Adventures in Gluten (and Sugar) Freedom from a southern blogger chick!

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Cereal Killer, Part II



The other cereal I've been eating handful by handful this summer is the new collection of General Mills Gluten-Free Chex. There's Cinnamon, Chocolate, Honey Nut. Corn. Rice and Strawberry GF Chex for the buying.

I've tried them all (except strawberry), and trust me, they're all delicious. They're also readily available in mainstream stores like WalMart and Kroger.

The Cinnamon is a lot like Cinnamon Toast Crunch, a cereal I have always loved, In small batches, it's perfectly appropriate for a diabetic diet. The Chocolate is really decadent. I wondered what it would taste like with almond milk, but I didn't have any left from eating them straight from the box. The Honey Nut is a lot like the taste of Honey Nut Cheerios, which of course aren't GF.

Frankly, I've always loved Chex, and with the introduction of all these, I feel very....mainstream. It will be easy this Christmas to make a big batch of GF Chex Mix with available GF pretzels and peanuts. And if you check that link above, you'll see a lot of cool recipes for these Chex.

This message, sadly, has an epilogue...as much as I've loved testing their GF product, they have to go on my banned substances list for a while.

As most of you, my sweet readers know, I have Type II diabetes and and a stomach motility issue called gastroparesis fighting each other in addition to the gluten-free needs Celiac disease introduced. I've been diagnosed as a Type II diabetic for 18 years, getting by on pills; I was on insulin when I was pregnant with Jeffrey 27 years ago. Yesterday, my diabetes turned a corner I'd hoped to avoid -- I am now taking insulin to control my blood sugar. Because of this, I have to more strictly monitor my carb and sugar intake. And while these cereals are great in moderation, I'm no bastion of moderation...so for a while, I will have to lay off them.

I will have to now begin to balance eating and GF and insulin...oh my. It's another new challenge for me.

I'm telling you this small detail in my personal life because I think, once again, it will change how I've been blogging about food. I've said many times I wish I was as dedicated to staying away from sugar/GF carbs as I am as staying away from gluten. Well, guess that's about to happen now. I won't lie, I'm scared and worried about this new development. It is a wake-up call I'd prefer to sleep through.

But I won't. Just hang in there with me as I make this new transition. We'll see where it takes us. To health, I hope...

Much love,
Ging

P.S. Starbucks has announced on Twitter yesterday that it is discontinuing its gluten-free Valencia Orange Cake and instead will carry Kind bars for the GF needs of its customers. I will no longer be a customer because of this. I can and will buy my Kind bars at the grocery store. Sorry, Starbucks. You just lost me.

1 comment:

Kate said...

My Sweet Ginger....
Damn girl.. you have to move here so I can cook for you! xoxoxoxoxoxo

Okay... I'm jealous about the readily available cereal (especially the cinnamon...omg...) for SOME stupid reason, my store doesn't carry any of the GF variety. The Plain is GF... but the other flavors are all gluten containing. Sadness.

And your carb counting days? I will be mindful for you and find somethings that will work.

You are SO loved and I cannot even BEGIN to tell you how GLAD I am that you continue to blog, my friend

YOU *ARE* an ABSOLUTE GEM in the very hot, Southern sunshine. (You are even a gem up here where the sun doesn't come very often too!!)

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
~Kate