A few days ago I completed an on-line interview for Become.com. The following is a transcript of that interview, which can also be found by clicking this link: Pocket Change/Become.com.
Why did you start Trav’s Gone Gluten-Free?
I started “Trav’s Gone Gluten Free!” a few months after I found out that eating gluten was the culprit behind my long list of ailments. At the peak of my illness, I had wasted away from 210 pounds to 145 pounds. I was constantly dizzy, lethargic, and suffered with debilitating migraines on a bi-weekly basis. It sucked, and it was scary! In fact, when my mom saw me at my worst, she ran out of the house and started crying. Once I started eating gluten free my health quickly improved. It was at that time that I decided to create a gluten free blog to help others in my situation. When my blog began, there wasn’t much information out there for people suffering with celiac disease, or gluten sensitivities. There were a few books, but they were expensive, as was most of the available gluten free foods on the market. I wanted to hook people up with easy and inexpensive gluten free meals and desserts. I also wanted to make sure that when they visited my blog there would also be links to a ton of resources to make living gluten free easier. So that’s what I did, and I’m still at it:)
What’s your favorite thing about blogging?
Just knowing that what I’m doing is helping people is really what I love most about blogging. I remember how scary it was trying to figure out how to live gluten free. The more recipes and information I can post on my blog, the easier it is for others to get used to the lifestyle change. I often receive emails from my readers thanking me for the blog and telling me how much it has helped them. That’s my favorite thing about blogging.
- My second favorite thing about blogging is that I have a permanent, and easily accessible database of all the awesome gluten free recipes I’ve discovered and/or created from scratch. It’s my own digital gluten free cookbook, and it never stops growing:)
Do you have a favorite gluten-free food? Why is it your favorite?
I’d have to say my favorite gluten free food is the pure, corn tortilla. I know it’s boring, but I use it for everything. I make soft egg and cheese breakfast tacos, use if for a wide range of sandwich melts, cut it up and fry it for fresh nachos, and make enchiladas out of it. It’s very versatile, and always inexpensive, two important factors when trying to live gluten free. Besides corn tortilla, I’d have to say all kinds of fruit and vegetables, since they’re all naturally gluten free.
As far as mainstream gluten free products, I’m really into all of Betty Crocker’s gluten free baked goods (i.e., Brownies, Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Cake). It’s so nice being able to drop into the local supermarket and grab a box of gluten free brownie mix off the shelf. It makes you feel normal again.
What’s your next project going to be?
I’ve actually just finished a big project! I created and published a gluten free recipe app for Droids and iPhones. It was a ton of work, but totally worth it. I love being able to pull up my recipes on my phone while shopping for ingredients for gluten free meals. It’s called “Gluten Free Desserts!” and can be found on iTunes, The Droid Store, and on Amazon.
The next project I plan to work on will be called “Resurrected Recipes.” I am the founder of an on-line bookstore called Helping Hands Books (www.helpinghandsbookstores.com) that helps support local youth development agencies. Sometimes we get donations of antique books, and from those donations I’ve collected a number of hand-written recipe books from the 1800s that are loaded with great dessert and dinner recipes. My project will be to “resurrect” them from the past and make them gluten free.
What’s the best advice ever given to you (with regard to gluten-free, celiac, blogging, or anything else)?
To be honest, I’ve never received any advice regarding celiac, gluten-free eating or blogging. I know that must sound strange, but it’s true:) Most people don’t know much about it, and the one’s that know a little, always ask me for advice.
Any recommendations for people who want to start their own blog or start eating gluten-free?
My recommendation for people starting to eat gluten free would be to keep it simple. Start by really exploring the basics, like using corn-tortillas for as many things as possible, or rice and beans, eggs, fruit, vegetables, etc. Something I know a lot of people do when they first find out they can’t eat gluten, is they go out and blow a ton of money on gluten free baked goods and specialty products. Gluten free can be done much less expensively and much more healthy if you get down to the basics of cooking. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, living gluten free forces you to learn to cook. No more instant or prepackaged meals; everything has to be made from scratch. Less convenient yes, but in the long run, it’s much better for your health and your bank account.
Who is your gluten-free icon?
My favorite gluten free blogger is Carol Kicinski of “Simply Gluten Free.” Not only is Carol a stunningly pretty woman, she’s a fabulous cook and takes amazingly beautiful food photography, Her blog was the first gluten free blog I came across. It was while reading her blog that I thought of the idea to begin my own.
What do you love most about blogging?
Like I said earlier, my favorite thing about blogging, personally, is that my blog helps others. However, I also love the fact that blogging allows us all to create a vivid, colorful, detailed record of our lives and our experiences. It connects people who would have never met otherwise, and it doesn’t cost a penny to do it!
What equipment do you use?
I use whatever cooking equipment is on hand, and I type my blogs up on my aging MacBook:)
How often do you work?
I work on my blog about once a week. Sometimes one every two weeks when things get busy.
