First Post... Welcome!!!

First of all, I just have to say... wohoo!  This is my first post to the blog I have been talking about doing for a really long time.  And now... Here it is!  With SO many things I could talk about, I have to start with saying that the purpose of my blog is for me to share tips, tricks, funny stories, recipes, knowledge, and probably many other things related to living a life with a unique diet and a TON of food allergies.  I welcome you to my blog and thank you for reading it.

I have been eating a diet free of gluten and dairy for about 2 and a half years now.  I am also allergic to soy, nuts, bananas, some raw vegetables, avocados, and most tropical fruits.  I have some other random allergies, but I'll share about those later.  I have had to learn to think creatively when planning my meals, and I am looking forward to sharing all that I have learned with you.  When I first started eating gluten free, I was really quite devastated.  I couldn't figure out what to buy, what to eat, how to cook it, let alone how to pay for it.

But, what I have learned in that time is that the radical lifestyle change I have gone through in the last 2 and a half years has really been a positive thing.  Not to get too cheesy, but I have had the chance to see a really kind side of some of the people I am closest to.  For one, Scott, my boyfriend, is always coming home with new groceries he found at Sprouts for me to try, or he is researching gluten free stuff on Twitter... he is on a mission to make me a delicious gluten free beer also!  He also has cooked many meals for me when I haven't felt well, and he is my gluten free advocate when we go out to eat.  I have also been fortunate to have my family and friends be so caring... my sister Melissa has recently collected a bunch of coupons for gluten free stuff at Safeway, my sister Chrissy (who also eats gluten free) lets me know of new things around town, and my mom has now made many holiday dinners that were both delicious and didn't make me sick- which is not an easy thing to accomplish.

I look forward to sharing more with you very soon!