Fall Back!

     I hope everyone enjoyed their extra hour of sleep last night, I know I did!   The family and I went to a wedding yesterday and I was very happy to find out that the chef would substitute gluten free pasta for  regular.  That was the first time this has happened. Usually I have to fore-go the pasta at special events. It was a pleasant surprise to me!   More and more, restaurants have become aware of the special dietary needs of their "gluten free" clientele.  Five years ago I had to be more careful of being "gluten contaminated" when I went out to eat.  Nowadays, 9 times out of 10, if I mention that I am on a "gluten free" diet, the waiter and chef know exactly what I am talking about. 
     One of my readers, Kimberlie, mentioned that her husbands doctor had difficulty determining if he was truly celiac.  I remember reading that the only surefire way to tell was through genetic testing.   If you have the genetic marker for celiac  it may be wise to go gluten free.  I say "If you feel better, then do it!" For many years I was on again/off again on the gluten free diet.  A few years ago I went totally gluten free, and have never felt better.  The pains in my joints have gotten better, and my gastrointestinal problems have pretty much dissappeared.  Every once in a while I am tempted to eat gluten, but am reminded by my previous violent reactions that this would not be a very wise decision.  The way  I work through my cravings is by substituting delicious gluten free recipes for the original ones.  My favorites are gluten free pumpkin muffins and chocolate cupcakes, which are not only gluten free but vegan.   I tend not to make as many baked things as I used to, but find that I enjoy them more now when I do bake.  So, my suggestion to Kimberlie is to find some really good recipes that you can substitute for the original ones. If anyone has any recipes they would like to share, please feel free to post them.  Kimberlie, if you could tell us what particular things your husband likes best, maybe we can share our gluten free recipes for those items here also!   Thanksgiving will be upon us shortly, and I'm sure that we can come up with some recipes to share here.  That's all I have time for today, and I will address some more questions tomorrow!  Have a Happy Gluten Free Evening !