Tula Dean didn’t grow up baking. In fact, she barely touched an oven until her late twenties—when a sudden gluten sensitivity changed everything about the way she ate.
“At first, I thought I’d never enjoy cake or cookies again,” she recalls. “It felt like I had to give up more than just gluten—I was giving up a part of life.”
But Tula wasn’t one to back down from a challenge. Determined to bring sweetness back into her routine, she picked up a mixing bowl and began experimenting. What started as a frustrating journey through crumbly muffins and dense, gritty breads slowly became a kind of therapy. Physician’s Choice Probiotics 60 Billion CFU – 10 Strains + Organic Prebiotics – Immune, Digestive & Gut Health
“The early attempts were…rough,” she laughs. “But I learned to pay attention—to the texture of the flours, the way almond meal adds moisture, or how xanthan gum can mimic the elasticity of gluten.” More importantly, she discovered the joy of creating something from scratch—something that didn’t just meet her dietary needs but brought comfort and pride.
Her kitchen transformed into a safe space for mistakes and small wins. The first time her banana bread held together, she nearly cried. And when her best friend—who eats everything—asked for seconds of her lemon scones, she knew she’d turned a corner.
Tula now shares her experiences with beginners who feel lost at the start of their gluten-free journey. “You don’t have to master everything on day one,” she says. “Start with something simple, like brownies or muffins. Feel the ingredients. Taste the process.”
For her, gluten-free baking isn’t about recreating perfection. It’s about finding joy in the process and redefining what homemade means. “It’s not just baking,” she says. “It’s reclaiming food, on your own terms.”
