Plans and My Soup Recipe

I've been thinking a lot about my plan this week.

In the past month, since starting my new job, I've been completely immersed in the world of addiction. I keep asking myself...is it possible to really be addicted to food? I mean--in a way, isn't everyone one addicted to it? It's a necessity for continued life. But I've been shocked to find that what some of my clients report feeling in their addictions, I feel to some degree about food.

Food lets me hide. Instead of dealing with life head on, I can eat to stave off emotions. Food has in some ways become my identity. I have spent (and do spend) a lot of time and energy finding food, preparing it, and then dealing with the after effects of overeating. I sometimes rearrange my life around food (for instance, not taking a client during a certain time because I want more time to eat at lunch.) I often eat more than I intended to, and for a longer period of time. I spend a lot of time planning to quit overeating.

The list goes on.

Clearly, I show the signs of addiction. Just as clearly, I can't quit cold turkey like the law requires my clients to.

I've decided to write myself a treatment plan, and maybe even complete an assessment, just like I do for my clients. For them, I write a new treatment plan every quarter and review it every month. So that's my plan. Look for that in the coming weeks (before January 1.)

I do feel firmly in the planning stage of change. I've ordered some books. I've told my husband that I plan to change and that I need his help. I've started posting here again.

Okay. On a different note, here's my after-thanksgiving soup. It's so amazingly yummy! The base is from the wonderful Bread and Soup cookbook by Crescent Dragonwood. (I think that's her name.)

Turkey and Brown Rice Soup

In a big soup pot pour:

4 cups vegetable broth (or other broth. Make some from your turkey carcass if you like, but I think veggie is the lowest in fat and calories.)
5 cups vegetable juice (like V8)
2 cups water
1 T Worcestershire sauce
Onion and Garlic powders as desired

Add:

Chopped up left-over turkey (I had about a cup and a half and it seemed just right.)
1/2 a cup of chopped onions
1 cup chopped Brussels sprouts (don't chop fine, just slice each into four or five slices. Chopped cabbage would work, too. I had left-over raw sprouts that I didn't roast with turkey day dinner. I bet if you had left over roasted ones they would be super yummy!)
1 cup of frozen chopped spinach (use maybe 2 cups if you're adding fresh chopped spinach.)
1 cup brown rice, uncooked

Bring it all to a boil. Reduced heat, cover, and let simmer about an hour or until the rice is done. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

This reduced for me to a thick, lovely soup. The brown rice gave it a really hearty texture.