We are all familiar with the expression "No pain, no gain." Sometimes even the reverse is true: "A lot of pain and a lot of gain." A few months ago my boy-friend, Bob Langen, was going through a great deal of lower back, and occasionally shoulder, pain. He even had a difficult time turning his neck when he drove. He never complained, accepting it as part of playing hard at racquetball.

I suggested that he might try a gluten-free diet; wheat allergies have been implicated in some forms of muscle pain. I guess the idea came at the right time, because he was willing to give it a try. For someone whose favorite dessert is gooey wedding cake with the thick white frosting, this came as a surprise to me. We did our regular grocery shopping but stopped at Kale's to buy gluten-free bread, cereal and snacks.

After a week of eating a gluten-free diet, his aches and pains subsided. He was thrilled be able to play racquetball, walk down the stairs and drive without pain. We take these things for granted until we lose them.

After two weeks of being gluten-free, he broke down and ate a chicken sandwich on a wheat bun. Auwe! His aching foot let him know what happens when you cheat. I guess he wanted to do an experiment, like all men of science. He is an orthopedic surgeon who is skeptical of some of my "esoteric ideas." For him, it was a real lesson of "A lot of gain without the grain."

Here's a recipe we tried and enjoyed. This dish was created by Alyssa Moreau. She is a personal chef and has a reputation for creating delicious and nutritious vegetarian meals. She also teaches cooking for health and wellness at Kapi'olani Community College.

ALYSSA'S GLUTEN-FREE FRUIT AND NUT BARS