The ADHD & Spectrum Centre
519.830.1423
contact@adhdinterrupted.com
  • Home
  • Make an Appointment
  • About Us
  • Our Services
  • Support Groups & Classes
  • Our Products
  • Blog & Strange Brains Podcast
    • Blogs and Podcasts
    • Gadgets
  • ADHD & Spectrum Members Lab
  • Calendar of Events
  • Contact

Cooky Cooking for Weirdos Like Me!

6/6/2012

2 Comments

 
Picture
I have issues following other people's recipes. Like huge run-away-and-jump-into-bed issues, and toss-a-frozen-pizza into-the-microwave -while-weeping kinds of issues. But, like all problems in life, a solution can be found, so here's my recipe to non-overwhelming cooking:


Picture
Get a patient person to show me how to make something delicious, then write down, step by step, every single thing/step needed to make the recipe as they walk me through actually making it (...my last recipe was 26 steps long). I also used OneNote 2010 to record the audio of the whole cooking process so I could look back if I missed anything in my notes and get confused. OneNote is awesome as it actually ties your recording to the actual words you type (so I could click on Step 22, and hear exactly what I was being told as I jotted down that exact step). Bango, presto, I made a spaghetti Squash with Lime Cashew Sauce like a pro, and I'm looking forward to the next time I make it using my fool proof (they'd have to be) instructions.

Yes, that was time consuming. Yes, it may feel like overkill for some. But this is one of the techniques I use to deal with the intense procrastination urge and eventual overwhelm I get from cooking (or even thinking about starting!) difficult recipes due to my special mix of ADHD and Sensory Integration Disorder (SID). I think this method catches the essence of the difference between using ADHD as an excuse to not do stuff vs as a launching pad for finding new and wacky ways to learn to do things - eventually. The excuse  approach would be "I can never cook" (and boy, have I used that approach enough!), while the launching pad approach says "It's more difficult for me to cook than for you for x, y, z reasons,  but let me work at it for a while, and then use loads of tools and crafty methods to make you a great meal - once I figure out how".

Have you found any similar cooky (catch what I did there?) methods to make your life go round? If so, post them below; the people need to know!



2 Comments
Regina link
6/23/2012 11:56:04 pm

I love this post! I'm not ADD but am a cook. My daughter is ADD & struggles with cooking anything other than that which she creates! You have described her following recipes experience to a T! Thanks for sharing your very vivid description of what I know is a real issue for many women with ADD! It's a good reminder to me to check in on this issue w/ my female clients!

Reply
Meet Girl in Iowa link
1/25/2023 06:18:36 am

Thanks great blog post

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Alina Kislenko MA, RP
    Registered Psychotherapist

    is an ADHD, Asperger's/ASD specialized Registered Psychotherapist and Coach, as well as the Founder of The ADHD & Asperger's/ASD Centre. She is currently working on producing her radio show "Strange Brains" on these topics, and can often be seen on the Inside Guelph TV Show as their regular ADHD and Asperger's/ASD specialist. Learn More


    Archives

    February 2021
    August 2018
    October 2016
    May 2015
    February 2015
    July 2014
    May 2014
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012

    Categories

    All
    Add
    Adhd
    Aspergers
    Attention Deficit Disorder
    BPD
    Comorbid
    Cooking
    DBT
    Depression
    Following Instructions
    Overwhelmed
    Psychology
    Support Groups

    RSS Feed

Our ​Events
Calendar

    Contact The ADHD &
    Spectrum Centre Here!

Submit
Photos used under Creative Commons from intoruth, bredgur, torbakhopper, lewing, QuinnDombrowski, Willy D, martinak15, stockerre, Arya Ziai, ♥serendipity, familymwr, alexbeynon, Ella Patenall, jinterwas, qthomasbower, ohhhbetty, star5112, Evil Erin, lululemon athletica, jlastras