Friend with eating disorder - recipe help needed.

[OldLadyKnowsNothing]

My friend is starting on the long road to recovery after many years of eating disorders. Her primary aim at the moment is to gain weight, but unfortunately she is unable to eat high-fat foods. She's going from eating virtually nothing to taking some well-blended soups, rice pudding, custard and so on, and I'm supporting her by preparing fresh, healthy soups as she simply hasn't the energy to do it for herself. I've made soups like cream of onion, cream of mushroom, (she's OK with milk) lentil, carrot and coriander recently - any more ideas? I'm looking mainly for tasty, comforting, low-ish fat, high-calorie vegetable-based recipes that can be blended, though I hope she'll progress on to textured food soon, so soups with "bits" in would also be good.

I know, I'm not asking for much, am I?

Thanks in advance.

I did a tomato and butter bean soup recently. Basically onions, celery and carrots fried off for a few minutes, then added stock, tin of tomatoes and herbs and once boiling, added to the slow cooker. I added a tin of butter beans towards the end. Was tasty. I think I added lentils too.

I love cauliflower soup - just onions, then cauliflower and stock added and blended when done. I usually add a pinch of mustard (grain or powder) for flavour and sometimes cheese too, which would boost the calorie content if you think she'd eat it. You could also add a splash of cream for the same reasons, shouldn't make it high-fat if you only add a bit.

I'm finding it hard to think of soup recipes that are high-calorie without being high-fat tbh, well done you for coming up with so many!

Smoked bacon and butternut squash soup is lovely, roast a butternut squash, fry some onions and smoked bacon , add some chopped carrots (I add red lentils too) and then add 1 1/2 pint of chicken stock, simmer then scoop out the b/nut squash and add, blend.
It's really hearty and tasty

Oddly enough, I just got my dried butterbeans out of the cupboard! Thanks for that, sounds lovely.

Is she receiving any professional help in her recovery from her eating disorder?

IME this is a very specialised area and she will benefit from the epertise of a dietician trained in ED or a psychologist or psychiatrist

Oh yes - butternut squash and sweetcorn chowder is another favourite of mine. There's a recipe here: www.bitemeblog.com/journal/2006/8/15/spicy-squash-and-sweetcorn-chowder.html

Don't put the sweetcorn in though if she's not up to chunky soup yet. You can also roast the squash first for a more intense flavour.

Oooh, steamedtreaclesponge, your name has just made me hungry! Thanks to you, and to Lizzylou too. You're all so fast here!

notnowbernard Yes, she has a CPN, a dietician and is receiving other support too.

Great

She's lucky to have a supportive friend, too

She deserves it, she's a lovely woman and she's had a really shit time. I'm just glad she's finally addressing the issues that have plagued her all these years.

I was going to say that NNB, you are a lovely friend, Op, to be helping her in this way.

Broccoli and blue cheese (it doesn't have much cheese so not high fat)

leek and potato

Curried lentil

Chicken and sweetcorn - you could blend it to start with, and add an egg for extra protein

You could add those tiny star pasta shapes that are sold as baby pasta for extra carbs but very easy to eat once she's up to soft little lumps

It will be a long road to recovery... one she'll probably have to stay on for the rest of her life

IME with ED (esp anorexia) you are 'recovering' as opposed to 'recovered' (in much the same way as a recovering alcoholic or addict)

There may well be future 'wobbles' or relapses

Have you checked out the 'Beat' website? Has some useful info

notnowbernard She's been ill on and off for most of her adult life, and is over 40 now. She was hospitalised in the past, they sent her home as a "failure". A "support group" leader said "One in 7 of you will die" - as she was the only severely underweight anorexic with a group of six well-upholstered bulimics, she felt rather and couldn't return to the group. Her GP told her her supplements were too expensive for the practice budget! There's so little help available, but I have pointed her in the direction of BEAT.

She was doing really well for a couple of years, but she's had a traumatic time recently and went back to bulimia, laxatives and self-harm. That's when she realised that she needs the professional support she's starting to access now. I give her lifts to her appointments to make sure (at her request) that she doesn't chicken out, so I know she's going through with it.

Hope she gets the ongoing support she needs. Good luck to her

Thanks everyone. I fancy broccoli and blue cheese myself.

wanders off to shop

sweet potato and lentil soup, simmer lentils first, then add sweet potatoes till soft, add sat and peopper and blender.

Couscous and veg stew. Cook a combination of veggies (cauliflour, carrot/pumpkin/sweet potato/parsnip/cabbage/courgette etc)and chickpeas in a slow cooker with cumin, paparika, salt and pepper. Leave to simmer for hours. Pour veggies and "soup" over couscous. Bland enough and soft, but very filling and tasty.

Carrot and butterbean is delicious, and the butterbeans add protein. Just make a basic carrot soup and add in pre-soaked butterbeans, and a squirt of tomato puree. It's a bit of a pain to do, but it tastes much better if you take the skins off the beans. Simmer until the beans are soft, then liquidise. It's delecious.

You are a great friend

Thanks again, ladies, you have some great suggestions and I'm enjoying experimenting for her. She managed some bacon and butternut squash soup today, and some chicken casserole down at my house - she's taking anti-emetics but I could see it was still a struggle for her to keep it down, and I was so proud of her for trying!

Dittany, I'm not sure about which kinds of fats - she had her gall bladder removed some time ago (years) which is as much the issue as the "mouth feel"; her body simply can't cope and she ends up in a great deal of pain. I think she's Ok with nuts but will check with her tomorrow - you're right about the limited calories in veg of course. She's just been prescribed supplements, (an apparently not-nice high cal drink) so with luck we'll get some weight on to her before the next dietician appointment.

Thanks again to all of you.

blows un-MN-like kisses to all

How lovely of you

Pumpkin and apple soup
Borscht (if she likes beetroots)
Leek and potato

Butternut squash or pumpkin make very nice, thick soups. You can use a bit of curry powder to pep them up just a little.

Could you add things like pearl barley and lentil to soups to start introducing some soft textures?

Thanks yet again, ladies. She's managing textured food now, just in small amounts but it all counts.

How about those tiny pasta stars that you get for babies? They'd be lovely in soup and v easy to swallow. Also carbs so more calories than just veg.

You sound like a great friend.