After a short hiatus, I'm back.
You may be wondering where I went for so long. The short answer is: nowhere.
The long answer is: I went to a specialist to see if he could help me figure out why I had 4 sinus infections in a row between October and January. After a sinus CT scan and an allergy test (I am allergic to glycerin and didn't know it, so I got all false positives on the poke test, so they took a blood test), I've discovered that I have a deviated septum with a spur, preventing almost all air flow on the right side of my head (hence the ear infections and my ability to always know when a sinus infection is about to start because the right side of my nose becomes an impenetrable fortress), and I'm allergic to several seasonal allergens plus milk and wheat.
FAIL.
I hate my life.
A few years ago, after several ER visits, specialist visits, vomit sessions, etc., I learned I was allergic to wheat, so I removed it from my diet for a while. Then I started adding it back in, one whole wheat grain at a time, until I didn't feel any symptoms. Back then, the only gluten-free options were mediocre, and my best bet was total avoidance.
Things have come a long way. I found gluten-free rice flour pasta (on sale for 99 cents a box!!!) at Harris Teeter, and Annie's has been making a rice flour mac n' cheese for a few years, but I'm allergic to the milk/processed powdered cheese, so I can't have it any more. Before I knew I was allergic to the milk, it was my go-to for that childhood favorite. Rice flour pasta is a big step up from whole-wheat pasta, mainly because of the texture. Whole-wheat pasta can get pretty grainy and unappetizing, but rice flour pasta tastes virtually the same.
Blue Diamond almond milk is my savior. Coming from a family of "milk addicts" (minus my sister), it was a little depressing to learn I couldn't have cow's milk. Blue Diamond Original almond milk is delicious and smooth. I have only tried it for drinking (I can't bring myself to cook anything with milk as an ingredient because I'm scared of what the results might be with dairy-free substitutes...). I tried Silk brand almond milk, but it was too grainy and had a little more residue than I'm comfortable with.
I have a new project I'm working on as a side job, and it happens to be coming up with 20 gluten-free recipes from freezer to table, so I'm glad that I will benefit from this project.
I apologize for my absence and promise I won't go so long between posts.
Cheers!
Liz
