“Mmmm….” I said, taking another bite of the juicy golden heirloom tomato atop my piece of gluten-free bread, slathered with homemade garlic hummus. “This…this right here is proof that God loves us.”
I say this a lot actually when I am eating or drinking something good—and you might laugh at me. I’m okay with that. But for me, food has been both a source of great angst, and even greater joy.
I still remember the first heirloom tomato I ever ate. The first sip of a warm beer in Strasberg, France. The first taste of a wine I liked.
“C’est un vin pour les femmes,” my French Dad Michel said. “It’s a wine for women.” He meant no insult—after all, he was the one that ordered it. He was only commenting on the light alcohol content and the fruity flavor profile of the first wine I ever liked as a sixteen year old exchange student sipping from a glass at a restaurant in a country half a world away. When they drizzled our fruity dessert pizza with rum and set it ablaze later that evening, I was enchanted by the ways that food separates us, and also draws us together. Years later, I wonder if Michel hadn’t ordered that wine specifically because he thought I would enjoy it. Over a decade before I would consider myself a foodie, I was being comforted by the beauty of good food in a strange land, where I hardly spoke the language.
Worlds apart, we gather at the table—though culture, diet, and in our case, food intolerances, often change the what behind our eating habits—food is one of our most basic needs. As such, it has the potential to become either a place of great disappointment and angst, or alternately, to become a place of feeling seen.
That is why I have created this little ebook resource—Comfort with Food: An Easy Guide to loving the Hurting with Nourishing Meals. It is both cook book (with six of my favorite Gluten and Dairy-Free recipes that I created myself), as well as treatise on how to properly prepare and deliver food for people who may be struggling. I also include instructions, questions to ask, as well as practical tips and brand recommendations for gluten and dairy-free dietary restrictions, so that you can serve those in your life who need a little more care and attention to detail when it comes to preparing a meal.
But whether or not you or those you love struggle with dietary restrictions, these recipes are always a hit. From the Maple Pecan Granola that is perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack, to my ‘Simple’ Chicken Soup recipe—I promise there is not a single recipe in here that “tastes gluten-free.” (Code for tastes like garbage in case you haven’t heard that one before.)
This is also a great resource if you yourself are struggling and need some nourishing meal ideas to make yourself, or to give as printable recipes to someone you trust to prepare it for you. The format is an easy to print 16 page PDF, perfect for leaving on the kitchen counter, or lending to a friend as you would any other cookbook. You can even prepare some of these meals for yourself and still receive some of that comfort you may be needing in the form of delicious food.
It’s available now as an “Extra” on my Buy Me a Coffee page for only $2.
Want a little sneak peek? Here’s the table of contents and the first “How-To-Care Instructions” page.
Even in the past week since this little resource has come out and I began posting about it on Instagram, I have been so grateful to so many of you readers who have gone the extra mile in supporting my work and helping make it sustainable for me, giving above and beyond even the $2 I asked for this little resource. It’s also been sweet to hear how many of you have already been positively impacted by this little offering. I’m so glad to be able to share these recipes and my own hard-won comforting-with-food experiences with you.
Because the truth is, good food has always been one of the ways we were designed to feel loved and cared for—from the lush garden of Eden that God prepared for Adam and Eve, to the Wedding Feast of the Lamb—and with a little extra intentionality and care, it can be one of the easiest ways we can love and minister to others the way God does.
From a piece of bread with hummus and fresh heirloom tomato, to my Best Ever Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies—good food nourishes the body, and comforts the soul. And for that good gift, I am so very grateful.