Gluten-Free Vegan?

Gluten-free vegan chocolate chip pancakes.

Being vegan is more challenging than the average American diet...it's more challenging than just shoving whatever looks good into your mouth!  You have to put some thought into what you are going to eat, how it is going to be prepared, when you are going to eat, and even why you are going to eat it.  After any major change to your life, though, you get used to it and it is no big deal anymore.  That is what happened to my vegan family.  We have been vegan for almost 5 years now, and it is really just second nature...we know what we are doing, haha!  So I was in the nice groove at home, I knew exactly what I wanted to get at the grocery unless I was trying a new recipe here and there, and life was good, smooth sailing.
Now, insert daughter with stomach/digestive problems.  We had already given up milk because of a lactose intolerance (we gave up dairy before we even gave up meat or eggs!)...what's a mom to do?  I made a doctor's appointment, but that is still weeks away.  Something that seemed to help a lot of people with stomach issues is a gluten-free (GF) diet.  RED FLAGS: we eat a LOT of wheat products...even gluten just by itself (seitan, beautiful seitan!).  But I felt like I HAD to try something before the doctor.  I did some research and found that my little vegan's symptoms were very similar to those exhibited by those with a wheat intolerance.  So I decided to try it for a week, and the results were undeniable.  She said that after a few days, her constant stomach aches and gas were gone...that was enough for me, but she looked less bloated as well.  So it has been 2 weeks and she is doing great, although you can tell right away if she accidentally eats something with wheat in it!
So WHAT, you may ask, are you possibly giving that child to eat that is vegan AND GF?  Well, it is not as hard as I though it would be, although her choices have been significantly reduced.  We have a great local grocery that has several sections of GF products from crackers and cereal to pasta and bread.  If we have stir fry and noodles, she has stir-fry with rice.  If we have tacos with Boca grounds, I might make her some separate filling with rice or Textured Soy Protein.  On a typical day she eats corn chex and fruit for breakfast, has PB&J on tapioca-flour bread, potato chips, and apples for lunch, and for dinner we substitute a lot.  It just takes a little extra thinking, but it is worth it in the end.  A happy kid means a happy mom, gluten-free vegan or not!

Back to VFV!

So it's been a couple months since I last blogged...this is a busy, busy time of year for the special education teacher, I have to say!  I have had several new additions to my caseload in the last month, and we barely escaped an audit from the Dpt. of Education...whew!  At least my files finally look amazing!  So now that it is spring I am back full force...those buds on the trees and flowers on the hills have me thinking about plants, the environment, and chocolate peanut butter eggs :)  Yes, I put in my order to Pangea Vegan Store in Rockville, MD for the Easter Bunny's annual visit...that old bunny comes around every year and leaves all sorts of goodies that he ordered from Pangea.  This year he's leaving those big chocolate bunnies, peanut butter eggs, and creme-filled eggs.  Probably some Nerds, too, because I am a Nerd-aholic.  I love this tradition of having the Easter basket on Easter morning...we really stress the idea of Easter being a celebration of spring, new life, and new beginnings :)  We will probably take a trip out to Poplar Springs Animal Sanctuary, too.
Some things coming up for Vegan Family Values...The Valley Earth Fest, where I will be tabling solo for the first time, lots of new recipes to try, the Poplar Springs 5K run, Earth Day, gardens and the Mother's Day Plant Sale, Apple Blossom Festival, and more!  Loving spring!