When my three-year-old daughter was diagnosed with celiac, my first reaction was a mixture of shock and sadness, but my next thought was about pizza.
As in, how was our family going to eat our favorite foods, many of which were chock full of gluten? This was especially troubling for a mom of a picky toddler, whose favorite meal was mac & cheese. Not to mention a husband whose favorite food group happens to be pastries.
Turns out this food fear is not very original, and that’s a good thing. The internet is filled with recipes, blogs, and book recommendations for those of us who need to go gluten free. So, that first night while my husband scoured medical sites and debated our genetics, I researched food and I haven’t stopped since.
The next day we cleaned out our pantry and started a new life. Our girl is thriving and the pizza can be pretty good too.
* If you want to contact me beyond the comments, feel free to send me an email at: danaheatherschwartz@yahoo.com
You can also follow me on Pinterest where one of my boards is totally dedicated to Gluten Free Pancakes. That should be enough of an enticement, right?
celiac kiddo 
Hey Dana,
I really enjoyed reading your story! I had that sense of dread when they told us no gluten or dairy too. Also, on a side note, my crazy 14 year old cat was on a rapid decline earlier this year and I found gluten-free cat food at Trader Joe’s for pretty cheap. (I think it’s between $3-$5 for a big bag) I tried it and she has gone from being morbidly obese and antisocial to romping it up in the back yard at a healthy body weight and is social again. CRAZY huh?! Just thought I would share in case your cats ever needed to go gluten-free affordably.:)
So great to know there is affordable GF cat food! And I’m glad to hear your kitty is recovering. Ours are getting up there in age too, and could probably use a better quality food. I’ll definitely check it out. Especially now that my little guy is crawling around and trying so hard to eat their food. It might make me feel better if it’s GF!
-Dana
Hi Dana,
I have just nominated your blog for the Beautiful Blogger Award:
http://angiesgrapevine.wordpress.com/2012/11/24/the-beautiful-blogger-and-my-100th-post/
Please accept my kind regards without any obligation.
This is my thanks for being an inspiration to me on my blogging journey.
Angie
Oh my gosh, thanks Angie! That is so sweet of you. I feel very honored!
Warmly, Dana
Hi Dana, I just found your blog and love it! I am a mother of 4 living the GF life and am continually looking for new ideas for foods to prepare for my family. We will definitely try the peppermint bark over the holidays. I look forward to “stopping by” from time to time!
Jess
Hi Jess, I’m glad you found me, too, and back at you! I really like your blog as well. Let me know if you find the bark as addictive as we do 🙂 I’m about to make more now as an ice-cream topper! Hope you have a lovely holiday season.
I love the inspiration behind your blog! I’m looking forward to branching out and trying some gluten free recipes 🙂
Oh thanks so much Heather! Your blog is awesome, I love all your delicious looking recipes. Cooking GF can seem challenging at first, but then it opens up a whole other world, especially with baking. Looking forward to keeping up with your blog!
My eight year old daughter was diagnosed in November and we are now a gluten free house. I have always loved to cook and bake preferably from scratch, so I am now trying to find some tried and true recipes. It’s a bit of a roller coaster ride, but worth the difference I too see in my daughter – just the lack of pain itself is huge! Thanks for all the info…jenny
Oh, Jenny I really feel for you, and was right where you are just a few years ago. It is definitely a roller coaster ride, but the drops get less steep as time goes by. Just take it slowly and do what is easiest and makes the most sense for you and your family. I think kids diagnosed when they’re old enough to remember what they can no longer have can be very challenging. My daughter was 3 and while she did mourn some of her favorite gluten treats, but she was young enough to forget quickly (I think). Good luck with your girl and hope she is thriving on her gluten free diet.
Thank for the encouragement! We have been very lucky that our daughter (8 years old) has not complained even one time about the change of diet. I think she was in such pain that she has no desire to feel that bad again. The surprise for us has come from our second daughter (7 years old) who has gone along with our new gluten free home without comment. She watches out for her older sister (asking when we are eating out if things are GF) and she has a bit of guilt when the birthday cupcakes come out in her classroom and she one. I was expecting a few demanding “I want the old pancakes/waffles/cookies/cupcakes etc” but nothing….maybe it’s just me who still needs to adjust?
Oh, wow Jenny, both of your girls sound incredible! What a sweet sister support system 🙂 Us moms often need more time to adjust, I know I do!
Hi Dana!
I’m so pleased you left a comment on my blog! I can so relate to your thought about pizza!!! OMG how I would like a piece of Pizza Express Pizza! Since I’m not celiac diagnosed I know I could eat a piece but I know for sure the following day I’ll be suffering!
I’ll be following your journey!
Hi Vicky, thanks so much for your comment! We’re still searching for a perfect pizza here. My daughter prefers Udi’s frozen crusts to homemade (lately) and though I know I should feel grateful for the convenience I can’t help hoping to find one she will like that I can make. Would be cheaper – I think!
Your blog is great, by the way! I’ll definitely be a repeat customer 🙂
Thank you! I’ve given up on finding the perfect pizza now! SInce I cook grain free most of the time, it’s pretty impossible! Though I do like the crust I make with beans, it’s more of a scone base but the following day it cuts beautifully and the toppings make up for it! It’s such a long time since I had the real deal that I’ve almost forgotten what it tastes like now! Hope you have a lovely weekend!
It’s been a long time for me too, I totally have forgotten! Have you tried making pizza crust with cauliflower? Sounds odd, but I’ve seen some intriguing recipes. Hope your weekend is lovely too!
You have a beautiful blog and I think it is amazing that you and your family have gone through this journey together. I have not really eaten anything gluten free but when I read blogs like yours definitely want to try!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate your kind words. I spent some time on your blog too, it’s really great! That oreo chocolate cake is insane. I’m totally making that gluten free one of these days!
-Dana
Thanks so much! And I cannot wait to read that post! I would love to try that recipe one of these days 🙂
Just wanted to let you know that I nominated your blog for a few awards. http://tracicarver.com/2013/03/18/and-the-winner-is/
Congrats and keep writing!
Wow, thanks so much Traci! I really appreciate it 🙂
Hi Dana,
Thank you for stopping by my blog! I’m so glad it brought me to yours. I really enjoyed reading your story 🙂 Can’t wait to spend some time looking through your other posts!
All the best,
Carrie
Hey Carrie, sorry for the very belated response, but THANK YOU for perusing my blog. I am following yours 🙂
DANA! Do you have five minutes to check two things for me and answer a question? I am about ready to leap and need someone who is gf and doesn’t know me to see if I am communicating as well as possible. If yes, please check my new bio and gf classes. Then, here’s the question, add gf classes for kids? Thank you, thank you, thank you! ~Janet
I’m out with my little guy but I’ll check it out during his nap!
Sent from my iPhone.
I love your blog! Very happy to have found it!
Thank you! The feeling is totally mutual 🙂
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Dana, I just discovered your blog and have enjoyed browsing through. It is way past my bedtime, though I find myself continuing to read your blogs …I’m a fan.
Hi Paula, thanks so much for your kind words! I’m excited I have found your blog, too. It looks like a really great resource! I’m looking forward to staying up late reading it 🙂
-Dana
Hi Dana, just wanted to let you know I’ve nominated you for a Liebster Award here: http://thejollybeetroot.wordpress.com/2013/11/30/liebster-award-nomination/ Love your blog 🙂 X
Thank you so much! That is really sweet. The blog love is mutual, by the way 🙂 -Dana
Sent from my iPhone.
Dana so nice to connect with you thanks for visiting my space. I have a beautiful boy on the spectrum and he has an intolerance to gluten and wheat it is just one of my battles that sets him apart from the crowd. He has been tested twice for celiac, each time the tests are negative. Yet when he steals bread or eats certain foods he becomes bloated or if he eats enough he gets stomach cramps and diarrhea.
So I can only imagine your battle with your daughters diagnoses as very challenging. I am thankful there is a great range of gluten free products these days when I am too tired to bake. Yet because he did not get a positive result the doctors say he can have some gluten. I have just put him back on an all gluten free diet and he hates it…food is his comfort and he grows tired of the alternatives but I notice when he eats what he wants his appetite is lost to dry foods, chips or processed rubbish. It is a constant battle yet I know for someone like you it is a must to be vigilant. So glad I found your site and look forward to reading more.
Hi Kate, I’m so happy that we have mutually found each other! I really love your blog, if that’s not obvious from all my comments 🙂
I have a good friend who is severely gluten intolerant and has all those kinds of bloating/cramping/pain when she ingests even a small amount of gluten. So it may be best for your son to avoid gluten, but I know how hard that can be – especially when you don’t absolutely HAVE to. In a strange way it’s “easier” to have a celiac diagnosis because of the internal damage that goes along with eating gluten. I hope you can find some yummy gluten alternatives on my site or one some of the blogs I recommend! I don’t have to be gluten free, but I’m pretty much 95% and even when I’m away from my daughter, I tend to gravitate to gluten free naturally. Though I totally do sneak a gluten bagel every now and then !