Losing the Gluten

I have extreme eczema on my hands.  It gets so bad that I can't straighten the fingers on my right hand without splitting the palm-side of my knuckles and creating open sores that keep me from doing just about everything a mother with four children should be doing.

What does this have to do with anything? 

Food!

Food allergies, to be exact.

I'm openly admitting that I am going against online advice of not having myself tested for food allergies before cutting foods out of my diet.  I have my reasons and they mostly have to do with money and my fear of needles.  But I'm also an adventurer, and I'm willing to experiment.

I found out that gluten intolerance, which a doctor suggested might be my problem a few years ago but I didn't want to listen, has several symptoms that I'd like to eradicate from my life.  Those include: digestive problems, headaches, fatigue, depression, acne, eczema, and (the one that scared me to death) miscarriage.

Having endured two miscarriages in the last year, I'm willing to be a little excessive in my menu planning.

So my food plans have been altered the last couple of weeks.  I'm testing out a gluten intolerance.  Yeah, no bread or cookies.  Hello?  Those are pretty much my favorite foods! 

So I have to get a little creative with my menus. 

Less bread, more fruits and vegetables.

Here is a sample of a gluten free dinner we had last week:

Summer Vegetable Quesadillas

Place one corn tortilla on your frying pan (no oil necessary).  Sprinkle some shredded cheddar cheese.  Add some chopped summer veggies (I used squash, zucchini, onion, some sort of pepper from my sister's garden, and tomato).  Add another light layer of cheese and then a second corn tortilla.  Carefully flip (good luck with that) and then serve.  Top with fat free sour cream and/or salsa.

It was really good.  As long as you're sparing with the cheese, it's really not a bad caloric dinner or lunch. 

Going without gluten hasn't been too hard..... yet.  But I do have to be aware to keep gluten free snacks on hand.  Otherwise those cookies for the kids' lunches begin to call my name and I have to be very rude and ignore them. 

I don't like being rude.