::Two model babes munching on some scrumptious looking gluten free & vegan double chocolate cupcakes::
I am so proud and elated to introduce you guys to the magical lady behind one of my ALL TIME fave sites, Lookbook Cookbook. Have you visited it? If not… do yourself a favor and check it out stat. If you read my blog you know I talk fashion & gluten free for the most part, so to say her site is right up my alley would be the understatement of the year.
It is like a rad, non-crude/perverted, version of American Apparel meets the best and most delicious raw, vegan, and GF recipes on acid. That’s the best way I can explain it, but you won’t full understand the amazingness until you see for yourself. Read on babesicles…
::The girl behind the blog, Jessica. Isn’t she adorbs??::
Fashionlush: First, tell us a bit about yourself. Spill the deets lady!!
Jessica Milan: I am a 25 year old photographer originally from Toronto, but spend a lot of time living between Ibiza and Berlin
FL: Are you completely gluten-free?
JM: I am not completely gluten free, but have been for the most part for a two years. When I make food for myself at home, I usually never have gluten, but I have let it slide a few times when I feel like treating myself. I’m not intolerant so it doesn’t really affect me the same way it does for other people.
FL: What made you decide to go gluten-free? What was your “a-ha” moment?
JM: I was reading a lot of health blogs at the time and many of them were saying the same things about how bad it was for you. I had never really given it much thought before, but after reading the symptoms, I realized that I definitely felt sluggish after eating it. After cutting it out, my energy levels skyrocketed!
FL: Walk us through a typical day of meals for you on a gluten-free diet.
JM: For breakfast I usually just have fruit or a green smoothie. Lunch is almost always a jumbo salad with lots of greens and seeds. for dinner I usually have quinoa with an assortment of cooked veggies. Of course I sneak snacks in as well, a lot of nachos and guac or hummus and crackers are often my go to. When I eat out, I often go for sushi or thai if not to a vegan restaurant.
::Ummm, have you ever had GF peppermint pancakes? I haven’t, but I’d really like to::
FL: What’s the hardest thing for you about living a gluten-free lifestyle?
JM: I think travelling in Europe is definitely the hardest! They really love their breads and meats over here, so I often find it hard to go to normal restaurants.
FL: What do you like most about being gluten-free?
JM: Increased energy levels and improved digestion.
FL: Do you ever cheat? If so, what is your “cheat”.
JM: I actually didn’t cheat until I went to Spain this summer. I couldn’t resist having some bread here and there. Though I must say I felt a whole lot better not eating it!
FL: What kind of advice would you offer to anyone who is considering switching to a GF life?
JM: I think if anyone just tries going without it for a week or two, they will really notice the difference when they introduce it to their diet again. I think the longer you go without it, the more you want to keep at it! There are so many amazing alternatives out there as well. Rice pasta can taste just as good as the real thing now and corn tortilla wraps can always help fufill sandwich cravings.
::GF & vegan Gingerbread cupcakes seen above, the perfect holiday treat? Yupp::
FL: Where are some of your favorite places to eat gluten-free?
JM: Anywhere with authentic Mexican food! <<< Amen to that sistah!!
FL: What are some of your tried-and-true gluten-free recipes? I know you have tons & tons!
JM: I make a mean vegan mac and cheese, and a nachos supreme recipe. You will have to wait for the cookbook for those ones ;) <<< UM, LBCB real cookbook? Can’t wait!!
FL: People shy away from cooking/baking GF recipes themselves due to scary ingredients like “Xantham Gum”. Can you give some advice to help people get over the GF cooking fears?
JM: I agree it can look daunting at first. But most of these ingredients are actually much less scary than the GMOs used in wheat. It is easy to get the hang of it once you try making a few things. Another option is to try some flourless recipes!!
::These would cure my sweet tooth any day… GF & vegan peanut butter cups. I am loving the revival of the tattoo necklace… kinda want one now::
FL: There’s a lot of controversy around the idea that gluten-free is not a healthy lifestyle as girls think it is a weight loss plan. What do you have to say about that?
JM: Of course it is a healthier option. The wheat we eat now is not the same wheat that existed 30 years ago. Now it is full of chemicals and GMOs. It also is not easy on the digestive system for anyone, whether they are gluten intolerant or not. I think the common misconception that people have is that just because something is gluten free it makes it healthy, so they stock up on snacks. This is not true in the least, and instead, the focus should be on whole foods like veggies, legumes, quinoa, and nuts and seeds.
FL: Last, but certainly not least… tell us a bit about how LBCB got started. What made you come up with the idea to combine GF & raw cooking with fashion?
JM: I wanted to start a vegan recipe site, and because I was shooting a lot of models at that time, I thought it would be a fun twist to have photos of them eating as well. My style of cooking is already gluten free and quite easy to make, so that’s my aim for LBCB as well.
++ Now, can you agree that this girl is just uhhhhh-mazing? She even mentioned if we ever met in the same city she’d shoot me for the site! Now that would be one of helluva dream come true… and one day she and I will meet face to face. I just know it… feel it in my bones. ++
::Last, but not least- gluten free & vegan peanut butter and banana pops. No, not kidding. I’m drooling::
— E