May is my favorite month of the year! Not only is spring in full bloom, but I also get to celebrate my birthday, and more importantly, Celiac Awareness Month. The term ‘gluten free’ has become quite a buzzword lately, as everyone ‘cuts carbs’ and eats gluten free to lose weight. However, true understanding of celiac … More Kicking off Celiac Awareness Month
If you’re familiar with the corporate tax world, or find yourself a small business owner with taxes to pay, you’re most likely aware of the the September 15 tax filing deadline. While I won’t bore you with random factoids concerning the tax world and my current job, you can imagine that upon finishing my calculations … More Tax Season Deadlines & A Restaurant Review: Bistro Menil
Cauliflower (noun): a cabbage of a variety that bears a large immature flower head of small creamy-white flower buds. While the biological definition of this cruciferous vegetable sounds far from appealing, cauliflower has been a staple in my family since I was a toddler. Every Thanksgiving, my father made a creamy and thick cauliflower soup, and while … More Recipe of the Week: Cauliflower Nachos
As Houston continues to grow, several well-known restaurants with foundations in other parts of both Texas and the United States, have started appearing throughout the city. Luckily, many of these new eateries didn’t forget about those with celiac disease when they migrated over to Houston. Recently, I read about Hopdoddy Burger Bar, a craft beer and … More Hoppin to Hopdoddy Burger Bar
As a fiscally responsible twenty-something, I try to limit the number of times I go out to eat to about once a week. Thus, when the weekend rolls around, I spend a significant amount of time deciding where what I want to dine on for dinner. Recently, my friend Anya and I decided to try … More Just Winging It: Max’s Wine Dive
When I was thirteen years old, I custom ordered a shirt online with the slogan “I’m a celiac… don’t mess with my food”, printed across the front. I had thought of the phrase myself, only a few months after my celiac disease diagnosis, and my mother, overjoyed by drastic improvement in health-as well as my … More An Open Letter to Zara
Indian food is one of my favorite gluten free indulgences – I love the spices, the flavors and aromas of freshly prepared dishes like curries, masala and tandoori. Much to my delight, many Indian dishes are often gluten free, as they’re made with natural ingredients like curry powder, lentils, meat and rice. Pondicheri cafe is … More Pondicheri: A Houston Restaurant Review
February-just one short month away- marks the ten-year anniversary of my celiac disease diagnosis. Can you believe that ten years ago I was a twelve-year old girl struggling with growth arrest, brain damage and debilitating headaches? The positive changes my body has undergone since the diagnosis have been life changing, and I’ve been equally as … More Ten Years and Still Strong: A Decade with Celiac and 2016 Goals
We love Asian and Asian-inspired dishes at my home! My mom bought a wok a few years ago, and it has definitely been used religiously; rumor has it she once used it for an entire week straight. It is, of course, difficult for celiacs to safely eat out at Asian restaurants; soy sauce and other sauces … More Steamed and Folded: Gluten Free Dumpling Recipe
Happy New Year! It’s finally 2016! Before we move into the next year, however, I wanted to take a moment to review a delicious product I was able to sample in 2015. Last month, Brazi Bites, a Portland based company that I blogged about almost two years ago, was featured on Shark Tank, and ABC television show … More Breaking in 2016 with Brazi Bites!
I think one of the biggest challenges for college students with celiac disease finding a way to maintain both normalcy and health while on the gluten free diet. I constantly mention this idea in my posts, but I can attest firsthand to the sacrifices of the ‘typical college experience’ that are made in order to keep … More Crafted Gluten Free Care Packages
Making gluten free Christmas desserts for our family, personally, is a much harder feat that preparing the pasta and meat dishes we eat for Christmas dinner. My mom and sister brought home Glutino’s gluten free sugar cookie mix and a tub of Pillsbury Funfetti Frosting, and we decided to try and make gluten free holiday sugar cookies. … More Holiday Product Review: Glutino Sugar Cookie Mix
One of my earliest memories during the months following my celiac disease diagnosis was the panic I felt when I realized that my Halloween would no longer be as carefree as those from previous years. As a twelve year old freshly exposed to the gluten free diet, my mother and I managed to convince ourselves that … More A Gluten Free Halloween: The Teal Pumpkin Project
As an off-campus student, I’m thankful for the quaint little kitchen in the garage apartment my roommate and I share. We cook a fresh, gluten free dinner almost every night (unless, of course, we have leftovers), and try to utilize ingredients from the Rice University Farmers Market, which is close to where we live. This … More This Cookie Won’t Crumble: EatPastry Gluten Free Cookie Dough
Your university’s Dining Services is one of the most crucial tools in helping you adhere to the gluten-free diet throughout college. The efficiency and helpfulness of each school’s dining program varies and is unique; while I’ve had a fantastic experience at Rice University, I have also heard stories from other schools that chronicle less positive experiences. Whatever the case … More Celiac 101: Speaking with Your University’s Dining Services
If you’ve followed my gluten-free college adventures for the last few years, you know that college life presents both awesome experiences and a lot of challenges; there’s the need to maintain good grades, manage your social life, and take generous amounts of time for self-care (like eating foods that don’t make you sick)! The demands can feel endless and exhausting, especially … More The Happy College Girl Summit Podcast Series
The Celiac Disease Foundation is an organization that a celiac, whether newly diagnosed or a veteran, should know about. Recently, the CDF announced the creation of the Gluten-Free Allergy-Free Marketplace, a online resource and app that serves as a comprehensive guide to gluten-free products, companies, services and bloggers! … More Celiac Disease Foundation’s Gluten-Free Allergy-Free Marketplace
With summer coming to a close and the semester just around the corner (or in my case, the weekend), I’ve been trying to get a bit of baking in before things get hectic again! Today I wanted to feature (yet again) Chebe, one company that produces an array of gluten-free baking mixes, and is quickly becoming a favorite … More I’m on a Roll: Chebe Cinnamon Roll Mix
I really appreciate the variety of food options in Houston; because it’s such a diverse place, there’s a variety of cuisines and foods available. Because of this variety, there’s usually a gluten-free option available somewhere within the confines of the city. Tex-Mex happens to be one of my favorite cuisines, and one that I didn’t discover until I moved to Houston (there’s no Tex-Mex North of the Mason-Dixon line). I appreciate that corn tortillas are just as popular as flour ones, and while I do need to be careful of cross-contamination and marinades, there’s usually a way to order something gluten-free. … More Talkin Tacos: Pappasito’s Cantina Review
If you follow me on Twitter, it quickly becomes obvious that I’m on the search for the best gluten-free pizza I can find. The search, however, is not an easy one; it requires numerous taste tests, restaurant visits and deliberation as I take into account factors like taste and consistency. One of the first companies to … More I ‘Knead’ Some Dough: Chebe Pizza Crust Product Review
About a year ago, I wrote a post titled “The Overlooked Psychological Effects of Celiac Disease”, with the intent to open up dialogue about the mental health issues that can develop because from an individual’s negative experience during the diagnosis process or while eating a gluten-free diet. Many times, I feel as though we try … More Don’t Feel Guilty about Celiac Disease: More Mental Health Awareness
This past weekend I flew home to New York to spend some time with my family and attend the wedding of a family friend in Brooklyn! Since my last adventure home was in early April, my parents decided to take us out to lunch and celebrate my recent birthday (apparently I turned twenty-two, though at … More Ella’s Bellas Gluten-Free Bakery
In a world with an ever-increasing availability of gluten-free foods, it becomes difficult for companies to create innovative and unique products. When I received a package of Metropolitan Gourmet’s Plain Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs, I made it my goal to discover what would (or wouldn’t) set these breadcrumbs apart from other, well-known brands. I decided to make a … More Metropolitan Gourmet Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs
Today is an incredibly special day for College Student with Celiac, as I’ve reached my 100th POST! I’d like to thank everyone who has helped me get this far in the last two years. I’m grateful for my family, who has supported my gluten-free diet since I was first diagnosed, the dietitians and doctors who I … More My 100th Post & Online Resources for College Students
As someone with celiac disease, I’m often browsing the internet in an attempt to find out if a product is gluten-free. This method is often difficult; I know I’ve spent a lot of time looking through either a company’s specific website or numerous Google result pages, hoping to find an answer. Many times, I’ve struggled to … More GLŪT: Gluten Search Website
Eating in a dining hall on a college campus can sometimes be a risk for college students with celiac disease. For the first time, neither you nor your family is in complete control of preparing the gluten-free foods you eat. Even if a school has incredible gluten-free accommodations, there is always the potential for accidental … More Celiac 101: “Gluten-Proofing” Your Dorm Room
Every high school senior, as well as every college student, is aware of the difficulty in choosing a college or university to attend. A student must take into account factors like academic rigor, opportunities for extracurricular activities, quality of life, and, most importantly, overall ‘fit’. For college-bound celiacs, however, there are many more factors that influence … More Celiac 101: Picking the Right School
The end of July marks a serious time of transition for college students throughout the country. As July comes to a close, college students begin to realize that the end of summer is near; within the next month, we’ll be heading back to our dorm rooms and apartments, where we’ll begin our studies and continue … More Celiac 101 Series: Maintaining the Gluten-Free Diet in College
Throughout the last few years, an increased awareness of celiac disease has led to a tremendous increase in the number of gluten-free products at supermarkets and health food stores. The celiac disease community has seen a rise in quality gluten-free products from national chains, some of which are solely gluten-free companies, and others that … More Product Review: Sammi’s Stuff Latta Java Coffee Cake
Last week I posted a review of some delicious products from KIND, the brand’s STRONG & KIND bars and Raspberry Granola Clusters. This week, I wanted to showcase two more varieties of KIND’s bars; these are part of KIND’s Nuts & Spices line, and each had a sweet, rich flavor I really enjoyed! KIND Nuts & Spices … More Product Review: KIND Snacks Part II
Summer is one of my favorite times of the year, as it means I’m able to cook some of my own meals, rather than eat at Rice’s dining halls. I make sure to take advantage of the fresh summer produce available, and wanted to share one of my favorite summertime recipes, Gluten-Free Quinoa Stuffed Tomatoes. Quinoa … More Recipe: Gluten-Free Quinoa Stuffed Tomatoes
The last three years of my college experience have gone by incredibly quickly, and have been filled with lots of studying and many extracurricular activities. Throughout the year, I’m not only busy with classes, but also spend a great deal of time updating my blog, hanging out with friends, and managing Rice University’s undergraduate pub! I’m … More Product Review: KIND Snacks Part I
In case you didn’t know, I’ve spent the last three weeks on the island of Menorca, in the Mediterranean, participating in an archaeological dig! I’ve just returned home and am eager to continue blogging! As I spent hours excavating ancient Roman bones in the city’s necropoli, I began to wonder if any Ancient Romans had … More Celiac Disease & Archaeology: Merging the Biological Sciences with Anthropology
If you have some time, check out this article I wrote for Living Without Magazine‘s My Life With Food Allergies website. It’s about traveling in Spain and Europe and managing the gluten-free diet! I’ve just returned from a three week archaeological dig in Menorca, Spain, and was eager to share my experiences, as well as tips for … More New Post on Living Without Magazine’s My Life with Food Allergies!
As I’ve mentioned before, I really enjoy interacting with others in the gluten-free community, especially those who are close to my age. Recently, I received an email from Alice of the website Gluten Free Allies, who was diagnosed with celiac disease during her first week of college! I love Alice’s blog because it has the perfect … More Get to Know Alice of Gluten Free Allies!
Today, I realized that I’ve been living with celiac disease for over eight years, and that each year, I learn a plethora of new information about the disease and the gluten-free diet, as well as see a drastic improvement of the quality of gluten-free products and options available. I also realized how commonplace the gluten-free diet is … More Mellow Mushroom is a Gluten-Free Must!
One of the biggest reasons I’ve been able to maintain the gluten-free diet throughout college has been the online gluten-free community. I’m constantly posting Tweets, sharing links on my Facebook page, and putting out new posts. It’s the overwhelmingly supportive responses I get from the online community that inspires me to keep blogging. I also … More Guest Post: Allie of Adventures of a Gluten Free Bennie
I feel like I’m constantly mentioning the Rice University Farmers Market in my posts, but my visit a few weeks ago included even more gluten-free finds. I stumbled across Texas Cookie Emporium, who had gluten-free chocolate chip cookies available from a new bakery in the Houston area, Xoco-latté. The chocolate chip cookies were incredible, and I … More Xoco-latté Gluten-Free Bakery
I was so happy to receive some samples in the mail from Ian’s Natural Foods last week to review! If you haven’t heard of them yet, Ian’s is a company devoted to providing high quality and allergen-friendly foods. Many of their products are not only gluten-free, but are also devoid of the seven major allergens. I … More Product Review: Ian’s Whole Grain Chicken Nuggets and Tenders
I’ve mentioned numerous times that Rice University has an almost unlimited array of gluten-free options in their cafeteria; what many don’t know, however is that Rice’s weekly farmers market also has some gluten-free surprises. Upon a recent visit to the market, Susann Glenn, manager of communications for Rice’s Facilities of Engineering and Planning, quickly steered … More Houston Gluten-Free Find: Vee’s Chips!
With Celiac Disease Awareness Month just around the corner, I wanted to bring up recent news regarding the upcoming clinical research trials for a new ‘celiac drug’. This CeliAction study is currently looking for those with symptomatic celiac disease to participate in this medical research study. I’m constantly amazed at the advancements that have been … More CeliAction Study for a Celiac Drug!
As a celiac, breakfast is one of my favorite meals of the day because my choices are almost limitless. Eggs, omelettes, grits, and breakfast meats are fantastic, naturally gluten-free go-to’s, and it’s easy to find gluten-free versions of pancakes, waffles and toast. Oatmeal, while a much-enjoyed breakfast food, is also a point of contention for … More Oatmeal is Good for the Soul: Bakery on Main Oatmeal!
A few weeks ago, Dancing Deer Baking Co. contacted me about sampling their new line of gluten-free brownies! The company, though known for their gluten-filled baked goods, wanted to expand their products to include those that were celiac-friendly. The brownies arrived, with the promise that their gluten-free version would match the taste of their regular … More Product Review! Dancing Deer Baking Co. Gluten-Free Brownies
Before heading back to school in Houston this weekend, I was lucky enough to have one of my best friends at Rice, Michelle, come visit me in New York. She had never experienced New York City before, so we took the nearest train down yesterday in order to explore, shop, and of course eat in … More Restaurant Review: Risotteria NYC
One of my favorite parts about going home is the chance to eat a delicious dinner with my family almost every night. While most of our meals are home cooked, every once in a while, we find an excuse to travel to Beacon, NY, and enjoy some delicious gluten-free Thai cuisine from our favorite restaurant, … More Restaurant Review: Sukhothai Authentic Thai Cuisine
With 2014 quickly approaching, I can’t help but reflect upon the past year. I’ve experienced tremendous growth with my blog; I can’t believe it has over 800 follows and over 10,000 views! I wanted to thank everyone for the support you have shown as I aim to provide other celiacs with support, resources and encouragement! … More The Overlooked Psychological Effects of Celiac Disease
There’s something inherently beautiful about the transition from fall to winter. Though Houston was finally starting to cool down, I’m excited to be in New York for the next three weeks, as well as wear fuzzy sweaters and justify endless amount of hot cocoa (gluten-free, of course)! I wanted to devote today’s post to some … More End of December Product Reviews: Quinoa Esta! Bakery
I hope you have had a lovely holiday season! I was happy to return to New York to visit my family for winter break, and was even more delighted to help prepare our gluten-free Christmas dinner!! I don’t normally get to indulge in gluten-free pastas and desserts at school, and with the holiday season coming … More A Gluten-Free Christmas Celebration!
As a resident of Texas and a native New Yorker, South American is a cuisine I rarely encounter. I did have the opportunity, however, to live across the hall from two Brazilian exchange students during my sophomore year at Rice. Upon telling them about my dietary restrictions, one friend informed me of all the gluten-free … More Brazi Bites Product Review
Eating out is one of the most difficult tasks for anyone with a gluten intolerance. We experience a loss of control, as we can no longer verify that utensils are clean and that our meals are kept free from cross-contamination. Many celiacs would agree that Asian is one of the most difficult cuisines to accomodate … More P.F. Chang’s Review
The Corporate Celiac 