Roller coaster ride

Every time I attempt a dinner menu something goes wrong and it doesn't work! I write down possible meals and then get excited to cook them. But then comes the night and I don't feel like cooking or we don't have my gluten-free ingredients! Maybe it's because most of the food that I cook, I can't eat....discouraging!!! But on the flip side, I try my hardest to find meals that we can eat as a whole family! Good thing I have a wonderful husband and daughter who love me whether I have a full stomach or a face of tears!

I'm pretty sure that Chloe has picked up something about me and my eating habits. Breakfasts are usually good with me and Chloe eating the same things...Rice Chex, oatmeal, waffles, or eggs. Although, lunch is a different story! My recent discovery is that she doesn't like chunky peanut butter and does better when I give her fruits or cheese/meats last! She eats a lot better when Trent is around or at dinnertime! If I try my best to eat with her (including snack time), she does a lot better and we're both happily full!

My hope is that soon I can make and cook dinner menus that we all enjoy without getting too frustrated  We're both grateful to have found some answers, but the struggles aren't over as we strive to buy inexpensive foods and cook meals we all can eat together! 

Gluten-free for me!

As much as I love making decisions, the past couple of months I've learned so much about myself and what I can do if I put my mind to it! Yet, it's great to be feeling better and more active each day! I don't exactly remember when the promptings started, but it was a clear indication to me that I needed to go on a celiac diet.

Stubborn, as I sometimes can be, I didn't want to try or attempt this new lifestyle. For as long as I can remember, my Aunt Ann has eaten differently than the rest of us, but I didn't realize the struggle avoiding foods is until I started with milk products. Of course, milk-free diet is so much easier than a gluten-free one. Then I met with a gastro specialist after Thanksgiving and he wanted to me to do a more serious diet either gluten or milk. Both Trent and I knew that my stomach did fairly fine with milk products so we decided for the celiac diet. After countless tears and avoiding meals, my wonderful mother took us shopping and helped me realize that grocery shopping IS POSSIBLE - just takes a little bit extra time!

I'll be honest and admit that Christmas time is not the best time to do a gluten-free diet, but my two weeks came and went, faster than I thought. We went to Trent's parents for Christmas which wasn't easy either, but  his mom was great and tried to cook a few things for me. Through all this, I knew deep in my heart that I needed to go on a gluten-free diet, just didn't want to admit it out loud AND in front of others!

So after eating whatever on New Year's Day, I tried to have a better attitude about gluten-free foods and started my diet on January 2nd. Gluten is in so many things that you have read the ingredients almost every food. Wheat, barley and rye, all have different names that you have to know a huge list of sub-ingredients. Ever so slowly, both Trent and I are learning what foods are better for me and which ones to avoid. Some meals are still hard as I cook something different for Trent and Chloe. Mostly, I try to cook dinners so that we can eat the same thing. Other times I have leftovers from the night before.

There is also a great friend here in my ward that let me borrow some of her cookbooks last week! I didn't really cook anything from the recipes, but it helped me realize that I am still normal eating gluten-free and cooking for my family. This new lifestyle requires extra time and energy but that shouldn't stop me. Some days I still fall into tears especially when I smell yummy food that I can't eat. But I'm grateful that I have found some answers through wonderful people who have cheered me on and will always be there for me!