Anxiety In The Kitchen by Elizabeth Levengood

IN THE KITCHEN

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Written & Designed b y Elizabet h

Levengood

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Anxiety in The Kitchen

How about anxious, overwhelmed, or uneasy? If yes, you are not alone. According to the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, live with an anxiety disorder. Anxiety is the most common mental illness in the United States. They develop from a complex set of risk factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and/or life events.

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In this age of information it has become impossible to not only stop worrying, but to escape reminders of that stress. From social media to text messaging the world is a little too close for comfort for people who need a break. The age of computers, or what is known by some as the digital age. is a constant influx of new information and ways to convey that information. Everything is simply a google search away, and all your friends are just a snapchat, facetime, direct message, or text away. What is so wonderful about this age is that everything is new. Creativily is constantly flowing from wire to wire along with the electrc currents thats fuel each new phone, game system, laptop, etc. While everything is and exciting, there is always the fear of the unknown, fear of change and the uncertainty of the future.

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Only abou t one-third o f those suff e r i n g from an an x i e ty disorder receive treatment .

Anxiety in The Kitchen

Now, I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cure your anxiety or relieve your stress. Sorry pal, this is a cookbook not a Xanax. What I can do is get you more in tune with the emotions surrounding anxiety and/or stress. Each section includes three recipes related to a certain emotion.

Bitterness, includes foods that leave a bitter/sour taste in your mouth. Mental illness is anything but sweet, and it takes a while to accept that you might need help. No one is excited or happy to be stressed out, so let those acrid feelings seep into your meals and begin your ascension into the roller coast of anxious emotions.

Anger: Another side effect of mental illness/ stress can many times be anger. There is so much happening in the world and in our own lives. So many bad events that we can’t fix, so many problems to solve in our personal lives that just can’t all be solved at once, or even solved fully. All these problems build up and they need to be let out. These three recipes are based around letting out that stress. Get ready to mash, smash, and knead that mess out of your head. Physical exertion helps us focus on the motions at hand rather than our inner turmoil.

Sadness: In being bitter about having a mental illness, there’s usually feelings of sadness looming. Let them come, eat your weight in pasta. Make some spaghetti sauce and think back to those nice meals with grandma, or just carbo overload until you’ve forgotten why you are sad. There really is nothing like carb therapy.

Relaxation: Admit it, you deserve a break. A chance to lie down, enjoy a hot beverage, maybe even a boozy one. Why not both. The time is now to step back and let your frazzled mind rest, at least for a bit. Your problems won’t completely disappear, but they might not weight on you so much after a cup of tea mixed with happiness.

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Table of Contents Bitterness Rhubarb Tart Sour Apple Pie Lemon Cake Anger Bread Sweet Potato Casserole Pecan Bake

Sadness Gnocchi Pasta Sauce Lasagna Relaxation Chai Tea Sleepy Tea Whiskey-Lemon Tea

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Bitterness

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Tart Rubarb Crunch 1 cup 2 Tblsps. flour 3 cups diced Rhubarb Place this into a greased baking dish or pan. To combat the sour feeling of dealing with mental illness, Combine: 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup mother’s oats, and 1 ½ cups flour ina separate bowl. cut in: ½ cup butter or oleo ½ cup shortening Sprinkle over the rhubarb mixure. Bake at 375° for about 40 minutes. Serve with whipped cream or topping.

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Sour Apple Pie 2 1 1 6 1 ¼ 3 1 3 ¼

eggs cup sour cream cup sugar Tblsps. flour divided teaspoon vanilla teaspoon salt cup chopped apples unbaked pie shell Tblsps. butter cup packed brown sugar

In large bowl, beat eggs, add sour cream. Stir in sugar, 2 Tblsps. flour, vanilla and salt. Mix well. Stir in apples. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine butter, brown sugar and remaining flour. Sprinkle over top of pie. Return to oven 20-25 minutes or untill filling is set. Cool completely on wire rack. Serve or cover and refrigerate.

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Tangy Lemon Cake CAKE: 1½ cups sifted flour ¾ tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. salt 2 eggs , separated ½ cup butter, softened ½ cup sugar finely grated zest of one lemon 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice ¾ cup buttermilk Preheat oven to 350°.Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in bowl and set aside. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Set aside. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks to the butter mixture one at a time. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice, mix until combined. Add the flour mixture to the creamed butter. Fold in the egg whites. Spread the batter evenly in a greased 8x8 inch pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until top is golden. Lemon Syrup: ¼ cup sugar 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons hot water For Syrup: Combine all syrup ingredients until sugar dissolves, spoon over cake while still warm. Let cool and remove from pan.

Anxiety in The Kitchen

Sadness

Being anxious and stressed out all the time may make you a little sad, and if thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one thing you want when you are sad, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s comfort food. No one knows quality comfort food quite like an Italian grandmother. Straight from my nonna to you, here are two pasta dishes complete with the recipe for perfect spaghetti sauce; an essential.

Anxiety in The Kitchen

Lasagna

28 10 lasagna noodles Filling: 2 Tblsps. butter ¾ cup chopped onion 2 packages (10 oz. eac.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese ½ cup sour cream 1 egg, slightly beaten Sauce: 1 stick margarine ¼ cup flour 1 ½ teaspoons insant chicken powdered bouillon, undilluted ¼ teaspoon pepper 1 cup light cream or half and half 1 cup milk ½ cup grated romano cheese Preheat oven 350° . Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Place towels to dry. Saute onion in 2 Tblsps. margarine until tender. Combine spinach, onions, mozzarella cheese, sour cream and egg. Mix together well and set aside. Sauce: Melt 1 stick margarine in saucepan. Stir in flour, instant bouillon and pepper. Stir in milk and cream. Bring to boil, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute. Spread each noodle with approximately ¼ cup of fillng. Fold up jelly roll fashion. Place small amount of sauce in 2 qt. rectangular dish. Place roll ups in dish. Spoon remaining sauce over top. Bake 30 minutes til hot.

Anxiety in The Kitchen

Potato Gnocchi

30 2 1 ½ 1 1

medium potatoes Tblsp. butter or margarine teaspoon salt egg yolk to ½ cup flour

Boil peeled potatoes until tender. Chop up potatoes and mash in a mixing bowl with any means nessecary. Use a spoon, your hands (when potatoes have cooled), even a clean hammer. Just mash those suckers.When mashed, mix with butter and salt until smooth. A egg yolk and ¼ cup flour and beat until smooth. By hand, stir in enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Turn onto floured surface. Knead for 4-5 minutes. Shape those suckers into small balls. Crease the center with a wooden spoon handle and cook into a large pot for 8-10 minutes. Remove and drain well. Serve with sauce, pesto or butter and cheese.

Spaghetti Sauce Saute onions and/or garlic in olive oil. Brown hamburg and/or Italian sausage. Add dry or prefereably fresh basil. Add canned puree with matching can water or more. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1-2 hours or until you are ready to serve. You may also drop uncooked or partially cooked meatballs into sauce as it simmers.

Anxiety in The Kitchen

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Pecan Bake 1 cup pecans 1 cup flour ½ cup softened margarine Mix together and press into 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Cool well. Cream 8 oz. cream cheese. Blend with 1 cup confectioners’ sugars. Spread over cookie crumb mixture. Spread ½ lg. container cool whip over cream cheese. Combine 4 oz. package each of instant vanilla and chocolate pudding with 1 ½ cup milk. Set til thick (2-3 minutes). Spread over cool whip. Add remaining cool whip all over. Shave pieces of chocolate bar on top. Refridgerate for one hour minimum.

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Knead to get some anger out? Bread 8 cups flour ar) Tblsp. sug 1 2 packages dry yeast d n a r e t m wa cup of war 1 o t n i t s yea (dissolve Add 1 Tblsp. lard or crisco. Stir in flour and 1 teaspoon salt and mix as for pie crust. Add yeast mix with hands. Have ready 2 cups hot water. Add gradually to flour mixture. Punch down into ball. Add 1 Tblsp. wesson oil and knead a little. Cover with a dish towl. Rinse and knead and let rise again. Shape into loaves and let rise again Bake 350Â° for thirty minutes or so.

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Sweet Potato Casserole 3 ¾ 2 1 ½ ¼

cups mashed sweet potatoes cup white sugar eggs teaspoon vanilla cup butter or oleo, melted cup milk

Topping: 1 cup light brown sugar 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts ½ cup flour 1½ cup butter or oleo, melted

Bake 25 to 35 minutes at 350°.

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Relaxation/

AnxieTea

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Chai Tea 2 2 2 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 2

cups water black tea bags whole cloves teaspoon ground cinnamon teaspoon ground ginger teaspoon ground cardamom teaspoon ground nutmeg teaspoon ground allspice Tlbsp. pure maple syrup

In a medium-sized saucepan, bring the water and spices to a boil. Whisk the spices in the water. Once the water reaches a boil, turn off the heat and allow the spices to steep in the water for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, turn the heat back on and add the black tea bag and maple syrup. Return to a slight boil (the goal is a hot liquid for steeping). Once boiling, turn off the heat. Allow the tea bags to steep in the water and spices for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and strain the tea through a fine mesh strainer. Reserve 1/2 cup of chai tea for the latte. Store the rest of the chai tea in the fridge up to two weeks for freshness. For the latte: In a medium-size saucepan, bring the milk, maple syrup, and pinch of cinnamon to a slight boil (the sides of the milk will begin to bubble), stirring often. Once the sides of the milk begin to bubble, remove the pan from heat. Using an immersion blender (this is the trick to a frothy homemade latte), blend the milk until it’s frothy. Pour ½ cup of chai tea in a mug. Slowly add the warm, frothy milk to the tea. Sprinkle the top of the chai latte with an extra pinch of cinnamon.

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Sleepy-Time Tea 1 tablespoon dried lemon balm 2 teaspoons dried peppermint 1 teaspoon fennel seeds 1 teaspoon dried rose petals 1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers 2 slices dried licorice root honey, (as needed) heavy cream or milk, (as needed) Place a kettle of filtered water onto the stove and bring to a boil. While the water comes to a boil, place herbs and spices into a mortar and crush with a pestle until roughly combined. Transfer to a teapot, pour boiling water over the herbs and steep for three to five minutes. Strain and serve with honey and cream, as you like it.

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Lemon-Whiskey Tea Tea is calming, and alchohol will help you coop with your stress, right? 2 cups very hot water 4 cups 2 Tbsps loose tea 2 Tbsps demerara sugar 24 leaves mint (plus a few more for garnish) 1 ½ whiskey (that’s a cup and a half) 2 lemons Using a microwave, electric kettle or whatever, heat your water to the desired temperature. Add loose tea to the French press, pour hot water over the leaves, replace the lid of the press (taking care not to yet mash the plunger) and allow to steep for 5 minutes. Press the steeped tea according to your press manufacturer’s directions and pour the hot tea into a thermally-resilient vessel, along with the sugar and the ice. As the ice melts, juice one lemon and one lime and then slice the other two for garnish. Bruise the mint leaves by wadding them up in your [clean] hand or by bruising them with a spoon in an empty glass. Into the vessel of now-sweetened tea, stir in the Bourbon, lemon juice, lime juice and mint. When ready to serve, pour into a pitcher filled with ice and citrus slices. Serve over ice with extra mint and citrus slices.

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Anxiety in The Kitchen

Produced under an extreme amount of stress.