Gluten-Free on the Trail

I decided to add this page to my travel log/blog as there are so many people who are currently gluten-free, want to be, should be, and are wondering how I will stay gluten-free (GF) on this ride. It is a double whammy for me as in addition to being GF, I don’t eat red meat.  I too question “what will I eat” as I ride through some areas of the country where “pulled-pork” sandwiches on a bun are the starred menu items.  However, I do eat some chicken, fish, and eggs but gave up cow milk years ago. Almond milk is now my “milk” of choice.  When it comes to food my older sister calls me “picky-pants”, it’s true. I prefer organic over processed, and the health food section in any market is my first stop.

I do not have celiac disease, I am just very sensitive to gluten. It took me about 10 years to determine the culprit. Give me a wheat product and I bloat like a 5 month pregnant woman. I have been GF for about 4 years. During the first year of, my new way of eating, I would occasionally forget or cheat, only to feel horrid and in intestinal misery so I decided GF needed to be a permanent way of life, and so it is.

I was happy to find GF beer, not that I was or am a big beer drinker, in fact I only started drinking beer about 6 years ago. After bike riding with my pals we would often end up in a pub to lick our wounds or pat each other on the back for a job well done, and over time worked to develop a taste for the stuff.

Cycle touring GF can be somewhat challenging, but have learned to swap-out many foods. Here are a few of my favorite touring staples:
Corn tortillas (non-GMO or organic)
Rice noodles (thin)
Instant soups (gf), placed in snack size ziploc bags
Foil packed salmon
Chia seeds (great for energy and as a thickener)
Rice crackers
Oatmeal (gf)
Brown rice spaghetti noodles
Coconut oil (for cooking, and as a skin moisturizer)
Raisins, Almonds, and other nuts (as a snack or added to oatmeal in the morning)

My Favorite “GF Dinner Chowder” Recipe
1 instant soup (I enjoy potato leek)
1 handful of broken thin rice noodles
2 pinches of chia seeds (thickener)
1 can (or fresh) vegetables
1 foil pack of salmon (optional)
1 splash of Tabasco (for a little “sparkle”)
Add anything else that floats your boat.

Boil 1 and 1/2 cup water (adjust to preference). Turn off stove. Add rice noodles to water. Let noodles soak for about 10 mins. Add remaining ingredients. Taste test noodles, put back on a low heat and cook for a few minutes if noodles need more cooking time. Enjoy!

Be sure to follow this blog so you don’t miss a beat. I’ll keep you posted on the food concoctions I create, the food I find, and tips along the way to remain GF on  “the long and winding road”.