l AuNCH

Anne Hoyt and taylor Nicholson make one of the best brownies you’ll find anywhere. t he mother-daughter duo’s desserts, breakfast bars, breads and other baked goods aren’t just tasty, though. t hey are also organic, nutritious and 100-percent gluten free. t he women recently opened w holesome Foods Bakery in the l ake Highlands area where they’re enjoying an overwhelming reception from the neighborhood.

taylor Nicholson: There are varying reasons for eating a gluten-free diet. For us it was Celiac disease, a genetic autoimmune disease that makes us sensitive to products with gluten, a protein found in wheat. Anne Hoyt: I discovered I was a Celiac when I was pregnant — sometimes certain conditions or events, such as pregnancy, can cause the disease to surface. Some, like Taylor, are born with it. I had loved to bake, and when I realized I could no longer have gluten, I sort of went into mourning. Gluten is the doughy substance that holds a muffin or a cupcake together, and it is very difficult to bake without it. I tried a few recipes, but threw most of it out. Taylor kept trying, though, and she came up with these really good breakfast bars. tN: It all started because I wanted to make something my sister could eat while she was off at college — she had very few gluten-free options on campus.