Cooking

[palmtree]

Since I got diagnosed about 13 years ago, I have been cooking my own meals on the stove but it’s getting harder. My hands aren’t strong enough to chop vegetables and I’m always afraid my arms are going to start uncontrollable movements making a pot of hot soup go flying across the kitchen.

With all that, not to mention my legs fatiguing and giving way in the middle of an important step, I’m coming here in hopes we might share some of our own tricks with getting dinner on the table.

[marti]

I've been taking short cuts for a long time now. It's a little more expensive sometimes, but it's easier on me to buy pre cut veggies and fruits. I use some frozen meals or ingredients. There are days that I can handle food better, but some days are just too hard. I don't have a family anymore to worry about. So I can cheat more. I also use fast food at times. I use the smallest pots and pans that I have and of course I don't make big meals. Try to eliminate some of the more tiring steps and enlist help when you can.

[palmtree]

Precut vegetables and fruits is a great idea. I’m not familiar with frozen things that I can trust to be healthy. But I would like to know what is good.

Today, I spent the entire day making Indonesian chicken. First, I had to boiled the chicken, then shred it, wash the pot I boiled the chicken in and put shredded chicken back in pot with chicken broth and a mix of Indonesian spices. Then boil eggs to add. I ate a good meal and will have some for tomorrow but then a whole new day to figure out what I can eat.

DoodDash and UberEats are very useful when I just can’t to all this.

[pennstater]

I would check out some crock pot recipes. You can put it in and not have to worry. The bonus is you can freeze the extras and have meals for multiple days. I tend to make larger recipes even in the oven so that I can freeze.

Some days that are just not great days, I can take something out and defrost or even last minute, use microwave to defrost if the day goes down hill. Likewise, when I make soup, I use a large pot (less likely to knock over or spill) and freeze some.

[palmtree]

I wish I could still do all those things. It’s funny, I can make soup in the Dutch oven completely full and eat almost the whole thing. I must be starving because I’m not overweight.

I thought about getting a crock pot. Being able to set it and leave would be a big help. I’m short on counter space and plugs, though. But, there is always a way. I will look at some crock pot recipes. If I see some things that look yummy and I can’t wait to make them I will find room on the counter for a crock pot.

[Kimba22]

For recipes using chicken, you can use Rotisserie chicken instead.
I can't cook anymore, but my husband will often just use that. Tastes just as good, and saves time and work!

[Kimba22]

I should probably add that he uses precooked rotisserie chicken.

[palmtree]

Do you have a rotisserie? Or do he just buy it like that?

[Kimba22]

He buys it precooked. He buys a whole one (they're not that big), but I also noticed you can get it preshredded (pulled) or precut.

[NoraS]

Kitchen shears and a mandoline, both of which can't be used when you're having a "dangerous" day. But on a good day when you feel like cooking, they're a lifesaver because they don't take a lot of hand strength. I've used frozen vegetables for years. No, they're not as good as fresh, but they're a lot easier. Get a padded bar stool and sit down as much as you can.

I rarely cook anymore, except for holidays, and I go for the easiest one-pot meals I can find. I do a lot of stovetop casseroles, crockpot meals, and Chunky soup. Except for the soup, I try to make enough for several meals. I wind up eating the same thing for a couple days, but it saves the aggravation of having to cook again.

[Cookie_Crumbles]

When I was having sudden hand twitches, I kept cutting myself while preparing tough vegetables. So I learned not to hold carrots and such by hand, but to hold them with a fork. Then the twitches stopped and only the clumsiness and hand weakness is the problem - sometimes I put veggies in the microwave to soften them up first. Much easier that way. I also "defrost them" in hot water - if they are cold straight from the fridge, I either can't feel my hands or the cold hurts, and I can't work with them.

I also got a small veggie dicer machine. It cuts too small for some dishes, but it's still better than me doing it.

My favorite recipe these days: boil some meat / chicken in a pot, then toss in a package of frozen veggies. Add spices and voila! a yummy tasty soup or stew! No lifting the pot, no fussing. Sometimes, when I'm ambitious, I'll brown a part of meat or veggies in a frying pan, for extra flavor.