Welcome 2013!

The New Year is only one day old, and I have already given it a lot to do.  I have set some goals and have others in queue. I am doing a bit of the "making new habits" mantra while also appreciating the ones I was able to change or incorporate in 2012.  Transforming my life into a gluten free existence was--as I look back on it--a lot harder at times than I expected. But I made it through, and I am much happier as a result.  I even took the plunge into regular exercise once I wasn't feeling like the walking dead every day, and by Christmas Day was 20 pounds lighter than this time last year. Yeah, I'll take it. And I will be keeping the "exercise regularly" habit in my bag of tricks.  It feels good.

But this journey was never about losing weight.  It was about being able to enjoy food and enjoy life without sickness. Without a foggy head. Without an aching body. And now that I am closing in on the one-year anniversary of the big change that made it all possible, I am finally...finally...feeling comfortable enough in my gluten free habits to experiment a bit with my cooking.  I used to love culinary improvisation, but I lost a bit of my kitchen mojo when my focus was on ingredients, and eliminating cross contamination, and finding out exactly which things that are "packaged on equipment that also packages wheat" I can enjoy and which ones make me wish I hadn't gotten out of bed that morning.

But, the mojo? She is back. And I am having a lovely time creating interesting meals that make me smile.  So, for 2013, one of my goals is to post here at least once a week with a recipe or restaurant or recommendation that made living the gluten free life a little easier--at least for me.  I hope to see a lot of sharing from you, too.  Leave a comment when the mood strikes you, or you can even drop me a note at dish.on.this AT gmail DOT com. I am especially interested in getting some restaurant or grocery recommendations from people outside the Pittsburgh area because I would love to see this blog become an approachable resource for people like us living in every corner.

Happy New Year everyone!