shared meals

For someone with Celiac disease, or gluten intolerance, meals can be difficult when one has to avoid favorite foods being eaten by everyone else at the table. Following a wheat-free diet in our wheat-based society can feel like navigating a minefield. It’s not that there aren’t plenty of foods that we can eat, it’s just that there are so many that have to be avoided. Most regular convenience foods are out of the question. Buying special gluten-free convenience foods frequently requires a trip to the health food store, and can be a real budget-buster. Preparing special foods for one person in addition to other foods for the rest of the family takes more time than we have, or want to spend, in the kitchen.

Family meal time is when we can come together to connect with loved ones. Sharing food, stories and laughter provides nourishment for our spirits as well as our bodies. And the communal experience of sharing the same foods is part of the joy of sharing a meal. Toward this end, I am working on developing gluten-free recipes that the wheatless among us can enjoy, and that wheat eaters will devour without noticing that anything is missing.

With my family’s willingness to help me taste-test my kitchen experiments, I hope to share some delicious gluten free recipes with you. Some of these recipes have already become special-request-family-favorites at my house. I hope that you and your family will enjoy them as well.