It all began with Chicken Rice and Corn

I have mentioned before that I have recently found out I am allergic to gluten, and I have been working through it and learning and eating and starving as I go. I have decided I am going to spend some time sharing what I have been learning and what gluten free means to me  on this blog. The more and more gluten free blogs I look at the more I get discouraged. I am going to share my approach to going gluten free and ofcourse some recipes that go along with it, and some of the tid bits that I believe need to be mentioned.

I have always tried to focus on eating healthy foods and now I have to focus on eating healthy foods; and what a wonderful opportunity!

So to begin, here is how it all started for me...

I grew up in a healthy eating household, Cereal consisted of Granola, and each dinner featured a protein, a vegetable and a starch. While it did evolve to healthier fare it all began with Chicken Rice and Corn. My Step Dads favorite meal when he and my mother began dating, then moved in, had my sister and well lets just say that Chicken Rice and Corn lasted a long time.... and if I never see that combination on my plate again it will not be soon enough.

Chicken Rice and Corn did evolve though, it soon became Chicken Salad and Rice, Salmon Salad and Pasta, or some other variation of Protein, Vegetable and Starch when I started cooking I stayed with in this principal as it seemed so complete. I didn't eat a whole lot through out the day, usually some nuts and fruit at school, maybe a subway sandwich, some popcorn when I got home then ofcourse my very balanced dinner. And I was healthy, I walked like a maniac to my boyfriends house every day and participated in several dance classes a week. I noted that I rarely ever experienced gas (this might sound strange now but it will make sense later) I had never burped, never. And as for the other, maybe once a year. My digestion was in great shape.

When I moved out things changed. I was 18 when I left home for the first time and I tried to eat healthy, and I know I made better choices then alot of people I knew but I still fell victim to convenience,  and to alcohol, and to hang over food... and to being pretty broke and trying to eat cheaply. I am not saying that I ate those nasty microwave meals but I certainly wasn't eating the same way. I also fell in love with cooking and had a bad habit of making my boyfriend all of those really tasty but really bad for you foods, like pasta with alfredo sauce, eggs benny etc. delicious but not so good for you. I began to gain weight, and I noticed mt stomach wasn't all that great anymore though I attributed it to the alcohol consumption that befalls many people in the 18 - 23 age group.
I did make healthy choices, but sometimes those choices would be followed up by a 'treat' and I ate alot of Pasta and Potatoes as I was trying to cut back on meat but wanted to feel 'full', plus they're pretty cheap:) and they kept my boyfriend happy.
I honestly wasn't eating that badly, compared to living at home it wasn't good, but compared to the average person it still wasn't bad.

I believe that this was the onset of my allergy. I do not yet know if I am Celiac, but I do know that gluten makes me sick.... however until last fall I didn't know what was making me feel sick... or how it felt to be better...

Check back to see how I realized Gluten was the culprit!

Love,
Tiff