{"id":26552,"date":"2012-04-26T08:13:30","date_gmt":"2012-04-26T12:13:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=26552"},"modified":"2015-12-27T15:45:35","modified_gmt":"2015-12-27T20:45:35","slug":"strawberries-au-natural","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=26552","title":{"rendered":"Strawberries \u2013 Au Natural"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sustenance with diabetes and celiac disease has transformed from approaching eating with restrictions to cooking and enjoying food full of life.\u00a0 I\u2019m inspired by stories and photographs of food that capture the beauty of gathering around food; the blog La Tartine Gourmand<\/a> and the publication Kinfolk Magazine<\/a> are two of my favorites.\u00a0 Freshly picked Oregon berries make my knees weak with excitement and remind me of my favorite gardening chore as a child \u2013 berry picking.\u00a0 \u00a0Browsing recipes at Epicurious<\/a> by typing in a single ingredient such as \u201cartichoke\u201d into the search toolbar has become a favorite pastime. \u00a0\u00a0Roasted Asparagus and Baby Artichokes with Lemon-Oregano Aioli<\/a>, Braised Artichokes with Fennel, Artichoke and Orange Salad<\/a>, the options abound by the hundreds. \u00a0Cooking and eating Spanish dishes that remind me of a not so distant traveling past fill me with joy.\u00a0 But, it wasn\u2019t always like this.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Back in 2004, while living in Los Angeles, my friend Michele and I would alternate planning monthly cultural outings that we endearingly called date nights<\/em>.\u00a0 I remember one summer evening when Michele and I were gathered, sharing an outdoor meal for two as we were awaited a Brazilian dance performance at the Ford Amphitheater.\u00a0 Michele had a casual spread of cheese, crackers, fruit and wine, while I sat and drank a strawberry flavored Glucerna from a straw.\u00a0 Suddenly, she turned to me with excitement and proclaimed, “This is my absolute favorite way to eat.”\u00a0 In response, I laughed uncomfortably.\u00a0 For me, food did not inspire excitement.\u00a0 Instead, food was just a major pain in my ass, as I was new to learning how to navigate eating well for both diabetes and celiac disease!\u00a0 Although my digestive system had thankfully become strong enough to handle more than liquids after complications with a delayed celiac diagnosis, I still wasn’t yet comfortable figuring out what to eat with my newfound food freedom so I continued with my liquid standby. Maybe it was the ease and peace of mind I had knowing its exact carb count and that it was gluten-free that swayed my decision for the pre-packaged shake, but nevertheless, it was far from exciting. A wave of sadness hit me.\u00a0 Feeling excitement about food had become foreign to me.\u00a0 Instead I felt dread.\u00a0 Silently, I vowed to find joy with food, to learn to make eating fun again.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/a>\u00a0* image from a 2004 party invitation, to celebrate no longer being on a liquid diet.<\/em><\/p>\n

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I enrolled at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in 2007 with a core intention to find more balance with food, life and these conditions.\u00a0 I wanted to feel less governed by the daily management.\u00a0 While at school I was introduced to the concept of primary foodTM<\/sup>.\u00a0\u00a0 Nourishment comes in many forms; believe it or not, it\u2019s not just about the food you put on your plate.\u00a0 We are fed by the energy in our lives.\u00a0 Yet it\u2019s easy to overlook the many things that contribute to our sense of fulfillment.\u00a0Healthy relationships, a fulfilling career, regular physical activity and a spiritual awareness are essential forms of primary foods.\u00a0 Think about it as individualized nourishment.\u00a0 What is essential for me may not be relevant for you.\u00a0 I have a physical need for creativity<\/a>, you may have a need to play your guitar or compete in triathlons to feel happy and energized.\u00a0 Consider the question, what makes you really tick?\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Recently, I was able to combine my love of Spanish cooking with my passion for art \u2013 two primary foods<\/em> that provide me much joy.\u00a0 I had my first art opening and exhibited a series of pigment print collages from photographs of my trip to Madrid and Cabo de Gata<\/a>, Spain. Somehow, it seemed fitting to make an entirely gluten-free Spanish tapas-inspired food spread for the opening. To show the variety of dishes created by my mom and I, I have included photos of the olive and red pepper tapenade, local gluten-free garlic bread with artichoke heart spread, Spanish cheese plate with grapes, drizzled balsamic reduction on gluten-free bread, fig, caper and olive tapenade over goat cheese and rosemary bread, and perhaps my favorite, lemon circles with almond flour crust and strawberries on top. I think that it\u2019s safe to say, that I once again, fully appreciate the taste of strawberries in their truest form and not as a flavor in a pre-packaged shake!<\/p>\n

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*If you would like to see images of the complete Reflections of Spain series from the art opening, please visit <\/em>here<\/em><\/a>.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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