The End of the Beginning

That is a cryptic title and perhaps it is meant to be.  As we are coming to the last few days of our gluten-free challenge, I keep asking myself if I intend to stay gluten-free.  The answer has varied from fearing that I’ll succumb to crazy cravings I’ve experienced on this fast of sorts for things I never eat anyway, like doughnuts, to the simple request that I would love some toasted and buttered sourdough toast to occasionally go with my poached farm fresh eggs.  I am not quite sure where I’ll land at the end of this.  I’m not dying to go out and have a sandwich right away.  My birthday is about a week away and I won’t say no to a cupcake if one comes my way.  I think what I’ve learned is how pervasive wheat is in our diets and that we really don’t need it to have a complete diet and to be satisfied.  I don’t think I’ll buy bread every week, but occasionally I may.  I won’t make or partake of baked goods so often and I’ll continue to try out gluten free recipes.  In fact, I think I’ll keep making my gluten-free bran flakes most weeks.  Greg lost 6 or 7 pounds, and I stayed the same (though weight-loss was really not the point of our experiment) but we both felt lighter and more energetic while eating gluten-free.  I imagine we will both think before we grab a snack about the presence of wheat and eat it more thoughtfully paying attention to effects on our body when we do make that choice.  I also feel it have given me an appreciation for the fact that for me it is a choice,  so many who suffer from celiac disease have to make these careful food choices and with so many wheat/ gluten containing products, I now have more understanding of how challenging it must be for them on a daily basis to choose food that will not make them sick.  I am grateful for that lesson. 

We will see over time how and if we choose to reintroduce wheat into our diets.  Greg and I have agreed that we won’t buy bread for now, though we may enjoy a slice on the rare occasion we go out for breakfast.  We have also agreed that we will absolutely eat pizza when in Rome, but maybe not very often at home.  If we do indulge it would have to be at a very special pizza place or a homemade (possibly even gluten-free) variety.  I still have lots of gluten-free baking, I want to try out.  Plenty of cookies and quick breads to get us through the winter that don’t contain gluten left to try.  So while we are relaxing our gluten-freeness, don’t expect me to stop sharing recipes that fit into that category any time soon.  This has been a positive and not very difficult dietary change for us. 

Here are the last few gf recipe days

Monday Day 29

Breakfast: GF bran flakes with berries and milk

Lunch: Kale salad and leftover broccoli soup

Dinner: Fish Tacos with corn tortillas, avocado and mango salsa

Tuesday Day 30

Breakfast: GF bran flakes with berries and milk

Lunch: Kale salad and peanut butter banana recovery drink

Dinner: Baked potato with chili, cheddar, grilled onion and sour cream