Welcome! I'm so happy you are here!
I’m Katie Adams, creator of Joyfully Full, and I’ve been cooking tasty, allergy friendly meals since 2013 and began creating original recipes shortly after that. I’m so happy to be able share my family meals with you!
Joyfully full offers a variety of allergy friendly, healthy, whole food recipes. All recipes are created with whole foods and allergy conscious spice blends that are gluten and dairy-free. Many recipes are also paleo and Whole30 friendly, nut-free, soy-free with some vegan options.
As a mom, I also create recipes with families and kids in mind. While some of the meals are not quick fixes, they all have lots of hands-off time. Many recipes also make large portions for quick heat up throughout the week. My recipes are all flavor-packed comfort foods from a variety of cuisines including American, Asian, Hispanic, Italian, Moroccan and more, that feel good during and after eating. No food hangovers here!!
By training I am a registered nurse (RN) and live in Columbus Ohio with my husband and our two sons. I began cooking shortly after my husband and I married in 2006. I did not realize my passion for cooking until we discovered my husband suffered from gluten and dairy intolerance. At that time, I thought a gluten and dairy free diet meant my taste buds would never be happy again! Boy was I wrong! I began to research diets that aligned with his sensitivities in 2013 and discovered Paleo and Whole30 eating. I started my paleo and Whole30 cooking journey following many awesome food bloggers. This is how I learned the basics of how to cook with real, non-processed foods. I rely on easy cooking tricks and spice blends to create delicious dishes.
Fast forward seven years and two kids later. While I always cooked gluten and dairy free dinners, my kids and I didn’t need those considerations so all other meals and snacks were (mostly) healthy but not allergy friendly. Then, in 2020 we learned that our oldest son had some social and emotional delays. In the process getting connected with therapy we were advised to try an elimination diet. This is how we discovered he has a sensitivity to gluten, dairy, soy, and food dyes. Six months after that, my youngest son began having some digestive issues and daily tantrums. We did a similar elimination diet and noticed he also seemed to have issues with dairy and gluten.
During this time, I was cooking every meal from scratch and eagerly researching healthy, allergy friendly snacks. At this point, I only had a handful of my own recipes. I was taking my oldest son to multiple weekly therapy sessions and spending several hours daily on home exercises. It also aligned with the beginning of a pandemic, which caused extra grocery trips to feel anxiety provoking. So, I started creating meals from whatever I had on hand in the fridge or pantry that day. Thus, the recipes for Joyfully Full were born.
WHAT IS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND JOYFULLY FULL?
Joyfully Full is partly inspired by my Nana, Vilma Joy Davis-Swanson. She cooked with love and shared food to nurture her family and friends. Sadly, she passed away in 2020. She was a light in this world who helped form me into the woman, wife, and mother I am today. Nana, this is for you. Joyfully also comes from the sense of joy I experience when cooking, from creating a new recipe, to sharing dishes with friends and family. I love every step of this process! Finally, Joyfully is for the spiritual strength and joy I found that allows me to persevere and endure in this world. The ability to walk through life with joy and hope, especially through a pandemic during which I lost several family members, while also trying to provide the extra support my son needed to thrive, came from my God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
WHY INCLUDE SPIRITUAL ENCOURAGEMENTS ON THIS SITE?
It was also during this period I realized my deep need for spiritual encouragement. As I received ongoing encouragement through scripture, friends, and worship songs during this most difficult time, I felt a burden to write. I began using writing as an outlet for myself and to encourage friends and family. The encouragement/devotional section of this blog is based on my own spiritual experiences as they relate to navigating life with joy and hope in such a heartbreaking world. Often at the end of an encouragement, I’ll add a suggestion for worship songs that I found especially healing for me as I considered the scripture for that day. As you explore this section of Joyfully Full, I wish you the healing and encouragement that only God’s Spirit can provide.
