Celiacs, vegetarians and those avoiding sugar and dairy...?

Question

What are you eating and can you give any advice to newbies changing their diet? Specific recipe books would be very helpful (especially if it is for a beginner cook). I am trying my best to keep sugar, meats and dairy out of my diet while still remaining gluten-free, but finding it very hard to do so far. I have sensitivites to a lot of foods including dairy, peppers, onions and garlic. Also, if a package says gluten-free, what does that really mean?? Can I trust it to have zero gluten? Thanks so much.

Answer 1

First thing you should do is join the celiac and vegetarian societies in your state or country ~ they will supply you with a wealth of information, books, DVDs, magazines, newsletters, support groups, do’s, don’ts etc....

If a package says gluten-free, it should REALLY mean gluten-free. I know many manufactures stretch the true but for something this serious they should tell the truth – after all they don’t want to be sued.

The celiac society will be able to give you a list of suitable and non-suitable brands.

I also keep sugar, meat, fish, fowl, dairy, caffeine, gluten, onions etc.......out of my diet. Yes, it was hard at first but it really does get easier over time.

They say if you can stick with something for 21 days it becomes a habit. So try to avoid everything for three weeks at least and you may not crave it so much.

I had a cheese & onion sandwich on normal bread recently and found it disgusting, where as I use to love it. It also made me sick, which will (hopefully) help me to avoid it in future

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Answer 2

Well, you have quite a challenge but not impossible especially these days.

Probably the best site for you will be the Fat-Free Vegan as the name suggests she is dairy- and meat-free but she also cooks most (but not all) gluten-free as well (and she doesn't care for cilantro which suits me very well). Her recipes are good, tested and many of them are quite simple. She's also worked with stevia, a plant alternative sugar that is so sweet a ground up leaf consisting of just a quarter teaspoon is equal to an entire cup of cane sugar.

I'm so sorry that you have sensitivities to onion and garlic as those are so wonderful (as are peppers) but that still leaves a lot of other great veggies, fruits, squashes, grains...

If you can get some corn flours, meals and masa harina in organic (to avoid the GMO which is a trigger for many and not as nutrient dense) then there is a bunch of things you can explore. Quinoa is absolutely wonderful and makes a fantastic gluten-free tabouli which I like much better.

The Indian spice, Hing can approximate a garlic/onion flavor and is what Jains use instead. It's very intense and a tiny bit goes a long way but it's pretty good once you've had some a couple times plus it's thought to be a digestive aid so you can have it with beans which are a powerhouse being high in iron, calcium, vitamins, and fiber as well as there being dozens and dozens of different kinds and so versatile even if you only have a few. Soups, salads, sandwiches, hummus, falafel, bean patties, and so much more.

I do know that Bob's Red Mill is very serious about their gluten-free line which means there is no detectible gluten in the product and if equipment is shared it is thoroughly cleaned.

Some other quick resources are Gluten-Free Vegan, Gluten-Free Hippie, and Gluten-Free Girl (who is an omnivore but has a bunch of vegan recipes that look so good).

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Edited to Add: I forgot a list and sources put out by a store that seems to cater to special diets of all kinds. They have a survival guide quick list of gluten-free foods which can help you know what to look for before you get out there.

Answer 3

Here's a little tip: Replace your sugar with honey where possible. Honey with hot drinks (like tea or hot lemonade) is also great if you're trying to loose weight.

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

Gluten free means just that IT is too serious of a disease to slide by with.

The new labeling coming out in August will be more clear on this too!