I hate to call it a sacrifice, but..

When you suddenly switch to gluten-free (or as close as a food-lover without a life-threatening allergy can), life can be hard. You go to your favorite restaurant and suddenly you have a quarter as many options as you used to. If that. Bread basket? Negative. Appetizer? How many are breaded? (I like to tell myself that deep-frying kills the gluten, but my body disagrees a few days later.)

Sandwiches, pasta, croutons on salad...even soy sauce has more gluten than I should eat. So I do my best. The hardest part has been giving up beer...I'm a beer girl. I should only drink sorghum based brews like Redbridge, but...it's just not the same. Coors Light and Amstel Light supposedly have the lowest barley counts and no wheat, so if I'm gonna cheat, those are what I stick by...when I can. Beer is definitely where I cheat most often. Good beer makes me happy.

Anyway, it's hard. So I really am grateful that manufacturers have finally started realizing there are a lot of us out there and are offering more options.

This afternoon, for example, as I was stocking up on Newman's Own gluten-free Fig 'Newmans' (omg, amazing), I stumbled across ready-to-bake Rustic Crust Napoli Herb pizza crust. So I grabbed one...since two come per package, I figured with the hubby gone I could do a test run before I served any to him (he's truly a good sport, but there is a limit).

Yum. I'm hesitant to give the recipe since it was a bit of a pantry meal, but I'll say that Eggplant-mushroom marinara from Fresh and Easy, shredded mozzarella, fresh basil, red onion, Parmesan and crushed red pepper make quite a pizza.

Not necessarily what I'd recommend to you normal eaters, but for girls and guys like me...well worth it. Like I said...yum. I'd show you the aftermath...but I'd rather you not ask what happened to it. Let's just say it's...gone. And in a much better place.

Bierbitzch man, I'm awaiting your grilled pizza recipe. P.S...K and I still want shirts. But a six-pack will so suffice... :)