HOLLIS – Erin Moskun, of Hollis, said she always had digestive issues and stomachaches growing up.

After giving birth to her youngest daughter, she developed a mysterious rash on her hands. When routine allergy testing didn’t provide a diagnosis, she decided the cause must be something she was eating. She eliminated gluten from her diet and noticed a huge improvement in all her symptoms.

“I realized the problem was something I was putting in my body,” said Moskun, who holds a degree in nutritional science from the University of New Hampshire. “My hands cleared up. My stomach felt better, and I realized that my daughter, who had been suffering with similar issues, probably had the same thing. I also saved my father because he finally listened to me.”

She was never officially diagnosed as having celiac disease or gluten sensitivity because that would have entailed returning gluten to her diet to be tested, an unattractive option to her and the rest of her family.

“When you feel this much better, it is such a simple fix,” she explained.

Although the market for and availability of gluten-free products has increased in recent years, Moskun felt the offerings were limited. As a result, she decided to open a gluten-free bakery to provide her family with safe and delicious food choices. She began by baking a selection of breads and desserts in her home and had to expand. She received a variance from the Hollis Zoning Board of Appeals in May to open a commercial kitchen in the barn she is building at her Bell Lane home, which should be completed by fall. Ripple Bakery LLC was officially recognized as a limited liability corporation by the state on June 5.

Moskun sets up at the Amherst Farmers Market on Thursday afternoons to offer free samples and promote her business, often accompanied by her daughters Magnolia, Siena, who is gluten intolerant, and Capri. Goods for sale include white sandwich bread, anadama bread, cinnamon-raisin oatmeal bread, pita bread, baguettes, pizza shells and bagels.

“One of my goals was to make a tasty gluten-free bagel,” she said, and based on available samples, it seems she has risen to the occasion.

Dessert selections include lemon pound cake, granola, buttermilk biscuits, several flavors of scones, brownies, oatmeal chocolate chip bars and raw cookie balls. She plans on offering seasonal items, such as lavender cupcakes and yule logs. All of her baked goods are preservative-free. Custom orders can be placed for cakes, muffins and cookies, and some items can be made vegan.

“The farmers market has been a wonderful experience so far,” she added. “I have met so many people that are in need of fresh, delicious, gluten-free food. It makes getting up early to bake very satisfying, especially to see a child bite into something yummy when they have so often felt deprived of good food.”

In the future, Moskun said hopes to combine the gluten-free bakery with a counseling/nutritional consulting component to offer guidance and support to others with nutritional allergies.

For more information call Moskin at 566-9691, email erin@moskun.com or visit Ripple Bakery’s Facebook page.