Yesterday I was at a patient panel in Atlanta to help improve the availability of resources and support for people with Ulcerative Colitis. I’ll share more on that later, but I can tell you that I was SO excited to find a sweet treat I could purchase at the Chicago O’Hare Airport while waiting for my return flight home.

Gluten, corn or soy were not included in my diet after I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. While removing these items did not cure me or push me into remission, I do believe they help keep me there. I did an elimination diet to find out what foods made me feel bad or good, and these three were all on the bad list. I have tried to reintroduce them previously but have not had any positive results so far.

To satisfy my sweet tooth, and I have a serious sweet tooth, I have a lot of home-made paleo baked goods, and every time I’m at the grocery store, I read the back of every single chocolate bar to find one without soy in it. It is so exciting to find one that doesn’t have it, though they are rare.

I received a gift from my closest friends that included all kinds of recipes specific to my diet restrictions and that book had some really yummy looking marshmallow treats in it. Unfortunately when our basement flooded that book became a casualty and I haven’t bought a replacement yet. I haven’t had marshmallows in 3 years. This might not seem like a big deal, but I love a big cute mug of hot chocolate with some marshmallows in the winter.  A mug of chocolate almond milk does the trick now, but I’ve had to go without the gooey sweet mallows for a while because they are all made of corn syrup.

Well, that all came to an end last night. I found Katherine Anne Confections at the airport and they had homemade marshmallows and they are delicious. I ate one at the airport last night and then enjoyed another in my coffee this morning. Sam wanted some too. Sometimes its the little things to brighten up your day, like a sweet treat you haven’t been able to eat in years that you find in an airport. Mmmmmmhmmmmm.