WELCOME to my recipe website! I would like to tell you a little about my recipes and why I have chosen to share them with the world. First and foremost, my recipes are food allergy safe (with the exception of nut allergies) and are completely healthy. My recipes follow a Paleo approach to eating and are inspired by ingredients that heal the body and mind instead of destroying it. In the Paleo approach to eating, you are eating as our ancestors did when humans first roamed the earth. This means you are eating to live life in the cleanest and most efficient way possible. By staying away from processed foods, soy, dairy, grains, gluten, corn, legumes, and unnatural ingredients, you are allowing your body to sustain itself the way in which it was intended. Not only will your body will become healthier, you will be digesting your food more efficiently while retaining the necessary nutrients you body is consuming food for in the first place. I know this sounds daunting but it REALLY isn’t! Your health and what you put into your body is a choice, so why not feed it in a way that will allow you to feel your best and to live life to the fullest!       Eating this way also does NOT mean that you have to sacrifice taste or even cravings for naughty foods that you just can’t live without. I love to eat and I do NOT like to be stuck with a craving I cannot satisfy without a healthy Paleo substitution. All of my recipes are intended not only to satisfy your cravings, but also to keep you full and satisfied. Living life to the fullest means enjoying life to the fullest, and that includes one of our greatest pleasures as human beings, which is eating!

One reason I was drawn to the Paleo approach in the first place was due to my lactose intolerance and Celiac diagnosis in my late twenties. Since I was in high school, and really as long as I can remember, I have had food allergies and stomach problems. These issues were more manageable in my late teens and early twenties, but around age twenty-five they became debilitating. The bloating, gassiness, pain, lack of energy, not to mention other unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms, was not only alarming, they made it difficult to function. I didn’t tell anyone, not only because I was embarrassed, but also because I was frustrated that I couldn’t figure out what was wrong with my diet in the first place. When I finally went to a gastroenterologist, I was tested and diagnosed with Celiac disease. I was twenty-eight and more than relieved to finally understand the cause of my suffering for so many years. I know that sounds strange to happily receive a diagnosis, but I was happy to know that gluten was the culprit.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects millions of people across the United States and worldwide. When someone with Celiac disease injests gluten, their body’s immune response actually attacks the villi of the small intestine, causing not only intestinal damage, but also preventing nutrients from food from being absorbed. This can lead to further health complications, including intestinal cancers, ulcers, and autoimmune disorders to name a few. Like many with Celiac disease and gluten intolerance, eliminating gluten from my diet helped my gastrointestinal symptoms, but did not completely eliminate them. After years of the disease going unchecked and damage to my intestinal lining, I was also plagued with additional symptoms that forced me to eat a completely gluten free, grain free, soy free, lactose free, and legume free diet. All of this happened while working through graduate school, and not having the time to fret about it, I simply found a solution. My solution was the Paleo approach to eating, which followed all of my dietary restrictions. I have followed a Paleo approach for years now and feel better than I have in my entire life. My body is continuing to heal; I have more energy, and feel like a fog has been lifted from my brain. Most importantly, I am happy because I not only look, but also feel great. I still struggle with residual symptoms every now and then, but that is NOTHING compared to the years of pain and exhaustion I suffered through.

A large body of empirical research has supported the Paleo diet. This research has proven the Paleo approach works to improve the health of everyone, not just those with food allergies or gastrointestinal diagnoses. Following a Paleo diet has shown to improve depression, adrenal fatigue, anxiety, thyroid issues, diabetes, IBS, weight loss and maintenance, in addition to many other symptoms and diagnoses. As my symptoms continue to improve dramatically, I have become inspired to help other struggling with their own diet and health problems. I have a passion for helping others achieve their optimal level of happiness and health. If my website helps even one person as much as I have been able to help myself, it will be worth it.