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Sun Flour Mills

"Where Taste Means Everything"
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Barbie Doherty:

When I first went gluten and dairy free, I was so overwhelmed. All of the foods I had fallen in love with over the last 30 years, were taken away from me. I spent months "grieving the loss". I hated that, I, like most people, had perfected my baking and cooking skills in a gluten, casein, egg, nut, and soy based kitchen. I was an expert in making delicious food that I COULDN'T EAT! 

One day after making my husband a mouth watering chocolate cake, that I couldn't eat, I decided enough was enough! I would not live another day without my beloved foods. I was tired of eating calories that just didn't taste good... and so I began to cook and bake. 

I baked and cooked every chance I got. My evenings and weekends revolved around my kitchen. I researched and read everything I could about gluten free and dairy free food. I bought every gluten free grain available on the market. I learned what each grain tasted like and how it worked with other ingredients, and after hours of work, I began to reap the sweet taste of success. 

When I finally perfected my chocolate cake recipe I ate almost the entire cake in one setting. I was so excited, I had fallen in love with food again! I wanted to share my food with everyone. I did, and in so doing, my friend convinced me that I had to SHARE this with everyone. To determine if our food was really as good as we thought, we entered our cake in a baking contest. We won first prize. It wasn't a gluten-dairy free contest. The judges had no idea they were eating gluten and dairy free!

Not only am I in love with food again, but I am proud that what I am eating is also good for me. All of our mixes are the perfect blend of good nutrition (based on my training as a nurse practitioner in a pediatric gastroenterology clinic), the accolades of sophisticated palates, and a true labor of love. 

I firmly believe that food is revolutionized by the "extra ingredient of love". My grandma taught me years ago, that nothing heals a heart quicker than eating freshly baked cookies in the arms of someone you love!    

                                           
Lanae Phillips:

In October of 2005, we found out my daughter of 3 months old, was bleeding internally due to multiple food allergies that included wheat, dairy, soy, nuts, and eggs.  It was excrutiating to know she had been experiencing this for so long when we had been told over and over again that she was just "colicky".  I was told that if I wanted to continue nursing her that I would have to eliminate all of this from my diet.  I felt devastated and overwhelmed, mostly for my daughter, but also wondering how I could live on such a diet.  I was committed to doing what was best for my child and therefore went on what seemed, an impossible diet.  For 9 months, I lived on potato chips, bland meats, and fruits/vegetables.  I craved some kind of carbohydrate besides potatoes or rice.  When my daughter was old enough to eat solids, I was panicked as to what I would feed her.  It seemed every product on the supermarket shelves contained wheat and/or dairy. 

When my daughter was 2, we began to introduce some foods into her diet.  Her blood test results indicated that she would probably be able to tolerate wheat.  After approximately 3 months of having wheat back into her diet she began experiencing horrible stomach aches that kept her up most nights.  During this same time, my mom at 63 years old, was diagnosed with Celiac Disease.  With a low IGA level, my daughter's doctor suspected this is what could be causing her to have chronic stomach aches.  We did genetic testing and found out that she had one of the genes for celiac.  We have chosen to keep her gluten free ever since with no recurrent problems.

My son was born in 2007.  I had been on a dairy free diet 6 weeks prior to his delivery to help deter any problems for food allergies when he was born.  After 5 days of nursing him, we found out that he too was bleeding internally.  Neither my husband nor I knew of any food allergies in our families or ourselves.  It was unbearable pain to watch another child of ours go through this again.  After he reached a year of age we had him genetically tested for Celiac and he too showed having one of the genes.  We have chosen to keep him gluten free.  

In 2009, after experiencing some Celiac symptoms I reluctantly was genetically tested as well.  I found out that I too carried one of the Celiac genes.  I say reluctantly because I knew the foods my children could and could not eat.  I had been able to eat all of these simple pleasures my whole life and knew what they were missing out on.  After years of trying different gluten free products, I knew the challenge of finding great tasting gluten free items.  My dear friend Barbie, who was already gluten/dairy free at the time of my diagnosis, would prepare weekend goodies for us she had been experimenting with.  After a few samples I could not believe what I was putting in my mouth was gluten free.  It was amazing!  I almost cried it tasted so good.  I emphatically stated, "You must share this with the world".

Over the next few months thoughts and ideas were shared to develop a product line that is out of this world.  It was also important to us that our products were healthy as well as delicious.  With the love of cooking, Barbie was able to make this magic happen.  Since this time, my 4 year old daughter was able to have her first Birthday cake that everyone wanted to eat, not just the gluten free people.  It was a life changing moment to see this occur.  I realized we had an opportunity to share this same experience with other families going through similar situations.  We hope that you will experience the same enjoyment we have through this unbelievable line of products.

                                              

                                                               

                                         
Sun Flour Mills
208-407-9967