About
I am a stay at home, homeschooling mother of two. Although I consider myself a serious home cook, going gluten free in the fall of 2009 has proved to be quite the culinary challenge. I have a toddler who has had very strange symptoms since she began eating foods and it wasn’t until my husband was diagnosed with Celiac that we realized gluten was her problem as well.
We made the decision to be a gluten free family because I don’t want to cook separate meals for half the family and let’s face it, a 2 year old hardly understands why she can’t have what others are eating. So, I am finding myself cooking and eating gluten free.
I have been extremely disappointed with the cookbooks and recipes available, the foods just don’t taste good to me. So I am experimenting, recreating, and reinventing food my whole family can enjoy together.
I decided a blog would be a great way to keep track of the changes I make to recipes and organize my progress. I have never been much of a recipe follower, but I am finding it necessary to write down what works.
I have high standards, so if it tastes “odd” I would rather live without that food. I don’t want to sacrifice flavor and texture. So, although, we may not find a way to make a gluten free version of all our old favorites, this is my journey to creating new favorite.
*I am not a health care professional, just an at home cook trying to cook gluten free. Please make sure the ingredients and recipes you use are safe for your family. Ingredients change, products change, and although I am doing my best, I might unintentionally make mistakes about gluten containing products.
*Also, I am not affiliated with any authors, publishers, or products written about on my site. I just try things and give my honest opinion about their value and importance in a gluten free kitchen.
Thanks,
Flora
Contact me if you have questions or comments.
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Dearest Flora,
Congratulations on your blog! I have enjoyed the well written information and the recipes that you have developed – and the photos of your food are wonderful! I would like to place a link to your blog on both our website and Facebook page, with your permission.
Wishing you success!
Rebecca Kinney
Birmingham Celiac Disease Support Group (on Facebook)
http://www.birminghamceliac.spaces.live.com
I am glad you enjoy my blog. I would love to be linked. Thanks for asking.
I just found your blog through Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures and am looking forward to perusing your posts! I am temporarily gluten free due to issues with my pregnancy (our little boy is due in 5 days!). Everything looks great!
I really enjoyed your blog and I will be making some of your recipes. I am gluten free due to Crohn’s disease and always looking for great ideas, the first recipe I think I’ll be trying are the delicious Lemon cooler cookies.
Thanks,
Linda
I am glad you enjoy the blog Linda. Cookies are a favorite treat at our house and I hope you enjoy the lemon coolers!
Hi Flora,
I just found your website. I’ve had a quick skim of some of your recipes and am relieved to find a GF blog that is JUST gluten free (not dairy free, egg free, vegan madness that seems to accompany SO many GF blogs nowadays). I was diagnosed with Celiac three months ago and am still adjusting. Although my husband and I don’t yet have children, we work full-time and are very busy and it’s nice to see some recipes for GF “regular people” food (because I don’t have an entire afternoon to prep or cook most days!). So, thanks again and I’m adding you to my ‘favorites’ tab so I can visit more frequently
Haven
Hi Haven, Glad you found my blog. I think the first 6 months or so gluten free is the hardest, trying to figure out what you can eat and just what to make for meals again. But it does get easier! I know a lot of blogs and cookbooks focus only on the baking aspect of living gluten free, but there are so many great, “normal” foods that are gluten free, I like to post those as well.
And I do have a kid with some food allergies (tree nuts, eggs, etc) so some of my recipes list optional substitutions, but for the most part we just eat regular ole food…that happens to be gluten free.
Hi Flora, I just found your site from Lynn’s. I have been gluten free for only a few months, before that I was an avid baker. I have been really missing it! I have tried a number of recipes and have found very few that I like and that will pass my gluten-eating family’s test. I look forward to trying some of your recipes!
I also am a stay at home, homeschooling mom, and it even sounds like we may live in the same general area!
Thanks for sharing!
Andrea
@Andrea
Hi Andrea, Glad you found my blog. Baking gluten-free is quite an adjustment, but eventually it gets a bit easier. I think we are fortunate to be in the Northwest where there are so many gluten-free items available.
If you are in the Portland Metro area New Season’s is awesome and even have a gluten-free store tour (mine was with a registered dietitian and very informative) http://www.newseasonsmarket.com/
Thank you for sharing your gf recipes, in the past I had to cook that way, when they thought my daughter had celiac. I found this recipe in a regular church cookbook and I thought I would share it with you.
Rice Casserole
2 c cooked rice
2 c milk
2eggs
1 c grated cheese
1t salt
Mix and pour into greased baking dish. Bake at 300 for 1 hour.
This is really good, kindof like Mac and Cheese. Enjoy
Hi Flora!
I’m new to your site here. A friend of mine shared your Easter GF eBook – thanks a MILLION! I love hearing how others are tackling the challenge of Celiac’s Disease. I, too, am a Celiac & my oldest child sounds like your 2 year-old, except that he’s almost 18!
We’ve created some pretty fab recipes – would you be interested in them? I have an especially yummy Mac-n-Cheese Bake GF style that we make for everyone. Thought it’d be 2-year old friendly, as well. How does your husband & young one react to milk/dairy? I’m sure you know that dairy & celiac create quite a chemistry reaction in the body that can cause crazy symptoms, as well. This mac-n-cheese recipe has some dairy, so you can substitue as neede for your family.
Thanks again & Happy Easter!
Char
Hi Haven!
I know it’s frustrating when there is more than GF tied to a blog, cookbook or recipe. I’m a retired nurse, and a severe celiac & oncology patient of many years. I just wanted to share one of the reasons for that happening is that many of us celiacs also have dairy & egg issues, as research is finding that celiac is aggravated tremendously by the chemical reaction that occurs in the body when dairy and/or eggs are added, thus many of us have to not only go GF on the diet, but subsequently remove the dairy/egg component too. I hope that helps.
I, too, just found Flora’s blog & am excited to try her recipes and share too.
Happy Easter!
Char
@Haven
Although we initially went gluten-free and dairy-free, my husband and daughter eat dairy now. It seems like my husband can’t eat oats though! And I agree with the comment about Celiacs often having multiple food issues, this definitely seems the case.
I’m always looking for new, kid-friendly recipes, so I’d love any ideas you have.
Glad you found my site & enjoy the eBook!
I just discovered your blog today and I’m impressed. Often G.F. food don’t taste good and if they don’t, it’s very hard to nourish ourselves. I’ve disappointment too in many gluten-free cookbooks. The food is lacking in texture, taste and appearance.
Good for you to undertake a G.F. blog while cooking for a family. I have an intolerance to wheat and dairy so must plan my meals carefully if I want to feel well. I only cook most of the time for myself but more and more people are following G.F. regimens. Gluten-free potluck offerings are very welcome at both family and community gatherings today.
I’ll be visiting you frequently for inspiration and information.
I am glad you found my blog and are enjoying it!