SARAH NIELSEN
“Celiac in the City”
A girl. Gluten free. Loves food. Will travel. Diagnosed with Celiac Disease in February 2008. Started a gluten free diet the day of diagnosis. Blessed with friends and family who are supportive and go out of their way to be part of this exciting and sometimes challenging adventure.
Those who welcome these dietary needs with open arms deserve to be recognized. This blog is an opportunity to give credit where it is due, thank those who make life easier, share success stories and give you a peek into our kitchen where I try to get creative, but sometimes I burn the cookies. The blogs and forums of others facing the same issues have been life savers. This is returning the favor.
Sign language interpreter by day, gluten-free guru by night, weekend, and any free moment I can find. In addition to running the blog, I organize monthly GF Get Together events in and around Milwaukee (and sometimes we take field trips!) where we come together to eat, drink, and be merry.
Celiac in the City 
Hi Sarah!
My name is Savannah and I am a Communications Intern at NAMI of Greater Milwaukee.
I was recently informed that you participated in the NAMI walk in the past. Well, it is that time of year again! The walk is taking place the morning of May 14th at Veterans Park on the Milwaukee Lakefront.
We would greatly appreciate if you could post our press release or a segment of information regarding the walk on your blog, if possible.
Please let me know if this is possible! Thank you so much Sarah!
Sarah, we would love for you to share your celiac story for publishing on our website. We just hired a wonderful Executive Director who used to work for Proctor & Gamble as their marketing director for 10 years. We both are interested in collecting celiac stories for publication during our September fundraising efforts (Samuel Gee’s birthday). Would you like to contribute your story in an effort to inspire others to donate to our foundation? Read about our current projects at http://helpingceliacs.com/projects/.
We appreciate your valuable time.
Hi Sarah, I’m also a food blogger in Milwaukee. I just discovered your site and am loving the recipes!
Hi Sarah – Thanks for helping spread the word about gluten free options in and around the city. It certainly makes life on the diet easier to navigate. Wanted to spread the word about my gluten free daughter – she is trying to raise funds to travel to Europe next summer and is selling some beautifully hand decorated gluten-free Christmas cookies to help pay her way. We’d be happy to send you some or if you could help us spread the word that would be fantastic. (Link posted below for you) Thanks!
Hi Nicole,
Thanks for stopping by — I’d love to help out! (you know how I love cookies!) And it’s the perfect time of year. Let’s touch base over email and make some plans! 🙂
Love your creativity!
I have therefore nominated you for the Versatile Blogger award as part of my favourite blogs 🙂
http://mylittlemoorishcooking.wordpress.com/2013/11/21/versatile-blogger-award-thank-you/
Hi Sarah,
I have just nominated your blog for the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award:
http://celiackiddo.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/blog-awards-and-my-holiday-cookie-addiction/
Please accept my kind regards without any obligation. This is my thanks for being such a great supporter and inspiration to me.
-Dana
I live in Milwaukee and I’m trying my hand at a gluten-free blog. Yours is great and I love your attitude about Celiac. You are such an inspiration to me. 🙂
Aww, thanks so much. Milwaukee has so many GF options, we are lucky! You should join us for one of my monthly GF Get Together events!
Hi Sarah, love the website and blog visits. I had been diagnosed with Celiac Spru disease in Jan 2010 then added colitis in April 2012. this leaves little to choose from. what is most frustrating is having to take steriods when I have flare ups, so in the last year I have put on 40 lbs along with fatigue. I am working on my 4th Dr so if anyone here can give a recommendation of a Dr that you are happy with I would appreciate it. I live outside of Milwauke, WI. also I’m looking forward to your receipe section. Thanks and feel good today 🙂
Amy
Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you can join us for our next GF Get Together. I was diagnosed in 2008, and also diagnosed with colitis in 2012, but I’m still loving life (and FOOD) so we can talk and make sure you are too! Feel free to drop me a line ANY time: celiacinthecity@gmail.com!
Sarah:
This is the first blog/site I’ve ever been too, I was just diagnosed about a 3 weeks ago, I also have chron’s disease, eating is something I loved, now I’m so disappointed and angry honestly. I know it will get better, it’s just right now I can’t believe I can’t have all the foods I’m in love with. I live inTexas so your pretty far away, but I intend to keep watching your blog and facebook. It’s encouraging and very helpful. Thanks for putting this out there. I believe that we are here for a reason and that our situations are for a reason and helping others is just so amazing, I’m blessed that you are here to help out. Blessings.
Brooke
Hi Brooke!
Thanks for stopping by and introducing yourself — and I’m honored to be the first site/blog to help you! 🙂
There are all kinds of feelings at the beginning of this adventure, and anger can most definitely be one of them. It can be frustrating and overwhelming as well. (been there!) But hang in there, it WILL get better, I promise you.
As you have read, I LOVE food. All things food. So I won’t give up on eating good food, just because I have had to modify things a little — and you don’t have to either! Hang in there. There is a great community here!
If you ever have any questions, feel free to ask them here, shoot me an email, or ask away on the FB page.
sounds like we have a very similar attitude about our diagnosis… I too believe that this diet is a another way for us to show kindness to one another!
You are ALSO the winner of my gluten-free greeting card give-away as posted on my blog!! Hope to hear from you with mailing instructions 🙂 Claudine
I just told my husband, “I have a friend in Canada now, her name is Claudine” — I think we’ll be fast friends. 🙂
I am “gluten intolerant” I have been told and live in Milwaukee too. I am so happy to have found your blog, as life is a lot more comfortable eating the right food!
WELCOME — and thanks for visiting! Be sure to check out the “Celiac in the City” Facebook page as well!
This is an awesome site and very helpful.
Brief history on myself, I was diagnosed with Celiac’s Disease over this past summer and have struggled finding acceptable tasting products but groups like yous that truly help.
When I was diagnosed I was completely shocked like anyone. I immediately rejected the idea an began pondering the consequences of living with GLUTEN. I have always lived with the discomforts that go along with the disease and just didn’t know the origin. My wife convinced me to grow up (I’m 42) and face the hand I was dealt.
So I have.
It has been an adjustment but I am getting used to it day by day. One thing that has been more challenging for me is satisfying my sweet tooth. I have always enjoyed my sweets at the end of the day, during my daily wind down time. In searching the retail arena I have found a few acceptable alternatives to my sweet addiction but rather have found more that are extremely bland. I only suffer from Celiac and have no other food allergies so I want everything that makes a cookie a cookie except for the GLUTEN.
I want TASTE, I WANT SUGAR, and bring on the CALORIES.
I am a 42 year old man that realizes cookies aren’t the healthiest of the food groups but I love them!!!
This leads me to my Mother’s business which is in your backyard, Hoschton, GA.
I don’t want this to be an infommercial but I am passionate about her product. My retired Mom owns a very small cookie company and she has traditionally made one cookie…Sanddollar Sugar Cookies, which I have adored since I was young. These are amazing traditional sugar cookies shaped like a sanddollar. She makes them in original, lemon and white chocolate dipped.
About a month ago I told my Mom she needs to create a cookie EXACTLY like her original minus the GLUTEN so I can continue enjoying them!
So she did and I believe this cookie is one of the best available.
Her first run was just completed and they are available on the internet ONLY and she has yet to begin marketing them. Check out her site when you get a chance http://www.luluscookies.com.
Another GREAT alternative for us GLUTEN FREE people!
Congrats on your one year blogging anniversary! Love the site – so happy you decided to do this 🙂
Thanks Jenny! Happy to be here with all of you!
Catching up on your latest and greatest write up’s! You’re doing awesome, your blog is awesome, gluten-free is awesome. Life is good. YES.
aww, thanks soul sister! life is good. lucky to have supportive, loving, caring friends like YOU that just get it. no questions asked. boom. done. xoxo
yea! I am here checking things out! It was great to tool around MKE this weekend and find great gluten free places we could both enjoy. See you in a couple of days for round 2!
Hi Sarah,
Just wanted to tell you that I found “Udi’s” bread at Good Harvest in Waukesha. It’s delicious. I may never bake again!!!
Hi Judy! Thanks for sharing. It seems Udi’s is popping up all over the place, love it! Have you tried their pizza crusts yet? DO! They are super thin, amazing.
Hey there kiddo,
Great looking site. I am really proud of you. While I am the only family member that has not been diagnosed with Celiac, Peggy Jo thinks I have it based on my reaction to different foods so we have been working on diet change (at least she is trying).
I found that there are alot of restaurants in the Tucson area that have a gluten free menu, but you have to ask for it. I never knew that until I ask. I wonder how many other restaurants out there offer gluten free, but don’t advertise it.
Love ya,
Jamie
Hi Sarah,
My name is Chef Michael Feker, owner of Il Mito Trattoria e Enoteca. I want to introduce myself to you and help raise awareness to all gluten free diners know that dining out is still possible!!! At Il Mito, I personally customize dishes for customers with celiac disease. With that, I am currently working on a menu soon to be available at IL MITO at all times. With that being said, I would love to have you join us and give us a try!
Ciao,
Chef Feker
Chef Feker,
Thanks for stopping by, what an honor. I’ve heard great things about you and the restaurant. And the recipe revival had me voting for some of my favorite Milwaukee food friends.
I would love to come in to taste some of the gluten free goodness. And I appreciate you taking the time to contact me and get the word out.
Great site, Sarah. I’m glad you enjoyed your visit to the bakery today! It was our pleasure to show you around. Merry Christmas! -Mary Burgdorff/Molly’s Gluten-Free Bakery
Sarah- I love it! This is so awesome! You are a true role model of a woman who really wants to make a difference in this city and educate others about gluten free diets!
Hi Sarah- The website looks great! Happy Blogging!