So I've been Gluten Free and Dairy Free for just about a month.  The first couple of weeks were HARD.  I won't lie and say that it's fun or I found great food.  Because I have really struggled.

Anyone who has ever had gluten-free bread knows that it's like eating thick cardboard.  It is dense, tasteless, and really no fun.  But I'm learning how to navigate my way through being gluten AND dairy-free.

What makes my diet even more difficult is that I'm also a pescatarian – a vegetarian who occasionally eats sustainable fish. Thankfully I can still have eggs!

Anyways, here's the cool part.

Since I've started, I've lost over 10 pounds.  I've only had one bad tummy day.  And I haven't had the same gross after meal bloating that has plagued me for years.  It had gotten so bad that I hated eating a large meal in tight clothes because I'd be miserable for hours.

Now my meals are small, light, and often.  I have a lot of little snacks like nuts, fruit, and protein bars.  As a friend of mine said.. I'm living on salmon, nuts, and berries.    I'm a bear!

When we were in Orlando, Florida I was very surprised at the gluten-free menus available at most restaurants and even a little disappointed at the places like the Waldorf Astoria where we were staying because, after breakfast, the options were few.  However, they were willing to make me gluten-free waffles and pancakes every morning at Oscar's. 🙂

The Disney ran restaurants and places on the Disney property – Disney Springs however were FABULOUS and when the chefs would personally come out and talk to me, I felt so honored and even like a princess myself.  They asked questions, smiled, and gave suggestions, and I had the best meals with them.

After a long flight, food was needed. But we were exhausted!

One of my favorite meals was one I didn't expect.  At Epcot, my daughter wanted to go to a nice French dinner for her birthday.  My husband's family is French, and she wanted to go to a nice French place while at Epcot.

However, I went in thinking that there couldn't possibly be anything gluten-free or dairy-free.  I was WRONG.  The chef came out, talked about what he thought I might like based on my favorite foods.  And when it came, I was stunned.

It was a lovely traditional bouillabaisse but filled with shrimp, crab, a white fish, muscles, and clams.  It was incredible and I've been craving it since we left.

Gluten-free is hard.  And I don't know anyone who actually enjoys having to eliminate this staple food from their diets.  But it isn't the end of the world, it is just an adjustment.

Here are a few Gluten & Dairy Free recipes that I've found online that I'll be trying out this week.

• Old Fashioned Donuts with Frosting, Gluten and Dairy Free
• BLT Summer Rolls with Avocado – with vegetarian gluten-free chikn instead of bacon
• Vegan Vegetable Soup with Cherry Tomatoes, Chickpeas and Olives
• Baked Margarita Salmon

Do you have any gluten-free recipes you want to share?  We'd love to see them in the comments!