Amie Valpone of TheHealthyApple.com
It’s Friday! And that means, during Celiac Awareness Month, we continue our series of profiles highlighting great gluten-free bloggers. Previous profiles include Shirley Braden from GlutenFreeEasily.com and AllGlutenFreeDesserts.com as well as Linda Etherton from TheGlutenFreeHomemaker.com
Amie Valpone, founder of TheHealthyApple.com is another go-to resource for gluten-free cooking. Based in New York City, Valpone’s mantra is one-ingredient whole foods. Besides having skills in writing and food photography, Valpone is a culinary nutritionist, health & food coach, personal chef, culinary nutritionist, and professional recipe developer.
Valpone’s journey to being gluten-free began when she wasn’t feeling well. “[I have been gluten free] since college back in 2001 because of stomach pains and I started cutting out certain foods. After dairy- I cut out gluten and that’s when I felt like myself again,” Valpone said. She started The Healthy Apple “to educate and help others find the answers to their unexplained health issues.”
As part of the Friday Profile series, I am asking a few standard questions that could give us all a few helpful tips in the kitchen:
What is the one ingredient/food item you consider a “must have” in a gluten-free kitchen and why. “Avocado- SO creamy you can do anything with it!!!” She even uses avocado in a recipe on her website for vegan chocolate mousse!
What is the tool in your kitchen you could not live without? “Spiralizer—so fun to make pasta with zucchini and beets and squash.” Click here to see an example of what a spiralizer is (I did not know).
What is the biggest mistake you have learned from in the gluten-free cooking/baking world? “If you are baking with coconut flour and bean flours- make sure you know what you are doing, haha! SO expensive and a bit tricky–I’m more of a cook than a baker!” (TheSavvyCeliac note: Here is some additional information on baking with coconut flour or bean flours.)
With all the experience you have had, what is the best cooking/baking advice you can offer to the gluten-free community? “Stay simple- ONE ingredient foods and eat organic whole nourishing fruits, veggies and lean proteins along with healthy fats from nuts/seeds/avocados.”
Looking for some recipe ideas? Valpone offered a nice blog post on 20 Healthy Gluten-Free Recipes for Spring! Check out what she has to say and I wish you happy and healthy cooking!
Tags: Amie Valpone, baking, celiac, cooking, foodie, foods, free, Friday, gluten, gluten-free, profile, The Healthy Apple, whole
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