Like you, just having a decent cheese sandwich was an impossibility when we first found out we were gluten/wheat intolerant. Now we have sandwiches like this one made with Astoria Mills Artisan Mix -White which also makes buns, rolls, pizza, donuts and artisan chiapatta style breads.

My husband was the first in our family to find out he was gluten intolerant. I found it a real challenge to feed him originally and really tried to come up with some tasty solutions.

In our regular lives, we are busy entrepreneurs, with a background in photography and media and assignments often take us out.

It is not easy to eat just anywhere, like others in this situation we try to carry food with us. Even carrying food with you is a challenge as it has to stay reasonably fresh too.

People often wonder that we are both gluten intolerant, what are the odds? Anyway to make a long story short, over the years feeding a family of four a gluten free diet has been a challenge. I was determined to make good tasting foods, traditional as possible, breads, cakes and pies.

For the past few years there were more gluten free foods in stores than there were almost 20 years ago when we began this diet. The boys just say, however, "Mom, we like your cooking better!" They have been my toughest critics, not wanting to appear different from other kids!

If it doesn't taste good they won't eat it!

We humbly hope to help others handle their gluten free lives more easily and also help people save time in their busy lives and also save money on this gluten free diet. You won't have to go through the painful stages of trying to find out how to make good gluten free foods.

My family have worked hard to be able to offer a complete system of gluten free cooking and baking that rivals the use of wheat. Astoria Mills has meticulously sourced gluten free certified ingredients for our mixes which are blended in a gluten free facility. Our endeavor is to help you take the guess work out, provide reasonably priced, high quality nutritional food ingredients.

Astoria Mills offers support to local bakeries and restaurants, wholesale mixes in large quantity, commercially tested recipes, and advice on avoiding cross contamination are available. Chefs can use our mixes and recipes as a basis for providing menus to the gluten free market with confidence in the quality. Some restaurants don't carry a gluten free line because they think the numbers will not warrant the additional costs to them. We can show you how to keep costs low and still deliver a great and safe product.

Please join our Gluten Free Support Network for help and more gluten free ideas. Joining is free, give and get positive help on your gluten free or alternative foods journey.

I have even been known to make my gluten free pizzas for my sons whole classes at school. None of them knew they were eating gluten free pizza as I had been sworn to secrecy! You know how difficult it is, children and teens don't want to feel different.  These days there is much more understanding but back then ....well you get the picture. Having a pizza with friends is much more than just eating, it is a social experience!

In all of my Gluten Free Recipe books, I offer tips and advice gleaned from my own experience in feeding a gluten/wheat intolerant family, from my own research and personal experience. I am not a doctor, or nutritionist, I make no claims in that regard. My recipes are from my own hundreds of hours of research and experimentations with foods over the years. I was a good cook in my previous life, and it was a shock to have to set aside all that. My grandmother lovingly taught me how to make wonderful Oklahoma Corn Bread and Scones. My mother gave me a discerning pallet and taught me how to make really good pies. Through my family, I have been exposed to the wonderful cuisine of both Great Britain - Europe and the Southern USA as well as the pioneer spirit and recipes passed down from both Canadian and American relatives. I was determined to find ways to both feed my family nutritious meals and not deprive them of the wonderful memories that come from sharing truly great food.

I have brought gluten free bread, cakes and pies to church suppers and never mentioned they were gluten free. I sure did have some lovely comments about how good things were though. So I know you will enjoy the recipes in my books using Astoria Mills Mixes and system. I have tried to be really exact and give step by step instructions. Many times in gluten free baking, the order in which you do things, and the methods employed make all the difference. As in regular wheat baking, one flour does not suit all...

You will find that the easy recipe format I use helps you make a recipe the first time, and then after you have made it a few times, it also helps you just scan the ingredient measurements without wading through paragraphs of method. Have a look at my book Health & Nutrition, with help in beginning this diet and and Encyclopedia of foods you can eat.

If you would like to write to me and ask a question, I am happy to help. email Trina