Goodbye Gluten

I think I may have overdone it with the gluten when I was pregnant. My zest for all things carby during 39 weeks of pregnancy was insatiable, and easy, wheat based snacks were the only thing I craved (until heartburn set in!). With even less time these days to eat a proper meal in between feeding Spencer and Eloise, trying to stay on top of my busy season and complete all the other items on my to-do list, a piece of toast or granola with yogurt are my go to snacks. Unfortunately I am discovering that wheat and gluten laden items make Spencer instantly cranky and gassy. So does dairy. This could not come at a worse time. 

First of all, I really like wheat and all things carbohydrate. I could never be one of those fully committed gluten-free, carb-free people, even though certain gluten-free prepared food, like Glutino Pretzels, are way better than the real thing. I like a regular bread with butter, pasta and muffins and I really like carby desserts. Overdoing it with wheat and gluten definitely affects me, I have just been ignoring the uncomfortable side effects (ahem, gas & bloating) in favour of convenience for so long that I usually don't notice. Now I am afraid to eat the wrong thing, even a bite, for the effect that it will have on Spencer and consequently, me, as I deal with a cranky baby.

Gwyneth Paltrow's It's All Good arrived in the mail at the perfect time last week (it passed my lifelong cookbook stamp of approval when we made the same two recipes three times during my library loan period) and I have to challenge myself not to turn to it for dinner recipes every night. Not that this is a bad thing, I just don't always have the time to prepare a full on meal and would love the option of popping in a pizza once and a while. We are also going through fruit and veggies at an unreal rate meaning more trips to the grocery store, another thing I don't exactly have extra time for. 

I wasn't prepared to add another thing to my list of 'things to worry about' by avoiding wheat and gluten, but if the trade off is a constantly fussy baby then I supposed I'll be saying goodbye to gluten.  For now.