Greetings Folks! This week’s creative is someone who I have known for, let’s just say a long time. Every Christmas my friend Carrie creates the most amazing variety of sweet treats. A while back she discovered a dairy and gluten intolerance. Instead of giving up sweets, Carrie re-invented her recipes to be healthy for all!
Here Carrie shares her creative process along with links to her blog and cookbook, Sweets & Treats: Festive Recipes for the Clean Chocolate Lover.
“My creative juices begin flowing when something unexpected inspires me. I’ll often see something on a menu or at a bake shop or food market that’s made from ingredients that a friend, family member or I can’t eat, or would prefer not to eat. I’ll immediately start thinking about what ingredients I can use which will mimic it, while maintaining the taste, texture, color, smell and integrity of the dish.
I’ve always loved to cook and have a large family that I enjoy cooking for. I started 
creating my own recipes because many of my family members have allergies or sensitivities to gluten, dairy, soy, peanuts or other nuts. Others in my family follow a vegan or vegetarian diet. I personally can’t have dairy, gluten or soy, and feel better when I limit the amount of grains that I eat; so often enjoy eating a Paleo diet.
With so many dietary issues and preferences, it can be tough to try and create recipes which are both healthy and may accommodate many different diets. For me that’s a driving force and what makes it fun!
I like to keep learning about the variety of healthier ingredients out there and how they can be used to in different ways, such as to add some sweetness to a recipe, or used as a substitute for an ingredient I need to replace.
I love to be challenged, experiment with new ingredients and create recipes which are as good or better than those dishes that I’m inspired by! What gratifies me and keeps me inspired is knowing that I’ve helped someone to be able to enjoy something that they may otherwise have not been able to eat!”
Here’s a link to Carrie’s website; http://happyhealthybelly.info there’s a good variety of recipes, wellness tips 😁
This link just goes right to the Amazon page where the cookbook may be purchased on
https://www.amazon.com/Sweets-Treats-Festive-Recipes-Chocolate/dp/1537575058
L.M. Pampuro 