Getting my (gluten free) carb fix!

For a few years now, I have been gluten free. Not because I think it is healthier or because I was looking to lose weight, but because I developed an intolerance to it. I suffered from a bacterial infection that destroyed my gut lining in the same way Hurricane Sandy destroyed the Rockaways, Staten Island and the Jersey shoreline. Once the infection was cleared, I was left with little to no gut flora (the good bacteria that you hear about in the yogurt ads) and an irritable bowel (translation; constant belly issues). I went through a number of tests with my gastroenterologist, allergist and a Naturopathic Doctor (ND) and found out that I was intolerant to gluten, eggs, dairy and sesame, but not all at once. The first round of results left me with a lactose intolerance, so I started taking lactase pills (the enzyme that breaks down the milk sugar, lactose). But that wasn’t helping. More results came back and the new intolerances included eggs, sesame, casein and whey (the proteins in dairy products). After cutting out all of the above, I still wasn’t feeling better. My ND did one more test and told me that I also had a gluten intolerance. I didn’t have a gluten intolerance in the previous tests and I had given up so much already, so I decided to ignore it. Bad idea.

Fast forward a couple of years and I am still living gluten/dairy/egg and sesame free. It is not a fun way to live but the alternative is painful. I have been told that my gut may heal in time, but in the interim, I have had to change what I eat. The most challenging part of my diet is replacing the carbohydrates that come from grain. Don’t get me wrong, I get the required amount of carbohydrates, but mostly in the form of fruits and vegetables, now that bread, pasta and yogurt are out (yes, yogurt has carbohydrates in the form of lactose). Most of the gluten free breads on the market contain eggs or taste terrible. There are rice and quinoa pastas in stores, but it’s just not the same as real pasta, and in my opinion, not worth it. But, once in a while, it’s not about the bread and pasta, it’s about snacks!

Living in a suburban area that leans more towards rural, food shopping options are limited. The chain supermarkets have small specialty areas for people with my issues, and the closest health food/natural food store is out of the way and expensive. But, today is different! My local Stop and Shop has begun a major renovation to expand the natural/organic/allergy section of the store. Some say it’s to compete with the Whole Foods Market that opened up 20 miles away, but that seems sort of far to be real competition. Whatever the reason, I am glad they renovated! Today I found some of my favorite items on the shelves and they were priced lower than the “local” natural market. Take a look:

kinnikinnick foods: funny name, good stuff!

Not your average pretzels and snack bars!

The first two products that made me say, “yippee!” out loud are from a company called Kinnikinnick. Funny name, but their stuff tastes great! I bought animal crackers and graham crackers. Both are low in fat and sugar and hit the spot when I’m looking for something sweet and crunchy. The graham crackers are a must have so I don’t get left out of making s’mores this summer (Ghiradelli makes a great dairy free chocolate bar for just such an occasion).

When I am looking for a salty, crunchy fix, pretzels are a must. There are other brands on the market, but to me, Snyder’s of Hanover taste the most like pretzels and are low in fat, like their wheat-filled original. And last, but certainly not least, are Clif Z Bars. The Chocolate Brownie flavored bars are my favorite, but all are good. They are an easy snack to pack with me, they are organic, and even though they are sweet, they have no high fructose corn syrup.

I am all set for the next time I need a carb fix, and best of all, they don’t cause me any pain. Now if someone could recommend a good dairy free frozen yogurt, I would be in heaven!

xo
B