by Caitlin
As of tomorrow, I'll have been on my allergy diet for four full weeks. It's gone by much faster than I expected, and easier too. Sure, I have my moments, but overall it's not so bad. The restrictive nature of the diet requires me to cook most of meals at home, and it's fairly easy to fall into a meal rotation anyway, you know? The problems come occasionally at stores or restaurants, when I see tempting things or see people eating tempting things, but it's gotten easier and easier as the weeks go on and overall it's fine. And hey, I feel better! In fact, I was only planning on doing the diet for three weeks, actually, but I feel so much better that I'm afraid to go off of it. I'm slowly experimenting with adding things back in, but I think I'll stay on the wagon at least until the worst of the summer/fall allergy season has passed.
The other benefits to this diet are that I'm trying recipes (those quinoa pumpkin pancakes, quinoa tortillas) and new ways of cooking familiar foods (I tried that roasted cauliflower as all florets, by the way, and it was as delicious as I'd expected). I'm also eating healthier, by default. Go on, show me a loaf of store-bought bread, a bag of tortilla chips, a jar of salsa, or any remotely processed food that doesn't have wheat, corn, dairy, soy, or some derivative thereof (or, say, tomatoes, or any of the innumerable produce items that are off-limits). I do have a bit of a sweet tooth, and since it's one of the few things I can indulge these days, indulge it I have. Though interestingly, it needed more indulging in the beginning. Whatever it took to get through those first weeks.
You might recall my love for frozen yogurt, and you might also recall my love for Talenti Salted Caramel gelato. Dairy is out, but Talenti Sorbetto is in! I've tried my fair share of sorbets lately, and while there aren't that many that don't have Forbidden Ingredients, Talenti is the rare and perfect combination of allergy-safe, delicious, fresh fruit flavor, and smooth, creamy perfection that is so often missing in sorbets. I'd swear it had dairy in it if I didn't know better: I've never, ever had a sorbet so creamy and smooth.
Photo from amazon.com
One night recently I had some sorbet by Ciao Bella - a brand I love and have enjoyed for the past few years - and it tasted like Italian Ice compared to the Talenti. They're just in two completely different leagues. This is definitely the best sorbet I've ever had. Not to oversell it. (Too late.)
Also, if you keep saying sorbet it starts to sound funny. Sorbet. Sorbet. Sorbet sorbet sorbet.
Oh, one more thing. I like that sugar isn't the first ingredient: raspberries are. (Sugar isn't even the second ingredient: water is.) Sugar is the third ingredient, but hey, this is dessert so shhhhh, pass the Talenti.
Have you tried Talenti Sorbets or Gelatos? Do you have any non-dairy, non-anything allergy desserts to recommend?
I WISH we could get that here! Dangit!
I'm kind of a coconut milk ice cream addict. Luna & Larry's makes the most RIDICULOUS dark chocolate version, (but their vanilla needs work..). So Delicious' vanilla is the creamiest and dreamiest ice cream ever. Better than any normal ice cream I've had (I suspect it's the fat in coconut).
Posted by: Sarah Anne | August 30, 2012 at 01:32 PM
Oh how I love the sea salt caramel flavor of this brand. I have to ration myself to 1 a month or my butt would be humongous.
Posted by: Michelle Smiles | September 03, 2012 at 03:29 PM