Food Addiction and Recovery: Three Holiday Recipes

Food Addiction and Recovery: Three Holiday Recipes

by | Nov 24, 2017 | Food Addiction

Our Food Addiction Program’s Registered Dietitian, Mary Bamford, has put together these three recipes for colourful and delicious vegetable side dishes for a turkey dinner. They can be fully or partially prepared in advance to be used at home or to bring to a potluck.

Festive Beet and Cabbage Salad
For best flavour, make 6-8 hours in advance and refrigerate. Garnish when serving. Makes 8 servings

2 lbs beets (900 g)
1 cup red cabbage, shredded (250 ml)
1 cup carrots, shredded (grated) (250 ml)
4 green onions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (or ½ -1 tsp dried dill) (30 ml)
2/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled (150 ml)
1/3 cup toasted sunflower seeds (80 ml)

Dressing
¼ cup red wine vinegar (60 ml)
1 tsp dried mustard (5 ml)
2 tbsp olive oil (30 ml)
2 tbsp water (30 ml)
To taste, freshly ground pepper and salt (optional)

Instructions
1. Wash beets and cut away the tops and the tails. Wrap in foil and bake at 375 deg F (190 C) for about 60 minutes or until just tender. Unwrap, let cool and peel under running water. Cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks and place in large glass or ceramic mixing bowl.
2. Add cabbage, carrots, green onions, and dill and stir gently to combine.
3. Place red wine vinegar in a small bowl. Add mustard and whisk to combine. Add oil, water, and honey and continue to whisk.
4. Pour dressing over beets and other vegetables and stir to combine.
5. When ready to serve, garnish each serving individually with feta cheese and toasted sunflower seeds.

Option to partially make-ahead 1-2 days in advance
1. Roast, cool, peel, and cut beets. Place in their own glass bowl, cover and refrigerate.
2. Shred and slice cabbage, carrots, and green onion and place in a second bowl. Add dill, cover, and refrigerate.
3. Prepare dressing.
4. 6 to 8 hours prior to serving, continue with step 4 above.

Recipe from Mary Bamford, 2010. Adapted from Dietitians of Canada Nutrition Month Campaign 2010. Updated for Renascent November 2017.

 

Make-Ahead Roasted Green Beans with Red Onion and Walnuts
Makes 8 servings

1 lb green beans, trimmed (450 g)
½ red onion, cut into ¼ inch thick wedges
½ tsp each freshly ground pepper and salt (2 ml each)
1 tbsp olive oil (15 ml)

Dressing
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (no sugar added) (15 ml)
2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1 tsp fresh thyme, minced (or ¼ tsp dry) (5 ml)

Garnish
2 oz walnuts, toasted and chopped (60 g)

Instructions
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 450 degrees.
2. Prepare dressing. Combine vinegar, garlic, and thyme in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spread beans and onion wedges. Sprinkle vegetables with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Using your hand, toss to coat.
4. Transfer to oven and roast for 10 minutes
5. Remove baking sheet from oven. Pour dressing mixture over beans, and using tongs, toss to coat. Redistribute beans and onions in even layer and return to oven.
6. Continue to roast until onions and beans are dark golden brown in spots and beans have started to shrivel, approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
7. Serve hot or allow to cool and refrigerate. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
8. Remove from refrigerator a half hour prior to serving. When ready to serve, garnish each serving individually with toasted walnut.

Mature winter beans from the supermarket are often tough and dull. Roasting them for 20 minutes with olive oil and salt transforms them into deeply caramelized, full-flavoured beans.

Recipe from Mary Bamford. Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook. Updated for Renascent November 2017.

 

Make-Ahead Spiced Squash Casserole (pictured)
Makes 8 servings

3 – 4 lb winter squash, such as buttercup or butternut (1.3-1.8 kg)
½-1 cup water (125-250 ml)
½ tsp salt (2 ml)

Spice Mixture (can be doubled if you like a lot of spicy flavor)
1 tsp cinnamon (5 ml)
½ tsp ground ginger (3 ml)
¼ tsp ground nutmeg (2 ml)
1/8 tsp ground clove (1 ml)
2 Tbsp butter, melted (30 ml)

Garnish
2 oz pecan halves, toasted (60 g)

Instructions
1. Pierce the skin of your squash with a fork in multiple places. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. This makes it easier to cut the squash
2. Safely cut the squash in half and remove seeds. Cut in half again. Sprinkle with ½ tsp of salt.
3. Place squash in a microwave safe Pyrex dish, with the cut side down. The dish will likely hold approximately half of your squash. Add water to your Pyrex dish and cover. Microwave on high until squash is very tender and offers no resistance when poked with a paring knife, 15 to 25 minutes. Remove dish from microwave and set on a clean, dry surface. Remove flesh from squash and place in a large bowl. Repeat with the second half of your squash.
4. While your squash is cooking, toast pecan halves that will be used for a garnish. Store them in an airtight container.
5. When your squash is fully cooked, use a fork to mash the squash or egg beaters to whip the squash. Add melted butter and spices, seasoning to taste.
6. Spread squash mixture into a casserole dish that is both microwave and oven safe. Allow to cool. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
7. Remove casserole from refrigerator when you are ready to reheat. If you are making turkey dinner, warm the casserole on low heat in the microwave during the final minutes of the turkey cooking. After you remove the turkey from the oven, finish heating the squash casserole at 350 degrees for 15 to 25 minutes while the turkey rests.
8. When ready to serve, garnish with toasted pecans.

Microwaving squash creates a smooth and creamy mash that is perfect for a side dish with holiday turkey.

Recipe from Mary Bamford. Cooking technique from Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook. Updated for Renascent November 2017
Renascent Staff

The staff at Renascent is passionate about helping people with substance addictions so they can reach their full recovery – with compassion, respect, empathy and understanding. Our staff includes our counsellors, all of whom have lived experience of addiction and recovery.

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Food Addiction and Recovery: Ending the Food Fight

Food Addiction and Recovery: Ending the Food Fight

by | Nov 23, 2017 | Addictions and Mental Health, Food Addiction, Rehab and Recovery

 

My problem with food started as far back as I can remember.

I learned to hide it when I got disapproving comments from family and others. I always wanted to be alone to eat and I would hide and hoard it. As I got older it only got worse. I used food for everything. When something bad happened, I would use it for comfort. When something good happened I’d use it to celebrate or as a reward. I would use it to alleviate boredom.

I got sicker and sicker. I began to binge every day in secret. It made me so ashamed of myself. I would have to be sure to have my binge foods already in the house for each night because I knew I was going to need them. Every day I would buy or bake lots of terribly unhealthy sugary/salty foods and every night I would gorge myself until I felt so sick that I could hardly move.

I couldn’t stop no matter how hard I tried. I would even become angry that I couldn’t keep eating. Each night I would promise myself that tomorrow would be different, but each morning I’d wake up with the obsession still there just as strong as the day before and I’d have to do it all over again.

I lost and gained hundreds of pounds dieting and then giving in to the cravings and quitting. I was in chronic pain. I had to go up my stairs on my hands and knees many times. I didn’t want to go out. I had nothing to wear. My job became almost impossible. It was no way to live. I was desperate.

I decided to have Gastric Bypass Surgery but when I lost some weight ahead of time they said I didn’t need the surgery. That upset me and sent me back to the food. I quickly regained everything I’d just lost plus.

I went to a support group where I heard about a Pilot Program in Toronto for Food Addicts at Renascent. I called them the very next day. It was the best thing I’ve ever done for myself. I was accepted into the program and I went into the house on October 12th 2016 for 3 weeks.

It was an adjustment at first but I soon found myself really benefitting from their program of healthy, prepared meals, classes, meetings and counselling sessions. I learned for the first time in my life that I’m not a bad person but that I have a disease. I learned that I’m not like other people. I learned that when I eat my trigger foods, my mind and body undergo actual physical changes that are a chemically induced abnormality or illness. I learned that it is a progressive disease and that it only becomes worse without treatment. I learned that unless I abstain from these trigger foods I cannot recover.

I was helped by counsellors to make changes that have literally saved my life. I have been able to remain abstinent since leaving treatment by using all the tools that were given to me. I work this program every single day and it has become a way of life for me. I have a plan of eating that I follow each day. I have a sponsor who helps me and I have a support system of people in my life that have gone through the same experiences, and who are also in recovery. I now have freedom from the mental obsession and physical cravings that used to plague me relentlessly.

I’ve lost at least 100 lbs. and I feel better than I have ever felt in my life. I’m active and I can do things I only dreamed of doing before. I believe in this program. It has worked for me. The key for me was willingness. I am so grateful that I have been helped to understand that recovery from eating compulsively is possible.

Learn more about Renascent’s Food Addiction Program. To speak with a food addiction expert, call 1-877-230-2918 or email foodaddiction@renascent.ca.

Alumni

Members of Renascent’s alumni community carry the message by sharing their experiences and perspectives on addiction and recovery. To contribute your alumni perspective, please email alumni@renascent.ca.