At first, after having to change my diet to be gluten-free more than four years ago, I found it very challenging to find foods in the grocery stores that tasted even remotely good, and found it extremely hard to find restaurants that I could trust. A lot of the store bought items I tried lacked the taste and texture I had become accustomed to. Going to restaurants seemed nearly impossible, and was extremely frustrating to get a straight answer out of my waiter or waitress when I had to ask my laundry list of questions about their menu.
I have to say that over the last four years, the pre-packaged foods in the grocery stores have improved tremendously, but I still find that I make a lot of the foods I crave a lot better on my own then the ones on the market. It only took me about a year of endless searching to try and find the foods that I was missing so badly in their new gluten-free form—like pizza, brownies, and other baked goods—that I finally decided to start experimenting for myself. I already enjoyed cooking and baking anyway, so I really didn't mind the challenge. However, I did end up throwing away a lot of "experiments" before getting some of my recipes right. A lot of recipes I use are already out there in cookbooks, online, or even family recipes passed down for generations that I just adapted for my own dietary needs.
During this "experimental" phase, I found out that I'm pretty particular when it comes to the quality of foods that I eat. My goal is to always make my food as "normal" as possible, so that I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything. I've used my husband—who is not on a gluten-free diet—many times as my guinea pig. My theory is, if he eats more than one of something...it's pretty good. If he eats more than two...it's a winner! But, if he takes a bite, and makes a face, or throws it away...the recipe is tossed immediately, and it's time to start over. Of course, my opinion matters too, but let's be real, it has been more than FOUR YEARS since I've had "normal" food. Sometimes, I can't remember what some foods really tasted like, or what the texture was like. So, that's where he comes in. And, lucky for me, he's always willing to give it a try, and he is always honest.
Now, four years later, I've become a lot more comfortable when I go out to eat, and I am no longer afraid, or embarrassed, to ask questions. Still today, I am learning more about living gluten-free, about new products on the market, new companies, and restaurants that are finally catching on and catering to the gluten-free way of living. I am constantly trying new recipes and adapting them for my needs, and also creating new ones of my own.
I do hope you enjoy this blog I have created, because it is for you. Let me do all the work, so you don't have to. I wish I had something like this blog to refer to when I first went gluten-free. Life would've been much simpler, and my taste buds surely would've been happier!
Melissa is a graphic designer by day, and Spin® instructor, AFAA personal trainer, and volunteer head coach for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training Cycling Team by night.
If you would like to contact Melissa at Gluten Free•domNY, you can email her at glutenfreedomny@yahoo.com.
