#glutenfree
For a long time I thought fairly little of the movement that has seen everybody hashtagging until their thumbs were sore about food that was 'free' of particular ingredients. I saw people who were "gluten intolerant" but when pressed for details had simply decided they wanted to eat less bread. I saw "vegans" looking for the latest raw dessert to chase the chicken dinner they had just devoured.
As a vegetarian, I know what it's like to scour a menu and find that you have one option available. I know what it's like to visit the salad section and find that not one salad is meat-free. I know what it's like to have friends who choose a restaurant without looking at the menu to notice that there is only one veggie option and no meat-free salads. But I don't know what it's like to be gluten intolerant. Or lactose intolerant. I don't know what it's like to be vegan and I certainly don't know what it's like to be committed to eating organically.
I recently enjoyed a perfect Sunday spent riding a section of the Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail. Chris and I, along with our amigos, teamed up with Steve from Riding Way and his better half Ruth. As we pedalled together along the trail, Ruth and I found we had more in common than we knew. Not only did we have a background in and a love for dance but we both had foods we avoided.
Ruth is gluten intolerant and as we chatted she explained the difficulties she has encountered while hunting down a good meal when out and about. It became starkly obvious to me that as a vegetarian in the cosmopolitan city of Melbourne, finding vegetarian options on the whole is pretty straight-forward if you're looking in the right places. I had it pretty easy. In contrast, some menus fail to offer even one gluten-free option unless it's a trendy raw cake and, let's be honest, as much as we would all like it to be, cake is not a meal. I suddenly realised that I had never paid much attention to the availability of gluten-free items on any menus I had perused. I never had reason to. And in the same way, my friends who often chose less than vegetarian-friendly restaurants probably had simply never thought to look. It was that simple. Unless you are directly affected by something, you very often forget to take it into consideration.
So, for those of you out there hashtagging your latest and greatest "lactose-free, vegan, gluten-free" experiences...all power to you and let me join you. Because the more we can assist those around us to find delicious restaurants and recipes that cater to their specific needs the better. We all love food. And you know what? If you're avoiding carbs simply because you want to avoid carbs...I'll be the one hashtagging "carb-free" because we've all been there.
Looking for a delicious vegetarian meal that will be enjoyed even by the meat eater in your life?
Admiral Cheng Ho, Abbotsford I highly recommend the crumpets and the vegan mushrooms but their menu changes seasonally so there is always a fresh new option to try.
Ruth...these cafes have a some great gluten-free options!
Red Robyn, Camberwell Everything is 100% gluten free. Yes, you read that right. Everything! And with dishes like chocolate waffles on the menu, you really, you can't go wrong.
The Resident Cafe, Ashburton Right on a Anniversary Trail, this is the perfect pit-stop when you're out for a cycle.
