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!
