Casey Cromwell

My Recipes & Articles

• Your 5 Burning Questions Answered About Dealing with Food Allergies in College on August 31, 2020
• Berry Beet Nice Cream on August 28, 2019
• Dear Mom and Dad: You Saved Me from My Darkest Celiac Moments on May 8, 2017
• Citrus Greens Nice Cream (Dairy-Free Ice Cream) on August 14, 2015
• Cacao Peppermint Nice Cream on August 1, 2015
• Banana Berry Nice Cream (vegan, dairy-free) on July 17, 2015
• Seed-Stuffed Pesto on July 16, 2015
• Berry Coconut Granola (Gluten free/Vegan) on July 6, 2015
• Rainbow Lunch Bowl on July 4, 2015
• Coconut and Buckwheat Pancakes (vegan, paleo) on July 3, 2015
• Lip Smackin’ Pesto Zoodles with Hemp Seeds on June 21, 2015
• Easy Banana Date Bliss Balls on June 9, 2015
• Cozy Cacao “Zoats” (gluten-free no-oats “oatmeal”) on May 17, 2015
• Chicken Pot Pie (minus the gluten, dairy and eggs!) on
• Creamy Gluten and Dairy-Free Mac and Cheese on February 14, 2015
• My Celiac Diagnosis Made Me Scared to Eat on February 12, 2015
• Oat-less Oatmeal on January 31, 2015
• Salmon and Sweet Potato Sliders on December 23, 2014

My Story

My story is pretty simple. Girl loves food. Food stops loving girl. And, after months of acid reflux, nausea, weight loss and other symptoms, my doctor called with the diagnosis: celiac. How easily a word I’d never even heard of turned my life upside down.

I started eating gluten-free the week of my senior prom, but, even a year and half later, regaining my health is still an ongoing process. In my freshman year of college, I suffered from malnutrition, vitamin deficiencies and an inability to gain weight (even though I was at a dangerously low BMI) and I ended up in the hospital, being fed through a tube that went into my nose and down to my stomach. I struggled with a negative body image after celiac stripped me of 20 pounds. I’ve dealt with the social awkwardness of avoiding gluten while trying to enjoy the typical college lifestyle. Cooking all of my own meals has even become normal after my school cafeteria couldn’t accommodate my dietary needs. Despite the challenges, though, I’ve finally reached a place where I can be happy with my body and my diagnosis. Eating gluten-free isn’t easy, but it has transformed my life for the better.

Pre-diagnosis, food was fuel and I didn’t have any interest in exploring the culinary world beyond packaged foods and my “meat and potatoes” diet. Now, I’ve learned to eat more vegetables than a vegetarian – and love it! I’ve learned that avocados make the best accessory to nearly every meal and how to peel a pomegranate without looking like a murder victim. Just like my journey with health, my journey with food had its bumps. Because of the pain that food – even gluten free foods – initially caused my damaged intestines, I used to look at nearly all nutrients with fear. Now, I look forward to eating and trying out new dietary concoctions – as long as they’re gluten-free!

To learn more about Casey and her recipes, visit her at caseythecollegeceliac.blogspot.com.