Hello everyone! In case you haven't read my "about me," I thought I would write my first blog post on myself, in order for you all to get to know a little bit about me and why I'm writing this blog.
First of all, my name is Katherine. I'm a college student who loves to sing, dance, hang out with family and friends, watch movies, read, and....eat!
This brings me to my next point: I have Celiac Disease. If you're reading this, it might be because you also have Celiac Disease and are looking for new food combinations to try. (Goodness knows the diet of a Celiac can get boring). However, you may not know what Celiac Disease is, so let me give you a brief explanation: it is an auto immune disease that damages the villi of the small intestine every time the person with the disease consumes gluten. For a more detailed explanation, click here.
Now, what is gluten? Gluten is a protein most commonly found in wheat and anything with flour in it, but it can also sneak into your diet from some unexpected places: soy sauce, barley malt extract, caramel color, and even envelope glue!
Celiac Disease is marked by a bunch of different symptoms, and luckily mine were mild. But, I will tell you, I feel so much better now that I am off gluten! I strongly suggest that if you haven't been diagnosed with Celiac, but are experiencing even the slightest annoyance or discomfort in the way you feel, such as fatigue, you go get tested. It's just a simple blood test, and getting diagnosed can make a huge difference and prevent lots of problems down the road.
Aside from not being able to eat gluten, I'm also a strict vegetarian--I won't even eat fish! (Although I may start to. I'll keep you all updated on that.) Therefore, when I was diagnosed with Celiac about 2 years ago, I pretty much freaked out. What was I supposed to eat?? I couldn't eat meat and I couldn't eat gluten! I cannot begin to tell you how much starch I used to eat. I would make spaghetti and eat bread and butter allllll the time! They were my favorite foods! Over time, I began to find alternatives that I really enjoyed, and I have gotten really creative with my diet!
I'm here to show you all that being gluten free and vegetarian doesn't have to be so difficult. The meals and snacks you will see here are going to be easy to make--trust me. I'm a busy college student and I don't have lots of time to mess around in the kitchen, but I do take the time to make sure that I eat healthy and deliciously! With some of these tips, you can, too! :)
<3 Miss GF
