#i have at least 2 coworkers that are gluten intolerant

[wandringaesthetic]

I must now enter

Cookie heck

[bumblebeeappletree]

I’ve been looking for some recipes to share that’s good for dietary restrictions. “Why?” You may ask.

Well, it’s because I’ve been thinking about potlucks. Neighborhood block parties. About people coming together and feeding each other and enjoying each other companies and having fun.

But anywho, I’m thinking of putting them all on one post. Except for this particular article because unfortunately America Test Kitchen has 2 free articles per month for people who don’t subscribe to them. So while I’ll still post the link, I’m also having the article underneath the cut. Enjoy the food ideas to share with others!

Recently, I hosted a four-day gathering for nine people with 10 different dietary restrictions. To say I was worried would be a vast understatement.

We had everything: no gluten, no meat, no dairy, no mushrooms, and much more. All had varying degrees of importance from “just a preference” to “just in case, do we know where the closest hospital is?” 

Many restaurants are aware and accommodating of dietary issues, but it can be difficult when this problem arises at home. You can’t make different dinners for everyone.

We’ve compiled a list of suggested meals and preparation styles to cook for a crowd where everyone—including the host—enjoys the dinner, feels included, and stays healthy. 

(But first, an important disclaimer: There's more to cooking for people with special diets than just choosing a recipe. If you're cooking for someone with severe allergies, make sure they're comfortable with your serving setup.)

Spread-Style Meals That Offer Ultimate Flexibility 

My coworkers are food lovers and problem solvers. When I asked them what they would serve in this scenario, they all had the same answer: DIY-style meals offer the most flexibility for the diners and the least amount of stress for the cook.

Build-it-yourself meals allow people to select what foods work for them and avoid the ones that don't, without putting the responsibility on you.

For tackling this kind of meal, we suggest taking inventory of all guests' allergies (and the level of cross-contamination they allow) and then creating a themed dinner with choose-your-own elements. Make sure each person has at least one option at every step.

Here are a few of our favorites:

1. Build-Your-Own Bowls

Bring Sweetgreen home by making a couple plain bases, a few simple proteins, and some roasted veggies, and ending it all with a topping and sauce bar.

Bases: Everyday White Rice, Foolproof Oven-Baked Brown Rice, Quinoa Pilaf with Herbs and Lemon, Basic Farro Pilaf 

Proteins: Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts, Garlicky Broiled Shrimp, Teriyaki Tofu, tempeh steaks, sautéed eggplant with plant-based meat

Veggies: Skillet-Roasted Carrots and Parsnips; Skillet-Roasted Broccoli; Kale with Garlic, Red Pepper Flakes, and Lemon; Roasted Sweet Potatoes 

Sauces: Hummus with Smoked Paprika, dairy-free green goddess dressing, Roasted Garlic Chimichurri, Lemon Aioli, Tzatziki Sauce, Red Pepper–Almond Sauce 

Toppings: Microwave-Fried Shallots, shichimi togarashi, Microwave Cheese Crisps, Gim, Chili Crisp

2. Make-Your-Own Pizza

Whether you have an indoor or outdoor pizza oven or you simply make them on the grill or in your oven, making your own pizza is one of the easiest DIY meals because it mostly just requires the host to chop toppings and stretch dough.

Almost all ingredients can be store-bought, but if you feel like elevating the experience with a few homemade options, we have some suggestions.

Dough: Classic Pizza Dough, gluten-free pizza dough, thin-crust whole-wheat pizza 

Sauce: No-Cook Pizza Sauce, Basic Pizza Sauce, Perfect Pesto, alfredo sauce   

Toppings: Caramelized Onions, pepperoni, roasted vegetables, anchovies, Spicy Honey, dollops of homemade ricotta

3. Burrito/Taco Bar

For this simple spread, make a variety of proteins and vegetables, buy any additions, have a few homemade salsas on hand, and let your guests decide whether or not to use flour, corn, or other types of GF or dietary-specific tortillas.

Fillings: Plant-based chorizo, shredded chicken, sweet and spicy fried fish, grilled steak, bean and vegetable

Salsas: Fresh Tomato, Roasted Tomato–Lime, Salsa Roja, Quick Tomatillo, Mango-Mint, fresh corn and avocado   

Additions: Tangy Apple-Cabbage Slaw, Bell Pepper Slaw, Chipotle and Pepita Guacamole

Single Recipes for Multiple Dietary Requirements

When you don’t want to prepare an entire spread and instead just feel like making one dish that has several dietary accommodations baked in, we have some options for you.

I asked my coworkers: Whether vegan, vegetarian, soy-free, nut-free, gluten-free, or peanut-free, what do you make when trying to accommodate multiple diets?

1. Japchae 

This was my go-to meal when cooking for my large, dietary-restricted crowd and it was a hit. The base noodles, Korean sweet potato noodles, are naturally gluten-free and hold onto sauce really well. To keep the dish gluten-free, I used tamari instead of soy sauce which generally contains wheat. To accommodate a pescatarian and someone with a mushroom allergy, I just cooked these elements separately and left them on the side for people to sprinkle onto their own plates.

Who It’s Good For: Those following dairy-free, gluten-free, peanut-free, tree nut–free, soy-free (using tamari), vegetarian, and vegan diets.

2. Breakfast Casserole 

Essentially a crustless quiche in a baking dish, a breakfast casserole is great for a varied crowd because you can swap any protein, vegetable, or spice in or out depending upon your group's dietary needs. One of our members raved, “One of us is dairy-free, the other has celiac, so this was perfect to please everyone."

Who It’s Good For: Those following dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, peanut-free, tree nut–free, or vegetarian (provided they eat eggs) diets.

3. Red Lentil Soup 

This soup is spiced, rich, and nourishing because of the thick texture and nutrients that simmered red lentils bring. To make this a complete meal, pair it with a hearty salad and serve dressings on the side.

Who It’s Good For: Those following gluten-free, dairy-free, peanut-free, nut-free, soy-free, vegetarian or vegan (if you use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth) diets.  

4. Vegan Barbecue Tempeh, Mushroom, and Bell Pepper Skewers

Tempeh is an awesome, naturally gluten-free (most often; check your brands) vegetarian protein for grilled skewers. You can add any vegetables, or even fruit, to your skewers and the same glaze can be used for any meat skewers you make separately.

Who It’s Good For: Those following gluten-free, dairy-free, peanut-free, nut-free, soy-free, vegetarian or vegan diets. 

5. Walkaway Ratatouille

Most ratatouille recipes call for labor- and time-intensive treatments like salting and/or pressing to remove excess moisture from the vegetables. Not only is this meal largely hands off and fuss-free, but it's also ready in under an hour, and it’s chock-full of vegetables while accommodating some of the most common dietary restrictions.

Who It’s Good For: Those following dairy-free, gluten-free, peanut-free, tree nut-free, soy-free, vegetarian, and vegan diets.

6. Falafel

Like a cross between a spread meal and a single dish, making falafel the centerpiece of your dinner allows you to provide lots of pita, sauces, and toppings on the side for people to choose from while you only have to cook one main element. Though this recipe uses all-purpose flour, an equal amount of chickpea flour can be substituted for a gluten-free version. To accommodate this substitution, we increase the water.

Who It’s Good For: Those following dairy-free, gluten-free, peanut-free, tree nut-free, soy-free, vegetarian, and vegan diets.

7. Chili-Spiced Chicken Thighs and Potatoes

This recipe is a great example of a jazzed-up protein that is still widely applicable to different dietary needs without sacrificing flavor. It can serve as a complete meal as is, or for a vegetable element you can add some simply dressed greens on the side.

Who It’s Good For: Those following dairy-free, gluten-free, peanut-free, tree nut-free, and soy-free diets.

8. Best Prime Rib

Provided your guests eat meat, you’re in luck. Though this is technically a plain protein, there is nothing plain about a centerpiece-worthy prime rib. Serve it with any vegetable sides, salads, or potatoes to round out the meal.

Who It’s Good For: Those following dairy-free, gluten-free, peanut-free, tree nut-free, and soy-free diets. 

9. Chicken Shawarma 

Instead of going out for shawarma, we were able to create a home version by using the broiler and boneless chicken thighs. Chicken shawarma allows guests to assemble their own pita pockets with as much or as little sauce and vegetables as they desire. To accommodate more diets, make roasted tofu as a vegetarian option and provide gluten-free pita.

Who It’s Good For: Those following gluten-free, peanut-free, tree nut-free, and soy-free diets.

Allergy-Friendly Swaps We Love

Sometimes a recipe is so close to fitting your restrictions but doesn't quite work because of an ingredient or two. We have a few standby swaps that are typically fine in small amounts without significantly altering the overall recipe.

* Swap tamari for soy sauce when you need to be gluten-free.

* Swap sunflower seed butter for peanut butter when you need a peanut- or tree nut–free alternative. 

* Swap vegan, non-dairy milks for cow’s milk. We like oat milk when baking due to its higher sugar content and almond milk in savory applications because it is more neutral. 

* Swap garlic or onions for garlic oil when alliums can cause an issue, such as with the Low FODMAP diet. 

[iwontstopme]

I'm back like clockwork. Leaving my second job, starting a new sport, trying to eat rounder meals, exercise and improve my general health.

Goals:

UGW: 89

Daily: less than 1200 kcal, fasting between 8pm and 7am, 5 cups water daily, walk 3 miles daily

Overall: balanced meals, less added sugar, almost no dairy (lactose intolerant), low gluten (gluten intolerant), more veggies (i always get tons of fruit at work), fitness i can maintain. Weight I can maintain. All goals I'll update as i go per normal

I'd like to go running again but i live over three miles from my job, have no car, and walk to work in the mornings (at minimum) so at least I always finish my walk goals. Even on days when I take the bus home it's still another mile and some change to the bus stations. so about 4.4miles walking daily. Not including being on my feet all day at both of my jobs. The walking goal is mainly for when I leave my second job and dont /have/ to walk on the weekends cause I could just take the bus. I should still walk. I love running though, it'd be nice to train for a 10k again.

I don't know where entirely my goals are all the time. Because I'm building some muscle, my weight will end up being higher than I think it should, so I'll adjust as I go. I won't completely cut dairy or gluten or sugar cause I'm a baker and have to try my product, but I usually have my coworkers test them, too. I also like yogurt and granola too much. I am still (mostly) vegetarian like I've been for ten years, but I also have been eating fish for 2 for the protein and it helps. I may start taking multivitamins again. I'm working on my insomnia (like always) so I can stop late-night munching and hopefully the fasting restrictions help with that.

I find that putting my goals on here has always held me more accountable than anything else has, even if I've deleted a lot of my past logs. I'm gonna keep going. I'll try and post daily food logs too, to see where I'm at

[consulting-celiac-in-the-tardis]

30+ Simple to Surprising Suggestions That Won't Cure Celiac Disease

New blog post! One of the very first things my doctor told me after my celiac disease was this: "Right now, there is no celiac disease cure...you can only manage your symptoms by sticking to a strict gluten free diet." And yet, over six years after that moment, I still regularly bump into people who say that they "used" to have celiac disease.

Yeah. The phrase "used to" boggles my mind just as much as it does yours! But thinking about these "past" celiacs (as well as this awesome post from Carb Counting Mama about mythical "cures" for Type 1 Diabetes) got me curious. I found myself asking: what are some of the most common "cures" that are suggested to people with celiac disease like me? And, even better, what are some of the weirdest? So I scoured gluten free Facebook support groups, Reddit and Quora threads, and polled my own Insta followers...and here's what I came up with! Keep in mind...as I wrote above, there is presently NO celiac disease cure (though there are some cures being tested in various research studies). All the celiac disease "cures" are listed below solely for entertainment purposes, as well as in hopes that they will serve as a reminder to take other people's advice - especially about your health! - with a grain of salt.

Let's begin with three of the MOST common incorrect celiac disease "cures":

1. You need to go gluten free to heal the intestinal damage initially caused by celiac disease...but once your antibodies test at a "normal" level, you're cured and can eat whatever you want! Cue the booing audience soundtrack, because this is definitely very false! Yes, you will test negative for celiac disease and not show any intestinal damage after going gluten free, but that's only because you're not eating gluten. As soon as you start, all that damage will come back...and "once again", you will have celiac!

2. Now, let's discuss "cure" number two: keeping or adding a little gluten back into your diet so that your body can slowly become more tolerant of it. This is a practice called oral immunotherapy, and it's becoming a more common treatment for people with food allergies. You can also read here about how injectable immunotherapy may be helpful for people with celiac disease in the (likely far) future. However, it is important to keep in mind that celiac disease is NOT the same thing as a food allergy, and exposing someone with celiac disease to low doses of gluten will not "improve their tolerance" of it. 3. And finally, the infamous, "Oh, I bet you'll grow out of it!" Beep. Wrong answer! When you're diagnosed with celiac disease, you have it for life. But maybe the friends or coworkers talking about how their aunt or cousin magically "healed" their celiac disease credits a different technique.

You know...something a little more alternative-medicine-like.

Here are just a couple of real-life suggestions people have gotten on how to cure their celiac disease:

"Heal your gut." Yes, working on creating a happy gut by eating probiotic-rich foods, avoiding foods that mess with your body, etc. may help you feel better in the long run...but it won't let you just magically go back to eating Papa John's pizza.

Use a detoxing diet protocol or product line...and I'm not gonna name any names, but if you've ever been in a Facebook group related to eating gluten free, you've probably seen at least a few posts talking about the latest miracle pill or juice line.

Do a parasite cleanse.

Clear up the yeast infection that caused celiac disease in the first place. Now, there are studies linking yeast infections or fungal infections and celiac disease, and some even suggest yeast overgrowth could be the trigger to celiac disease or the reason why some people with celiac disease don't feel 100% even after going gluten free. But the only site I found saying clearing up a yeast infection "fixed" someone with celiac was selling a yeast cleanse product...and repeatedly used "celiac" and "gluten intolerance" to mean the same thing. Sooo...do with that what you will.

Try Chinese acupuncture to "reset" your immune system. People in the comments did report their seasonal allergies had improved via acupuncture...but from what I've seen, no celiacs have yet been cured via needles.

And now, drum roll please....we get to the food. Currently, eating gluten free is the only science-backed treatment for celiac disease...but that doesn't keep other people from suggesting different or even more restrictive diets.

Dietary Choices That Can "Cure" Celiac Disease:

Eating gluten from Europe, since its different processing protocols or ingredients make it "safe" for people with celiac disease. Unfortunately, wheat is wheat...and all wheat, gluten and barley are dangerous for people with celiac.

That you actually just need to avoid pesticides covering food, not the food itself. I'm pretty sure pesticide-free wheat will still hurt me. And so far, one of the only studies linking pesticides with celiac disease (in a causal relationship) was later said to have made conclusions "not supported by the available scientific evidence."

Only eating organic fruits and veggies and free-range meats. Which is basically just one form of a gluten free diet, which doesn't "cure" celiac disease but does treat the symptoms.

Guzzling bone broth. 

Drinking celery juice on the daily. 

Eating allll the bananas. At least this celiac disease cure has history, considering that doctors first treated people with celiac disease by prescribing a banana-only diet.

Eating a plant-based diet. You can certainly eat a plant-based and gluten free diet, and you may even find eating plant-based makes you feel healthier overall...but it won't let you eat gluten again if you have celiac disease.

Avoiding GMOs. 

Only eating whole wheat versus refined flours. Because whole wheat is definitely what someone who can't tolerate gluten or wheat needs to heal? Yeah, I'm lost on this one.

This is when my research really started getting fun (in a twisted sort of way, I suppose). Because the more I searched, the more weeeeird celiac disease "cures" I discovered.

We'll start off pretty tame with just three "healthy living" hacks that are often suggested to pretty much anyone with a chronic illness.

Doing yoga. I can confirm that doing hot yoga regularly will not sweat out your inability to eat gluten.

Juicing. Unfortunately, I don't believe fruits and veggies can change our genes...

Drinking hot water every morning. Apparently, this is what everyone in Cambodia suggested one celiac traveler should try...

And then there are the countless things you can buy to "fix" your digestion, your mood and, of course, your autoimmune disease. Just to name a few examples, here are some marketable celiac disease "cures" many celiacs recall being pitched:

Essential oils...because what CAN'T essential oils do these days?!?

Probiotics. Taking probiotics has definitely transformed my gut health for the better, but there is a major limit to their "healing" powers.

Chinese medicine. Again...these cure everything, right?

Digestive enzymes. Possibly helpful when at risk for cross-contamination while eating out or if you have gluten intolerance. Not helpful for de-activating your celiac gene.

Activated charcoal. Sammmme as above.

And finally, the grand finale: a bunch of celiac disease cure suggestions that I saw on my computer screen and couldn't help but think:

"This is too weird to make up."

Get pregnant and your body will "magically" fix its celiac disease. Who knew we all just needed a bun in the oven to suddenly eat wheat?

Prayer. I know this is a touchy subject, and I don't include this "cure" in this grouping as an intentional attack on anyone who believes in the power of prayer. I agree that miracles can happen...but that it's also irresponsible to suggest that people with celiac disease can or should just pray about being able to eat gluten and still put their body in harm's way...

Meditating regularly and reducing stress. Definitely beneficial in helping you cope with the stress of having an autoimmune disease. But that's about it.

Exorcism?!? Yeah...I'll just leave that one here. (And note that the person who shared this story considers the wannabe celiac "exorcist" an ex-friend. Not surprising, I'd say!).

Thinking positively. 

Communion wafers that are made with gluten. As the commenter put it, "I know God loves me, but God's gluten wafer definitely doesn't."

Going to a psychologist or therapist. Celiac disease CAN have a psychological impact on the people who have it, but it's not rooted in our minds.

Waving vials of wheat near your body to "desensitize" it to gluten. A mom heard this tip from her daughter's doctor. Safe to say, they soon found a new practitioner to visit.

What I Hope You Take Away From This Post

At the end of the day, I would be ecstatic if there was a celiac disease cure...not necessarily even for me to use, but as a great option for my children, should they inherit my celiac disease. 

Right now, though, there is no cure for celiac disease - just eating gluten free to treat celiac's symptoms. 

I know that fact can be hard to accept, especially if you're newly diagnosed or struggling with celiac-related issues right now.

But also know this: over six years after my celiac diagnosis, I can honestly say that I'm living pretty dang happily while eating gluten free. And you can too.

So if friends or coworkers do suggest a less-than-scientific way to magically "fix" your celiac disease, I hope you can laugh off their suggestions and be grateful for everything you still can do, even while living with celiac disease.

Has someone ever told you they "cured" their celiac disease or know someone who did? I'd love to hear your stories in the comments! via Blogger https://ift.tt/2HSKFOk

[kennethherrerablog]

My Partner Has Celiac Disease: Here’s What it Costs Us

My partner Nick has been living with celiac disease for over a decade. At its core, the serious autoimmune disorder is an all-out intolerance of the protein gluten. Exposure to gluten can immediately lead to rashes, stomach problems, joint pain, fatigue and more; long-term symptoms could include chronic migraines, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and even cancer.

If you have been diagnosed with celiac disease, transitioning to a gluten-free lifestyle is of immediate importance. Doing so will require some changes to your spending. Here’s how living gluten-free might affect you financially.

You’ll Spend More on Groceries

Many foods that you regularly buy are already gluten-free, like produce, meat and cheese. However, a lot of other foods that might be staples in your pantry do contain gluten — and their gluten-free alternatives are outrageously expensive. Here are some common examples:

Bread

A loaf of bread at my grocery store in Ohio costs between $1 and $2. Gluten-free bread, which is crumbly and tastes like cardboard, is sold in half loaves, which retail for roughly $5 to $7. That means a full loaf of gluten-free bread can cost between $10 and $14, a 500% to 1,400% increase in price.

Pizza

Until I moved in with Nick, I lived an admittedly bachelor lifestyle, which meant frozen pizzas for dinner multiple times a week. While Nick cooks nice dinners for me now — salmon, homemade soup, lasagna, you name it — I still rely on frozen pizzas the nights I need to feed myself.

You can get a regular frozen pizza of decent quality for $5 (though in my college days, I always bought the pizzas that were under $3). The cheapest gluten-free pizza I can find is Kroger’s $6 option, which does the trick, but the some of the best exceed $10 and are often smaller and contain fewer ingredients than comparable pizzas that aren’t gluten-free.

Pasta

A box of gluten-free pasta can cost between $2 and $3, which is more than the $1 I used to spend on regular fettuccine and spaghetti.

Desserts

If you have a sweet tooth and love to bake cookies and cakes, expect to pay a considerably higher price for mixes. Gluten-free cookie dough, for example, costs nearly $6 and makes the same amount of cookies you’d get from a $2 roll of regular dough.

You can also make desserts from scratch, but gluten-free flour is — you guessed it — more expensive than regular flour.

Alcohol

If you are used to buying cheap domestic beer and now find yourself switching to hard cider to satisfy your gluten-free needs, expect to join the world of craft beer prices, even for mass-market ciders. A 12 pack of Angry Orchard costs roughly $18 — about the same price you’d pay for a 24 pack of Bud Lite.

And Keep an Eye Out

Living with celiac disease means always reading the ingredients. Everything from soups to pecans to chips to pudding could contain gluten, even if it is just potential traces of wheat from other products manufactured at the same location. These gluten-free apps make the shopping experience much easier.

You’ll Save on Entertainment Expenses

Dining out at restaurants is becoming easier for people with celiac, but that also depends on your level of sensitivity. Nick, for example, used to be able to eat at restaurants that had gluten-free menu items and dedicated gluten-free spaces in the kitchen, but in the last year, his symptoms have worsened from cross-contamination, and we no longer dine out.

Regardless of the severity of your celiac, you will likely dine out less. Restaurants that cater safely to people with celiac are few and far between. There are just three restaurants in my home state of Ohio that are 100% gluten-free, and only one is within driving distance. That means Nick and I dine at home for every meal. The savings have been tremendous.

But restaurants are not the only entertainment expenses we’ve cut out. Because celiac is an autoimmune disorder that makes Nick a less healthy person in general, we take our physical health very seriously. That means we spend our date nights staying active — hiking, biking, swimming and kayaking for the most part.

If you have been diagnosed with celiac, I would challenge you to make these kinds of activities a regular part of your life. They are great for your health and are free alternatives to activities like bowling, going to the movies or drinking at the bar.

You’ll Have More Medical Expenses

Celiac is a medical condition, which could mean more trips to the doctor. Because of Nick’s weakened immune system, he has been to the emergency room for illnesses that I sometimes wouldn’t even go to the regular doctor for. (He once passed out in an ER waiting room when he was there with strep, which was one of the most frightening moments of my life.)

Thankfully, we have good health insurance that covers many of Nick’s medical expenses. What isn’t covered, however, is Nick’s lost time. If you have celiac disease, you will likely need to call off work more frequently than your coworkers, which could mean lost wages or eventually an employer that passes you up for raises and promotions. Nick, who runs his own small business, takes a hard hit financially when he is bedridden from the chronic migraines that accompany celiac or just from accidental contamination.

If you have just been diagnosed with celiac and have a good relationship with your boss, start a conversation about what it means for your health. Educating your boss on the struggles you are facing could make them more understandable and flexible with your schedule.

You’ll Need to Invest in New Appliances

Nick’s sensitivity to gluten is severe. For example, he can become sick by using a fork that has been washed but has been previously used to eat a food with gluten. While that is on the extreme side, most people with celiac should not use toasters, microwaves or even ovens that have had gluten in them. That, unfortunately, means packing your own meals when visiting friends and family.

When Nick and I moved in together, I had to get rid of all my cookware and appliances, and we purchased new appliances together. We also had to invest in new kitchen staples, like spices and baking essentials, that hadn’t been contaminated. Even when we bought a house last year, we had to get rid of the previous owners’ refrigerator, oven, microwave and dishwasher in favor of gluten-free appliances.

While these are investments anyone would make over time, having to pay for all these things at once can be daunting. But if you have just been diagnosed with celiac, it is the best way to ensure your good health.

You’ll Become an Expert Budgeter

Does Nick love living with celiac? Not at all. At least three times a week, he tells me he’s been dreaming about ordering one of everything from Taco Bell.

But have there been upsides to it? You betcha. Nick and I are more focused on our physical health, both in terms of staying fit and actively considering what we are putting into our bodies. We also have a killer excuse when people ask us to go grab a bite to eat and we’d rather stay home and watch Hulu.

But most importantly, Nick’s celiac diagnosis has forced us to be budget-conscious. We talk about our expenses and savings goals together and understand the importance of sticking to our budget. While I’ve always been a strict budgeter, understanding the heightened grocery bills and the need for emergency medical savings has helped Nick budget along with me.

Celiac doesn’t have to be a death sentence on your finances. Just budget wisely and, above all else, prioritize your health in your spending habits.

Timothy Moore is a market research editor and freelance writer covering topics on personal finance, careers, education, pet care and automotive. He has worked in the field since 2012 and has been featured on sites like The Penny Hoarder, Debt.com, Ladders, Glassdoor and The News Wheel.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.

The Penny Hoarder Promise: We provide accurate, reliable information. Here’s why you can trust us and how we make money.

My Partner Has Celiac Disease: Here’s What it Costs Us published first on https://justinbetreviews.tumblr.com/

[hungrybunni]

When Cake Betrays

Had some cake today.

Well, I thought it was cake.

Actually I knew it wasn’t real going in.  Never mind, let me tell you the story:

I have a coworker who is vegan...or vegetarian (one of those) which is pretty much the opposite of myself, but our other coworkers are very kind and brought her in some special cake.

Hold on I wrote the name down...it’s...Flax 4 Life Gluten Free Dairy Free Chocolate Cake (IS it cake anymore at this point?  What is the definition of cake, exactly?).  It’s NEW and I heard it came from Sprouts.  It didn’t have frosting on it but rather chocolate shavings.

Back story: I went to the cake owner and inquired about it, and my OTHER coworker, who knows how I feel about all things vegan/”free”, whipped her head around so fast to see my reaction I thought her neck would snap.

I only narrowed my eyes, so she was probably disappointed.  Sorry :D

Anyhow, I basically took a forkful wedge off this cake and put it on a plate, alongside with some not-cheese cheesecake (I’ll get to that in a minute), and took a small bite.

A little dry, but I grew up eating dryish chocolate cake, so no big deal.  Consistency a little chewy, texture a tad bit grainy, hard to describe.  In small bites, not half bad.  My coworker was watching from the sidelines at my reaction, but honestly it wasn’t that bad.  Until...

I drank some water.

WHAT???

Water is from NATURE.  It’s the most “free” food out there.  So good for you.  Water.  Pure.  WATER.  LIQUID AIR.  WA TER.  I can’t stress this enough.  I drank some water after my bite and oh no.  It tasted so bad.  Bitter and weird.  Probably how flax tastes in the wild.  So so bad.  Thankfully I had only taken about 2 bites worth of cake to start with so I wasn’t wasting any.  I ate the chocolate shavings left on the plate.  Definitely the best part.  Cake: C.  Shavings: A+.

Then I moved onto the not-cheese cheesecake.  This one had no label so it could’ve been anything.  I had it described to me as “not very cheesy, made with coconut oil which is sweet anyway, more like a chocolate mousse”.  Great!  I love coconuts and chocolate!  Sign me up!

Also, I confess, I don’t like cheesecake.  It is really too rich for me and has about 1000 calories per bite.  No no I’m not a healthy person, I love calories.  Calories = flavor.  But I would rather eat 1000 calories of chocolate lava cake or steak.  I also don’t really like cream cheese in large quantities so there’s that.

All right.  I was ready.  The chocolate coconut mousse dream train awaited me.  I had about an inch-wide piece of this ready to go.  Looked great.  Even had a small chocolate crust on the bottom.  I put it in my mouth.

Oh no no no.  No.

It had a consistency of peanut butter but less sticky.  My coworker got her money’s worth on my reaction then, because I probably looked like one of those dogs with PB stuck to the roof of their mouth.  Just smacking away, my face increasingly disturbed.  VERY cream cheesy, no coconut, I was so horrified I couldn’t even taste the chocolate.  The rest of the piece went directly into the trash, do not pass GO, do not collect $200.  Grade: F

At least I could drink my water without it messing up the taste!

To get over my trauma, ANOTHER coworker gave me a full fat, full chocolate, full gluten graham, melty s’more.  Which ended up all over my face.  Thank you <3

In related news, my great-aunt made my husband, who is gluten intolerant, a “free cake”.  I don’t know the exact free-ness, but I’m pretty sure it had no dairy, no eggs, no sugar, no gluten.  And it was DELICIOUS!!!  ANND it had frosting.  So there.