Gluten-Free Babe: My quest to live gluten-free for 30 days

I have the most excellent friends! Everyone has been great this month, not just understanding but enthusiastic about helping me eat well. Kirsti and Greg showed up a couple weeks ago with special treats. Natalie called last night to make sure I knew about the Wild Oats grocery store’s gluten-free ice cream social coming up. (Too bad I have to miss it because of travel!)

And last night, Matt and Meg cooked a fantastic dinner. Chips and salsa, followed by dill rice (with fresh dill from their garden, no less!), a grilled corn succotash that included red onions, edamame, green beans, tomatos, fresh basil and a yummy dressing with balsamic vinegar and lemon juice. Grilled pork chops with a tasty, spicy rub from The Spice House. (You really must try their rubs and seasoning combos!) And a big bowl of berries for dessert. All gluten-free naturally!

I felt so spoiled. They had made a similar spread earlier in the week and thought of me. Isn’t that nice? I think it just goes to show you that if you take the time and action to build a solid circle of friends - your support team (which I talk about a ton on ChronicBabe) you get to have special treats and surprises. And you feel less like a weirdo or an imposition and more like a welcome friend. You gotta love that!

Just had a fantastic dinner with my pal Alyssa at Nacional 27, one of Chicago’s Lettuce Entertain You restaurants. If you’re not familiar with this restaurant group, check out my coverage at Gapers Block - the group is known for training its chefs and staff to accommodate food allergies and celiac disease.

So Alyssa wanted to go there, and I was thrilled to join her and test out the group’s claims about their gluten-free-friendliness. And I wasn’t disappointed! I had stated my gluten-free preference when I made the reservation, and when we were seated the waitress confirmed that it was me. Alyssa got bread sticks, and I got plantain chips. Our server then cleared numerous ingredients with the chef as we pondered the menu, and brought out dishes with detailed explanations of ingredients. They adapted a soft-shell crab recipe so I could share it, and they had a killer chocolate dessert that include ice cream, mousse, a tiny shake, and a flourless chocolate cake.

Seriously, if only ordering gluten-free was this easy everywhere! And because it was so easy and fun, we ordered even more food than we maybe would have normally. So… let that be a lesson to restaurants.

Anyway, excellent grub, excellent service. And with at least 40 properties in the Chicagoland area, I’m spoiled. Yay!

Say it ain’t so! But I’ll tell you one thing: In this dwindling month of June, I’ve had three pimples. Three! That’s after years of NO zits. Nada. Zilch. Tonight, I’ve grown a nice, big, honkin’ zit, the kind I used to get in junior high. Come on people, I’m freakin’ 34 years old! This acne crap is supposed to be a thing of the past.

Never before would I have considered writing about acne in a blog, but I figure I’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain. So speak up: Does anyone out there think there’s a connection between going gluten-free and getting pimply? Hmm?

So I haven’t posted much, mostly because a huge pain flare-up in my hands really limited my ability to type. Now I’m starting to learn how to use Dragon Naturally Speaking voice recognition software, with big hopes that I will be able to get up to speed and maybe even work faster, hands-free.

It made me think about the gluten-free thing, though, and wonder if it’s helping any in the pain department. I’m not jumping ship yet, but I’m wondering. And trying to be patient.

Meanwhile, I ate out a lot this weekend and think I did pretty well. At a middle eastern restaurant, there were many options for me - so that was a real treat. (Not to mention the whole reason I was going out that night, but that’s another tale.) I’m getting better with ordering and asking questions, and with all the reading I’ve been doing I’m getting better acquainted with “no-no” ingredients, and it feels great.

I also tried Anheuser-Busch’s Redbridge gluten-free beer, and it’s yummy! I like it a lot more than the other brand I tried earlier this month, and it sounds like some bars are starting to carry it.

And…I learned a good lesson about letting my guard down. I gnoshed with some neighbors last night, who were kind enough to offer up some leftovers from their previous day’s BBQ. I chomped into a tasty salmon-spinach-feta goodie from the grill, and was about to have another bite when I thought, hey, I should really double-check the ingredients. Of course: breadcrumbs. The label even said “with gluten protein.” If I had celiac disease, I would have really been upset (and really sick). As it was, I realized that I have to be ever-vigilant, and not always trust it when folks say something is gluten-free. They’ll do their best, but it’s up to me to check labels, and as I read on one web site, “when in doubt, leave it out.”

So overall, things are going well. I’m learning! I have the feeling I always will be if I choose to make this a long-term lifestyle choice.

I had movie popcorn on Saturday night, and it’s one of my favorite guilty pleasures. But then I felt really guilty because I hadn’t totally researched it before eating it. Here are some of the things I found out; if you have some news, let me know!

When the subject of (pop)corn comes up among celiacs, the discussion can get looooong. Witness this thread; it starts off with a thought about movie popcorn, and heads in a totally different direction. Hmm.

In this Q&A, the author says that the “the butter flavor which is usually drizzled on the popcorn after they scoop it out of the popper” might be a cause of irritation, and she gets it without it. But I am left wondering…does she mean the “butter” topping? Or does she mean the flavoring that some theaters shake over the popcorn after it’s popped but before it goes in the bag. There’s a difference, and I feel like this Q&A gets me close, but I still don’t know…

This list from Southern Arizona Celiac Support talks about brands of “movie theater type popcorn” that are gluten-free and available for sale. (There are lots more lists like this around, but this was head of the class in my google search.) But most theaters (at least, here in Chicago) won’t let you bring in your own popcorn. I guess you could sneak it in with a big handbag, but they’re really strict at my fave theater here and not above asking you to open your bag at some screenings.

Finally, I tried calling my favorite local theater (AMC River East) to see what they had to say about their popcorn. They said that “both the popcorn seed and the butter topping do not have gluten in them.” Hoorah!

So I guess my answer is: phone call. Always. The only way to know for sure is to speak to a human being. (And I guess even then you’re always kind of taking your chances.)

Not from eating gluten-free. No! Never.

Seriously, though, I considered it a couple times. I had a couple of annoying incidents that served as reminders that I’m not so hot when it comes to meal planning. Let’s just say, two trips to the grocery store in one day. Let’s just say, dinner of cherries, cheese and rice cakes. Hmm. Not so hot.

But I’m learning. I stuck with the small meals, more frequently plan this weekend and it was great. Enjoyed some time with pals and ate lots of good-for-me foods. I cooked some, too, which I’m getting back into the groove of.

I’ve decided it’s less important to catalog every item I eat (because there’s a lot of repetition) and more important to write about things I try for the first time, or experiences that have to do with going GF. So the focus of this blog is shifting a little from its original intent. Just so you know.

Yesterday, I followed the frequent, smaller meals approach again, topped off with lazy gnoshing at an evening concert at Millennium Park, where my pal Natalie was singing. It was lovely! And because I had plenty of variety in what I brought, it didn’t make me crazy that I couldn’t eat the crackers and cookies that other folks had. And as usual, my very thoughtful pals also brought things they knew I could eat. They rock!

• A few observations after the first two weeks (lots of folks have asked what I’ve learned so far):
• I am learning how to spot hidden no-no ingredients, but I have so much more to learn.
• Meal planning (and shopping accordingly) is a must for success. (I think this follows for ANY diet, actually.)
• Smaller, more frequent meals are more fun, easier, and keep my energy consistent throughout the day.
• Having snacks around is key. Those should include cheese, nuts, fruit, veggies, rice crackers, etc. Those ridiculously good Pamela’s Products chocolate chip mini cookies are also…essential. 
• Restaurants are tricky, and I need to get more comfortable asking questions and pushing for more detailed answers. Overcoming shyness in this area is key.
• If going gluten-free really is going to reduce (or eliminate my PMS), then I think I’m sold for life.
• Because I’m not a celiac babe, I’m wondering if I can occasionally cheat a smidge - like at an upcoming wedding, where I’ll want to eat a bite or two of Steve’s slice of wedding cake. So I’m doing my homework. My guess is that it’s not a huge deal, but not something to make a habit of.
• When I am (or you are!) trying something new, it’s great to put it out there to the universe, and to friends and family. They’re mostly helpful, curious, and supportive - and that makes it so much easier.
• It doesn’t have to cost a ton more to eat this way. It costs more to eat healthy, which I wasn’t doing the best job of before, so yes - I’m spending more on groceries now. But I’m eating healthier overall and that’s a great thing.
• There is a wide spectrum of gluten-free babes and dudes, and their advice ranges from reasonable to wacky. I take every suggestion with a grain of salt, and I follow-up to check it out. So keep sending me your tips and advice and asking questions, but please don’t feel hurt if I don’t follow every piece of advice.  As a non-celiac babe, I’m approaching this first as an experiment, but starting to think of it more as a lifestyle shift toward better health, and I’m not obsessed with perfection (because the occasional slip-up isn’t going to make me really sick).
• You really can eat wonderful meals and baked goods. You just have to think about it a little bit more and plan ahead.
• Chipotle is my friend. I want to marry it.

Okay, those are the big things I’ve learned so far. Thanks for listening! Feel free to chime in with your thoughts and suggestions, for which I’m extremely grateful.

Today was a day of eating smaller, more frequent meals, and I liked it. For breakfast, yogurt and Udo’s Choice oil, and some berries. A banana before a meeting, a Lara Bar after. In the early evening, a little cheese and crackers, cherries and a small glass of wine. Later, some Trader Joe’s green curry tuna with brown and wild rice. And even later, another small glass of wine and a handful of Puffins cereal to take my evening meds with.

The act of having a few small meals sprinkled throughout the day, rather than feeling  like I have to plan some big fancy multi-course productions, seems much more do-able. It’s fairly easy, I’m eating pretty healthy, and I don’t get that over-stuffed feeling.

Thoughts?

On a highly personal note, the doctor appointment yesterday was the ob/gyn. I visited him with interesting news: since going gluten-free, I have not had any PMS. I know it’s only been one cycle, so I thought maybe I was reaching, but he said that it’s very likely the absence of gluten was reducing all kinds of inflammation, and that could definitely reduce PMS.

Woo hoo! That’s enough good news to sell me on this dietary change forever.

Would any of the GF ladies reading like to weigh in? I’m wondering if you’ve had a similar experience.

Can’t help myself. I was a big fan before going GF, and I’m a big fan still. Yesterday was so hectic, I ate terribly throughout the day - woke up late and had to eat during a morning conference call, so I had a Lara Bar. Then was running late for a doctor’s appointment, and silly me, thought I had enough time to make a grilled cheese sandwich. It took a while, and I had to eat it while I walked around the condo gathering the things I needed for the doc appt, but it was the best darn grilled cheese I’ve had in recent memory. I used the GF bread I baked days ago (froze slice pairs) and some terrific cheese from the farmer’s market, with sundried tomatoes and olives in it. Yum!

So in the evening, after the gym, I was feeling too tired to cook, and wanted veggies. Chipotle called out to me. A burrito bowl with black beans and tons of their corn and tomato salsas and lettuce was perfect. Ironic that it was “fast food,” but I felt like it was the healthiest meal I had all day. A pal is the manager at our local store, and he was telling me recently how the quality of their food is extremely high, and much of it organic, so I feel pretty good eating it.

Of course, later, ice cream. But who’s counting.