Hello friends!
I’m Wavy (my avatar name) and I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2017. I am lousy at being a handicapped person and have trouble thinking of myself that way because I had 50 years of walking, not knowing I had this disease. Currently, I am using a motorized wheelchair, my hands are weaker and I don’t have the dexterity in my hands than I used to. I don’t have much energy at a time so I need easier abbreviated recipes and to be able to break them up so I can do parts of them earlier in the day.
I used to be a really good cook. I still am in my brain. Now, I have had to come up with shortcuts and modifications of old recipes to be able to make them. I know the proper techniques but can’t always use them. For me, learning to accept not doing things the correct way or using shortcuts is a struggle and a learning process. I have jars, and bags of frozen things that I would have previously made from scratch. I use cornstarch to thicken things instead of a roux, and I use my food processor or kitchen shears to cut or chop things that I would have used my previously amazing knife skills with. There are certain things that I just can’t figure out how to do myself and I either buy a prepared product, get somebody to help me or honestly, just throw in the towel (whole giant butternut squash, I’m talking to you). I have found lots of information with strategies of how to cook while handicapped but have found almost no modified recipes. Having needed simplified recipes, I’ve had no choice but to do it myself. I have changed many recipes to make them easier and I have added a modifications section with each recipe to explain the different ways I was able to achieve them. I’ve spent a huge amount of time typing out recipes so I won’t forget what I did differently for the next time I make them. I’ve never understood people who won’t give out a recipe and I want to share these recipes with others who are physically struggling with cooking or anyone who wants less demanding recipes.
I am not going to have as many pictures as other blogs as it is harder for me to take them while cooking. You will see that my kitchen is small, old and cluttered. It just doesn’t matter. I’m still able to make food as good as people with nicer, newer kitchens. It makes me and my family happy to have at least one meal of the day together and I hope these recipes bring you happiness too.
Wavy