Jolie Wren never dreamed her kitchen would look like this. She cooked without second thought before going gluten-free; pasta was a staple, bread was a comfort, and cookies were just part of life. She was diagnosed with gluten sensitivity, though, following months of inexplicable stomach trouble and tiredness.
She says, “I first freaked out.” I felt as though I had to relearn all I knew about food.
Jolie treated her new diet as a challenge rather than caving in under frustration. She started slowly, substituting oat or almond for wheat flour, trying gluten-free pastas, and learning which packaged foods surreptitiously included gluten. Her pantry changed with time to become a place of intention rather than need.
“I realised that going gluten-free didn’t mean I had to live on rice cakes,” she says laughing. She discovered instead foods that made her feel good: quinoa and buckwheat, naturally gluten-free flours, substantial legumes, nut butters. These were not exotic foods; they were simply sensible decisions she hadn’t given any thought earlier.
Jolie discovered that keeping a gluten-free, well stocked pantry gave her confidence. She notes, “I stopped feeling limited and started getting creative.” Her food grew more colourful and varied, and her symptoms vanished gradually.
She cooks easily once more now, but with a fresh respect for how basic ingredients can produce mouthwatering, nutritious cuisine. She beams, “I don’t miss the gluten.” “I started to eat in better harmony.”
