a whole new world of food...

if you thought i ate a limited, weird assortment of food before, hold on to your hats because things have gotten WAY more interesting! it has been two months since i completed an exclusion diet that, in the end, has dramatically changed the food i eat. going into the diet i knew that i was sensitive to most dairy and some soy products. coming out of the diet i now know that i am sensitive to all dairy products, wheat (what?!), some soy (mainly processed), and dark chocolate (what, what?!). and just for fun, throw in the fact that i don't eat meat. yep, me = disaster. ugh. fortunately we eat very little prepackaged, processed food because wheat and dairy are ubiquitous...and often in things you would never expect.  


in spite of having to say goodbye to some of my favorite foods, i feel great! i haven't had a migraine in four months (other than the pangs that started after i ate dark chocolate, hence it's ban) and my energy levels and overall mood are more consistent and even keeled. honestly, knowing how much better i feel when i avoid those foods, there is next to nothing that can convince me to even try them. although, i did have a dream last night about chocolate chip cookies...

so i'm learning a new way of doing things. pete has been a super trooper through all of the experimentation and is fully along for the gluten and dairy-free ride for our shared meals. thankfully i don't crave most of the things i've given up and am enjoying eating even healthier. food is one of my life's loves, though, so there are definitely things that i miss. like pizza. i've made a gluten-free crust a number of times now and it tastes fine, but no cheese is the killer. don't get me wrong, the warm crust with sauce and veggies is delicious, but it really isn't a full stand-in for pizza. there are some non-dairy cheeses, but they seem so chemically and processed that i don't really feel it is worth it. i feel that way about a lot of the gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian products out there...it just seems wrong to be eating a bunch of chemicals so you can get the taste of the thing you cannot actually eat (or have chosen not to eat).  


gluten-free products, despite being more readily available, are also much more expensive than regular things so i'm trying to figure out how to make most things at home. in the process, i've learned a lot about gluten-free flours. i had no idea so many existed - teff, rice, sorghum, millet, buckwheat, potato, tapioca, amaranth, quinoa... flour overload! i've mastered a gf vegan zucchini-carrot muffin. much to pete's satisfaction i've also gotten a handle on the gf sourdough waffle. i managed to not kill my starter in the process of weaning it off wheat and on to rice. i've tried sourdough bread once. it was edible but not my best work. essentially everything i knew about baking has gone out the window and i'm having to relearn the chemistry of baking...without gluten. it is frustrating, but it is fun too. i feel really grateful that i live in a place where i have access to these grains and fresh, organic fruits and veggies at the farmers market every week. 

gf vegan carrot, apple, zucchini muffins. delicious!

eating out is the most challenging aspect of this new world. i feel a little bit like sally when i'm ordering these days: "i'll have the salad with no cheese or croutons or salad dressing; i'd like olive oil instead, but on the side, and..." navigating menus can be really difficult. i often make the mistake of looking at something on the menu and thinking about how i would make it. if i wouldn't use wheat or dairy then surely there must not be any in there, right? wrong! wrong so many times! eating out more often than not feels like an exercise in failure and learning what should be avoided. but i am learning. i also find that i need to be better prepared when going out in the world. there really is no such thing as a "spontaneous" snack or meal for me anymore. so i stuff my bags with melissa friendly snacks and try not to come across as the ridiculously difficult foodie in the group.


here's to new foods, new flavors, and new combinations. every day (and meal) is an adventure!  

adventures from week #2

madeline's second week in california brought even more adventures! maddy got to participate in the week-long young women in science camp at the monterey bay aquarium. i have been volunteering for the program for six or seven summers so it was really special for me to see maddy in the camp this year. the highlights of camp included sea otter tracking from cannery row, sea kayaking in the elkhorn slough, scuba diving in the great tide pool, and boogie boarding. she also made some new friends and got to enjoy the aquarium for five days! 

 boogie boarding with new friends

 the excitement of catching a wave

scuba diving in the great tide pool at the aquarium

we celebrated my dad's birthday on the 28th with ice cream and sorbet from a local ice creamery in santa cruz. it was nice to be able to celebrate with family and to share our memories. 

after science camp ended, we headed straight to the mountains for some time on the stanislaus river where pete's family has a spot on leased forest service lands. other than the mosquitoes, we had a great time. maddy even learned how to split wood. uncle pete is a good teacher! when at the river swimming is a must, even if the water isn't much warmer than the ocean. we also had time for lots and lots of card games.

 mosquito protection

 learning how to split wood

 pete's new ax was advertised as "shaving sharp" - so of course he had to try!

wading into the chilly stanislaus and trying to determine
if getting to the other side is really worth it

maddy's favorite day came late in the trip, but i think it was worth waiting for. she got to visit with the dolphins at long marine lab and play dolphin trainer for a bit. she was in love!

 pete, maddy, and i with primo

 maddy asking puka to "talk"

puka showing off his stuff

our last big santa cruz adventure was none other than the infamous mystery spot. this is a spot in the santa cruz mountains where balls role uphill, people list with an extra 17 degree tilt, and the eye trickery is enough to make you dizzy for hours. 

sarah, i swear we gave her no alcohol! :)

i took madeline to the airport this morning and put her on a plane bound for minnesota. her mom met her at the airport and took her to a swimming beach...ironically, it was hotter than any beach she visited in california. 

thanks for the adventures, munchkin!