About

I’m Harriet and welcome to Harriet’s Hamper!

Harriet’s Hamper is my personal journey to discover healthy gluten-free recipes (and the occasional treats), share my travels and experiences and learn some handy tips and tricks along the way.

After a long period of illness, I was eventually diagnosed with Coeliac Disease in 2010. Coeliac Disease is an autoimmune disease caused by an intolerance to gluten – a form of protein found in wheat, barley and rye. When a Coeliac eats gluten, their immune system reacts by attacking the lining of their small intestine. This causes instant and regular symptoms such as bloating, excess gas, stomach cramps and diarrhea, but also has more serious, long-term effects such as an increased risk of osteoperosis, bowel cancer and nutritional deficiency.

There is currently no cure for Coeliac Disease. The only way to relieve symptoms is to lead a gluten-free life and allow the lining of your intestines to repair. Complete repair can take years and it is extremely important for Coeliacs to completely avoid gluten throughout the rest of their lives.

My diagnosis was a complete wake up call – no longer could I go out and grab a quick snack or have a hassle-free dinner – I had to learn the basics of cooking from scratch in my final year of University. So, internet in hand, I began re-learning my knowledge of food from the gluten-free perspective.

9 years on, I’m now understanding the need for more healthy, quick and easy recipes to fit into a busy schedule – especially since the vast majority of gluten-free supermarket goods are packed full of fat and sugar to make up for taste. Everything you see on this blog has been eaten by me – whether I have cooked it or ordered it, it’s real, gluten-free food that’s not just for show. I also want to share some of my travel stories and experiences, having moved from the UK to Australia.

If you have any questions or would like to leave a comment, please feel free.

Happy reading! 🙂