Magic Bliss

I am thinking that it has been about a year being off the Wheat and Gluten wagon. I never thought I would be doing it. I thought I would just try it for awhile, but “awhile” turned into a year and I am grateful I did it! I had a million health problems(ok, not a million) but enough that made me turn to this way of living. I was losing weight drastically, I was losing my hair(that was due to thyroid problems as well), my stomach, back, and intestinal tract all hurt every day! I started looking at all of my diet. I am a vegetarian, so I ate a lot of vegetables anyway. But I was also eating burritos bread, cracker’s, cereal, a lot of all of these things. I changed first to taking crackers and bread out of my diet. Woah, my stomach stopped hurting, and I was feeling like food was “sticking” to me, again. I then changed everything! No soy sauce, no flour tortillas, no burritos unless they were on corn tortillas or just ‘naked’. I stopped eating cereal like wheat chex and various others. I never really have (since I was like 8)eaten boxed cereals, except chex and a flax cereal I really enjoyed but it had wheat in it, so I said no more. I stopped eating all the vegetarian substitutes for meat. Like fake “turkey”, no more “taco meat”, and no fake bacon. I was really sorry to say goodbye to english muffins, as it was a staple for years. But once I started feeling better I didn’t miss any of these!

If you look at pretty much anything these days, it has wheat, wheat gluten, whey or the like… It’s crazy that we are bombarded with this grain! I now rice is also in a lot of things but i feel like wheat is in things that SHOULDN’T even contain this grain. It’s a filler, put in by the corporate food world!

I am convinced that it is in too many things because it fills things up.  When we eat too much of one thing we can have “too much of a good thing”. I guess this is true for anything in life, right?

I was asked today how I can walk by a pizza place or a bagel shop without yearning for stuff like this. well my reply was that to me, it’s really not worth feeling the yucky, nasty way I feel after I eat these things. Yes, I like them but my body doesn’t like me to like them and, well my body is right and I like looking better and in the long run, I know it’s right! I can eat pizza if I make it, and bread too, yes it’s DIFFERENT, but I like the fact I can eat those things in a different fashion. I am into cooking and recipes, so I think of it as a challenge anyway. There are places if you are just patient and really dig around that you can eat. I eat a lot of raw foods anyway, but now it’s more apart of my lifestyle. All and all it’s a good thing for me.

If you are at all thinking you may want to go wheat-free, just to”do” it, or because you know you “need” to(you’ll know, oh you’ll know!!) try it first! don’t go full throttle at first. Little by little, introduce different things into your life, like quinoa noodles with spaghetti sauce(read the label or make your own)! It’s actually really tasty and WAY better than regular old noodles, really!

Peanut butter, casher butter and apple butter are some of my best friends! I eat these on or with fruit, veggies and on corn chips. You can still eat hummus plates when you go out, just order carrot sticks instead of the pita that ALWAYS come with that appetizer. Just slight changes and you’ll be fine.Always find yourself reaching for crackers,(wheat thins,etc..)? Eat popcorn instead with some zesty pepper seasoning on top. Way better!

There are a lot of fun, new interesting ways to do things, just be a bit creative and all will be well. No worries, and your body will sure thank you!

I go to Trader Joes for things. They provide a list, (if you ask) that shows all their gluten-free, and wheat-free items. This is so helpful to a new gluten-free shopper. Bob’s Red Mill is also a place to look into, check out their online store, they have what you are looking for, I know they do! Bread fixin’s and pancake batter, and tips, it’s great!

I have even found a spot in Portland that has great gluten-free, wheat-free items. The place is on Division stree in the Southeast part of town, called Papa, G’s, great food and they do different items daily and weekly and all of their ingredients are listed! There are actually a bunch, I will list the ones I know of:

~Grolla- North Portland restaurant, I know the owner’s and one of them is Gluten and wheat free!!

~Andina Restaurant

~Bellagio’s Pizza

~Old Wives Tales…. I recommend this yummy spot!!

~Mississippi Pizza Pub

~The Coffee Plant

~Vita Cafe

YAY!! I love these places and you should too! They have options for everyone!

There are some National Chains that have stuff too I found these:

~Bonefish Grill

~Boston Market

~Chilis

~Outback Steakhouse

~Claim Jumper

~PF Chang’s

You will have to ask but that are all listed as having stuff I can eat! Good job, this is great for everyone! I don’t really eat at National chain places since I live in a place that is so abundant in the food category. We are truly blessed to be here in the Northwest! I am thankful everyday that their are farmers, and all kinds of people that still care about food and it’s production!

I am off to dance with my hula hoop… I am listening to a favorite song of mine and I can’t seem to sit still… Often my blog ends this way…

Oh well, at least I am to do this and not something horrible and non-mind expanding!

Good luck on the food journey. Once you are on this road, you are on it eternally, and like I said it’s not super hard. Just pay attention and know you are making your body happy!

Light..bliss..joy..peace

Melissa Magic