Welcome!
I’m Samantha, an autoimmune athlete, student of holistic nutrition and creator of The GlutenFree Camel: a wellness-driven food hub dedicated to celebrating food and pursuing optimal well-being!
I’m Samantha, an autoimmune athlete, student of holistic nutrition and creator of The GlutenFree Camel: a wellness-driven food hub dedicated to celebrating food and pursuing optimal well-being!
Hi! I’m Samantha, the creator of The GlutenFree Camel.
Interested to find out more about the blog and my story? You’ve come to the right place!
My Background. I am a professional circus artist, student of holistic nutrition, recipe creator and baker. Born and raised in New York City, the daughter of Jewish parents in the restaurant industry, my entire life has been centered around FOOD. I was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus in 2011, which in one swift blow, completely reoriented my relationship with my body, and shortly thereafter, my nutrition.
I refused to self-identify by my diagnosis or live with the limits of a “sick” person. I took my medications, I listened to my doctor’s advice, but there is so much unknown and overlooked about autoimmune illnesses in the conventional medical community. The greatest of all being the effect of dietary imbalances and food allergies/sensitivities, and their impact on people’s ability to not only manage their diagnosis, but to actually live quality, unrestrained lives. I believe there is nothing more important than feeling ownership over your own health. And the best way to do that is through reconnecting with our food, using real ingredients and feeling empowered in the kitchen. The grey area between surviving and thriving, is holistic nutrition: mind, body and soul!
My Goals. I want to use my professional and personal experiences to help YOU along your food journey. Creating accessible, all gluten-free recipes that focus on unprocessed and health-supportive ingredients, minimizing kitchen waste and cost, and giving the middle finger to dietary restrictions. My food journey has been shaped by navigating autoimmune illness, a rigid traditional medical system, and meeting the athletic, aesthetic and emotional demands of a professional performance industry. Through all of it, I was grounded by a deep desire to celebrate in my food, while supporting my body to its maximum potential. It was, and is, a process, and I believe we should never stop learning!
There is no one diet that works for everyone. And no one diet that will work for you all the time! We need to learn to cook with flexibility, and learn over time how to listen to our body’s needs. Here on the GlutenFree Camel, let’s start learning to make more things from scratch. Gluten-free health is not relying on packaged, processed snacks and breads. Removing the unknowns from our diet gives us control over our nutrition, and brings us one step closer to food freedom and optimal well being! My goal is to provide you with the tools to get there.
One tasty step at a time!
Whole, nutrient dense ingredients as the focus of every recipe
Minimal refined ingredients, and never any: wheat or gluten-containing ingredients, milk, additives, or chemical binders
Low sugar content - I believe in re-training our taste buds to recognize more natural levels of sweetness, and making treats accordingly !
Approachable, adaptable recipes, great for beginners to experienced bakers and cooks
Information about the ingredients I use, and why I use them
Hot tips for reducing waste in the kitchen including single use plastics and foils
Great strategies for food prep, and making more things from scratch, because making it yourself means you know exactly what’s inside
A wide variety of flavors, international and local
No long-winded irrelevant personal stories preceding my recipe posts (no shade, I’m just not into it…)
Recipes that are FUN to make, and make you feel good inside and out!
Because I love camels! When I was in high school, I had a summer job at the Bronx Zoo working with camels. They are such sweet, silly, wonderful animals, and they’re always eating! Since then I adopted them as my “spirit animal”, and when I began sharing my gluten-free sourdough bakes online, felt that they made an appropriate mascot for the brand. Additionally, camels are considered an animal that looks like it is a made up of a lot of parts that don’t quite fit together (i.e. “a camel is a horse designed by a committee”), an idea that I strongly relate to. My life path has been incredibly random, but it all comes together to create my experience which colors and fuels my food creations! Serendipitous, tasty and fun. That’s the GlutenFree Camel!
What would you like to see on the blog? What can we do better, or do more of? What’s your favorite recipe or blog post? Tell me everything!
Reach out on our contact page or comment on any of our recipes, we’d love to hear from you!
