The New York Goodwich: A Nutrition-Packed Veggie Wrap

We set out to start blogging more authentically, and, specifically, focusing on how food and cooking became a form of bonding for us as we got to know each other as a birthmother and daughter. Most mothers and daughters don’t have to “get to know each other” as a deliberate act – it unfolds over the course of a lifetime, and much of that unfolding involves nurturing and literally nourishing one’s child. And naturally, much of that takes place in the kitchen. So for Donna and I, it was (and still is) a  template for the way we’ve been making up for lost time.

And really, sometimes, we’re just going to share some recipes because they’re just plain good, no backstory required.

But here’s the thing: if we’re going to be talking about authentic writing + food, there’s more to that equation than just the love and nurturing and connecting. Yes, we all absolutely do connect with one another through food, and we all have emotional connections with food because of that. And most of the time, in most ways, this is a beautiful thing. But emotional connections are imperfect, as is anything in this imperfect world, and therefore, our relationship with food itself is not always going to be healthy.

This is a part of my (Anne’s) story that I haven’t talked about much publicly, let alone in a food blog platform. What? Talking about eating disorders on a food blog? Aren’t food blogs supposed to be about the awesome FOOD, along with fabulous photography and engaging writing? Why bring up such an uncomfortable topic?

Well, I bring it up because it underscores what a revelation it was to me, truly, to be connected with someone who loves food and relates to it in much the same way I do, as it was when I met my birthmother. To have that love for food be transformed into something not shameful, greedy, indulgent in the worst kind of pejorative (because the latter was the way I felt for decades), well, it has been nothing less than life-changing.

I will give you the Cliffs Notes version, rather than the Lifetime Movie of the Week version, but in a nutshell: Read the rest of this entry →