Ex-Kettering woman writes about being gluten-free

The author will speak in Springboro.


How to go

What: Caroline Shannon-Karasik at Gluten-Free Food Lovers’ Club

When: 3 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: Dorothy Lane Market, Springboro

More info: dorothylane.com or sincerelycaroline.com

Caroline Shannon-Karasik was living in Kettering in 2010 when she received the celiac diagnosis that would change her life.

Within two weeks of being diagnosed and starting to eat gluten-free, she left behind years of crippling stomach problems.

One of the first people she turned to for assistance with her new gluten-free lifestyle was C.A. Diltz, who runs the Gluten-Free Food Lovers Club at Dorothy Lane Market in Washinton Twp. Diltz helped her navigate the gluten-free section and learn to cook and eat gluten-free.

This weekend, Shannon-Karasik, who now lives in Pittsburgh, will return to the Springboro Dorothy Lane market to speak and sign copies of her new book, “The Gluten-Free Revolution” (Skyhorse Publishing, $16.46), for the club that gave her her start.

Shannon-Karasik also shares gluten-free recipes and blogs about fitness, beauty and general lifestyle tips at sincerelycaroline.com.

Her new book contains recipes for gluten-free smoothies, desserts, main dishes, salads and more, plus information on yoga, pilates, dance, meditation, workouts and beauty products.

Beauty products?

Yes, they fit the bill, too: Some lipsticks and toothpastes, believe it or not, contain gluten (the protein contained in many grains), meaning celiac sufferers need to find alternatives.

The book is a fusion of Shannon-Karasik’s health journey and her professional abilities. She worked for Redbook, Penguin Books and other publications and publishing companies before going solo as a freelance writer.

A self-described “heavy baker” even before going gluten-free, Shannon-Karasik knew she needed to tackle the problem of learning to work with gluten-free flours, a tricky task for even the best of bakers.

“I made a lot of bricks and hockey pucks” in the beginning, she confessed, but she eventually modified many of her prior favorites to make them gluten-free.

And while she favors a healthy lifestyle, “I try to present a balanced approach. You can have your green smoothie and your brownie too.”

About the Author