Gluten Free Awesomeness at Nourished - A Food Blogger Conference

If you read my last post, you knew that the Nourished Food Blogger Conference was this past weekend. And that I was super excited to be attending. I had been to only one blogger conference, Healthy Living Summit, a few years back and had a vague idea of what to expect, but having sessions especially tailored to gluten and allergy free blogs was especially beneficial.

As the mission stated, I left well fed (got to eat EVERYTHING there, nothing off limits!), supported, encouraged, and very inspired. I met several new bloggers who were just starting out and some who were there getting ideas on how to start a food blog. I was able to meet bloggers whose blogs I read, but never had the opportunity to meet in person. Perhaps best of all, I was able to visit with old blogging friends again.

Here are some of the presenters and their sessions I attended:

Mary Fran Wiley of FrannyCakes

Karen Morgan of Blackbird Bakery

Ricki Heller of Diets, Desserts and Dogs and Carolyn Ketchum of All Day I Dream About Food

Silvana Nardone of Silvana's Kitchen and Cybele Pascal - The Allergy Friendly Cook

Dianne Jacob of Will Write For Food

Cybele Pascal presenting the closing keynote session with samples of her new line of cookies!

The day wouldn't be complete without a delicious gluten free meal. A beautiful lunch catered by a handful of Chicagoland restaurants with gluten free offerings was served.  Here's my plate:

Going clockwise from the little grilled cheese sandwich from Mon Ami Gabi, was a chicken vesuvio skewer and a sausage & pepper skewer from Harry Caray's, Naan with a mango chutney from OMango, a mini cheese popover from Reel Club, a dairy free lemon cupcake and a white chocolate raspberry cupcake from Sweet Ali's Gluten Free Bakery, and a turkey grinder from Augustino's Rock and Roll Deli. That wasn't even all of the caterers. The up and coming Senza was there along with a few others.

As the day wrapped up, I was able to spend some time at the happy hour sampling a few more products and then dinner at Harry Caray's catching up with friends.

It's Sarah from Celiac in the City enjoying a yummy Swirlz cupcake.

Jasmine from Healthy Jasmine and Jennifer Harris, Atlanta's Gluten Free Food Examiner.

The cutest little thing ever, Miachel, of Spiced Curiosity and moi.

Yours truly with Lauren-Lucille, THE Celiac Diva.

After a long day, Kyra from Crave Gluten Free Bake Shop (oh, and just a winner of Cupcake Wars!!!) had incredible beer brownies for everyone who was left at the end of the night. I headed on home shortly later to rest up for the next day's Gluten and Allergen Free Expo, which again was filled with fun and lots of gluten free goodies. I'll recap that event for you tomorrow...stay tuned!