F*****g hundreds and thousands

So I spent ages this weekend making things: gluten free birthday cake for NGFH because his mum was down early for his birthday. Then, as we had to cook dinner too, and GF desserts are impossible to buy, I made a GF apple crumble. (This is possibly the 4th time in my life I have made a dessert from scratch. You just don't get GF desserts ready-made.)

All was good, but felt bloated in the eve, and then woke up early this morning very uncomfortable. Put it down to the fact that I'd undulged in custard, and milk in my coffee the night before. Got on with things in a fatigued kind of way.

In the afternoon NGFH told me I looked very tired, which made me cross, but also made me think. I checked the custard pot from the night before, but it was ok. So we sat down and had tea and the rest of the GF birthday cake. Halfway in it hit me: what about the cake decs? I was sure I'd checked them all.

Quick into the kitchen. Hundreds and Thousands. Gluten.

DOH.

I cried.

I'm still liable to burst into tears about it. I checked EVERY ingredient in everything yesterday. Apart from the effing hundreds and thousands, which NGF Son had spread liberally across the cake.

Officially fed up now.

Fed up of Free-From

So the GF thing I was ok with, but 5 or 6 weeks after being on the diet I started to feel progressively worse and couldn't work out why. I checked everything I was eating: preparation methods, chopping boards - you name it, but couldn't spot a surreptitious source of gluten.

Then a few days a go a had a few really bad days of bloating and stomach pain and spotted a trend: dairy. Started after breakfast (GF cereal with milk), got worse as I had cups of tea with milk, and then mozzarella on my GF salad for lunch. So as an experiment I picked up some soya milk and dairy-free spread (for my unpalatable bread) and tried a day or two without.

Result? Feel loads better. Physically. Bloating and pains gone. Have dropped a size on my waist in the space of 24 hours.

Mentally? Not good. Gluten free, dairy free, non-red meat eating - not a good combo. Lunch options reduced to one salad bar* if I don't take my own. Dinner options dwindling. Cake for nonGF husband's birthday this weekend seeming impossible. Cheese. I love cheese. It makes veggie food tasty. It makes GF pasta bearable. And chocolate... sob.

There's a reasonable chance this intolerance is temporary, and once my small intestine heals I will be able to reintroduce dairy. (I need to focus on that when I'm looking for a quick dinner because I'm knackered after work and NGFH is out for the eve and I just want an easy meal and realise there's no such thing for gluten and dairy-free people and I feel tears welling up in my eyes and try very hard not to cry in the middle of the M&S food hall.)

Ho hum.


*Alpha Bar in Oxford's covered market is pretty much saving my sanity with tasty veg/vegan options galore. But even their lovely lentils get a bit dull if they are the only option in town.