Gluten Free On the Run - Maintain Spontaneity Without Getting Glutened

Mike and I were up in Littleton this weekend picking up pumpkins for Halloween. I of course didn't plan ahead and wound up in unfamiliar territory with a grumbling belly. Thinking I was being smart I busted out my phone and typed 'gluten free' into the yelp application. Peaches Bakery in Harvard came up and it was only a few miles away. Sweet! We drove five minutes down the road and pulled into the parking lot only to find the place was closed on Sunday. I know, if only I had planned ahead...

Defeated, we continued on our way to find some farm markets... We found a few, they were nice and we bought veggies and bacon for the chowder we were planning on making later that night. By this point I was getting really grumpy because I was super hungry and couldn't think of where to get food. On our way out of town I noticed a super market. Of course! There's food at a super market! We stopped by and picked up the fixings for the best impromptu car picnic I've ever had. We had:

Hormel Natural Choice Ham (sealed pack labeled Gluten Free)
Sargento Colby Jack Slices  (No gluten ingrediants... website confirms)
Bolthouse Farms Blue Goodness Smoothie (Labeled Gluten Free)
Lundberg Brown Rice Chips (Labeled Gluten Free)

It wasn't a sit down dinner, but it sure did the trick. I've also bought bags of apple slices and popcorn during other car trips on the go. Most of the time, my android phone helps me maintain spontaneity, but when things are closed or you're in a place that doesn't know what gluten is, try the grocery store.

Dear Probiotics - Thank you for taming my angry tummy

After going gluten free for a year and a half I thought I was in the clear... until the last month or so. It all started with chicken biryani from my local Indian restaurant and went straight down hill from there. Everything I ate made me sick. First I thought it was dairy... then I feared it was eggs. Nothing and everything in particular seemed to piss my stomach off. I couldn't digest anything and I was running out of slouchy mom sweaters to cover the huge puffy 'gluten belly'. I kept thinking it would just go away... maybe I had a stomach bug... It didn't and almost two months went by. Finally I had enough and called my doctor. She told me to come in and redo the CD blood tests (IGA) and eventually the super fun biopsy. The blood tests turned out normal, (huge miracle), and I don't go for the biopsy until December. In the mean time she told me to try 'Align Probiotics'. I wound up picking up PB-8 instead at my local Wholefoods, (1- It's listed as gluten free very clearly on their website and 2- It's ten bucks less than Align). Sold. The first two days were rocky, but after that my stomach did a 180. It was like a bad boyfriend who gets too drunk and yaks on your front porch only to return the next day like nothing happened... except you can't leave your stomach/ digestive tract out in the cold.

All in all. I totally recommend trying probiotics, (as long as it's ok with your doctor).

Nutrition Now Probiotics Website


PB-8 is Gluten, Peanut and Soy Free (Allergy Info) The green bottle is actually vegetarian!

Boston's Fort Point - My favorite Gluten Free lunch spot

Yum, it is lunch time and I have just returned from my favorite cafe. I've been getting my lunch at Channel Cafe on Summer Street in Boston for as long as I've been Gluten Free. There are a couple of other places I've tried, but none of them hold a candle to Channel. I always get one of two things:

Naked burrito (no cheese):
This is quite possibly one of my favorite things to eat. You get seasoned rice, beans, fresh salsa with avocado and a fist full of salad. Oh and don't forget the jalapenos! You can get cheese if you like, but I prefer to abstain. I've been trying in vain... to down size my dairy intake...

Veggie Burger (no bun no chips):
Again, one of my favorite things to eat. It's not your average veggie burger! It's made of chick peas and spices and other delicious things I can't seem to figure out. If you like Indian Food you will love this veggie burger. It comes with a yogurt sauce which I can't resist and the fistful of salad. Excellent.

There are other things on their menu that are GF or could be made GF so don't be afraid to ask. I just love my go-to dishes so much I haven't strayed in awhile...


They also do dinner on Thursday and Fridays! if you're in the area, they are a must try for fresh, tasty gluten free food.

Channel Cafe Boston

I heart Udi's Gluten Free Products!

Ok, so outside my intro... this is the first thing I have to say about being GF. I do not work for Udis, know anyone who works for Udis, (although I wish I did), nor is anyone paying me to do this. I simply love their bread/ bread products. If you have to go GF and you still want to eat bread go out and find these products. The sandwich bread and the whole grain bread taste like 'real' bread. I was jumping around in my kitchen, like a person who just won the lottery, the first time I tried this bread. It's spongey, light and doesn't crumble unless you're brilliant and accidentally put an ice pack on it (read: don't do this). All you have to do is pop it out of your freezer, wrap it in a paper towel and nuke it for 20-30 seconds for two slices. You can toast it if you want, but you don't have to. Amazing. Also, if you're like me and you packed on 15 pounds after going GF... you'll be glad to know there's only 140 calories for two slices and very little fat.

Other products they have are:

Plain bagels (yum... better than 'real' bagels in my book).

cinnamon buns (delicious... but not advisable if you're on a diet diet...)

Lemon Streusal (haven't tried it yet)

Pizza crusts (awesome and not full of fat)

So, check out their website. It even has a dollar off coupon!




Picture is from Udi's website.
Udi's Website