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I second the milkshake or smoothie idea (especially banana & peach, with fresh peaches). Also nice for making your own tapioca or rice pudding - just cut the sugar in the recipe a little, depending on your sweet tooth. Or really, just over some plain cereal (multigrain Puffins is a fave) is so good too, or a great addition to some homemade hot chocolate.

@Meat Guy and Pavlov - how about I drink a quart of cow's milk and the three of us hang out? Maybe you guys will change your tone a little. What's with the posting purely with intent to criticize?

Lactose alternatives are a lifesaver for many people (not to mention, some are delicious, have better nutritional value than cow's milk, and actually work a little better in recipes). Seriously though, my invite stands.

Do they serve...SPAM?

My family is Italian American, so when I found out I needed to follow a gluten-free diet, my worst fear was what to tell my mother...how do you live life without bread and pasta, one wonders?

Actually, it's been awesome. Like this clip from Ratatoullie, about 30 seconds in, where he tries good food for the first time and his tastebuds start to dance, that's actually somewhat how it's been. It's not that I ate badly before, by any means, but when life gets hectic, it's easier to grab and chew without a second thought.

I don't know you, but for me, it was a chance to try a whole new approach to cooking and baking, and to experiment with foods and ingredients I didn't even know existed. Not to mention the whole new-lease-on-life physical benefit.

If you don't have a rice cooker, get one. Even a cheap one (mine was $13). There are more types of rice than you can count, and they all taste different and have different potential. Also, I heartily echo quinoa - I was a serious couscous eater before, and this has been the seamless replacement. And, pssst, you don't have to eat "breakfast foods" for breakfast...leftover cold sushi rice with some steamed veggies and/or tofu is awesome for breakfast.

Find yourself a good local organic/healthfood store, or a couple if you can. The staff at my local staple stores have been tremendously helpful. If you live in/near nyc I can make some recs.

My absolute favorite sites are these: g-f Girl and g-f Goddess, for positively excellent recipes and tips. At first I found them a little product driven, but now I understand that when you have any kind of diet restriction, you hold on tight to a good replacement product when you find one. The multigrain sandwich bread recipe on the second site is so incredibly delicious, and it means that you don't have to cut sandwiches out of the diet if only for convenience purposes.

Restaurants are still the real challenge for me. My brother-in-law, who is brutally celiac, recently had a terrible experience at the "International House of Wheat Cross-Contamination" as he calls it. The best plan of attack is, if you must go to a restaurant, know the menu beforehand and make your choices before even stepping inside. Especially considering this is only a limited-time thing for you, it shouldn't be too serious. I sometimes eat at home, then order a salad or some vegan app.

I could ramble forever, but those are my main points. Approach it as a fun experiment to try some new recipes, and you'll be all set. You may shock yourself, as did I, and find you don't miss the other foods at all.

Before I read your list, I was going to say gluten-free options, especially breads. It can be challenging since they tend to dry out so quickly, but as I learned about the diet, I was shocked (SHOCKED) at how horrible the commercially prepared loaves are in comparison to a homemade/handmade equivalent.

Cupcakes/cakes/wedding is a great angle, absolutely. But everyday things would be awesome too. I like my own, homemade bread, but it would be fun to be able to choose interesting options prepared by someone else, especially at the holidays, like cornbreads, ciabatta loaves, english muffins, rolls, etc.

You're on to it too! I like fresh asparagus also, loading it with fresh veggies, then stirring in some good grated parmesan right at the end. The time is well worth it.

What does everyone use as the liquid? I'm a fan of Kitchen Basics veg. stock (umm, broth).

I'm not a fan of putting the whole cherry in my mouth and fishing out the pit anyway, so my typical method is to bite off half, grab the pit, eat the other half. This is slightly more graceful than it sounds.

Um hellooooo, La Guli in Ditmars! The "trek" to qns would be worth it, for water ice (lemon, spumoni, pom are the best) or delicious gelato.

thanks!

Strawberries. I don't use emoticons typically, but this is a huge :((((

Vinegar/baking soda combo to clean EVERYTHING, including ring-around-the-toilet bowl (with a few squirts of an old lemon, to add a nice scent). Also for regular drain maintenance in the kitchen/bath sinks and tub. Vinegar diluted with water in an old spray bottle makes great, cheap glass cleaner. I use free and clear dish detergent, and keeping a few slices of lemon and a splash of vinegar in the basin while washing keeps the dishes streak-free and smelling nice.

Yeah, especially since you had no say in planning the event, asking for money is completely tacky. Then again, how much would you spend on bringing food and a good bottle(s) of alcohol to a party? If it really bothers you, I'd stay decline the invite and have your friend over for dinner or take them out for a drink to celebrate instead.

A friend once had a sit-down, three-course birthday celebration at a swanky restaurant for his girlfriend, also a friend. Some people offered money, which he accepted, but he didn't ask for it. I found that fine, since people would have spent at least $20-30 dollars to bring food or alcohol to a smaller gathering anyway.

Mexican food is also her friend. Tortillas are corn-based, and the good ones have few other ingredients. Black or kidney bean tacos with chopped tomatoes, peppers, onions, and corn mixed in, topped with the soy equivalent of sour cream and some avocado slices/cilantro would be a satisfying meal.

I also recently saw a simple meal of marinated, grilled tofu kebabs over seasoned brown rice that looked delicious.

Dips and corn chips are also great - hummus, guacamole, salsa.

It's kind of you to support your friend like this - my bro-in-law has a similar diet requirement, and after a couple of years, he's still having a bit of a tough time adjusting. I think, rather than always trying to find fake equivalents of the foods he used to eat, it's been more helpful to focus on the whole foods he can safely eat, and learn to prepare them in new ways rather than eating salad and mashed potatoes for days on end.

Chobani! Love it, but it must be on sale for me to buy it. Great texture, not insane on the sugar content.