gluten freed.

since 2008, i've gotten a few new nicknames, closely associated to my lifestyle.

gluten-free gleave, "gfg" (gluten-free girl), etc. came about my freshman year in college as i was diagnosed with a gluten intolerance. for those of you who don't know, gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and sometimes oats. being lactose intolerant also, easily finding food to eat can be a bit tricky at times.

in fact, a common question that i get these days is, "so, what can you eat?"

well, there actually is a lot that i can eat! and the gluten-free market it growing every day... it just takes a bit more work to prepare the food and a lot more money to buy it.

but having a happy belly/body makes eating gluten/dairy free completely worth it-- believe me!

i've decided to start a new little series on my blog, showing you more often what i can eat and what i do eat-- to prove that the gluten-free lifestyle isn't so bad!

i know when i first was diagnosed, i struggled to find food to eat (and literally only ate omelets and hamburger patties for the first few months), so maybe i can help some gf newbies out there too in the process... who knows?

so to answer that question i'm always getting, "what do you eat?," here goes meal one:

Mixed Berry Gluten-Free Oatmeal

this is the perfect breakfast because it's a good source of whole grains, protein, and fruit. plus, it keeps me pretty full for the morning and makes my heart oh, so happy! it is an easy, 1-and-a-half-minute meal.

1/2 cup bob's red mill gluten-free oatmeal

1/8 cup silk almond milk

1 tbsp light maple syrup (be careful with these... some contain gluten)

1/3 cup frozen mixed berries (i buy the kirkland brand... te amo, costco)

microwave the gluten-free oatmeal with 1/3 cup of water (i generally just eyeball it) for one minute. add the remainder of the ingredients; mix around until berries begin to soften, and enjoy!

a gluten-free tip: a lot of times, when searching for foods that are gluten-free but aren't necessarily labeled "gluten free", be careful to look for the following gluten-containing ingredients:

-malt, malt extract, barley malt, oats (due to cross contamination), wheat, rye, and barley... carmel color can also be a culprit (though generally isn't these days).

to my gluten-free friends out there, what is your favorite gf recipe?