What Is the Trade-Off?

Egg & ChickLet’s say you’ve been diligently reading labels since going gluten-free, ever mindful that gluten can often be sneaky – showing up where you’d least expect it.

But did you ever stop to wonder, now that you’ve given up gluten – what not-so-great choices you might be making instead?

In other words, what is the trade-off?

For example, back when I first became gluten-free, I started eating a lot more eggs.

That’s because I was baking my own gluten-free bread, and the standard recipe called for three or four eggs per loaf.

Since eggs are gluten-free, I thought nothing of it.

Also, at least once a week, we’d have omelets for dinner – or even breakfast.

On occasion, I’d even whip up a soufflé.

(Sounds fancy, I know, but soufflés are actually pretty easy to make).

Then almond meal hit the market, and it seemed like a wonderful alternative to gluten-free flours.

Being an almond lover myself, I was ecstatic!

In a given week, I poured almond milk on my breakfast cereal and snacked on almonds by the handful.

So guess what happened?

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The ABC’s of Gluten-Free Bread, cont’d

BreadLast week, we explored a couple of options for living a fabulous gluten-free life, with a ready supply of bread.

Those options, of course, are to either purchase your bread, fresh off the shelf – or give it up entirely.

However, not too many of us are ready to do the latter.

That’s why I think the best option – even it it’s a bit more challenging – is to simply:

 

Bake Your Own

If you’re feeling ambitious, or adventurous – or a little of both – then by all means why not try your hand at baking your own gluten-free bread?

Sound daunting?

The best part about baking gluten-free bread is that there is NO kneading, and it doesn’t take long to rise.

I actually prefer to bake my own gluten-free bread.

Because that way, I know exactly what’s in it.

I’ve baked my own gluten-free bread many times, and it takes maybe two hours, tops – start to finish!

If you decide to go this route, the first thing you’ll need is a good recipe and you’ll find numerous resources online, or at your local bookstore.

My favorite recipes come from sites like Whole Life Nutrition or The Gluten-Free Goddess.

And don’t overlook The Gluten-Free Girl!

Personally, I think a good quality mixer is essential, but not everyone would agree.

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The ABC’s of Gluten-Free Bread

CautionlBread has gotten a bad rap lately.

Many of the most popular diets – weight loss and otherwise – favor the elimination of bread completely, in place of whole grains, nuts and seeds, and plenty of vegetables and fruit.

If we look at the Paleo diet, The Virgin Diet, or Dr. Mark Hyman’s Blood Sugar Solution  – each of these diets eliminates gluten simply by default.

Plus, they go a step further – advising us to avoid any and all baked goods, breads, cookies and crackers that rely on highly processed flours.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

The science behind this is that the standard American diet contains way more carbohydrates than the average person needs.

These abundant carbohydrates – or carbs – are converted to sugars in our body, which for many of us leads to weight gain and all kinds of health issues.

But the truth is, we live in a carb based society.

If you think about the typical foods you eat on any given day, chances are the list includes bread, crackers, and any manner of baked goods along with whole grains and sugar.

However, if you’re just starting out with the gluten-free lifestyle, this may not be where you want to begin.

In fact, you might be wondering  – where does it all end?

Isn’t it enough that you’ve had to give up gluten, or dairy, or eggs?

What’s a person to do?

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