Gluten-free is a pain in the ass

[fire_of_avalon]

I want you to make a cauliflower pizza crust and report back to me how it is because I am v. curious.

[Carl the Llama]

I may have mentioned this before once or twice, but here's the full scoop:

I either have Celiac's disease or some other form of wheat sensitivity. I'm not sure which because I haven't gotten tested yet. What I do know is that for the last 15 years or so I have been plagued by both serious acid reflux stomachaches and terrible eczema rashes on my face, and that cutting wheat out of my diet a few months back magically made both of those go away, so here we are.

I really hate being gluten-free. There are soooo many delicious gluten-filled foods that I miss because they are both tastier and SEVERAL TIMES CHEAPER HOLY HELL GLUTEN-FREE FOOD IS EXPENSIVE. I keep "cheating" and eating stuff I shouldn't be, and then of course the stomach-aches and eczema come right back

So basically I'm asking about fun things to eat that are gluten and/or wheat free. Particularly things that require little to no cooking because, uh, to make a long story short I don't often have access to a kitchen outside of a microwave and toaster oven.

My typical diet lately mostly involves rice, potatoes, or gluten-free bread for carbohydrates, various meats for protein, and then a bunch of fruits and vegetables, often with peanut butter as "dip". I've been drinking a lot of chocolate milk as well. This sounds super-healthy and it probably is, but it gets old day after day. AND I MISS PIZZA DAMNIT. Gluten-free pizza isn't as tasty and is like triple the cost.

What can I do to spice up my gluten-free diet, EoFF?

I'm not sure about America, but I know for a fact that Pizza Hut in England does gluten free pizza, they are the same size and price as a medium pizza as well.

As for recipes I can ask my aunt if she has anything special up her sleeve (she sufferes from it like you).

[Night Fury]

For pizza, make it from corn tortillas and grill it! Just rub down a corn flour tortilla with some tomato puree, add cheese and some other toppings and grill it up. It's actually really tasty and very quick/easy/cheap!

[Calliope]

I just tried to make gluten free pancake batter and I didn't even bother trying to cook it, it just puffed up into a huge mess of dough that didn't resemble anything batter-like at all. I guess I could go to the shops and get some pancake mix, which I will mix with my tears of shame and bigotry against pre-packaged foods.

PS - The store was closed. I will eat borscht for breakfast and then go back to bed in defeat. There is no point in getting up on a Sunday if there are no pancakes.

[Shiny]

I've been having gluten free pasta and wraps lately. What I've noticed is that gluten free pasta and bread breaks up way too easily and that's particularly annoying with a wrap. I don't taste much of a difference in the pasta, but the bread is slightly less flavorful. I don't think I am gluten intolerant, but I had been having horrible indigestion lately after getting off several medications I was taking, and noticed the difference of extracting that from my diet. It's also a lot less bloating for me.

[escobert]

I heard a show in NPR the other day saying that they found King Arthur's non gluten flour to be the best all around flour for cakes, cookies and dough. I know there is a new gluten free cook book by these people on the show coming out later this year. Wish I could remember the name.

[Calliope]

My doctor wants me to forgo gluten for a month, which I will do for April. In the meantime though, French bread for every meal!

[Calliope]

It's been a couple of months, and it's pretty doable for me; except for about once a week when Spuuky makes a sandwich - I miss sandwiches! 75% of the gluten free baking I've done has turned out great, so I might try baking bread next. Bob's Red Mill flour has been a lifesaver! It helps that I like rice and tacos so much.

[CimminyCricket]

My wife recently found out that she has celiacs as well. We've found that shopping at Trader Joe's/Aldi's is pretty inexpensive. She eats a lot like she use to, minus the bread and certain types of pasta, but the biggest problem she has now is not being able to snack like she use to. Meat and rice and fruits and veggies are good and you can use them to make a ton of different dishes.

Not as in depth as I'd like to have been, but I'm not actually the one who is gluten free.