Does the world really need another blog?
Do I think that I have something to offer the gluten free vegetarian world?
Well, I am not sure, but I do know that more and more people are being diagnosed with celiac disease every day. And more and more people are finding that they feel better without wheat, celiac or not. In fact, over the past year I have had a number of friends who have been either diagnosed with celiac or gluten intolerance or have decided to follow a gluten free diet for another health reason (migraines, behavioral issues, etc). Many of these friends have asked me for advice since they know I have been “around the (gluten free) block” a few times and that I previously advised and educated people about celiac disease and the gluten free diet as a support group leader.
It is through this blog that I wish to help these friends and others, vegetarian or not, ease into their gluten free lifestyle with fewer bumps. As you will see on my About page, I am not a creative, original cook. And I am not a baker. I am a cook, and so the goal of this blog is to help people with the basics of gluten free cooking and meal planning, mainly with putting meals on the dinner table. Occasionally I will write about a baking experience, but generally I avoid baking as I have found that it is not healthy for my waistline to keep such goodies around the house. And yes, most recipes on here will be vegetarian, in fact I would say that 99% of them will be vegetarian.
But you aren’t a vegetarian? That’s okay. I am not either (read my About page). But I cook almost entirely vegetarian meals. My goal is to help you learn that vegetarian cooking is more than rice and tofu. That it is more than just leaving out the meat. That it is more than salads and sprouts.
So even if you have never deliberately cooked a vegetarian meal, I would encourage you to read along and get a feel for things – you just might stumble on something you’d like to try. Or maybe you have thought it would be a good idea to reduce your meat consumption, perhaps in keeping with Meatless Mondays. Or if you happen to be one of our friends, you might find something on here that you can make for us the next time we come over for dinner! I hope this will help demystify the world of gluten free and vegetarian cooking for you. Welcome!
Beyond Rice and Tofu 
Yea!! I am so very excited that you have decided to start a blog Renee! You have been a great influence on me getting to try and like new recipes, like the Mediterranean Quinoa Salad: http://adventuresofaglutenfreemom.com/2010/01/27/mediterranean-quinoa-salad/
Yummy!
I also just made some Pinto Bean Peanut Butter Cookies from “The Daily Bean” cookbook you turned me onto, Mike just LOVES them!
Thank you for being such a great inspiration, I cant wait to read your blog!
awww… thanks Heidi! Thanks for encouraging me to do this! Hope you don’t get annoyed with the questions – haha!
I will have to check out those cookies. I haven’t made many sweets out of that cookbook yet.
Won’t be annoyed at all, I still bug Kim (Gluten Free Is Life) with technical blog questions! :-)
Renee, It’s your Mom…I’m so excited about your blog…Just read your “about me” page and was laughing out loud about your “recipe clipping/hoarding” habit. I too have a few boxes of clippings in the basement, stacks of magazines in my closet waiting to be scanned for recipes. I went from laughing to a couple of tears as I read the part of your blog about you being a chip of the old block because you come from a long line of recipe clippers. That was so funny! It’s so true! Your Grandma is always giving me recipes from magazines she clips. Also, my friends and family were not surprised when I chose my new career as a Pampered Chef Consultant. This too gives me many new recipes and reasons to try them. My new career also gives me the tools to try new recipes. I look forward to your future blogs ….and recipes to copy! heehee
Welcome to the fast-paced, thrilling world of food blogging! It’s always so great to find other vegetarian, GF bloggers and cooks out there. So many people (and cookbooks, etc.) are either one or the other, but not both, so I love finding blogs where I can drool over every recipe!