Feet First | 172
Saturday, 26 February
Behold, the amazing homemade pizza.
After six weeks, my gluten-free diet came to an end last weekend. Suffice it to say that gluten intolerance is not my problem and with my doctor’s blessing, I ended the experiment. Saturday night I joined friends for dinner and thoroughly enjoyed homemade pizza and beer, the two wheat products I missed most.
My time gluten-free wasn’t for nothing. It helped me to look at what I eat in a new light, realizing how many empty calories (particularly of bread products) I was consuming. I was also surprised by how much I didn’t really miss things like bread, pasta and baked goods. Pizza crust and beer were another matter.
I discovered that gluten-free cooking is a good source of interesting and tasty recipes and I’ll continue to tap those sources from time to time. Because I couldn’t rely on easy and quick solutions for lunch, I found I had to plan ahead more. Cooking for the week became a sensible, economical, and tasty way to do so. This is a Sunday tradition I will definitely continue to do.
One thing I won’t miss is the challenge I faced when dining out. For a foodie like me, it’s a little torturous to be handed a menu on which most of the tempting offerings are forbidden. It also makes it more difficult when you’re out with friends to dine spontaneously. Nearby options may not be the best when trying to dine gluten-free. While more and more restaurants are offering gluten-free options (many of them quite tasty), it can be a drag to have to pepper the waitstaff with questions each time you’re somewhere new or discover your choices are limited to the less exciting options on the menu. To be fair, it got me out a few ruts and forced me to try dishes I otherwise wouldn’t and most times, I was pleasantly surprised.
2 Things @ Once 