The First Week

Alright guys, so it hasn't been a full week, but it sure has been busy up until this point! I want to start off by posting a recipe that has helped get me through the first few days! Now, I'm a busy gal... when I'm not in school, I'm working. I tend to run around a lot and I've now lost the ability to just run out the door and buy food while I'm out. I don't live in a particularly gluten-free city, so I'm completely on my own! This week, I've worked a lot, which means I've needed to be good about packing enough food for the day. After figuring out that a favourite bagged salad of mine is off the menu, I replaced it with another easy celiac-friendly one and made these super easy and convenient savoury quinoa-egg muffin thingies.

Recipe: http://www.dailyhiit.com/hiit-blog/hiit-diet/healthy-recipes/mini-egg-cheese-quinoa-cups/

Okay, so I took the original recipe and modified it in the following easy ways:

1. Instead of using regular dairy cheese, I used Daiya brand vegan cheese. I have a problem with lactose intolerance because of the Celiac Disease, so I've been avoiding dairy altogether. Daiya brand is nice because it's dairy, gluten, and soy free, and completely vegan. Also, the flavour is awesome! So I just subbed my non-dairy cheese 1:1 for the original in the recipe.

2. I added a few chopped cherry tomatoes and some broccoli to the recipe to add to the flavour. Not to mention, give the recipe an extra micronutrient boost! I also tossed in a sprinkle of cayenne pepper, because cayenne is delicious and good for you!

 

These things were awesome! I also loved how easy it was to "portion control" this meal! You could eat one cup as a snack, or four for a meal. Also, super portable which was perfect for running out the door to work!

 

Now, in other news: I did a bit of research about this whole gluten-free make-up and skin care shenanigans. For those of you as new to this gluten-free lifestyle as myself, there's a debate among the gluten-free community as to whether or not it is important to ensure that your make-up and skin care is also gluten-free. The official verdict, according to medical professionals is: probably not. Unless you're eating your make-up or personal hygiene products, you're not likely to experience any damage.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/celiac-disease/expert-answers/celiac-disease/faq-20057879 

 

That being said, many people with Celiac or non-Celiac gluten-intolerance feel more comfortable ensuring that their products are gluten-free. As one woman said, who hasn't accidentally gotten shampoo in their mouths while bending over in the shower to shave their legs? I'm pretty sure it's a thing! So I tend to be in an agreeance that if you can avoid gluten in your products, wouldn't you rather do it than way then constantly worrying about making sure no accidents happen? I mean, it's really a peace of mind issue! So  for those of you looking for info on gluten-free companies, see the following pages:

 

http://celiacdisease.about.com/od/GlutenFreePersonalCareProducts/fl/Gluten-Free-Makeup-Brands.htm

http://makeup.allwomenstalk.com/glorious-gluten-free-cosmetics-companies/8/

http://www.glutenfreemakeupgal.com/

http://www.theceliacdiva.com/gluten-free-face-wash/

http://myglutenfreequest.com/gluten-free-skin-body-care-products/

 

It would seem that there are plenty of make-up and skin care companies that are proud to be gluten-free and are well liked! From the research I've done, it's pretty clear that most make-up companies are pretty happy to talk to people with enquiries and answer any questions. For myself, if a company was hesitant to answer a question I had about product ingredients, I'd be a little worried about what they were trying to hide! As there are plenty of people who research and discuss this issue a hell of a lot more than myself, I encourage you to take a look at the above links!

 

Will I be switching to gluten-free make-up any time soon? The answer is probably. I know I've often worried about breathing in my foundation powder and eating my lip gloss, so it would be nice to have the peace of mind that I'm not glutening myself that way! Upon completing more research, I discovered that my skin care and body care products that I already use are totally gluten-free which is a bonus! Thank god for small favours!