Gluten Free Celebrities and Blogs That Inspire Me

Nine years ago, when I gave up wheat and dairy after finding out I was allergic to it, I felt like a lone wolf. This was long before the gluten-free craze and before most stores had alternative options. Soy milk wasn't available in most Starbucks in San Francisco. Nowadays, being wheat and dairy free is much easier. Every weekend, I do my grocery shopping at Rainbow Grocery, which has one of the largest milk substitute sections I've seen. San Francisco now even has a gluten-free store, Gluten Free Grocery.

With all of the abundance, it has become just as easy to find heavily processed gluten free foods as it was to eat processed foods before. It was only when I began my 21-Day Detox Cleanse, that I realized how much junk food I was eating. The worst part was I felt just as sick not eating wheat as I did when I was still eating it. Switching my outlook and my focus has really helped. I have now embraced real food. I cook all of my meals, unless we go out, and all of the meals are made from scratch. Yes, this is time consuming, but I find ways to shorten cooking time, such as baking and stewing. One pot wonders have been lifesavers and kale chips have been a guilty pleasure staple.

The beauty of eating gluten-free, grain-free and dairy-free nowadays is that there are so many resources available. There are countless blogs that feature the most beautiful and delicious recipes. While, I'm absolutely horrible at following recipes, I find great inspiration from Against All Grain, The Nourishing Gourmet, Whole Life Nutrition, and Choosing Raw. Each one of these bloggers has a unique point of view and incredible love and passion for food and the recipes they share with us. Without them, this journey of self-discovery would not have been possible.

Also in the last 9 years, many celebrities have also discovered their own allergies to wheat and dairy. Besides my love for food and cooking, I also happen to be obsessed with celebrity gossip and have been an avid follower of Perezhilton.com since he began blogging in 2005 and heard him on Fernando and Greg in the Morning on the radio. As part of my love for celebrity gossip, I keep tabs on celebrities that have food allergies. One of my favorite actresses is Rachel Weisz and she shares my wheat intolerance. Likewise, Geri Halliwell, Ginger-Spice from the Spice Girls is also intolerant to wheat.


             

Also, my style icon and favorite quirky actress, Zooey Deschanel, is gluten free. Unlike, Geri Halliwell and Rachel Weisz, Zooey Deschanel suffers from celiac disease, which is an autoimmune disease that affects the lining of the small intestine and can lead to serious malnutrition. One of Zooey's favorite places to enjoy vegan & gluten free treats, is BabyCakes in NYC. My family visited BabyCakes last year and it was delicious! In San Francisco, we also have a wonderful bakery that serves vegan & gluten free cupcakes, Cups & Cakes Bakery and I'm looking forward to ordering a box of cupcakes from them for my daughter's upcoming San Francisco birthday party.

Vegan & Gluten Free Cupcakes from BabyCakes in NYC