14 replies to this topic

[Trailrunner]

Anyone know where one might find the biggest selection of gluten-free foods here at the lake?

TIA



Mexican Trailrunner

[Jeannie]

Anyone know where one might find the biggest selection of gluten-free foods here at the lake?

TIA



Mexican Trailrunner

There was a large selection at the Organic Market in Chula Vista the other day and one lady told me she has a section in Super Lake where they sell her products.

[Trailrunner]

Thanks, Jeannie. I think you mean Kalina's prepared foods, she is a good cook.

I'm looking for breads and pastas and staples that do not contain gluten. Will look at SL, but wondered about the health food store by Telmex or any other health food shops around here. Ideas?

Thanks



Mexican Trailrunner

[Jeannie]

Thanks, Jeannie. I think you mean Kalina's prepared foods, she is a good cook.

I'm looking for breads and pastas and staples that do not contain gluten. Will look at SL, but wondered about the health food store by Telmex or any other health food shops around here. Ideas?

Thanks



Mexican Trailrunner

If anyone would know where to find them Kalina would. I imagine she has a lot of sources.

[LaChula]

Thanks, Jeannie. I think you mean Kalina's prepared foods, she is a good cook.

I'm looking for breads and pastas and staples that do not contain gluten. Will look at SL, but wondered about the health food store by Telmex or any other health food shops around here. Ideas?

Thanks



Mexican Trailrunner

IMHO, your best bet is SL. They have a larger selection, I'm sure, than the nice health food store near Telmex
or any other.

[JayBearII]

As someone who is gluten-sensitive, I will tell you that I have found very few items here that are really worth eating! The gluten-free bread that is homemade (and that I found in SuperLake only in the spring)is very good; it is slightly muffin-like, but tasters really great with butter and cream cheese and jam! The gluten-free spaghetti is NOT worth eating! Polenta is great; you can use it on the bottom of a casserole or under your entree and it is very satisfying; I crumble it on the bottom of a casserole dish, add sauteed veggies (mixed with canned tomatoes) on top, cheese on top of that, bake it until the cheese melts, and it is really good. SuperLake gets rolls of pre-formed polenta from Costco and I like them, but you can also make your own polenta. Cornbread is also great, altho if you are really allergic to gluten the mixes will not do, as they contain white flour also. Making a pot of brown rice every week is also a good way of enjoying some starch! I have not found the gluten-free cookies and muffins here to be worthwhile, as they often contain other things I am not supposed to eat, but Kalina does make some tasty stuff if you are looking for a fix. Hope this helps!

[Trailrunner]

JayBear, thanks so much for the info. Tortillas are ok too, right? Tortilla chips, tostadas? Looks like Mexican food will work for the most part.

I love polenta, thanks for all the good ideas. I'm going to SL tomorrow to look around, I'll have to try everything out.

Thanks, Chula



Mexican Trailrunner

[gringal]

JayBear, thanks so much for the info. Tortillas are ok too, right? Tortilla chips, tostadas? Looks like Mexican food will work for the most part.

I love polenta, thanks for all the good ideas. I'm going to SL tomorrow to look around, I'll have to try everything out.

Thanks, Chula



Mexican Trailrunner

[gringal]

JayBear, thanks so much for the info. Tortillas are ok too, right? Tortilla chips, tostadas? Looks like Mexican food will work for the most part.

I love polenta, thanks for all the good ideas. I'm going to SL tomorrow to look around, I'll have to try everything out.

Thanks, Chula



Mexican Trailrunner

Only the corn tortillas. Weep.

You can have rice, and rice-based pasta. Tricky to use and get done just right, but can be good.

BTW; the gluten free bread is 20 pesos less at Superlake than at the health food store.

[Marley's Ghost]

Be careful even with corn tortillas, as many (and perhaps most) have some wheat in addition to the main ingredient, corn.

It is possible to source all corn masa in Ajijic, however.

Super Lake does have pasta made with rice (not very good) and quinoa (actually acceptable, though not cheap).

[Trailrunner]

Thanks guys, really good info.

Reading the ingredients is quite the challenge! The Spanish isn't so hard, and the normal wording isn't so hard, but it's the concealed or hard to pin down ingredients that MIGHT contain gluten - in Spanish - that are killing me.



Mexican Trailrunner

[Trailrunner]

Well, that was pretty depressing. My first foray into the gluten-free shopping experience. Everything costs 100 pesos. At least. And probably won't taste very good. That's it in a nutshell.

I snagged Pancho as he passed and told him my tale of woe so he gave me a tour of all things gluten-free. There is a fair amount of stuff. He said it's expensive because it is directly imported from the US. Not Costco. And he says because the stuff is expensive, people don't buy much so it sits on the shelf, which creates a problem for him. Also said no gluten-free stuff is made in Mexico so it all has to be imported.

I bought some not-bad Amaranth and flax seed bread. Looks very homemade, no label, but not bad, maybe even good. And some corn pasta shells. vamos a ver



Mexican Trailrunner

[JayBearII]

TrailRunner, I went thru all of your woes. You will gradually find things you really like, but it takes a bit of experimentation. I tried to avoid loading up on expensive products; just tried to come up with a few meals I really liked and maybe tried one expensive product per shopping trip. For a while I was buying rice crackers, but now I just buy plain old potato chips. Don't forget potatoes! A very comforting food. Lousy potatoes here (except in the Fall when Pancho gets russets), but I thin slice them and pan fry them in butter with rosemary and sea salt and they are darn good that way. Some places here have pretty good mashed potatoes, not to mention French fries or baked with sour cream, and there's always potato chips. Don't forget oats, either--if you want something you can take hiking, SL sometimes stocks oat granola bars; lots of additives, but handy for emergencies. I love good bread, and I am not so allergic that I can't cheat on the occasional pie crust or French roll, BUT after a while I got away from it and don't miss it any more. I have a big bowl of sliced peeled fruit for breakfast, and I love it.

BTW, are you allergic or just sensitive? People who are really allergic have to toe the line totally; the can go into shock because there's a little flour in the gravy. If you are allergic, you will have to become comfortable with grilling chefs as to whether anything contains flour.

[Trailrunner]

JayBear you are my gluten-free guru.

Ok, the amaranth/flax bread is really good toasted. Good as a sweet bread and good with sharp cheddar too, keeper.

Thanks for all your comments and thoughts. RICE CAKES! Yay, forgot about them. Potato chips too! Popcorn too, right? Yes, I'll be eating a lot of brown rice and potatoes. And polenta. Was talking to my housekeeper today she said not all tortillarias use 100% corn masa. Some cut it with wheat, cheaper.

Oats are ok, so SL granola is ok. Breakfast is a challenge. Fruit, yogurt, nuts . miss my bagels. Good thing I'm already into health food.

No official diagnosis yet, will see new doc next week. Dr. L dropped my ball. Think just intolerant.

What about the health food stores in Guad???



Mexican Trailrunner

[JayBearII]

Have to admit I have not explored options in Guad. That being said, I continue to be amazed at how many options SL stocks. I am not sure there would be a store in Guad that could compare. The reason, I think, is that a lot of people develop a gluten sensitivity with age--ditto lactose sensitivity. A concentration of relatively well-off older folk here guarantees a market. Doc McGee says only about 2% or 3% of people are willing to alter their diet, even if it means living longer and being healthier and avoiding gastro problems, etc. Some people just cannot give up their usual diet. Give yourself a pat on the back. You sound like you are half way there. You will be glad you did this, as you will feel lots better!