Well, I meant to write this post 2 days ago. But better late than never, right? You see, May is a very special month (BLEND retreat included). Actually, it’s also Celiac Awareness Month!
As you can see, I eat gluten free. Long story short, I developed a Non Celiac Gluten sensitivity back in 2009 after the first of my stomach problems began. From then on out, I’ve been eating gluten free. Five months into my gluten free diet change, I started Healthy Bites, for that very reason. Yep, true story! So you see, being gluten free is my LIFE!
What’s more important is that we educate each other on WHY we are gluten free, the NEED to know things. We’re not talking about a diet trend, but a lifestyle. And for those who have Celiac disease, it’s a lifestyle where slip ups can be “gut wrenching.” Pun intended. But I firmly believe that REAL food and WHOLESOME ingredients are often naturally Gluten free. Just takes a little extra prep work to put it together. 
As an Udis Gluten Free Community Leader, I wanted to share a little more on this topic. Here are a few great articles and links that help explain Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. Our community forum is a great place to ask questions as well. Read and share this with loved ones or those who might be newly diagnosed. Educate yourself so you can help others.
- 10 signs you might be gluten intolerant
- Celiac Awareness Month Newsletter
- Celiac Symptom Checklist
- Gluten Free Cooking Tips
- GF shopping list
- Udis Community- Celiac Information, News, websites, etc.
And because it’s Cinco de Mayo weekend, I MUST share this naturally GLUTEN FREE Southwest/Mexican Recipe. It’s quite the Cotter Creation, but you should be used to those by now, yes? Haha. Trust me, it looks better in natural lighting.
[print_this]INGREDIENTS (serves 4)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 green bell peppers, diced
1 large carrot- diced
1 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon sea salt and black pepper
1 16-ounce prepared plain polenta, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 tsp garlic powder
Dash of cayenne pepper
Dash of balsamic vinegar or aminos (I used the coconut aminos)
1 cup shredded cheese (regular or non dairy both work)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 avocado, diced
2 eggs (for scrambling)
OPTIONAL- 1 cup diced organic chicken or black beans (for meatless)
COOKING DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add meat or tempeh and cook till almost done. Then add in peppers/carrots and stir occasionally, until bright green and just starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, cumin and salt/pepper/garlic; cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes start to break down, 2 to 3 minutes. Add in your eggs and cheese, cook until eggs are scrambled and cheese is melted. Sprinkle the top with cayenne pepper.
In another pan, quickly lay out your polenta slices. Add a dash of balsamic vinegar and a pat of butter. Cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Serve the scramble topped with diced avocado on top of your polenta slices. [/print_this]
Happy Friday and Happy Celiac Awareness Month!
Let me know if you check out any of the sites, recipes, etc.
Cheers,
LC
Holy guacamole! That looks phenomenal. 🙂
I am happy you pointed out the difference between GF as a diet trend and a lifestyle. My first ‘encounter’ with GF diets was via a camper of mine who had Celiacs, so I feel like I was coming from a more educated place when the ‘trend’ started taking off as a way to lose weight, etc. I don’t judge anyone for their dietary choices, but I also think it is important to be educated about what those choices are and why you are making them!
I may not be gluten free, but I am trying to be more aware of what I put in my body. I loved that the pizza place I went to had gluten free and vegan options. I love when restaurants try to accommodate everyone.
oh i know!! I get giddy when i have those options eating out now. hehe
The devotional book you showed a page of…..what is the title? I would be intersted in reading the whole thing
It’s Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. I LOVE IT!! Oh and email lindsay @ourhealthybites.com for orders. Thanks Karen!
Thank you for sharing Lindsay! I know it must be tough being gluten intolerant, especially as people see it as a “diet trend”, when there are actually people out there suffering true pain and illness due to this. Love your passion for spreading awareness my friend <3
yes, it was tough at a time, but not anymore. I know you can relate to food allergies, but you learn to get really creative, right? 😉
Oh YUMMO! That recipe sounds awesome….. LOVE polenta, and anything Mexican-styles. Great info too – it’s all about being aware and educating others, yes?
exactly!!!
Even though I am not gluten intolerant I can just imagine how something like this would affect someones life. I also love to support small businesses(like your Healthy Bites) because I think it’s important in the community in general and plus their just darn yummy and I can’t tell the difference whether they are GF or not lol ;-). Since starting my weight loss journey I have definitely been mindful of the affects gluten has and while I do have it in my diet I also like how it feels to go w/out it to sometimes. I love all the education about this disease & and I just love information in general to help us remain healthy. YAY!! <3 😀
I do agree that we should share why we are gluten free. We could help someone else see, in themselves , something they might not recognize as a gluten issue. Sadly, every day is celiac awareness day here, but we happily enjoy our gluten free eats! Finding great brands that help us enjoy the foods we love really is a great thing. Udi’s is our bread of choice for daily lunches! Great post Lindsay!
oh gosh, i know you are passionate about this and YOUR recipes are what help GF living DELICIOUS!! Tony is blessed to have you sarena!
I am so glad you posted this info. Especially the shopping list! I am being tested Tuesday for Celiac, but after this latest bout of stomach troubles I think I may begin to adapt some of the GF eating habits to see if it helps overall. I also began reading the book Wheat Belly last week!
Keep me posted on the testing! and email me about ANYTHING, k?
I had no idea it was Celiac Awareness Month! Thanks for bringing that up because the issue definitely needs awareness. I’m loving the recipe, too. Polenta is GREAT!
I didn’t realize you started HB 5 months after learning about your sensitivity! You make gluten free look so tasty and doable, something I think may be a fear for so many! XOXO!
Lindsay, thank you for the references! I will be checking out these sites later today, for sure. My husband, Bob, has been complaining lately about “not feeling right” and as if something he’s eating is irritating him. We talked about different intolerances, including gluten and dairy, and have considered doing some experimentation with his diet to see if anything helps. It looks like some of these sites might help me as I try to help him!
And, yes, I cannot wait for Blend!! 🙂
Wowzas, the month of May is jam packed with autoimmune disease awareness things – LOVE IT! I had no idea it was also Celiac Awareness Month, although it often is common for those with lupus to have a gluten sensitivity too… Have a wonderful weekend girly!
i know! we need a big party to celebrate them all! you make pancakes, k?
I’ll definitely have to share this list of sites during my gluten free store tours, thank you.
The polenta dish sounds amazing (I seriously LOVE polenta!)
So, it’s weird, my blog links aren’t showing up on anyone’s comment section. Something still isn’t right. UGH.
i know, i kept wondering about that. Is it blogger?
I have tried to get my family off gluten for the basic health reasons but my trying has led me no where.. sigh. I will try again someday.
Thanks for sharing the tips, Lindsay! It’s been a while since I’ve cooked/had polenta, but it’s so yummy 🙂
Also, GF healthy bites…so excited for the birthday cake flavor!
polenta is so underrated, agreed!
Your concoction looks delicious! Marc and I had the most amazing dinner at a Mexican restaurant in Sausalito the other night, I wish I could take it home with me! The ENTIRE menu is gluten free, the owner was just diagnosed with gluten sensitivity and tweaked the menu to ensure it was safe. They have an incredible dessert that are basically mini donuts, but ten times better… I’m still salivating over them, we will most likely go back before our vacation is over. It’s all about balance and treating ourselves once in a while, right?!
I actually had my first Omission beer there (mentioned in one of the articles in your picture) and I must say it’s pretty tasty! I am I little wary of the process used, as it still is made from barley but they claim that their process removes the gluten. My 11 plus years since my celiac diagnosis has me questioning that, I’ll have to look into it further. One can NEVER be too careful 🙂
Thank you for sharing all of this fabulous information Lindsay, and I wholeheartedly agree that whole food is best and naturally gluten free. We tend to get caught up in replacing foods, when we need to get creative in our own kitchen 🙂
oh that sounds heavenly! i am so glad that people are becoming aware and sharing good GF food now!! Blessing indeed!
but yes, sometimes it’s too good to be true, gotta be careful. xxoo
I’m on day 8 of my GF/DF elimination diet. I’ve had a couple of slip-ups like eating soy sauce that had wheat in it. Terribly bloated and gassy today so it either hasn’t worked yet or I haven’t yet eliminated the right food.
hmmm, soy sauce can cause that. sodium overload. what else did you eat?
For breakfast I had GF toaster waffles with peanut butter and chia seeds. For lunch I had sauteed (in coconut oil) carrots, bok choy, and basil, plus an apple with cinnamon, chia seeds, and basil. The bloating set in hard at about 5 PM and lasted all night.
Bok choy?
Oh and to drink i had v8 pomegranate blueberry.
could be the sugars. Fructose. Maybe try switching to bananas/berries/papaya and limiting juice. I know, because you want more to eliminate. right? LOL!
I will certainly check these out! You know I’m all for gluten free resources. Now that meal…. delicious! 🙂
Such a great post Lindsay & you should be proud to be spreading awareness – I know you are! 🙂 Great recipe too!!!!
Hey, what flavor are those healthy bites – look delish – blueberry something???
what a great little resource you’ve put together for GF links! I’m fairly certain I’m glutened right now…I’ve got to figure out what’s bugging my gut the last two weeks. I switched bread then as it was on sale & I have a feeling my stomach is not happy with the change. Either that or it’s soy 🙁
could be stress.. you know how that is. ick
or yes, soy. soy is similar to gluten with stomach issues. bugger
I have been without gluten, wheat, dairy, sugar, soy, & nuts for almost 10 years now… And NOW I have been egg-free since January!! I LOVEEEE how the world is becoming so much more allergen aware!! I remember when people would look like me is FLAT OUT DISGUST when I would order but put the dressing on the side, no cheese or croutons and make sure the fish and/or chicken is grilled but not dredged in flour first.. Oh and please nothing cooked in butter. Thanks…
BUT NOW – People actually say, “NOT A PROBLEM” and smile at me!!! WTF 🙂
YAY!!! It’s about time too!
Thank you so much for sharing this Lindsay!! My doctors thought I had an issue with wheat only, but now we are thinking it is all gluten, so I need to eliminate it from my diet to see. I am not looking forward to it, but with amazing people sharing delicious recipes and great tips, it makes it that much easier! Have a great weekend!
I LOVE this! I was tested for Celiac a few years ago and while I (thankfully) don’t have it, I’ve still thought about going gluten-free to see how it makes me feel because I’m sure it WILL make me feel SO much better.
We just switched my bf’s pasta to gluten-free….he’s been really lovin’ it and so has his belly! 🙂
I love how passionate you are about this <3 I don't have a gluten intolerance (that I know of), but I know how annoying it can be to live with a severe allergy. At least there's a lot more awareness out there these days 🙂 And hey! At least a little bit of good came out of it for you (HB's!!). Everything happens for a reason 🙂
Ooo I love polenta! Yay for GF! Haha and I loved the gut wrenching pun
Gluten intolerance seems to be rampant these days. I’m glad there are so many resources out there. THanks for sharing!
You are so right about whole and healthy foods! I’m so glad there is SO much more awareness around Celiac now more than a year or so ago!
Thank you for sharing. My sister became gluten intolerant after she started having gallbladder problems. I know how it is for her if she accidentally has something with gluten. It’s most definitely not a fad diet for her. When you see someone in pain over what they ate, you know it’s a serious condition. And I agree, education is important. Most people really have very little understanding of what it means.