Beth Hillson is a name you hear often in the gluten-free community. When I was sent her new gluten-free cookbook to review I was very excited. Who exactly is this gluten-free master Beth Hillson? That’s the exact thought I had. Before reading Beth’s cookbook ” Gluten-Free Makeovers” I got to get a few of my questions answered about Beth.

Read below for the interview and stay tuned for the review in two weeks!

When were you diagnosed with celiac disease?

I was diagnosed in 1953 and again in 1976.  I was a small child when I was diagnosed the first time.  They took away all my food and fed me bananas for several weeks, or maybe it was months.  Gradually, my mother introduced new foods – - leaving starches including corn, rice and potatoes – - until the very last.  I was on this diet for 3 ½ years.  When everything was added back, the doctor told me I was cured.  No one mentioned the word, “gluten.”   When symptoms returned,  I went from doctor to doctor complaining about my stomach.   Each one diagnosed me with a different ailment – - “nervous stomach,” psychiatric problems, lactose intolerance, and IBS.  It took several years and a second biopsy before I was rediagnosed with celiac disease.  This time the doctor knew that gluten was causing the problem but he didn’t fully understand the diet.  Corn Flakes and Rice Krispies were on the list of foods I could eat.  He even told me that beer was fine.  So I educated myself.  I went to culinary school to understand how foods are prepared and how to replace the gluten in the recipes.  It was my only choice unless I wanted to eat baked potatoes and naked burgers for the rest of my life.

What was the hardest part for you switching over to being gluten-free?

There was nothing available by way of products or resources when I was diagnosed.  My cravings motivated me to teach myself how to cook and bake gluten-free.  If I wanted a cake, I had to recreate it with gluten-free ingredients.  But I always viewed this as a challenge rather than a liability.  A positive attitude and a good support system turned this from a dire prognosis to a culinary adventure.   It’s a journey I’ve been on ever since.

How has the gluten-free community changed since you were diagnosed with celiac disease?

We’ve gone from zero to sixty miles an hour in this industry since I was diagnosed.  I can’t even begin to describe all the changes.  But here’s an example.  When I created Gluten-Free Pantry in 1993, we were still thinking that 1 in 1,000 people had celiac disease.  The possibility that many others had gluten sensitivity was not even in the picture.  I often said I could stand on the street corner in Manhattan with a plate of my Chocolate Truffle Brownies and never come across another celiac, even if I stood there for a full day.  Today, I can’t go anywhere without running into half a dozen people with celiac disease and another dozen who are gluten intolerant.

You took the gluten-free world by storm, baking out of your own home and evolving into a successful business. Tell us in your own words what this whole process was like for you.

I guess I was a pioneer.  The business came out of a need.   I was making baking mixes so I could quickly whip up a bread or pancakes or a quick bread when I wanted something good to eat.  (After all, freshly baked has always been the way to go.)  Then it occurred to me that I could save some money on ingredients if I bought a 50 pound bag of rice flour.  Once it arrived, I knew I had to find a few other people to share the mixes with or I would never use up all that flour.  I had no idea the business would take off the way it did.  For the first three years, I was working night and day just to keep up with demand.  I couldn’t imagine marketing my products proactively.  The company was growing more than 30% per year just by word of mouth.  That’s amazing when you’re a little business.

What was your purpose in selling your first gluten-free company?

I became disheartened when so many entrepreneurs began copying my products.  Mix companies were showing up everywhere.  There must be over a hundred of them today and each one has a sandwich bread, a pizza mix, a brownie, a cupcake, and so on.  They all  claim they started the business because there was nothing good out there.  But honestly, there are plenty of great mixes now.  When I started Gluten-Free Pantry there truly was nothing else available for gluten-free consumers.   I wish people would copy the pioneering spirit instead of copying each other and create products that are a unique and fill a void in our lives.

When I created the company, I was a lifeline for our customers.  The first time we moved to a larger location, the phone lines were down for nearly a day and people freaked out, fearing we had gone out of business!  I’ll never forget when a customer called the local police to check on us and someone came to find me.  I had that kind of connection to our customers and I felt I had a commitment to help them live well on a gluten-free diet.  But, by the time I sold the company, I did not feel that way.  I knew our customers had other choices.  I didn’t feel like I was letting people down.

What did you do with your “free time” after that?

I spent time with my elderly parents until they passed away.  Then I went back to school to get an MFA in creative writing and wrote a memoir as my thesis.  It’s still in process, but I hope to publish it one day soon.  And then I wrote a cookbook, “Gluten-Free Makeovers.”

On your website, glutenfreemakeovers.com, you have a section called “baking basics” where you help many people who are having trouble baking gluten-free. You must enjoy helping others be successfully gluten-free in their own kitchens. What inspired you to start glutenfreemakeovers.com?

I think “makeover” is my mantra.  I have always looked at ways to recreate favorite foods so we can enjoy them.  It was the concept that led me to create the GF Pantry and the recipes in the cookbook and on the web site.  I really do enjoy helping people.  This is a challenging lifestyle, but not impossible, especially with all the variety these days.  As long as people view this as a challenge and understand the rewards are delicious, safe foods, they will happily embrace the gluten-free lifestyle.  I can’t begin to describe the feeling I get when I see someone smile because they baked something delicious or tried something yummy that I fed them.  This is as good as it gets.

You have quite a record of cooking and baking. Was this something you always had an interest in?

Coming from a childhood where I ate bananas seven different ways, I have always been hungry for good food and great variety.  I think that childhood experience heightened my culinary curiosity.  When I was a kid, I trolled the neighborhood looking for handouts, for things that were not allowed on my diet.   I visited my friends’ homes and checked out their refrigerators.  I asked the mothers what they were serving for dinner and hinted boldly that I might like a taste.  I bought candy at the penny candy stores in my neighborhood.  (Sugar was another thing I couldn’t have.)  Food became intensely interesting to me.  That hungry still persists.

You recently published a gluten-free cook book “Gluten-Free Makeovers” published by Da Capo Press . What inspired you to do so?

I have gathered so many great recipes since I started Gluten-Free Pantry and then after selling it and writing recipes and articles for Living Without Magazine.  I wanted a place to organize them.  And, frankly, they are good recipes.  I wanted others to enjoy them, too.  By the way, I cook from my own cookbook all the time and so does my sister who was diagnosed with celiac disease seven years ago.

How did you choose which delicious recipes would be included in your cook book versus those which would not be?

I picked recipes that filled a void – - favorite family traditional dishes, wonderful cakes and cookies that I thought we should all have.  After I set up an outline and chapters, some of the recipes had to be shelved.  I had way too many.  But that’s good news.  Now I have enough material for another book someday.  In addition, people are always sending me their recipes to make over.  That’s fun, too.

You have come up with so many gluten-free recipes, any plans on another cook book in the future?

Perhaps I will do another cookbook.  I think the big deterrent is that there are so many cookbooks out now.

Anything else you want to share?

Lots of people are intimidated by gluten-free cooking and overwhelmed by the diet and lifestyle.  I encourage people to give it a try and not be discouraged.  Take baby steps at first.  By that I mean start with a couple of mixes from a company you’ve heard about and trust.  Become accustomed to the way gluten-free flours handle and branch out slowly.  Find a cookbook (hopefully mine!) and try one or two recipes just to get started baking from scratch.  Next thing you know, you’ll be making your own flour blends and making over mainstream recipes just like I do.  Just keep a positive attitude.

Miranda Jade Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

It’s always an honor to be recognized for your work.  I don’t think anyone could deny that statement and recognition from your peers is always a grand experience.  With Danny the Dragon receiving non-stop recognition since its release, I keep thinking it can’t get better.  A few months ago, I received confirmation that my eBook about my other undeniable cause Celiac Disease and Gluten-Free living Gluten and Your Aging Body had not only been nominated, but won a Silver Medal for eBooks in the Florida Publisher’s Association’s President’s Book Awards.

The Florida Publisher’s Association is a collection of publishers, self-publishers, authors, publishing industry friends and publishing vendors from Florida founded in 1983 by Betty Wright with the intent of giving Florida’s growing group of book publishers an opportunity for education and networking.  In 2005, then-President of the group Dinah Arnette decided to start recognizing the authors and publishers of the group in honor of their 25^th anniversary, establishing the FPA President’s Book Awards.  The tradition continued and in 2011 they decided to open the competition up to the public for the first time.

I cannot express fully how honored I am to be a part of this incredible group and to be featured among the other winners.  To have two books recognized for excellence by my peers in the publishing and writing industry is the greatest honor I could ever ask for.

Thank you, FPA and thank you colleagues.  It truly is a great honor.

Tina

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

The celiac community has seen a surge of helpful resources in the form of eBooks, including Gluten Toxicity: The Mysterious Symptoms of Celiac Disease, Dermatitis Herpetaformis, and Non-Celiac Gluten Intolerance by Shelly Stuart, R.N., B.Sc.N. The book contains 248 pages and 30 chapters of clearly laid-out answers and advice for those with celiac disease, DH (dermatitis herpetaformis), and gluten intolerance.

The eBook offers extensive descriptions of symptoms, breaking them down into numerous categories, and diagnosis and the gluten-free diet are dealt with in detail. What sets the book apart from others is an assortment of topics that Shelly takes up in the latter part. Some chapter titles awaiting you are “Thirty Lifestyle Tips To Help Ease The Transition,” “What If The Gluten-Free Diet Doesn’t Work?”, “Could A Grain-Free, Specific Carbohydrate, Paleolithic, Or Elimination Diet Be Helpful?”, and even “Is A Gluten-Free Or A Grain-Free Diet Healthier For Dogs And Cats?” Shelly even shares not one, not five, but twelve theories of why the prevalence of celiac disease has increased. She even shares a list of “Global GF Bloggers,” listing my website, http://glutenfreehelp.info, under this category.

Shelly suffered the effects of gluten toxicity for many years before she was finally diagnosed with celiac disease. After she was diagnosed, she had her relatives screened, and her mother and one of her three daughters were also diagnosed celiac. Her mission now is to increase celiac awareness. She has created an exemplary eBook as part of this mission, and I highly recommend you avail yourself of it.
http://celiacnurse.com/products-page/e-book/gluten-toxicity-ebook-pdf/

Tina Turbin
www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

b.a.

In Fresh from Elizabeth’s Kitchen, author Elizabeth Kaplan utilizes her abundance of culinary education credentials and sincere care throughout her cookbook on each and every page to give us a variety of family-friendly gluten-free recipes. You can enjoy her well thought out personal recipes in a box form her own Gluten Free company, The Pure Pantry.

Elizabeth has a flair for developing recipes and cooking. She has a real eye for capturing “the moment”; the book is full of captivating still photography that invites you into her world, her family, and her kitchen.

I was pleasantly surprised at the range of recipes this book offers with a full chapter devoted to one of my favorite meals, breakfast. She presents so many ideas she makes breakfast fun all over again.

I tried out the recipes for Quick Cranberry Nut Coffee Cake, Lentil and Root Vegetable Soup, Asparagus and Leek Risotto, Sticky Toffee Pudding with Warm Caramel Sauce, and they all turned out absolutely delicious!

In my estimation, this book is one of the finest gluten-free cookbooks available. I also can not say enough about a woman who can run a family, run a company and write her own book.

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

k.m., t.t.

Author Mary Capone teaches us fine classic Italian dishes from her roots in the Italian Countryside.
Upon reading The Gluten-Free Italian Cookbook, I felt a sense of warmth from the author as she opened her heart and the doors to her “world”—her past, her family, and her heritage. Mary grew up in New York in the kitchen and around an Italian table with family meals being the excitement of the day. Platters of food adorned the table, and laughter and love, which was in every dish.

Mary’s travels in Europe after college brought her to her roots, her love—Italy. Crossing the border she knew instantly she was at home. When she returned to her father’s village, she was taught the secrets of simple Southern Italian cuisine, which she brought back to the States, opening “Marie’s Crêpes”—European crêpes made to order.

Mary started having signs of an auto-immune disease shared by her grandmother, who eventually died from the disease. Mary was told it was genetic and nothing could be done. She spent years searching for solutions. As with many celiacs, she finally diagnosed herself, had the blood test performed, and it was confirmed. She had celiac disease. She began to regain her health as she began eating gluten-free.

The gluten-rich diet of her ancestors was her new nemesis. Rather than looking at all she must avoid, she yearned for recreating those lovely dishes in a cuisine she could eat—one by one. The transformation evolved in her own kitchen as she created healthy gluten-free alternatives.

In 2005, with a recipe book full of one-of-a-kind dishes exuding the flavor, aroma, and love of Italian food, Mary opened the Wheat-Free Gourmet Cooking School in Boulder, Colorado. The spirit and joy in her cooking school is what inspired her to share her recipes with the gluten-free community.

Each of Mary’s recipes has a concise yet personal prelude setting a lovely scene for the forthcoming dish. Each story reflects on the pleasure and love she imparts now to the reader. Not only is this a cookbook you’ll treasure and have on your shelves to use for years to come, it is a story, a life story Mary shares openly. Her personality shines through—a peaceful, artistic culinary soul. I for one feel as if I made a friend, by owning this book alone.

The dishes in The Gluten-free Italian Cookbook are nutritious, earthy, truly Italian, and bursting with flavor. I get a sense of the aromas just reading the recipes. Each one offers a dairy-free version simply explained and well-tested. She has vegetarian options as well. Many beautiful photographs accompany the book as well as a hint of family, scattered amongst the pages, letting the reader in on her family album.

This is a cookbook devoted primarily to gluten-free Italian meal options, not just desserts.  With dishes such as Eggplant Caponata (Caponata di Melanzane), mushrooms and Olive Tapenade Crostini, Aunt Caramel’s Baked Stuffed Artichokes (Carciofi con Pane e Salsiccia), Our Daily Bread, Seafood Pizza and Mary’s Traditional Dairy-Free Ricotta, one is never at a loss for a culinary adventure resulting in an aromatic and love-filled meal—from Mary’s heart to yours.

This is one of the most pleasurable “reading” cookbooks I have had the opportunity to have, read, and own. I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone looking for a healthy alternative to cooking—simple gluten-free. “Mangiare bene, bere bene e’ vivere bene.” To eat well, to drink well, is to live well. This is how Mary likes to live her life, and shares a part of that living through this cookbook.

I give this book a thumbs up, Mary is a delight and it is HIGHLY recommended by me! 
Tina Turbin
www.glutenfreehelp.info

It’s rare to find a recipe that is capable of catering to the needs of the gluten-free, food allergy, diabetic, vegetarian and vegan communities—all in one recipe. Debbie Johnson’s cookbook, Fun with GF/LG Foods, is full of such recipes, and what’s more, the book available in the handy eBook format.

This cookbook is the first of its kind in that every single recipe in it is free of gluten, sugar, and the common food allergens as well as digestion-friendly and low-glycemic. Allergic to tree nuts? No problem. Lactose intolerant, vegetarian, or even vegan? Debbie offers alternatives for you for most of her recipes.

Not only are Debbie’s recipes accommodating, they’re also great-tasting, my favorites being the onion and broccoli quiche and the cherry-almond tart—simple to make and simply delicious!

The 75 recipes are easy to follow with tried-and-true instructions from Debbie, who has been eating low-glycemic foods since childhood and has been gluten-free for years. She was also the chef and owner of a restaurant, where she created and served these well-loved recipes. Her culinary background is evident in her flavorful and simple-to-follow recipes.

I have observed that people underestimate the effects of gluten and sugar on our health. Thanks to Debbie, we have a whole collection of recipes that allow people to enjoy food without these ingredients.

Debbie doesn’t just share recipes, she also helps us improve our own cooking by giving us tips such as how to make cream sauces without real cream or how to make a proprietary-blend, low-glycemic sweetener. These tips are invaluable when it comes to making you a gluten-free master chef yourself.

Don’t forget the unique eBook format! As Debbie shares on her website, http://glutenfreefun.com, there are several advantages to this. eCookbooks are handy because you can save recipes as your own Word file, changing the recipe as you please to suit your needs, and then print which recipes you want to use. If there are any spills or messes, you can just reprint, and it is oftentimes easier to work with a single sheet of paper rather than a bulky book when cooking. If you do want to have a hard copy cookbook of your own, you can just print the eBook and bind it yourself.

I highly recommend ordering Fun with GF/LG Foods, especially for those who are not only gluten-free but need to maintain a low-glycemic diet. You’ll not only add 75 recipes to your repertoire, but you’ll gain from Debbie’s experienced advice to improve the quality of your homecooking.

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

k.m.

Tina Turbin www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

k.m.

m.j.

Betty Crocker has already made waves in the gluten-free community with their delicious gluten-free baking mixes for brownies, cakes, and cookies.

Betty Crocker went gluten-free after two women in the company found themselves in the world of gluten-free living—one of them diagnosed with celiac disease and the other one forced to go gluten-free for the sake of her child.

Now Betty Crocker has a recipe book with 280 gluten-free recipes and tips for cooking and shopping—for only $11.50.

Click on the link below to order your copy:

http://bettycrocker.k-online.biz/cgi-bin/C47C96C3/mac/additmdtl.mac/showItemDetail?loadItem=MRB206

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

I’ve read and tested many cookbooks, but this one is quite unique as its author is not only an award-winning executive chef but has a Bachelor of Science degree in holistic nutrition and has worked in the food industry for 40 years.

Chef Alain Braux has written a book based on his conviction that the foundation for good health is good nutrition. After many years as a French chef, he has compiled more than 80 of his favorite recipes and proves that healthy food is also delicious.

This book has a wealth of researched information on celiac disease, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the gluten-free diet, lists of organizations, shopping lists, etc. With 10 years under his belt as a nutritherapist, helping many people with health conditions such as cancer, CD-ASD, ADD/ADHD, diabetics, food allergies and more, Chef Braux sits in a position unlike most cookbook authors. With his impressive credentials, vast experience, and his heart of gold (inspired to truly help people as much he can), his book is an especially welcome resource in our homes.

After reading his well-written information on understanding the body and what may be happening to it, Chef Braux then says, “Let the fun begin.” 80 incredible, very unique GF (gluten-free) and DF (dairy-free) recipes follow. Each is preceded by a simple description of the various flavors he uses as well as tips on his baking notes. He reveals all. He offers breads, soups, appetizers, main dishes, desserts and more.

A few of our favorites were Classique Mousse and Mousse Chocolat: Classic French Chocolate Mousse and Crème Brûlée à la Lavande: Lavender Crème Brûlée and Gâteau Moelleux aux Bananes et Noisettes: Moist Banana and Hazelnut Pound Cake or Muffins (pgs. 226-228). The list goes on. There aren’t many recipe books like this one, that’s for sure: French food made as appetizing as French cuisine can be, yet gluten-free. It’s amazing what Chef Braux has pulled off.

The book has 180 pages of information about health issues for just about anyone who can benefit from a gluten-free diet. His style of writing gives you the sense that you’re talking with a knowledgeable, caring friend.

Chef Braux is just that—a caring soul—and this book should be in every household.

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

k.m.

It’s not every day that you find a resource book that both parents and children can read for valuable information about celiac disease. Katie Chalmers has achieved this with her unique picture book, Mommy, What Is Celiac Disease?

After a child’s celiac diagnosis is made, there comes the inevitable talk when Mommy, Daddy, or both must explain what this means and how it will change their family. Mommy, What Is Celiac Disease? depicts in unique illustrations and creative dialogue, full of unique similes that children will connect with, this crucial conversation between a newly diagnosed celiac girl and her Mommy. Not only does the book fully describe the disease, even defining gluten, and explain the gluten-free diet and the lifestyle changes it requires, but it also exudes an optimism, giving parents an example of the positive attitude they should take with their kids.

The book is not only a valuable resource for celiac kids and their parents, but for other family members, friends, teachers, school administrators, and more.  It explains the disease in an informed way without complicated and scientific jargon, earning the praise of various celiac experts and writers.

Katie Chalmers not only authored the book but, a freelance graphic designer, she illustrated it as well. Shortly after being diagnosed with celiac disease, one of her twin daughters tested positive, and Chalmers made sure to explain the disease clearly and in a positive light. Her picture book does just that and ensures that other parents will be able to follow in her successful footsteps.

I highly recommend this book for anyone with a celiac child in their life. I am also very pleased to share her delightful website http://www.katiechalmers.com where you can easily purchase the book.

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

b.a.