Going G-Free Again

With spring weather comes more time outside, leading to an overall better feeling me. I've been attending my local CrossFit box since January, and that along with chiropractic care has seemed to be the best fit for helping my chronic back pain. Physically and mentally, things have been going quite well, but I'm seeking a way to not back-track.  This article regarding a g-free lifestyle was recently shared with me, and I really appreciate the validation it offers for some of the problems I've dealt with. (TL;DR- wheat and dairy products potentially influence a person's susceptibility to psychological issues, including depression and anxiety).

Over the last 8-10 months, I've been experimenting with the gluten free lifestyle, limiting bread and pasta and all other gluten-y goodness. My original reason for cutting gluten was related to my back pain. However, it only went as far as I would let it.  Confession: my mom is a baker, and her bread is hard to resist. Most "falls" I had in the first few months were at my parents' house. I lost a few pounds, felt better about myself, but didn't notice any improvement in my pain level.

And my messy counter in the background

With lack of improvement, there was lack of interest. I started to eat pasta again. Bread was in my house anyway, so I ate it if I wanted. Also, beer. Enough said.

However, even after 6+ months of care with a therapist and some improvement, I'm now seeking alternatives to therapy and medication. The added benefit of losing some of my back pain would also be nice. At this point, I don't know how dedicated I will be to the cause of no gluten. Both my husband and son eat gluten foods, so they are always in the house. But gradually changing may be better for me.

My newest test is pictured above. An oat-y banana bread that is delicious even if you aren't g-free. I don't always have really ripe bananas for bread, but my husband suggested it, so I have a great filling snack all week at work! Win-Win!

Adventures in Baking

My husband does not like even slightly brown bananas. So when I buy bananas and they go uneaten, oftentimes they end up in the freezer. (note: I don't dislike bananas, I just tend to forget that they are waiting to be eaten.) Our freezer has a habit of spitting things out at us when we are searching for something, and the bananas were a victim. The plastic container they were in got cracked, and I started the hunt for a banana recipe. I've made muffins and the like before, but this time I needed something quicker-- having a baby in the house means baking time gets reduced.

Luckily for me, the first recipe I had on my cooking pinterest board was a banana cookie recipe that boasted only three ingredients. I was incredulous, but given the ingredients- bananas, oatmeal, and chocolate chips- I didn't think it could go terribly wrong. As you can see above, I didn't make cookies. The "batter" was a bit disagreeable, so I just spread it out like a cookie bar. I also added more chips and cinnamon and vanilla, per the comments on the original recipe post. 

They turned out not quite what I expected, but I ate them in the span of a few short days. Several people commented on the texture, but I didn't have a problem with it. I would definitely consider making these again, especially since there is little you can do to make these "wrong".