Finding Solace in the Kitchen with Foods that Heal —
Learning to Thrive with Celiac Disease

By Lisa Clauset

Pumpkin Bread with Pecans I love the morning time, and the sweet smell of baking pumpkin bread wafting through the house just makes me smile. Here's one of the recipes on my blog. This recipe was adapted from my mom's banana bread recipe that I ate as a child. It can be made with regular wheat flour. Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread with Pecans 1 egg 1 cup pumpkin puree 1⁄4 cup melted butter 1 cup white sugar 1 1⁄2 cups Gluten Free flFlour (Bistro Blend All Purpose Gluten Free Flour) 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice 1⁄2 cup chopped pecans (optional) Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a loaf pan using butter and Gluten Free flour. Tap out extra flour. In a mixing bowl, beat egg slightly, add sugar, melted butter, and pumpkin. Mix well and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice together. Add pumpkin mixture to flour and mix until well combined. Fold in pecans. Pour into loaf pan and spread evenly. Bake for approximately one hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

In 2009, after years of low energy, iron deficiency (anemia), nightly bloating, stomach cramping, and countless doctor visits, I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease (CD). The road to my diagnosis was long, as is the story for many individuals with CD. After months of tests and elimination diets, my gastroenterologist suggested I get a CD blood test. For a person with CD, gluten, the main protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, severely damages the small intestine so that nutrients are not absorbed properly. I was convinced that eating gluten was not my problem, and so I procrastinated for three months. With additional pressure from my mom, I finally took the blood test. I was shocked when I saw the result: “positive.” Still hoping it was a false positive, I scheduled a biopsy of my small intestine anyway. The biopsy showed flattening of my villi, a diagnosis consistent with Celiac Disease. Because Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten, I had only one option to improve my health: remove all gluten from my diet.

As CD progresses, the symptoms often become more severe. If not treated, people with CD can develop other autoimmune diseases and have an increased risk for esophageal cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, thyroid cancer, and other intestinal cancers. This is not a disease I will ever “grow out of,” so I have to be proactive and avoid gluten for the rest of my life. After learning all this, I felt lost and lonely. Bread, pasta, and all things glutinous were the center of my diet and I loved them. Being told that they were poisoning me was devastating.

As the weeks wore on, I slowly accepted my new life. I realized that I needed to embrace the challenge and adventure of this lifestyle. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think about having CD and avoiding gluten. Every time I want to eat out, I have to fully research the restaurant and talk to the staff about preparing and serving a meal that is safe for me. The alternatives are to risk a serious reaction or never eat out again. Although I often feel alone and disconnected from “normal” eaters, I understand that there are thousands of other people who face the same challenge. CD is something I have, but it’s not who I am. Learning to live gluten free has taught me to take more control of my life and my diet and to find joy in foods I used to take for granted.

I have found solace in my kitchen. I’ve always taken pleasure and pride in preparing beautiful and delicious meals, now more so than ever because food is what keeps me healthy. Nourishing my body is even more important now, and I’m committed to eating food that is flavorful, that soothes my soul, and that heals my body. Sharing these meals with my family and friends brings us together and shows that gluten-free food can be delectable food! I’ve bought new cookbooks and learned how to make things I never imagined. In order to share my recipes with others who have a gluten intolerance, CD, or just want to try out a new meal, I’ve started a food blog. Check it out at www.delectablyglutenfree.blogspot.com.

The food I eat is my medicine. It takes care of my body, and I feel healthy without having to take a pill. My stomach isn’t bloated, my energy levels are higher, and I don’t miss gluten because I don’t miss feeling sick. When I think about my future now, I don’t think about all the foods I can’t have. Instead I think about the foods that I love, the flavors I have yet to discover, and the simple pleasure of eating well.

Lisa Clauset lives in Boulder, CO, where she works with the Gluten Free Bistro www.theglutenfreebistro.com. Clauset loves traveling, hiking, cooking, and discovering new foods.