Kamut Woot Woot!

Me and Italian food go together like white on rice.  We’re a match made in heaven (if all you do in heaven is eat delicious food guilt-free, which is exactly how I imagine it to be). So, I am sure you can imagine that eating gluten free (mostly*) for me has not been easy for this very reason, among others.

Yes, I know that risotto (also a favourite) does not contain any wheat, but who has the time to make it, especially on a weekday???  

In an attempt to replicate one of my all time favourite pasta recipes, I headed back to the organic/health/allergy aisle at the grocery store to pick up a wheat-free alternative to regular pasta. And there I found it: kamut pasta.  And it was delicious!

Like quinoa, kamut is an ancient grain super packed with protein. This complex carb does contain gluten, however apparently it’s a lot easier to digest than most wheat products.  Tested and true.  My delicious Italian dinner for two was not accompanied by a glutard attack. 

I wish I had taken a picture of the pasta dish for you because it looked as awesome as it tasted.  For now, the recipe will have to do.

Kamut Fusilli in a Garlic and Olive Oil Sauce

2 servings

 

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of kamut fusilli pasta

• ¼ cup of olive oil

• 4 gloves of garlic, minced

• 2 basil leave chopped

• 3 oz Buffalo mozzarella cheese

• 3 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

Directions:

Boil pasta according to package directions.  While pasta is boiling, heat olive oil in a skillet on medium heat.  Add garlic and sauté until golden brown (be careful not to burn the garlic). Drain pasta and toss in the skillet with the sauce. Remove from heat.  Add basil and tomatoes, top with cheese and serve hot.  Enjoy! 

*I have decided that G-free ain’t for me.  One day a week I endure a massive stomach ache so that I can gorge myself on all the wheat products I love. Sorry tummy, this Fat Girl in a Little Coat needs her non-complex carbohydrate fix every now and again.

Being G-Free: Part II

I am losing my battle with gluten.

Friday night I ordered pizza as a sort of farewell to gluten.  I knew it was a bad idea, but I did it anyway.  Bad idea indeed.  It was not a great start to the weekend as I spent the remainder of Friday night in pain and filled with regret. Truth be told, it was the best damn pizza I’ve ever eaten.  Was it worth it? I’m undecided. 

As a result of my impromptu gluten binge, I promised myself a fresh start to the week and headed to the grocery store yesterday as I typically do on Sunday mornings.  I found myself staring at a freezer full of “Glutino” products.  Who the hell wants to buy a loaf of bread that is frozen, not fresh and called Glutino?? Not me.  The bread looked super dense, was super small, cost twice as much as normal bread and had twice the calories, fat etc.  Result= no bread of any kind for me.  Gluten- 1: FGIALC-0.

I then proceeded to the organic, gluten-free, yeast-free, egg-free, taste-free section of the store to buy some snacks. If I can’t eat anything with wheat, I am going to need some snacks to help me through this…right? Wrong.  I could not bring myself to buy a bag of G-free pretzels for $8.99…wasn’t going to happen. How can you even justify a handful of pretzels for $8.99?!?! Gluten-2: FGIALC-0.

Round 3: family dinner at my fiancé’s aunt and uncle’s house. Dinner went well as there was no wheat around to tempt me.  I filled my plate with salad, broccoli, meatballs and brisket (a Jewish staple food) and was quite content…that is, until dessert was brought out.  Loblaws white-on-white cake.   My kryptonite. I don’t know anyone who would dare say no to this cheap, children’s birthday party, sugary, white-trashy cake.  It’s the best.  And of course, I had a piece.  Fast forward an hour later…I’m home, on the couch, with stomach cramps.  Gluten-3: FGIALC-0.

Lessons learned:  
1) I have no willpower
2) Gluten substitutes suck
3) I am not cut out for this no-wheat-nonsense

The battle continues…

Being G-Free

I will caution you that this post is the result of a Dr. Oz show I saw last week.  So, for those of you that think Dr. Oz is full of shit, you do not have to read on.  

I’ve admitted before that I am a closet Dr. Oz fan.  I know he’s an alarmist but sometimes his show provides some useful information. It is not rare that when I do watch his show I project his diagnoses onto myself and automatically think something is seriously wrong with me.  It’s usually my fiancé who talks me off the ledge, but last week’s episode did not ignite the hypochondriac in me.  Rather, it opened up my eyes to the fact that I can potentially live my life migraine-free, bloat-free and without the major stomach issues I’ve been having over the past couple of years. 

I have been a migraine sufferer since I was 16.  On top of that, I have spent the last 2 years suffering from stomach issues, extreme bloating and lately, fatigue. I had done some reading on these symptoms as they have gotten pretty bad over the last month or so.  I’ve pretty much had a headache for a month straight, am extremely tired and have been walking around super bloated and with terrible stomach upset. All my readings suggested that I should probably give up gluten but I was in denial until I saw the same list of symptoms on Dr. Oz.  The solution: eat G-free.

So many people walk around feeling like complete crap as a result of consuming gluten.  Why? Gluten as well as many other grains are super hard to digest and are quite hard on our stomachs.

The thought of giving up grains altogether pains me.  There is nothing like a fresh croissant on a Sunday morning with a cup of delicious bold coffee and a crossword puzzle. Friday night won’t be the same without ooey-gooey pizza to accompany the movie I’ve been waiting to watch all week.  The Montreal-style bagels that I grew up eating will surely be missed.  But, I want to feel better and if that means giving up gluten, I will try it.

Goodbye breads, pasta and couscous…Hello G-free alternatives.  Ugh. Woe is me. 

I’ll let you know how the journey goes and I'll be posting some recipes for gluten free alternatives soon.  Next up…kale lasagna (because I ain’t giving up cheese!).

Apocalypse Now: My Last Supper

Okay, we've all seen the signs and read the ramblings of fatalist nut cases who are claiming that tomorrow is the end of the world- REALLY?!? Are we buying into this Armageddon bullshit???

Assuming for the purpose of this posting that today is my very last day of existence, I might as well tell you what the fat girl inside of me is asking for as her last meal:

The starter would be fettuccine alfredo followed by a 12 oz cut of juicy prime rib with a side of garlic mashed potatoes loaded with sour cream (yes, that's right, I like sour cream, and sometimes ketchup, on my mashed potatoes).  For dessert, I would have a big slice of chocolate fudge cake, cookies AND ice cream.  Then I would cleanse my palette with a small bowl of grapefruit gelato.  Once I snap out of my food coma and have taken at least a two hour nap, I would probably order a thin-crust pizza from Pizza Nova.  Sounds like a glutinous last night on earth, doesn't it?

Well, it's likely not my last night on earth and I will be spending my long weekend away at a friend's cottage.  I'm sure there will be some indulgences while I'm there, but I'm thinking I will not be eating a heart-attack-on-a-plate: fettuccine alfredo (although I have been craving it for months!).

Instead, I will indulge on the delicious peanut butter cookies that I will be bringing to share with my friends. 

Here is an easy recipe for Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of peanut butter
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1 egg

Yes, those are the only ingredients.  I have tried making these with natural peanut butter and Splenda brown sugar blend.  If you decide to go this route, add a package of plain instant oatmeal- otherwise, the batter is way too runny and the cookies will turn out like flat blobs of melted mush.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Mix all the ingredients together and form into two-inch balls.  Place cookies on cookie sheet (not greased) and stick in the oven for approximately 20 minutes.  Cooking times may vary.  Allow to cool and enjoy!