About Me...

I was a hopeless drunk.

I drank for a number of reasons.  My marriage was a pile of abusive shit, I worked too many hours and I decided to exchange one addiction (food) with another (alcohol.)  Last spring I moved out of the family house and stayed with my brother.  It was an alcoholics wet dream.  I could drink to my hearts content in a safe place with another person performing the same task.

I have an eight year old daughter whom I love dearly and leaving was very hard for me.  But staying in that situation was unhealthy for all of us.

After years of drinking to excess I decided that I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I made a decision that I needed to at least get my addiction evaluated and determine a course of action.  The evaluation stated that I needed inpatient treatment for addiction and it was recommended that I not return to the place I was living because it would not be a safe place to maintain a sober lifestyle.

I lived for two weeks with a friend and dried out.  I was manic because I did not have the tools to deal with my addiction.  Once in treatment I began the slow process of recovery that I have maintained through today.

During my hospitalization my friends moved me into a two bedroom apartment and have been completely supportive of my decision to get help.

I am not cured of this disease.  Alcoholism is chronic, progressive and fatal if left untreated.  Working a program is crucial to my recovery.  I understand that.  It is not the days of sobriety that I have behind me that is important.  It is the sobriety that I have today.  By the grace of God I woke up sober and by that same grace I will go to bed sober.

I am a grateful alcoholic who continues to do the Next Right Thing.

Soups

I decided that soup would become the first recipe that I would start with in my adventures in this blog.  Dietary necessities also need to be determined.  It needs to have a protein component that I would consider healthy and could be eaten everyday.

Now I am not saying that most soups are lacking that but if you look at a can of Chicken Noodle Soup the sodium is too high and the protein is too low.  Homemade soups allow a bit of control over the level of sodium and protein in the final product.

In determining the kind of soup to make I decided that that Legumes would be a main player.  They have fiber and protein that is good for overall health without the high fat that most things have.  Also if made with root vegetables it will have the complex carbohydrates that will provide the amino acids necessary to make a complete protein. 

Another good reason to use legumes is that they are cheap.  Like a buck a pound dried and they come in many shapes and sizes.  The options for cooking them are also endless.

Here is the recipe that I used for yesterday's meal.

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Smoky Split Pea Soup

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped yellow onions
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/8 cup good olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1-2 dried chipotle peppers
  
• 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups medium-diced carrots (3 to 4 carrots)
• 1 cup medium-diced red boiling potatoes, unpeeled (3 small)
• 1 pound dried split green peas
• 8 cups Vegetable stock

In a single batch I'd use one or two dried chipotle peppers. They don't add much spice but they add a savory smoky flavor to the soup.

Directions
In a 4-quart stockpot on medium heat, saute' the onions and garlic with the olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper until the onions are translucent, 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the carrots, potatoes, 1/2 pound of split peas, and vegetable stock.
Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Skim off the foam while cooking.

Add the remaining split peas and continue to simmer for another 40 minutes, or until all the peas are soft. Stir frequently to keep the solids from burning on the bottom. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve hot.
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I made a double batch which included Chicken Broth as opposed to Vegetable Broth.  The local mega mart was all out of the big assed cans of the stuff.  As a result I did not need to add any additional salt as the broth gave enough for my taste.  I also chucked in a smoked ham hock instead of the Chipotle peppers. 

The flavor was wonderful and the texture was perfect.  This is good as a stand alone meal or it will complement any comfort food you like.  And with all of the holiday hams that have been consumed the bone and goodies left over can be used to flavor the soup and the melting meaty things will give a mouth feel that will warm you over and over.