Nourish

I'm dreaming of farmer's markets and spring green salads – thinking of nourishing myself and my family through what seems to be the longest winter on record. We've had snow on the ground since October and nary a green sprig in sight. I made this little collage painting for my chef friend Deb. She has a private client on a ranch in Wyoming and she wanted a small piece of art with a cross that she could contribute to their chapel alter. More on the spiritual side, I combined a cross outline with a flaming heart (Deb loves food and loves to cook and nurtures all her clients) and little utensils – nourish – that's what she does and that's what good food really does for all of us. 

Which brings me to my new blog crush. It's for real. I have grown to love this blog as much as I have grown to love the way I feel living gluten-free. For health reasons related to….menopause…(what a stupid name for a phase of life where you suddenly feel like the body you have known and loved for all these years suddenly goes completely haywire and you are no longer a welcome guest. It's made me want to seek asylum anywhere but in my own skin – and BTW there's no "pause" in it, it's relentless)…I went gluten-free about about 8 months ago. I have regained much of what I thought I had lost. Almost all my symptoms have improved, the brain fog lifted, I have energy again. A physical rebirth of sorts. 

 So when I found Shauna over at Gluten Free Girl and the Chef I was delighted to find a kind of guide into this new world. Shauna sees living gluten-free as a joyous adventure. Instead of feeling deprived she feels enlivened and challenged. She eats very well and she lives happily in her own skin – something I've come to appreciate and understand. She's a writer, a mom, a wife, a passionate foodie and she's lives gluten-free. One look at her blog and you'll be inspired by her nurturing attitude and food musings. Not to mention the photos and recipes. Having just cooked a sauteed kale and roasted potato salad for dinner last night, I really appreciated this gorgeous kale photo from her blog. Spring is still months away for those of us in colder climes (snow covered yard and 12 degrees this morning), which makes me dig a little deeper for what truly feeds and nourishes my body and soul. Thanks, Shauna, you are an inspiration and one of the people who nourish me, body and soul.