Enjoying Gluten-Free Life

Shirley from Gluten Free Easily

When I was first diagnosed, I searched for recipes and found Shirley’s blog, Gluten Free Easily. Something about her posts made her seem friendly so, when I wanted to create my own blog, she was one of the first people I contacted and asked to be part of it. The second post on my blog is an itnerview with Shirley and a review of her Magic Oat Bars so I’m no stranger to her recipes. I’ve made those bars several times and they always make my sweets loving husband happy. When she posted her Black Magic Bars last summer, I made them that day, substituting pecans for the black walnuts she’d used. Once again, I knew my husband would love them and he did.

Shirley’s type of cooking, what she calls GFE, is based on naturally gluten-free foods but she mixes in some mainstream products that happen to be gluten-free and some, but not too many, of the pricier gluten-free specialty products. Her attitude is always down to earth and she makes you feel like you’ve found a friend when you spend time reading her posts.

For the adoption, I made her Big and Rich Brownies. They’ve been on my must-try list for a long time. They not only sound good but every time I go through her list of recipes, the name jumps from the page for an unusual reason.* I made the recipe with Better Batter and the result is a dense, chocolatey brownie which received husband approval.

Spend some time on Shirley’s blog and try a recipe or two. I think you’ll be glad you did.

*When I first moved to Nashville, Music City U.S.A., I worked publicity for a concert. It was pro bono so don’t get visions of grandeur I’m a writer so becoming a publicist and setting up radio interviews for performers was new to me. I had to learn the difference between an in-studio and a phoner. (It seems obvious as I write this but an in-studio is an interview in the studio and a phoner’s on the phone.) I didn’t know much about country music but had to get up to speed quickly. The host of this concert for charity was Big Kenny Alphin of the popular country music group Big and Rich. Hense the connection with Shirley’s brownies. (I’ll have a name dropper moment here with some of the other performers for the concert – Keith Urban, Faith Hill, Dierks Bentley, Brad Arnold of 3 Doors Down.) I had my music moment with this concert and decided that was enough. Here’s a photo from the concert’s press conference – left to right – two of the lost boys of Sudan, Big Kenny and his wife.