Queen Marie’s: Revolutionizing Gluten-Free Desserts

They say necessity is the mother of invention.

...or is it confection?

Both ring true in the story of Rani Navarro-Force of Wathena who turned the aftermath of a mystery illness into a sweet business.

In 2011, Navarro-Force watched as her daughter’s health began to go downhill at an alarming rate. Without any clear cause, her daughter Stephanie experienced symptoms like hair loss, difficulty walking and dizziness.

Countless appointments with doctors and even more months later, the family had no diagnosis and Stephanie was not improving. While waiting for yet another meeting with a specialist, Navarro-Force happened to glance at a magazine on the waiting room table, which changed everything.

“The frontpage of the magazine was teasing an article called, ‘Could Gluten Be the Problem?’ and I figured I might as well read it,” she said.

Once she finished, it was clear gluten was, in fact, the problem.

“All of Stephanie’s symptoms were listed there. I knew the thing she’d been dealing with must be celiac disease,” she said.

Celiac is an autoimmune disease that can be described as a severe allergy to gluten — a protein in wheat, barley and rye. People living with celiac must stop eating things like bread, pasta and all other foods containing gluten.

Shortly after Navarro-Force discovered the article, Stephanie was officially diagnosed with celiac disease. And while the family was elated to finally know the root of her symptoms, they were initially less thrilled with the diet she now needed to follow.

“I took Stephanie to a natural food store and we picked out a ton of new, gluten-free foods,” she said. “But when we got home, Stephanie tried a few things and told me they were so bad she wouldn’t eat any of it. I took a couple bites myself and agreed. We threw away hundreds of dollars' worth of food that day.”

Navarro-Force was disappointed, but not discouraged. She knew her daughter had to eat and didn’t want her to be deprived of deliciousness. So, she called upon her lifelong love of cooking and got to work.

“I come from a big family, where our frequent gatherings always meant sharing a meal, so I’ve loved to cook and bake my whole life. I’ve always had a passion for food,” she said. “Back then, around 2012, there weren’t as many gluten-free options available as there are now, so I decided to make them myself.”

Navarro-Force experimented with ingredients, played with different kinds of flour and eventually began to perfect recipes for desserts like cookies and cupcakes. Her mission to bring flavor back into Stephanie’s life was successful and ultimately led to sprinkling her creations across the state, and eventually, the nation.

“At the time, I was working as a cake decorator and brought some cupcakes I’d made to a friend I worked with,” she said. “After trying them, my friend didn’t believe me when I revealed they were gluten free! That’s when I knew I had something on my hands.”

Four short months later, in January of 2013, Navarro-Force and her husband opened Queen Marie Gluten Free, a completely gluten-free bakery in Wathena, which is in the northeast corner of the state. They offer a smorgasbord of pastries ranging from scones, cinnamon rolls, cupcakes, cookies and even sell a range of mixes for customers to make products in their own kitchens.

Where does the name come from? Navarro-Force chuckles as she explains.

“We were watching a movie about Marie Antoinette, and Stephanie longingly exclaimed she wished she could have all of the sweets surrounding the character in a scene,” she said. “And I told her, ‘You know, you kind of act like that!’ Stephanie always wanted her nickname to be ‘Princess’ when she was younger, too. I wanted to name the shop after Stephanie, but she didn’t want it to be explicitly her name, so Queen Marie’s it was.”

The name continues to be fitting, as Navarro-Force works to bring a “gluten-free revolution.” Armed with silky textures, explosive flavors and decadent desserts, she’s on a mission to liberate celiac sufferers from blandness.

“I’ll often get calls or voicemails from people who start to cry thanking us for bringing these gluten-free options back into their lives,” she said. “All of the work is worth it in those moments. I know we’re making a difference and bringing happiness.”

Navarro-Force’s revolution continues to grow. The brick and mortar shop has now been open for more than seven years, and they recently began offering nationwide shipping through their website, spreading the love and frosting even farther.