Good Friday ~

Easter is just two days away and on this Good Friday I look outside my office window to see the snow falling...yes, snow on April 10th. Evidently, this is spring in Nevada.

In my last post I wrote about the possibility of my mother also having Celiac Disease but I don't have an update for you yet - she's still awaiting test results. We are all curious, though I think she's a bit afraid to call the Dr.'s office to find out! We understand.

I wanted to share with you my two gluten-free foodie experiences that I had this week here in Reno:

On Tuesday afternoon I stopped by the local Great Harvest Bread Company in the Plumbgate Shopping center to see if the rumors of gluten-free fresh-baked bread on Monday's and Tuesday's was true - it is! I picked up a delicious loaf of cinnamon-raisin bread that is actually quite tasty and light. They also bake plain white bread and pumpkin bread on Monday's and made-to-order items. If you live in the Reno area, it would be worth a try. It just felt special to walk into a bread company and request a loaf of bread from the rack and then walk out feeling quite "normal"...I know it's only bread, but it's also progress!

Another tasty experience happened yesterday while dining at Beaujolais Bistro with a client. I had the pleasure of working on a TV shoot two weeks ago at this Bistro for another client, and at 5 a.m. Chef/owner Bill Gilbert had prepared an amazing rabbit confit that we were all enjoying, along with some wine for breakfast! I had never dined on rabbit before, mostly due to my affection for the little creatures, but after a 3 a.m. wake up call, the savory, buttery aroma won me over and I dug in for my first bite of authentically prepared rabbit with amazing beans imported from France, sprinkled with hazelnuts...my mouth is watering just recounting and writing this...and yes, it was all gluten-free.


Yesterday's lunch was just as lovely. I ordered the scrumptious Omelette (Organic eggs) with mushrooms and Gruyére, served with a perfect organic salad, drizzled with an amazing vinaigrette. The flavors of this meal were bursting in my mouth and in all honesty, conjured up memories of dining in Paris and France. The freshness of every ingredient is hard to find in this city or in the majority of restaurants, in general. The care and understanding of real French cuisine is defined at Beaujolais Bistro and by Chef Bill.

In addition, the majority of their daily soups are gluten-free and thickened with a light cream, vs. a heavy flour base. Be sure to ask your server but each time I've visited now, I've reviewed the menu with both the Chef and server to discuss what is and isn't safe for a Celiac, and they are very helpful and careful.

It's still snowing and gloomy outside but on this particular day, Good Friday, it seems appropriate. However, by Easter Sunday we should be experiencing temperatures in the high 60's and lots of sunshine ~ just in time to celebrate Life!

Happy Easter and don't eat too many chocolate bunnies!

Cheers ~

Celiac Family Ties...

It's April Fool's day and already spring time - hard to believe. When I got a call from my mom earlier today stating that she might also have Celiac Disease, I thought she was playing an April Fool's joke on me at first, but she wasn't. She's been suffering with stomach issues as of late and her weight has dropped and she's just really thin and can't ever seem to remedy that. I had suggested last month that she pay a visit to my wonderful Celiac doc, Dr. Dennis Yamamoto in Reno. She did so, and after a colonoscopy, the results revealed that she's healthy; no tumors, no ulcers, etc...but the issues she was having have persisted. This morning, Dr. Yamamoto met with her and delivered his opinion about the fact that he feels she most likely has Celiac Disease due to the inflamed lining of her stomach.

To this present day, I'm the ONLY person in our entire family, on both sides, who has this disease. Others have complained of stomach issues and abnormalities, yet they won't get properly tested. My maternal grandfather died of stomach cancer, but we always assumed it was due to his years of smoking and drinking alcohol (that generation of men were drinkers) and an unbalanced diet, perhaps. My maternal Aunt also has huge issues with her stomach and numerous other related problems, that in my mind, are directly related to having an auto-immune disease...but what do I know right, I just live with Celiac and was diagnosed after nine years of suffering! :)

If my mom does end up having Celiac Disease I think I will be filled with mixed emotions for her. On the one hand, she's lived around my disease for years now and has been a tremendous help and support to me, always by my side and willing to learn anything and everything about CD, so she definitely has a "head start." But on the other hand, I will be a little sad for her, knowing how much she loves her Guinness beer every once in a while, or a good Irish Coffee at the Buena Vista in SF, or a sweet roll. I also have the distinct feeling that she'll take this on full-force, yet try to hide the fact that she's overwhelmed and perhaps grieving a bit for her past life with gluten. I can't imagine living 63 years of life with gluten and then whammo - no more.

If the tests do confirm she has Celiac Disease, I've decided that my gift to her will be to show the support I've received during the last nine years, times 10. I want her to grieve for what's behind her, but be excited and hopeful about a "new life" that would consist, most-likely of better health, more energy, some weight gain and longevity. It's all any of us can hope and pray for in life.

And for all of you out there who have been recently diagnosed or maybe still struggling with the adaptation that must take place as you transition into a life sans gluten, know that you are NOT alone and take comfort in the fact that this is truly a great time to be diagnosed as a Celiac. That statement may sound strange or "Pollyanna" to you, but I can tell you, as someone who rarely found a "gluten-free" product on a store shelf nine years ago, your resources now are abundant and blossoming. In addition, I can tell you for a fact that the struggle is worth the effort and "cheating" will get you nowhere but sick in bed for weeks.

I will update you once my mom's diagnosis is soundly determined. It could be an interesting week for our family. If she does join "my world" you never know what can happen - maybe this blog will take on a new shape and theme...

Two Celiac minds are always more creative than just one!

Until then, keep sticking to your gluten-free diet and enjoy the benefits of eating healthy and all of the goodness that nourishing, fresh food brings to your body.

First Day of Spring -

It's Friday and it is also the first day of spring!! So I thought it was a perfect day to share these beautiful photos of the ocean that I took last weekend from a beach and a certain bench in Del Mar, CA -

The ocean is so amazing to me and delivers such a sense of peace and a big dose of humility, all rolled up in one perfect, crashing wave. The sound of the surf is truly what brings me the most peace and sense of gratitude.

Enjoy the peace that comes from these photos and enjoy the first weekend of spring 2009!






Also, if you happen to be in Carlsbad, CA anytime soon...you MUST stop by Jimbo's Market on Calle Barcelona and treat yourself to some truly delicious and wonderful gluten-free baked goods...like raspberry and blueberry scones, chocolate/vanilla cupcakes and a divine piece of strawberry cheesecake that I'm still savoring bite by bite...the baker at that Jimbo's location, Sarah, is classically trained and very knowledgeable on gluten-free baking and the process of non-gluten contamination in the kitchen .

A View of San Francisco, Gluten-free ~

It's Monday again....how did that happen?! Time flies, as did my last weekend trip to my hometown of San Francisco. What a wonderful location on the map. The great thing is you can grow up in that city, spend most of your formidable adult years there, yet still go back for a visit and have the ability to play tourist - rediscovering favorite haunts, and stumbling upon new ones.

I guess like most any metropolitan city, this can be the case, but in spite of all the travels I have made on this big, beautiful globe, I can honestly say that coming back "home" to San Francisco always fills my heart with pure joy and a sense of peace.

Isn't that nice?!

You know what else is nice...eating so well and so easily gluten-free in this city. Not as easy as say, Italy or New York...but pretty close. You can dine at open markets at the Ferry Building or at almost any SF restaurant safely, though I do have my list of tried and true that I tend to stick to that have been mentioned before.

Here's my photo essay from my gluten-free weekend in San Francisco ~


The SF Ferry Building tower on the Embarcadero ~


Amazing produce at the Farmer's Market~



The ever-famous Buena Vista Bar ~ Home of the SF Irish Coffee (not GF)






A view of Iluna Basque in North Beach ~

Beautiful, Organic Produce ~

Photo of the week ~

Don't you just want to be this little purple lettuce/cabbage guy all nestled in with his Fennel buddies?

Courtesy of the fantastic San Francisco Ferry Building Farmer's Market that takes place every Saturday.

Happy 1st Birthday, Bowl of Soul ~

My, how time flies. It seems like only a few short months ago the feelings of blogging began stirring around in my brain and soul and I started putting words to screen, slowly learning the "ins and outs" of creating my own public freedom of expression, dedicated to living a gluten-free, abundant life.

And slowly but surely, Bowl of Soul is no longer an infant but not yet a toddler. It's somewhere in the in between stage - better than crawling but not quite walking yet...but that's right where it's supposed to be.

I've learned so much about the world of gluten-free/Celiac blogging throughout the past 12 months, and honestly, I learn a little something new each and every day that passes. There is not only a wealth of amazing information out there surrounding this topic, but an established, supportive and enthusiastic community of gluten-free bloggers, each with their own take on life sans gluten, each flawlessly spilling out unique anecdotes from their own life story, all wrapped up with a whole lot of caring and sharing. It's a special community to belong to...and belong to, we do!

I wanted to post a fun list of other terrific blogs whom have added Bowl of Soul to their blog rolls or site, during only it's first year in cyber land.

Enjoy the diversity each has to offer:

- Boise Goodlife

- Love + Luck

- Crispy Cook's 101 Gluten Free Blogs

- Celiac Travel UK

- Gluten Free Travel Site and Blog under "Other blogs we like"

- Celiac.com

As we celebrate our first year of blogging, you know...me and my Bowl of Soul, we want to say thanks so much for all of your posted comments and gifts of support. Keep passing us along and we'll keep writing away...only after eating a few of those gorgeous Parisian macaroons you see above from Miette in Oakland.

Here's to abundance and friends!

A Taste of GF Thai Cuisine ~

There was a bit of celebration that took place in my life last week, with the help of my loved ones. You see, I completed my first writing assignment for Living Without magazine and submitted my story to the editor on Wednesday...three days before the real deadline!

When the article was completed, there was a brief moment of sheer terror as I hesitantly hit the "send" button on my computer, shooting my words out into cyberspace, hoping they would arrive in the editor's inbox and received with a smile, or at least a grin! So the weeks and weeks of writing and research have come to a close; at least for now.

My uber-kind parents and dear friend ML decided to take me to dinner, "post-send", to celebrate my accomplishment and enjoy some delicious food and drink together. Mind you, it was also the first real meal I'd managed to eat since January 3rd, after my gluten poisoning, so I savored every bite of that delicious cuisine at Café de Thai, in Reno...or as they describe their offerings, "sophisticated Thai cuisine served in a modern setting."

I've eaten gluten-free and safely at this restaurant for several years now and the head chef and wait staff are very knowledgeable and savvy with their knowledge of eating sans gluten. I am very careful about which items I choose, of course, but the staff has always promised to double-check with the chef on any menu choice I've made and if there's an issue with gluten, they make sure to come back with an alternative choice, and the offering clarity.

It's not every day as a Celiac that you can dine on delicious Pad Thai, mango chicken, and Thai slaw salad with pear...and the pièce de résistance...


Thai Tapioca!

Cafe de Thai serves my absolute favorite tapioca, rich with flavor and served warm with mint. I highly recommend enjoying a lunch or dinner there for yourself, and don't forget to try one of their delightful and unique alcoholic beverages from the hip bar, just behind the ceiling-to-floor water feature. The restaurant's atmosphere is worth the visit, in itself.

Make sure to tell your server that you are eating "gluten-free" and you too will be sure to enjoy a wonderful dining experience.

Enjoy and be safe ~