I wrote this article a few years back, and posted it on the old blog. It’s timely! So many of us are traveling sometime over the summer. Here it is, edited and updated. Enjoy.

The posy my youngest picked for his teacher on the last day of school.

Some helpful hints on traveling with diets outside the cultural norm. A little planning can go a LONG way.

Here are some things that work for my family when we’re on the go.
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My mother passed away on August 23rd. I know some of you may be wondering. I’m slowly coming out of a fog of grief and exhaustion. I know I’ll be writing more soon, but all I can seem to muster so far is a recipe. I’m so grateful for cooking, it’s very healing.

I’ve been trying to figure out a clever name for this, but “Caulummus”, or “Humiflower” don’t quite work for me. Actually, “Hummiflower” is kinda cute, but I don’t think anyone would know what I mean.

Kalamata-cauliflower hummus with garden picked tomato and lemon cucumbers

In an earlier life I did corporate catering in downtown San Francisco. Lately, I’ve been revisiting a lot of our standard recipes from those days. And revamping.

One of my favorites was Aram sandwiches – lavash bread moistened until it was pliable, spread with a cream cheese and herbed feta spread, topped with sliced meats, fresh tomato slices, and lettuce leaves, then rolled tightly and sliced to make beautiful pinwheel sandwiches.

Thing is, lavash is made with wheat. So, I haven’t had an Aram sandwich in quite awhile.

I’ve tried making them with coconut flour crepes, and they’re beautiful and tasty. But very fragile and a lot of work! First you have to make the crepes, then you still have to make the sandwiches. More work than I want to do on most days.

A few months back a friend was visiting. She slapped together a quick snack for herself and her son while they were here – a sheet of nori seaweed spread with some nut butter, quickly rolled up and munched.

Hmmmm… I thought. That’s a wrap. Damn. That’s a really quick and easy wrap! It’s gluten-free, and low carb to boot.
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A shorter version of this article was published in my kids’ school newsletter. Here it is in it’s full gory glory.

The cry is nearly universal. “What can I send with my child for lunch that is healthy, but won’t be ignored or dumped in the trash?”

Add on top of that, “And is free of (some combination of) gluten, dairy, soy, egg, corn, grains, sugar, nuts, …”

It’s enough to drive a mama/papa mad.

As a mama of two boys who between them avoid gluten, dairy, grains, sugar (honey excepted), artificial additives, and salicylates (say that ten times fast!), I’ve been mad. In all senses of the word.

Then I feel lucky. After all, they can still have eggs and nuts. And soy, if I liked (which I don’t).
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Remember ranch dressing? Back when you could eat dairy? It made veggies worth eating. And salad.

You can have it again.

Coconut Ranch Dressing

Directions:
Place all the ingredients a food processor or blender and mix well.

Enjoy!

I love this holiday. Such permission to enjoy food thoroughly and make it extra special, and to think about the deeper questions of our lives in a positive light.

I’ve been struck the last few days by the core gratitude I have. Gratitude that actually led me to create The Cook Awakening.

My oldest boy, who will be 11 years old on Christmas day, is in a band called Wallpaper – five 5th graders with tons of talent, sweet crazy kid energy and not enough sense and experience to be at all daunted at the prospect of being on stage. They sound pretty damned good for 10 – 11 year olds. They even sound okay for adults!

Last weekend at a benefit where the band was performing, a memory surfaced. I was five years back in time, sitting in Jesse’s Kindergarten classroom with his teacher.
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