One of the things I love about baking is making people happy. Have you ever seen the look of surprise
and gratitude on the face of someone for whom you’ve baked their favorite treat? Baking didn’t used to
be so astonishing – everyone did it! They brought their baked goods to potlucks, to neighbors who were
new or under the weather, to events of every sort…it was just the “done thing.” But these days,
everyone is so busy and harried, it’s hard to take time out to bake something you’re just going to give
away, right? But I still do it – I just double the recipe so we get to keep some!
When I went gluten-free (and then dairy- and refined sugar-free), it was a tough transition. I didn’t
know what to bake people! Should I give them the things I was eating (which, at the beginning, weren’t
great) or should I make them the foods they love but that I know are not serving their health? I basically
did the latter, until I learned enough about GF/DF/SF baking to make it taste SOOO good, no one would
know the difference!
And, that’s the thing: healthy eating gets a bad rap. I don’t know if people have eaten a lot of tasteless
“health foods” or if it’s just an irrational stigma but there’s definitely a perception hump to get over
when I tell someone about the kinds of things I bake. I find it’s best not to tell them it’s healthy until
they’ve eaten it and then they’re shocked and amazed!
When it comes to those near and dear to me, I bake because I love them. Every weekend, I ask the kids
what they want. “French toast! Chocolate Muffins! Strawberry Shortcake!” Out come the replies and I
do my best to get them all in. I love that they love the foods I’m making for them – almost as much as I
love the fact that I know they’re not getting a bunch of junk (gluten/dairy/sugar/preservatives, etc.) that
they would if we were buying them.
So that’s my story. Baking is love. At least, it is in my family ��.