Meet the Gluten-Free Girl

Shauna James Ahern, an admitted foodie, was diagnosed with celiac disease in May 2005 after years of unexplained exhaustion and endless series of medical tests. In her new book and award-winning blog, Shauna shares her experience of finding, once again, the joy of eating–this time, gluten-free.

Eating for Celiac Disease
The primary treatment for celiac disease is a gluten-free diet. And because gluten is found in a host of ingredients and foods, primarily wheat-containing foods, the diet requires that patients say "no" to a good numbers of favorites such as pizza, beer, pretzels, cinnamon rolls, bagels, cookies, cakes, and pies, to name just a few. Because gluten "hides" in a lot of processed foods, this disease requires constant vigilance and extensive label-reading. (You can find a list of gluten-containing foods at Celiac.com).

Gluten-Free Recipes
Shauna has developed hundreds of recipes that are not just gluten-free but simply great dishes. On her web site, you'll find recipes traditionally rich in wheat such as Lemon Olive Oil Cookies, Chocolate Banana Bread, Fried Chicken, and Pizza Dough, created for a gluten-free diet.

In 2006, the site won Best Food Blog with a Theme, and Shauna is considered one of the most authoritative online sources for information and inspiration on living gluten-free.

More on Gluten-Free
Check out our collection of naturally gluten-free recipes:
• Gluten-Free Appetizers
• Gluten-Free Desserts
• Gluten-Free Soups and Stews

Learn about celiac disease at Celiac.com and Celiac Disease Center.