Fall Squash Harvest

I absolutely love the colors of Fall. The colors, the smells, the produce, the chill in the air, hot cider, pumpkin anything... and, more recently... experimenting with squash.

I adore spaghetti squash and it's similarity to noodles.  And zucchini for it's versatility - it's amazing what can be done with zucchini... makes very tender juicy meatballs when used in place of breadcrumbs, to muffins, breads, grilled pizza bites, the list doesn't end.

As seen in Simply Gluten Free Magazine, Sept Oct 2015

After doing my research for this Simply Gluten Free magazine piece I found a variety of squashes to explore, cook and bake with.
Let the GF Fall cooking, roasting, baking begin!


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A Gluten Free Blessing for the New Year

A New Year, a fresh start, lots of good intentions... let's get things off to a positive start!  Even with the New Year, resolutions and big plans it is easy to get derailed. Slip, slide and then your well-meaning resolutions become a distant memory.
But every day, every meal is an opportunity for change, and for making the best choices for your health and well being.

To help you stay positive and stay on track I am sharing my Gluten Free Blessing. It is my New Year's gift to you... download a FREE print... for you, for a friend, for a loved one! Whether you are just starting your GF journey, or a veteran of negotiating labels and hidden ingredients... this Blessing is for everyone.  
It is formatted to fit in an 8x10 frame or 8x10 mat opening.

Wishing everyone a Happy & HEALTHY New Year and a beautiful Gluten Free journey!

GF Crustless Spinach Quiche

I love quiche!  and a crustless version is a lovely and simple way to whip up a brunch. Or a perfect make ahead breakfast, just grab a slice and reheat.

I found this recipe for crustless spinach quiche on Allrecipes.com and I tweaked it a bit... using cheddar in place of muenster cheese as I was looking for bigger/bolder flavor.  
Also, I have made this with 6 chopped scallions in place of the onion.  Either way is mighty tasty.  And quite easy to make.  The hardest part is grating the cheese, and longest part is waiting for frozen spinach to defrost.



You can substitute 12 oz of fresh spinach leaves, chopped, for the package of frozen.  And, certainly the fresh spinach leaves were a better choice for my illustration!








Art prints of the recipe are available here.

RATINGS, from 1-5 spatulas
Time: most timely part waiting for spinach to defrost, 4
Ease:  easy to follow, no complicated steps or equipment, 5
Ingredient availability: pretty basic ingredients, 5
Taste: flavorful, smooth, lively taste, 5




Click here for a FREE printable pdf of my Gluten Free Blessing 

Yes, it is Pizza. Recipe Review of Paleo Cauliflower Crust

Recently I got up the nerve to try Against All Grain Danielle Walker's Cauliflower pizza crust.  I say "got up the nerve" because it was pretty hard to imagine turning a head of cauliflower into a pizza, and I had just read an article on Huffington Post about what is, and what isn't, pizza (it was actually quite funny).  

But once again, curiosity and a craving for flavor won out!

I had a big head of cauliflower sitting there just asking to be used.  So I jumped in and gave it a try.  All the prep was done when my husband and daughter were out, so they didn't know what was in the crust... and I decided to keep it a secret until the taste test.


I made ours a white pizza with sauteed garlic, oil and loads of cheese.  The aroma of it baking was mouth-watering!


I did not achieve the crispiness that Danielle has in her photos, but I realize I should have pressed it down much thinner before baking.

I've made it twice and the second time was definitely more successful. I believe I will continue to improve my technique.  Because I will be making it again!  Cooking and baking are all about experimenting, testing, trying - and trial and error.
We all enjoyed it. And, they had no idea it was cauliflower.

Is it pizza?  Maybe not what you get at the corner pizzeria, but to me it was - and it was truly delicious! 

Ratings, from 1- 5 spatulas
Time: 3 pulsing, steaming, pressing, baking takes time but it's still not to lengthy
Ease: 4 a fair amount of steps involved, but not very difficult
Ingredient Availability: 5 a quick trip to any supermarket
Taste: 5 I was not able to achieve the crispness but lovely and delicious

A Gluten-Free Blessing for St Patrick's Day

I grew up with the old Irish Blessing, “May the Road Rise to Meet You...” in the foyer of our home, and as I learned to read, I practiced it each day on my way in and out of the house.

As I grew I continued to read it daily out of habit and always found it reassuring.

We moved during my preteen years and it was a very challenging transition for me.  Among many adjustments, the new house just didn’t feel like home.

My parents hung the blessing in the entrance of our new home… and seeing it there every day helped me as I adjusted.

I have now created my own adaptation to hang in our home, for comfort of another kind.  By changing my diet, which was not an easy transition, I  had come home again. 

Corny as it may sound... I was now truly home... home in a healthy and vibrant body.  I had returned to myself! 

The Blessing hangs in our kitchen as a joyful and supportive reminder of the journey I continue to take.

You can find more of my art at Erin Go Paint

GFAF Expo in NJ

Today I am heading to the GFAF Expo in Secaucus... and I couldn't be more excited!
Think, Christmas morning excited!

I have that pre-trade show rush - and I am not even exhibiting.

Just looking forward to meeting lots of GF cyber space friends, and being surrounded by a plethora of gluten free and allergen free abundance.  I am bringing my little girl with me so she can experience the abundance first hand.  We are all about focusing on the positive side of allergen free living... and all the good that it brings!

Hope to see you there!

Perception

“There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception.”  ~Aldous Huxley

Recently I wanted to treat my daughter to her all-time favorite cookie, Russian Tea Cakes.  I have embraced the positive side of gluten free for all it has given me, and want her to grow up with a good attitude about the abundance that is still possible. 
Ah, but maybe not quite as positive as I had thought.  
Knowing (or believing) they are not the easiest cookie. And, with the substitutions needed to keep them gluten and dairy free, I went into the project feeling more than a little daunted. 

The original batch was a total disaster - I mean total disaster.... and I was growling and swearing in the kitchen (out of the little one's earshot) blaming gluten-free flour, 'fake' butter, etc!  "How can anyone make stuff with these ingredients? This will never work! How can anyone do this!"

Assuming the substitutions were the culprit. They were the easy target to blame, right?  

But, on quiet reflection of the recipe, a good night sleep, and then checking to see if there was enough butter in the house to try again - it hit me!  I had only put in half of the 'butter' needed!  HALF!  Anyone who's made Russian Tea Cakes knows that the butter is key to holding them together.

It was my error. 
Not the gluten-free flour. 
Not the butter substitute.  
In fact, my second attempt, with the correct amount of everything, they came out deliciously, abundantly perfect, and exactly like a 'normal' Russian Tea cake.

I used Emeril Lagasse's recipe on Food Network using an all purpose gf flour and Earth Balance natural buttery spread.

My daughter was thrilled with the cookies and said they were the best ever!  And, I learned a valuable lesson about perception.

Happy May - Celiac Awareness Month

May has arrived with abundant sunshine (vitamin D) and all is in bloom. Out of nowhere everything is bathed in a soft palette of green, pink, white and lavender. I can ignore the pollen sticking to my contact lenses in favor of appreciating the beauty all around!
And, with May comes Celiac Awareness Month... and I will do my part to help spread the awareness. My awareness tip of the day (and a pet peeve of mine) :
Contrary to popular belief gluten does not add flavor to baked goods.
When baking cake, cupcakes or muffins it's the chocolate, the vanilla extract,the almond extract, the orange zest, the bananas, etc that supply the flavor. Not the gluten.
Texture, yes. Flavor, no.
Though with all the brilliant gluten free bakers out there these days - there are more and more recipes and mixes that have fantastic texture sans gluten. And, of course, flavor.

Good Morning Gluten-Free

"The Strutting Rainbow, Gluten-Free", watercolor & ink on paper, copyright Erin Rogers Pickering

In celebration of mornings I created my GF rooster!  

He is nothing but happy! 

He is my testament to wonderful awakenings.

I am no longer slammed by pain upon waking, dragging myself from the bed, calculating how long it would be until I could lay down again. 

That is no way to start any day, and certainly not every day!

So, here is my rooster… Strutting his stuff through the kitchen in the early morning light.

Happy to greet the day!

Happy to be alive!

That, is exactly how I feel!

4 Years Gluten Free!

This week I am celebrating my 4 year anniversary!  
FOUR years dedicated to no gluten.  

The improvements keep coming, it continues to get easier, and what I am capable in my life of keeps growing.  
The food we enjoy is fresh, delicious, and abundant.
It is a beautiful thing!


I continue to be very sensitive to cross contamination and even small accidental gluten - but the reactions now are much less severe than in the beginning.  And I am grateful for that.


I am deeply thankful to my daughter for providing my ah ha! moment.  She is a gem and a joy - and eating well gives me the energy and spirit to be the Mom I strive to be, and that she deserves.  Present and pain free.


One of the most profound changes for me is when I removed the gluten - I removed the migraines that had viciously plagued me since I was 12.  Since I was twelve years old I had lived a life of frequent debilitating migraines.  Over 30 years of trying everything under the sun!


Now they are a rare occurrence.


The migraines went from 1 - 4 per week, down to 3 or 4 per year!!  And if I get accidental gluten, it will trigger a migraine.  Without it, I am clear.


So, I am off to enjoy my 4-year mark and joyfully will be able to include red wine and chocolate in my celebration!!

Gluten Free art - Anniversary sale

Personalized Gluten free Kitchen print, copyright Erin Rogers Pickering

On April 17th I will be celebrating my 3 year gluten-free anniversary.  Three years ago Sunday I took my life back.  Best damn decision I have ever made!

In honor of this date, and all that it has done for me, all of my gluten-free and food art will be on sale.  Helping to spread the word and keeping others motivated and positive.

Stay tuned....

Starting Over

 "Running" ink on paper, from my sketchbook, copyright Erin Rogers Pickering

"I ran regularly for over 15 yrs. I usually ended a run by icing my knees, and often taking a nap. One 6k race I collapsed at the finish line. People asked why I ran. My answer was always the same… "because I can".

I couldn't describe the high... The release, the freedom, the joy, the order it created in my thoughts, finding resolutions, or making peace with what couldn't change. Being grounded, alive, refreshed. It was my moving meditation even as it became more and more difficult to do.

Until Sunday it had been over 4 years since I went for a run. Broken ankle, torn calf, surgery, back problems, sciatica, foot pain, joint pain, bone pain and constant fatigue made it seem like running would forever be the thing I 'used to do'. I didn't realize until recently how much gluten consumption was destroying my ability to run.

Until Sunday. We went as a family to the cross-country path at the high school.  And I ran. It never felt so good. I didn't go very far but I learned a long time ago that the tortoise always gets to the finish line. It is the beginning again.  And I am still on a high from that run."


I wrote this post 2 years ago.  At the time I thought I was back running regularly... but I still had much strength and health to gain.  This morning I started - again.  And, just days away from my 3 year gluten-free anniversary I still continue to improve.  I can't believe how much better I feel each day... and how much my joints have improved.  So though it was rainy, windy and cold I was out there hitting the pavement - and loving it.  
It is never too late to start - again!!

I run because I am healthy
I run because I am gluten free.
I run because I can!

Focus on the Joy

"No Gluten Necessary" watercolor & ink, 5x7, copyright Erin Rogers Pickering

Its been said all publicity is good publicity as long as it gets the product or topic out there, in people's thoughts and conversations. I don't know... I get tired of the never-ending stream of articles that perpetuate the difficulties, the expense, and the nutritional deficiencies of following a gluten-free diet.

First, those of us that have celiac or gluten intolerance have no choice. And many of us choose to look at it in a positive light. As in we are no longer sick all day, every day. No diet is too hard when a complete turn around in health and energy is the result.

Second, I believe it scares off celiac newbies – Because there is a learning and adjustment curve, they struggle or stumble (which happens or happened to all of us) then read the negative stories and say “see, it is too hard!” Then give up on the diet – giving up their own health in the process. But a positive attitude and the willpower to stick it out go a long way. I have read of many people who find the gf diet too difficult to follow because they have to give up fast food --- not much nutrition in the fast food diet!

Third, it keeps people from being tested. They don't want to have a disease that is so difficult and expensive to manage. And the negative articles support their fear. They would love an easy pill to take and not to have to think about it. I know because I have met them in person and on forums. (again I ask, how big is the expense of chronic illness and pain?)

I am tired of the negative talk. I believe the authors of these pieces haven't spoken to celiacs that have had dramatic improvements in their health. People who feel joy that they now know what is wrong; they know the root cause and are truly enjoying the gluten free food they prepare and eat. People who have experimented and come up with delicious and tantalizing treats and feasts enjoyed by celiacs and non-celiacs alike. People who happily eat fresh, nutritionally packed, naturally gluten-free food. People who are truly empowered by creating good health by the foods that they choose to eat.

Painting a Week 52 Week Challenge, Painting #11

Peacock, watercolor on paper, 9x12, copyright Erin Rogers Pickering

He's not finished but I am sharing the progress... hope to complete his turquoise beauty this weekend.

Hot & Cold

"Gluten-Free by the Sea", watercolor & ink, copyright Erin Rogers Pickering

For years I was always cold. In the winter my husband said my hands were inhumanly cold. That he didn't know how something alive could be that cold. I blamed it on my under active thyroid and learned to dress for it by layering. Winter - 4 layers, spring & fall -3 layers and summer 2. Even on the hottest days I was comfortable in 2 tops.

So cold that when our daughter was a baby, to early toddler, I took her temperature several times a week. She always felt fiery hot to me. When she started taking her dolls temps I knew I needed to break the habit.

I have since learned it had more to do with mal-absorption than anything else. The fact that my body temperature always dropped if I was overdue for a meal should have been a clue. But that was missed along with dozens of other clues all along the path. And as my body healed, I got warmer.

Now as we enter the dog days of summer in NYC (earlier than usual) I am warmer than I have been in as long as I can remember.... And, in the market for cooler clothes.

As I stand melting on street corners and subway platforms I remind myself of what it signals and I am happy. Hot and happy!

Gluten Free Holiday

"Welcome to Gluten-Free Pineapple" watercolor and ink, copyright Erin Rogers Pickering

Gluten-Free Living Magazine put together a Gluten-Free Holiday Gift Guide on their blog from foods, to cooking and baking tools, to clothes & aprons, even a special section for the GF man in your life... and I was thrilled and honored that my GF Illustrator aprons made the list!

So if you are looking for gifts for your gluten-free family and friends to show you care, and support them in their quest for optimal health, it is worth checking out.  

Happy Gluten-free Holidays!

Art & Literature Giveaway!

First there was bacon and eggs, then peanut butter and jelly, then rhythm and blues, and now at long last, the teaming of Erin (illustrator) and Roy (author) to host an Art & Literature Giveaway. The lucky winner will receive a copy of the novel Patches of Grey by Roy L. Pickering Jr. AND a print of their choice from Erin’s Etsy shop.

Here’s how you play, folks. Go to ErinGoPaint, look through all of the listed items, return to this blog entry and post a comment stating what your favorite piece is. The randomly selected participant will win a copy of the print they chose ALONG WITH a copy of Roy’s book.

Only one comment per person on the blog is allowed, but additional entries can be made on Twitter by cutting & pasting the following tweet: A&L Giveaway - Win Patches of Grey by @authorofpatches & a print of your choice by @gfillustrator at http://tinyurl.com/lwvjbj

Each retweet of this message will be considered as an additional entry.

A minimum of 30 unique comments at the contest blog post is required for a lottery winner to be drawn. This contest runs July 27th through August 16th. Please leave an email address in your comment unless you are sure your link will lead to a web page where contact information can be obtained. Good luck.

~erin & roy

Field of dreams

"French Cottage" acrylic on canvas, private collection, copyright Erin Rogers Pickering 

The movie was on TV the other night, and I watched it for the umpteenth time. It’s in my top 10, possibly top 5. I love the message.... Follow your dream, listen to the voice, stick with what has meaning to you even if others don't understand or think you are a little crazy.

Not only did Ray Kinsella create something magical that drew people to it and that had meaning to many others, but it gave him the opportunity to reconnect with his father whom he had lost years before. I love this movie but I can't watch it without crying.

I was drawn to create this blog (forgive the pun) and it struck me while watching the movie that by documenting my gluten-free journey I feel closer to my mother whom we lost 26 yrs ago. Telling my story has brought about a deep personal journey which sometimes becomes too intense for me. Explains my sporadic writing. Also explains why so many of my own postings make me cry.

I believe in my heart of hearts that my mother had celiac disease, which set the stage for stomach cancer.  This blog is an ongoing dedication to my mom who may have had a different fate had she known about celiac disease when she was young.  And dedicated to my own health & future that I am building one gluten-free day at a time.

I am building it - and SHE has come.

The Little Things

"Right hand drawing left hand, drawn with right hand" ink & pencil, 5x7, copyright Erin Rogers Pickering

I started wearing nail polish in the 7th grade. A woman on our street worked for a cosmetic company and gave me dozens of sample bottles. I loved it - another dimension in painting. And I loved the color sparkling at the tips of my fingers. It was not allowed at school so it was my weekend decoration only.

From High School on I was never without nail polish. I had long strong nails and loved the color accent. Most people who knew me had never seen me without it. It was my signature.

About 7 years ago I started noticing problems with my nails... Splitting, cracking, ridges, white spots, and the top layer appeared to be peeling off.  My dermatologist diagnosed psoriasis (along with patches on my face and arms) and said there was no cure. Oh - and to stop wearing polish. Two weeks layer my husband proposed and everyone I knew was checking out my ring - and my un-manicured hands.

Flash forward... A year after sticking strictly to my gluten-free diet my nails are all the same length, no spots, no ridges, no cracking, peeling or splitting… As strong as they used to be. (and my skin is clear)  I did my nails last night for the first time in years and I feel like that little girl again with color dancing at the tips of my fingers.

Sometimes, it’s the little things…

Doorways

Doorways of France I, watercolor on paper, 8x10, copyright Erin Rogers Pickering

I've always had a thing for doorways... I like to draw them, photograph them, wondering what lays inside and they have played heavily in my dreams and nightmares.

Especially my nigtmares... There was a time I had so many 'door' nightmares that it inspired me to quit the job I had at the time. After months & months of similar nightmares they abruptly ceased when I gave notice.

Doorways hold a significant place in fairytales and fables representing entering the psyche. 

They are all over frequently used expessions... The eyes are the doorway to the soul; When opportunity knocks be sure to open the door; Shutting the door on the past; A foot in the door; Katy bar the door; Beating a path to your door.

I met my husband by opening the door both literally & figuratively. So quite appropriately we used one of my doorway paintings as the cover of his book, Patches of Grey.

You are never quite sure what you will find when entering a door but the outside sometimes shows a suggestion of what you will find within. Sometimes there are surprises. 

On April 17 2008 I stepped through the gluten-free doorway (well, actually I probably crawled through). I found a whole new world within myself and in my surroundings. It is an amazingly beautiful place to have ended up. Believing I was entering a place of limits - never imagining it would be filled with unlimited possibilities.