She Strengthens

Comfort Food for Uncertain Times

We’re living in unprecedented times, and it’s okay to feel overwhelmed. As we navigate the challenges of social distancing, it’s essential to prioritize our mental and emotional well-being. One way to do this is by turning to comfort food – not as a guilty pleasure, but as a tool for self-care.

Embracing Emotional Eating

In a world where diet culture and fatphobia dominate the conversation, emotional eating is often stigmatized. But what if we reframed it as a way to cope with our emotions? Science suggests that happy eating can actually improve our mood. So, let’s give ourselves permission to indulge in foods that bring us comfort and joy.

Recipes for Every Mood

Here are five recipes designed to help you process and manage different emotions during this uncertain time:

Dank Depression Dessert for Sadness/Depression

Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are the ultimate comfort food. When we’re feeling down, a warm, gooey cookie can be a powerful mood-booster.

Ingredients:

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup uncooked oats
• Literally however many chocolate chips you want!!!

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Nuke that stick of butter for about 30 seconds, or until it looks like the Titanic sinking into itself (so, half melted, half just softened).
3. Get a big bowl. Mix butter and both kinds of sugar in said big bowl until sugar has dissolved.
4. Add egg and vanilla. Whisk this all up.
5. Add flour, salt, and baking soda to the big bowl of buttery egg sugar.
6. Fold in oats and chocolate chips.
7. Make the dough into balls the size of your choosing.
8. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until just the edges look golden.

Quarantine Queso Concoction for Fear/Anxiety

When anxiety strikes, a comforting carb and cheese combo can be a lifesaver. Try making a Lebanese manousheh, a classic comfort food in my household.

Ingredients:

• Naan or pizza dough (or tortillas or a similar thin, flatbread-like bread)
• 1/4 cup za’atar
• 2–3 tablespoons olive oil
• Halloumi or Akawi or Armenian braided cheese or mozzarella

Directions:

1. Combine za’atar and olive oil.
2. Put za’atar mixture on the type of bread you chose.
3. Put literally as much cheese as you can fit on top of the za’atar mixture.
4. Put it in the toaster oven or normal oven until the edges are golden and crispy (5 to 7 minutes, depending on heat).
5. Furiously consume the manousheh.

Mad Mashed Potatoes for Anger/Rage

Sometimes, we need to channel our anger into something constructive – like mashing potatoes!

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds potatoes
• Lots of salt to salt the water
• More salt (added based on your taste buds)
• Pepper (also added to suit your tastes)
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, or a little over 5 tablespoons
• 8 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup milk (or heavy cream — he-he)
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Peel the potatoes.
2. Put those potatoes in a big pot of heavily salted water.
3. Bring the water to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium.
4. Heat up the butter on the stove. Cook the garlic for 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Heat the milk.
6. Drain the potatoes and add the butter, garlic, heated milk, and sour cream.
7. Mash the sh*t out of the potatoes until they’re smooth.
8. Put Parmesan on top.
9. Pretend you’re going to garnish the mashed potatoes, but don’t. Just eat them.

Mouthwatering Mac and Cheese for Disgust/Lack of Appetite

When we’re feeling meh, a comforting mac and cheese can be just what the doctor ordered.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound pasta
• 3 tablespoons of butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup shredded Asiago cheese
• 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• Salt
• 1 large ball of burrata (the key to my heart)
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Ritz crackers, breadcrumbs, or panko
• LACTAID PILLS (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook pasta on the stove until al dente.
2. In a pot, melt butter, and then add flour and whisk until it’s darkened and blended until smooth.
3. Add cream and whisk. Let the cream cook for about 7 minutes.
4. Add Asiago and Gruyère and whisk the sh*t out of it until the cheese has melted.
5. Add ricotta.
6. Add salt to taste.
7. Stir pasta into cheese mixture until it’s all combined.
8. Put the pasta and cheese into something that can go into the oven.
9. Shove small pieces of burrata into the mac and cheese.
10. Sprinkle cheddar and Ritz crackers/breadcrumbs on top.
11. Broil the whole thing for about 7 minutes or until the cheese looks golden and the breadcrumbs look crispy.

Gin-na Stay Home and Drink for Happiness/Contentment

Once we accept our new normal, a fancy cocktail can be a great way to celebrate.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 of a lemon
• Fresh mint
• 2 shots botanical gin (I like Gunpowder Irish Gin)
• 1 cup elderflower lemonade (or more or less, depending on how strong you want it to taste)

Directions:

1. Squeeze lemon into a cup.
2. Muddle lemon juice and lemon quarter with some fresh mint.
3. Add gin and elderflower lemonade.
4. Do the fancy mixing thing bartenders do when they shake it up in a shaker with some ice cubes (or mix it with a spoon like a normal person).
5. Drink.

Panic by the Pint for When… Well, Panic

And finally, when all else fails, treat yourself to a pint of your favorite comfort food – whether that’s ice cream, beer, or green juice. You deserve it!