It might not perfectly reflect the Pacific blue, but gluten-free living is indeed a vast, mysterious ocean for those growing in their knowledge of celiac disease and its many faces.

From its variety of symptoms, namely gastroenterological ailments to its core cures, chiefly the gluten-free diet, this conundrum of a chronic digestive disaster gives its sufferer’s much to learn.

The good news is that once celiacs learn the ropes of their diets, the sufferer label melts away–it recedes along with cramping and integestion. Cookbooks like Danna Korn and Connie Sarros’ Gluten-free Cooking for Dummies , helps to accelerate the celiac learning curve.

According the the Daily Gazette blog’s food forum, Korn and Sarros provide a chatty, easy-going, but informative primer on how people with wheat allergies can still enjoy a good meal. Their 150 recipe ideas include flatbread, waffles, spinach pie, cookies, cakes, lasagna and more.

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The day we designate for mom arrives but once a year. We can show our moms how much we appreciate them this year by doing something that they do for us daily–cooking.

Cooking often becomes a perfunctory task for mothers. They prepare meals without thinking and we sometimes eat without thanking.

So, why not reverse this trend for the one day of the year that honors mom’s title. According to www.glutenfreeceliacweb.com, FamilyFun.com allows you to do just that by featuring several gluten-free Mother’s Day dining options. The site’s Bagel Family Portraits emerges as one of their most original.

Essentially bagel halves covered in creme cheese and adorned with raw vegetables arranged as hair and facial features, these portraits can serve as a fun family breakfast or snack project on Mother’s Day or any other day.

Consider the following ingredients and materials to design a bagel for each member of the family: 1 large bagel, cut in half, toasted or raw, mini bagels, cut in half, as many halves are as there are kids in the family, raw or toasted, smoked salmon, sliced into strips, small black olives, sliced in half, 1 large leaf of curly parsley, cut in half, red pepper, cut into the shape for the mouth, 1 large carrot, a handful of chives, green pepper, sliced into two circles of equal size, about 1/4-inch in diameter, 2 or 3 peanuts, finely chopped, and cherry tomato or small, red grapes.

Enjoy taking the cooking reigns this Mother’s Day (It’s not chiefly a woman/mother’s task afterall). Your younger brothers and sisters should especially enjoy this project.

You can find gluten-free bagels at Whole Foods, your local supermarket or any general health foods store. A couple of options include Glutino Premium Plain Bagels and Enjoy Life Foods Cinnamon Raisin and Classic Original Bagels.

You can find preparation instructions here.

Warmer days will arrive soon, which means picnics will come too.

Deep down south, soul food cuisines take center stage during the spring and summer months–fried chicken, iced tea and the like line picnic tables like Memorial Day canons ready for war.

As the gooiest member of a southern-style dessert trifecta that usually includes fruit cobbler and banana pudding, pecan pie reigns as an after-dinner favorite of celiac haters and lovers alike. Honey-colored and sticky like wax concentrated at the hidden-most corner of the ear drum, this sweet treat can combine plain, crushed rice crackers, sweet rice flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, egg whites, chopped pecans, vanilla flavoring and sugar to revamp an old-time favorite. Gluten-free pecan pie betrays the white-flour carb tradition and relies on soy flour instead. The celiac-friendly pecan pie also carries a lighter taste than the gluten-filled version. It offers a hint of sweetness without being overly syrupy.

Those interested in giving this gluten-free dessert option a try, should follow these simple steps:

The result? Sticky, safe piece of pie heaven custom made for Indepedence Day fun and celiac living.

The greatest invention of all time? Is it the personal computer? The automobile? Sliced bread? Our vote goes for…the peanut butter cup (though that may be because it’s mid-afternoon and we’re craving sugar)! And, in the spirit of culinary perfection, we’ve discovered a simple way to capture the chocolately-peanut-butter-goodness of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in a gluten free bowl of cereal.

Our snack is a simple, but good one. Just mix equal parts of Envirokidz Panda Puffs (the peanut butter) and Koala Crisp (the chocolate) in a cereal bowl, and add milk. Sit back, and enjoy! Panda Puffs and Koala Crisp have different textures, so we recommend waiting a minute or two to let the cereals get a little soggy before consuming. We bought our boxes of cereal at Whole Foods in Arlington, VA and paid just $2.50 per box (seems like a bargain, if you ask us, and both cereals clearly advertise “Gluten Free” on their packaging).

This may not be the healthiest breakfast in the world, but it’s not a bad dessert replacement if you’re counting calories. And, just like the original Reese’s inspiration, it’s two great tastes that taste great together.