gluten-free Archives

Since I was diagnosed as wheat intolerant way back in 2011, I have been searching for the best gluten-free pizza. After all, pizza is one of the things I miss most about avoiding wheat. It’s been a journey, but I think I have discovered my favourite.

The winner is, (in my opinion ) Daiya Foods, a plant-based (yes, even the cheese) company serving up a variety of dairy-free foods. Their products are not all gluten-free, but I bet they are all delicious. Their focus is on dairy-free foods, with a long list of choices including cheesecake, yogurt, and even cheesy macaroni!

I first discovered Daiya Food’s gluten-free pizza at my local Sobeys store here in Kanata. I purchased the fire-roasted vegetable version and was not disappointed. In fact, I have purchased it quite often since then. I like to keep at least one in my freezer for a quick snack or meal. Although my husband is not wheat or gluten intolerant, he has been commenting on just how good my pizzas look compared to his regular, gluten-full version. I don’t share though.

I have since found other varieties (at Loblaws) and tried the mushroom and roasted garlic flavour most recently. With only two toppings, I prefer it to the fire-roasted vegetable version that I found a bit too top-heavy. Both have thin crust, which bakes up perfectly crispy, not cardboardy or tasteless like some other brands I have tried.

A little research on my part found Daiya’s website where I discovered all their other dairy free, plant-based products, including the sure-to-be-delicious other gluten-free pizzas. Not fond of meat on pizza, but a topping lover, my next choice will be the Margherita style. Although, the plant-based pepperoni or sausage on their meat lovers, pepperoni, and supreme pizzas may be tastier than the meat they mimic. Maybe I will have to give them a chance.

A bonus for all you dairy-intolerant folks, the cheeze shreds on these pizzas are hard to believe they are not the real thing. They melt beautifully and taste delicious. Soy-free, dairy-free and gluten-free, but I promise you won’t notice.

I have heard great things about Daiya cheese sauces too, although I have never personally tried them.

I am not sure if my earliest purchases were of the “new, improved recipe” indicated on these boxes, but I will enthusiastically vouch for the two (going on three) of these I have tried!

I know this saying is old, but it has become increasingly clear to me recently. Way back in 2011, I was diagnosed with an allergy to wheat. Since then I have avoided anything that contained wheat. It wasn’t easy, but I have grown accustomed to it. So apparently has my body.

In December 2018, my husband and I tried out the keto diet as one of our sons was doing it and we were on vacation with him and his family. After a few weeks of experimenting with that, we altered the strict keto version to what I call a “modified keto.” We consume lots of fats, but the good, omega-3 kind. We don’t restrict vegetables or fruits, AKA the good carbs. We avoid processed foods that contain lots of sugar and preservatives and consume lots of protein but stick to the lean and non-processed variety.

In March 2020, those good habits flew out the window with the arrival of COVID-19 isolation recommendations. Feeling sorry for ourselves (missing our kids and grandkids) or bored, or both, we began the slippery slope to snacking and TV binging.

When Easter festivities were canceled due to social distancing measures, I still cooked a big dinner and baked delicious goodies, but divvied (most of) it up and dropped off care packages and Easter baskets to our sons’ respective doorsteps for their families to enjoy. Usually, when I bake for family gatherings I include one or two gluten-free varieties. Not this year, unfortunately for me. Instead, I snacked on the wheat-laden goodies, limiting myself to half a cookie per day to avoid the stomach problems associated with my wheat allergy.

Shortly after Easter, the goodies were gone from our home, but the bumps on my scalp, one of the pre-wheat allergy diagnosis symptoms, were back. As was the bloating, fatigue, and general lethargy, not to mention a few extra pounds. All the things I had worked so hard to eliminate!

If that doesn’t prove “you are what you eat” I don’t know what does.

Photo by Trang Doan, via Pexels