Nourish the body, soothe the soul
Marchia in Aeternum
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Georgia
Posts: 11,094
Nourish the body, soothe the soul
Hi, folks. Congratulations on your decision to defeat your addiction.
I've gone through detoxes and withdrawals multiple times in my struggle. I'm well acquainted with the physical and mental costs. I'm also well acquainted with the healing power of food. While the first couple of days may be saltines and water, eventually you'll feel like eating again.
I've started this thread to collect recipes, tips, and advice on how to eat and drink to help body, mind, and soul recover and recuperate. Feel free to contribute. This is our thread.
I'll start. I love soup. Any and all, hot or cold, rich or delicate. This one was taught to me by a grand lady in Southern Louisiana. Everybody knows gumbo but few know clear gumbo. Instead of thickening with roux, okra gives the gumbo its texture. This is easy, quick, and wholesome. It's also low-fat and low sodium.
Chicken Gumbo
1 10 oz. can of white meat chicken
1 32 oz. box of low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
1 16 oz. bag of vegetables for gumbo
four servings of rice, whatever kind you want
French bread or cornbread if you like(and feel like)
Toss the first three ingredients in a pot over medium heat. Cover. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer.
Start your rice when you cover the gumbo. It'll be done by the time the gumbo is.
While that's getting going:
Seasoning
The beauty of this dish is it can be seasoned to any taste. Once you're simmering you can start tasting and seasoning. Feeling mild? Adjust the salt and add black pepper to taste. Up to something spicy? I always am. I keep a spice blend called Tony Chachare's(low sodium) around. It's a blend of black and red pepper, garlic powder, chili powder and other good things. Not hot but spicy enough to get a little endorphin rush going.
When the gumbo has simmered for 15 minutes and you've got the seasoning where you want it take it off the heat. Serving is easy. Whatever size bowl you're using, take up about a quarter of it with rice. Fill the bowl with gumbo. Grab your bread and spoon. Hope you enjoy it.
I've gone through detoxes and withdrawals multiple times in my struggle. I'm well acquainted with the physical and mental costs. I'm also well acquainted with the healing power of food. While the first couple of days may be saltines and water, eventually you'll feel like eating again.
I've started this thread to collect recipes, tips, and advice on how to eat and drink to help body, mind, and soul recover and recuperate. Feel free to contribute. This is our thread.
I'll start. I love soup. Any and all, hot or cold, rich or delicate. This one was taught to me by a grand lady in Southern Louisiana. Everybody knows gumbo but few know clear gumbo. Instead of thickening with roux, okra gives the gumbo its texture. This is easy, quick, and wholesome. It's also low-fat and low sodium.
Chicken Gumbo
1 10 oz. can of white meat chicken
1 32 oz. box of low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
1 16 oz. bag of vegetables for gumbo
four servings of rice, whatever kind you want
French bread or cornbread if you like(and feel like)
Toss the first three ingredients in a pot over medium heat. Cover. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer.
Start your rice when you cover the gumbo. It'll be done by the time the gumbo is.
While that's getting going:
Seasoning
The beauty of this dish is it can be seasoned to any taste. Once you're simmering you can start tasting and seasoning. Feeling mild? Adjust the salt and add black pepper to taste. Up to something spicy? I always am. I keep a spice blend called Tony Chachare's(low sodium) around. It's a blend of black and red pepper, garlic powder, chili powder and other good things. Not hot but spicy enough to get a little endorphin rush going.
When the gumbo has simmered for 15 minutes and you've got the seasoning where you want it take it off the heat. Serving is easy. Whatever size bowl you're using, take up about a quarter of it with rice. Fill the bowl with gumbo. Grab your bread and spoon. Hope you enjoy it.
Self recovered Self discovered
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Toronto Canada
Posts: 5,148
Sounds delicious, trachemys. I love making soups and stews too. I like to start em all, no matter what they are, with a handful each of finely diced carrots, celery and onion. French cooks call it a mirepoix, and Italians call it a soffritto. Whatever the name, saute that mix til it's soft in a little olive oil or even bacon, add some minced garlic for the last minute, then add stock and whatever the heck you are throwing into the pot. It adds a yummy savory base rich in umami. Give it a shot next soup you build.
Marchia in Aeternum
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Georgia
Posts: 11,094
Originally Posted by freshstart57 
Sounds delicious, trachemys. I love making soups and stews too. I like to start em all, no matter what they are, with a handful each of finely diced carrots, celery and onion. French cooks call it a mirepoix, and Italians call it a soffritto. Whatever the name, saute that mix til it's soft in a little olive oil or even bacon, add some minced garlic for the last minute, then add stock and whatever the heck you are throwing into the pot. It adds a yummy savory base rich in umami. Give it a shot next soup you build.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 8,637
I heartily endorse the BACON theory.
Also - fruit and vegetable juicing and smoothies!!!
Get yourself a blender and a juicer and just regularly buy heaps and mounds of good (preferably local, organic) produce. Experiment by throwing in various combinations of vegetables and a bit of fruit (heavier on the veggies, minimal fruits to keep the sugars down) and pound a glass or two of that action per day.
HOLY HECKOLA
Also - fruit and vegetable juicing and smoothies!!!
Get yourself a blender and a juicer and just regularly buy heaps and mounds of good (preferably local, organic) produce. Experiment by throwing in various combinations of vegetables and a bit of fruit (heavier on the veggies, minimal fruits to keep the sugars down) and pound a glass or two of that action per day.
HOLY HECKOLA
Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 8,637
Guest
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 4,225
Originally Posted by FreeOwl
Marchia in Aeternum
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Georgia
Posts: 11,094
Originally Posted by FreeOwl
Guest
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Ashburn, VA
Posts: 30,196
This soup is absolutely delicious! I can't get enough! The gremolata topping just makes it! It is from Rachael Ray.
Zuppa Osso Buco (Serves 4)
VEAL DUMPLINGS:
1 lb. ground veal (can substitute meatloaf mix)
1 large egg, beaten
1/3 c. Italian breadcrumbs
1/4 c. grated parmesan or romano cheese
1/2 t. freshly grated nutmeg
coarse salt and black pepper
SOUP:
2 T. EVOO
2 peeled carrots, cut into 1/4" pieces
2 ribs celery, plus greens, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
coarse salt and pepper
1 bay leaf
1/2 c. white wine (if that isn't a trigger)
1 14-oz. can white cannelini beans, drained
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes
3 c. chicken stock
2 c. beef stock
1 c. medium egg noodles
GREMOLATA:
2 cloves garlic, skinned
1 2-oz. tin flat fillet anchovies, drained (ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY!
)
1/4 c. loosely-packed flat-leaf parsley
1 lemon, zested
Crusty bread, to pass at table
Combine the dumpling ingredients and make 1" balls.
Heat a medium soup pot to medium heat. Add EVOO to hot pot with carrots. Coat carrots with oil. After a minute, add the celery and onion. Season them with salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir and cook 5 minutes to begin softening. Do not brown! Reduce heat if necessary.
Add wine and cook 1 min. Add stocks, beans, and tomatoes to the pot. Cover and raise heat to high. When soup boils, add raw dumplings directly to pot. Then stir in egg noodles. Simmer for 6 mins. to cook meat and noodles. Adjust seasonings and remove from heat.
Let soup stand while you fine-chop the gremolata mixture. Transfer to a small dish.
Serve soup in shallow bowls and sprinkle each with 2 t. gremolata. Stir throughout.
Chow down!
Zuppa Osso Buco (Serves 4)
VEAL DUMPLINGS:
1 lb. ground veal (can substitute meatloaf mix)
1 large egg, beaten
1/3 c. Italian breadcrumbs
1/4 c. grated parmesan or romano cheese
1/2 t. freshly grated nutmeg
coarse salt and black pepper
SOUP:
2 T. EVOO
2 peeled carrots, cut into 1/4" pieces
2 ribs celery, plus greens, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
coarse salt and pepper
1 bay leaf
1/2 c. white wine (if that isn't a trigger)
1 14-oz. can white cannelini beans, drained
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes
3 c. chicken stock
2 c. beef stock
1 c. medium egg noodles
GREMOLATA:
2 cloves garlic, skinned
1 2-oz. tin flat fillet anchovies, drained (ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY!
)1/4 c. loosely-packed flat-leaf parsley
1 lemon, zested
Crusty bread, to pass at table
Combine the dumpling ingredients and make 1" balls.
Heat a medium soup pot to medium heat. Add EVOO to hot pot with carrots. Coat carrots with oil. After a minute, add the celery and onion. Season them with salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir and cook 5 minutes to begin softening. Do not brown! Reduce heat if necessary.
Add wine and cook 1 min. Add stocks, beans, and tomatoes to the pot. Cover and raise heat to high. When soup boils, add raw dumplings directly to pot. Then stir in egg noodles. Simmer for 6 mins. to cook meat and noodles. Adjust seasonings and remove from heat.
Let soup stand while you fine-chop the gremolata mixture. Transfer to a small dish.
Serve soup in shallow bowls and sprinkle each with 2 t. gremolata. Stir throughout.
Chow down!
Marchia in Aeternum
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Georgia
Posts: 11,094
Nice, Gilmer.
Beverages
OK, you gave up your go-to-for-any-reason-you-could-think-of-beverages. That's a good thing. Now, thirsty, you open the fridge at look at what's in there. And nothing looks good. You wander the potable liquids at the grocery store. Nothing looks good and some of it is more expensive than booze.
Well, I can tell you who I lean on:
Arnold Palmer
He invented the tea and lemonade mix now named for him. His was probably of sweetened versions. I make mine with unsweetened brewed black tea and sugar free lemonade. It's just half of each over ice. I keep a pitcher of each in the fridge. Mixing it by the glass seems to assuage the "making a drink" craving.
Not your glass of tea?
Well, here:
734 non-alcoholic drink recipes of which only a few are mocktails.
Non-alcoholic recipes: 700+ appetizing drink recipes.
A word about mocktails: some people find them a trigger item so approach with caution. If you have trouble walking down the beer aisle in the grocery store, don't go there. I'll be glad to look for a recipe if you have something in mind.
Beverages
OK, you gave up your go-to-for-any-reason-you-could-think-of-beverages. That's a good thing. Now, thirsty, you open the fridge at look at what's in there. And nothing looks good. You wander the potable liquids at the grocery store. Nothing looks good and some of it is more expensive than booze.
Well, I can tell you who I lean on:
Arnold Palmer
He invented the tea and lemonade mix now named for him. His was probably of sweetened versions. I make mine with unsweetened brewed black tea and sugar free lemonade. It's just half of each over ice. I keep a pitcher of each in the fridge. Mixing it by the glass seems to assuage the "making a drink" craving.
Not your glass of tea?
Well, here:
734 non-alcoholic drink recipes of which only a few are mocktails.
Non-alcoholic recipes: 700+ appetizing drink recipes.
A word about mocktails: some people find them a trigger item so approach with caution. If you have trouble walking down the beer aisle in the grocery store, don't go there. I'll be glad to look for a recipe if you have something in mind.
Guest
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Ashburn, VA
Posts: 30,196
I used to love margaritas and other fruity drinks. I have tried virgin versions, and lately I find that I can't handle the sugar in them. I find I can't handle the carbonation of diet sodas anymore, and I get a headache from the aspartame.
I am a coffee person--but I always chase it with water so I don't dehydrate. Lately water is becoming my go-to drink for the day.
Sorry--no recipe for water!
I am a coffee person--but I always chase it with water so I don't dehydrate. Lately water is becoming my go-to drink for the day.
Sorry--no recipe for water!
pray for strength
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: New England
Posts: 2,414
?. Aww. It sucks to miss the punchline on a good joke. Is it 'Rated-R' or something? Can you just write down a 'Rated-G' version?
***BTW - thanks trachemys for this very insightful thread
***BTW - thanks trachemys for this very insightful thread Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 25,373
Originally Posted by LeTheVerte
?. Aww. It sucks to miss the punchline on a good joke. Is it 'Rated-R' or something? Can you just write down a 'Rated-G' version?
***BTW - thanks trachemys for this very insightful thread
***BTW - thanks trachemys for this very insightful thread ...and what I almost said was, "That would make you wet."
*ducks out of thread*
*because I'm 12*
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,509
I recently watched the documentary "Fed Up" and I have loosened my firm grip on sugar, carbs and sugary carbs. I believe fat is not the enemy, but sugar is. I never would have believed that when I cut down on sugar, I began craving healthy fruit, veggies and grains. Who knew!
I believe fat is not the enemy, but sugar is. I never would have believed that when I cut down on sugar, I began craving healthy fruit, veggies and grains. Who knew! 
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