Going without gluten

How do the Gluten-free do it? I've been vaguely gluten free for a long time, but only vaguely. I avoid it where possible, but If I'm out or can't be bothered I don't mind eating what's offered, or reaching for a bit of toast. It still has to be thin sliced high grain stuff coz I'm picky about carbs & my general health (unless I'm eating chocolate, which is allowed to break all the rules!) but I don't worry about gluten if it's too awkward to get a decent meal without it. I don't mind buying things that have a little bit of gluten hanging around, so long as I'm not eating it often.

But every now & then I try to go totally gluten-free. It's great! I feel lighter & brighter & less hungry & more happy! Partly because gluten-free often means low-carb too, and both of those things are excellent for me.

Trouble is, it's hard to keep up. Today is day 3 of going totally gluten-free. I stuffed up on day one because I got low and all I could think of was a chocolate chip biscuit. I had plenty of other options - fizzy drinks for starters, but a hypo-ing brain is a DUH brain, unfortunately. I ignored my 'failure' with the biscuit and carried on with my GF plans.

Day two was easy, though I almost caved in and had toast for breakfast because we had a mad morning - getting up early and rushing around to get a friend to a hospital appointment. Last night's roast dinner saved me and I had a few slices of cold meat for breakfast. Lunch was more leftovers. Dinner was home made pumpkin soup with grated cheese & bacon on top, with a hash brown on the side. No problem, until the cravings for munchies hit me in the evening...

Even that was sorted quick-smart. I adjusted my caramel slice recipe to make it gluten free, and it was heavenly! A little naughty for the blood sugar but that turned out to be a good thing as my dinner insulin must've been a bit too heavy.

Breakfast this morning was harder still. I didn't have any leftovers, I don't like omelettes and I don't like any other egg breakfasts unless they have toast (egg on it's own is just horrible! Poached eggs with HP sauce, pepper and toast... YUM!!) So I caved in and had Caramel slice for breakfast.

Caramel slice! For Breakfast! EW! At least I managed one more gluten-free meal... but I'm not sure how long my stomach will appreciate this kind of food!

Now it's lunch time. I've been out working in the garden and I feel like a real lunch - normally lunch is a small event for me: an apple, maybe, if I have it at all. I'd like a good fat sandwich! Ah, bread is a no-no. I'll reheat something from the freezer (I often make extra dinner so I can freeze some for those lazy days). What do we have.. hmm... Vegetarian Lasagne, yum! Ah. Pasta. No. OK! Lets see... an apple? Nah that's what I have most days. BORING and not filling enough to satisfy me today. SO urr... GF Caramel slice?

Where's my self control? Here I am having caramel slice for lunch! Still, at least I've avoided the gluten again. *sigh*

The thing that bothers me here is that I KNOW what to do. I have salad stuff in the fridge which is great for low-carb and non-gluten meals. I just didn't feel like it. I normally try to keep some sort of cold meat in the fridge (hard to believe I was a vegetarian for years) to whip up quick meals & snacks. I sometimes have specialty gluten-free foods in the house but they tend to be dry & horrible and high carb, so I don't bother with them often. I am happy to eat apples for lunch and have weird meals - I think half the trick to getting used to low carb or gluten free eating is accepting that a meal doesn't have to be the way you always thought of it. Food is food, no matter what time of day you're eating.

So perhaps later today I'll go on a little shopping trip and see if I can't fill the house with more M-friendly foods. That might keep me away from the evil caramel slice!