. Add the venison, breaking into pieces with a wooden spoon. Add the garlic, dried garlic, Italian seasoning, Marjoram, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and salt and pepper. Stir in the tomatoes and simmer until it is thick and the flavors have combined, 20 to 25 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and spices.  I added the 2 tbl sugar here along with some dried garlic. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk, season with salt and pepper, and the remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Bring it to a simmer, and cook until it is thick, about the consistency of pancake batter. Put a layer of eggplant into a 9 by 9-inch baking dish. Spread the beef mixture evenly over the top. Put another layer of eggplant on top (reserve the remaining eggplant for Online Round 2 Recipe Eggplant Dip). Pour the bechamel sauce over the top and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until browned and bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes.

Dinner was Moussaka.  Love the stuff and I have been craving it for some reason.  It was also a good way to use some of the ground meat we have.  it was seriously so good.  Nick and I each had multiple servings- i actually ate 3 :)  I doubled the bechamel sauce because thats kind of my favorite part.

I kind of followed this recipe from Sandra Lee-My changes are below

  • 1 eggplant sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices 
  • 2 potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • lots of Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 pound (80 percent lean) ground venison
  • 4 cloves chopped garlic
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 tbl morajan
  • 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tbl sugar
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3 cups milk, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Put the eggplant & potatoes in a single layer onto 2 (9 by 17-inch) baking sheets. spray both sides with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Bake until browned and softened, 10 to 15 minutes.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt a little butter and add and the onions and cook until they soften, about 3 minutes. Add the venison, breaking into pieces with a wooden spoon. Add the garlic, dried garlic, Italian seasoning, Marjoram, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and salt and pepper. Stir in the tomatoes and simmer until it is thick and the flavors have combined, 20 to 25 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and spices.  I added the 2 tbl sugar here along with some dried garlic.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk, season with salt and pepper, and the remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Bring it to a simmer, and cook until it is thick, about the consistency of pancake batter.

Put a layer of eggplant into a 9 by 9-inch baking dish. Spread the beef mixture evenly over the top. Put another layer of eggplant on top (reserve the remaining eggplant for Online Round 2 Recipe Eggplant Dip). Pour the bechamel sauce over the top and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until browned and bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes.

Yoga

I bought a Groupon for a Bikram yoga studio the other day for myself and my husband.  I actually hate Bikram, but love hot yoga.  It was 10 sessions for $28 which is amazing (usually classes are $17 each) and I hope that by the end of the session I will have grown to like it.

I dont like how strict they are and that we do the same poses each week.  I actually credit yoga with some of the things I am able to do in Crossfit- one legged squats, Handstands etc, and I hope that Bikram will compliment as well? 

I am hoping to take a class next week and ease myself back into working out.  When I had this same surgery in December I tried to work out the same week and it delayed my recovery.  This time I want to be smart about it but its so hard to stay away!!

Protein Crepes with Strawberry Rhubarb topping I bought some rhubarb at the farmers market the other day and decided to make a Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble with Walnut topping 3 cups sliced rhubarb 1 pint strawberries quartered 1 tbl each lemon zest and ginger 1/2 cup sugar 2 tbl oat flour toss to coat and then place in 8x8 buttered dish.  in another bowl blend 1/3c brown sugar, 2/3 chopped walnuts and 1/4 c melted butter.  toss in about 3 tbl oat flour and then crumble on top. bake dish at 350 for about 45 min or until bubbly. I made this because i needed to use the ingredients and also noticed that we had cottage cheese about to go bad.  So I mixed up a batch of Cottage CHeese Pancakes- they taste more like a thick crepe then a pancake- and topped with the fruit.  delish!

Protein Crepes with Strawberry Rhubarb topping

I bought some rhubarb at the farmers market the other day and decided to make a Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble with Walnut topping

3 cups sliced rhubarb

1 pint strawberries quartered

1 tbl each lemon zest and ginger

1/2 cup sugar

2 tbl oat flour

toss to coat and then place in 8x8 buttered dish. 

in another bowl blend 1/3c brown sugar, 2/3 chopped walnuts and 1/4 c melted butter.  toss in about 3 tbl oat flour and then crumble on top.

bake dish at 350 for about 45 min or until bubbly.

I made this because i needed to use the ingredients and also noticed that we had cottage cheese about to go bad.  So I mixed up a batch of Cottage CHeese Pancakes- they taste more like a thick crepe then a pancake- and topped with the fruit.  delish!