I went grocery shopping a couple of days ago, and went over budget a bit. I was shopping for meals for 2 weeks, lots of eat in meals. We are doing a ‘staycation’next week, and I thought it would be fun to cook different than usual stuff.  We like to cook and we like to cook together.

Real Simple has a month of meals in this months issue.  I gleaned a few from this site before going shopping and brainstormed a bit as I shopped. Roasted Chicken with Collards(gonna do Chicken breast and Spinach) Chorizo Stuffed Acorn Squash(swapped the bulgur for rice) Beef and Bean Enchiladas(making my sauce from Throw the Wheat in the Sea cookbook) Ham and Mozzarella Melts (Scharr Ciabatta Rolls) Pork Tenderloin with Cabbage, Shrimp & Pineapple Tacos.

I go to Sams for a great deal of my groceries, but not all. Then I hop over to Natural Market, mostly for Noosa yogurt and sometimes bread and rice flour. Then to HEB for the few things I don’t want in multiple gallons and or pounds.  Sometimes I hit all three stores and sometimes I don’t. I always do Sam’s.  You know their ‘fresh’ is all gluten free, actually everyone’s is. 😉

As I was checking out of HEB I noticed the food on the other side of my plastic stick was gluten free brand food, also. I made comment to the woman still unloading her basket that gluten free must be catching on, since two people in a row were checking out in HEB in Midland Texas with all gluten free food.  She agreed. She then said she tries to stay gluten free, but sometimes she can’t find all that she wants that is gluten free.  I bit my tongue and gave her one of my cards, and told her to check out my website and links. (If you are reading this, sweet lady, please know I am not condemning your way of thinking, a lot of us think/thought this way at one time) .  I wanted to climb up on my soap box right there, but it just did not seem appropriate.  I wanted to tell her that she really is wasting her time and money by eating wheat when she just can’t find whatever it is in gluten free.  It is like putting sugar in your fuel tank, even if it is almost full of premium gas, you will still  ruin the engine.

I NEVER EVER buy anything with gluten/wheat. (Unless I assume it don’t and don’t read the label, then I throw it out) Don’t keep that stuff anywhere in my house. I don’t buy pet food with gluten. The Halloween candy I bought was gluten free. I won’t hand out ‘bad’ candy.

I promise you we do not ‘do without’ anything.  Check out the groceries I bought.

Here is this weeks list (for 2 weeks)

SAMS: Romaine lettuce, Mushrooms, Blackberries, Bell pepper, Limes, broccoli, strawberry, blueberries, brown sugar, sausage, carrots, lemons, onions,Tostitos, Cheetos, Chicken tenders, Avocados, chocolate chips, snap peas, bacon, sweet potatoes jumbo shrimp, beef roast, butter, milk, tomatoes, cornstarch, Pam, eggs, lemons

HEB: Cabbage, squash, pork tenderloin, polenta, schar shortbread cookies, eggplant, mozzarella, laughing cow wedges, Nathans beef franks, yellow corn tortillas, Glutino pretzels, Reese pb cups, Shar Ciabatta rolls, Potato Cracker thins, Okra snacks, Meow Mix Cat food, Bananas, Gluten free Fusilli, Chorizo, Angry Orchard Crisp Apple, Simply Apple juice(for kids), Simply Limeade(for Margarita’s)Acorn Squash.

NO Gluten.

Add this to my already gluten free pantry and fridge items and I have way too much to eat. 

Last night we had Acorn Squash stuffed with chorizo and rice and cheese. YUM.

Lunch today was another steal and swap the ham and mozzarella on ciabatta  rolls. Another YUM. Drizzled parmesan garlic dipping oil on the bread. I could not resist the carbs, I ate too much.

Tonight a of grandkids are came over and we did pizza. The crust is from Little Aussie Bakery, Mozilla, canned spaghetti sauce and pepperoni. More carbs, but it is Friday. Then we topped it off with almost homemade cookies from Immaculate Baking Company. Erin decided we needed Cheetos too, so we did. Carbs again. and sugar, and cheese, but NO Gluten!

Honestly I can not think of any meal, or dessert I have to do without because of not eating wheat. Yes, sometimes I have to improvise, or make my own graham cracker crust, but I have missed nothing.  Removing wheat from my diet is EASY, compared to removing the sugar and carbs. I can live my life without ever having wheat pass my lips, I can not say that about sugars, and never will 😉