Learning to cook with arthritis

Physically Challenged methods and photography as seen in A Complete Illustrated Guide to Cooking with Arthritis  . The following is just a sneak peek, the book contains over 150  savory and sweet recipes , culinary rescource guide, tips for living with arthritis, my personal story  and so much more

Physically challenged method # 1:

Zesting citrus, coconut, or any food item requiring zesting or juicing :

Zesting is a method to remove the slightest bit of peel off of citrus. The peel or skin of citrus contains a great deal of natural oils, which carry bold flavor that will enhance any dish. Zesting can be a difficult task for people with arthritis and individuals who have limited use of their hands or arms. To zest fresh citrus, fresh coconuts, or any food item requiring zesting, use a long micro plane with a thick handle. A micro plane is a kitchen gadget used to remove just the very outer layer of skin from citrus. You can also use a cheese grater; be careful when zesting to only remove the colored skin from the citrus. You do not want to go into the white meat of the citrus—this will cause your dish to be bitter. Prop the elbow and forearm of the hand you are holding the plane in on a few thick books. If able, you can also hold the elbow tightly against your side. This will allow you more leverage. Place the bottom of the plane in a cereal bowl that is held in place by a rubber jar opener. Lightly begin to run the citrus in a downward motion. The weight of your hand holding the plane will automatically apply pressure, which in turn offers stability.

For those of you who cannot hold smaller objects in your hands, push a dinner fork into the citrus or cheese to use as a handle, and then begin to zest. For those of you that cannot hold a fork, cut the citrus into halves and zest one piece at a time after it has been juiced. Juicing and slicing in half before zesting allows you to put your fingers into the citrus, applying pressure by using the whole hand for stability.  Be careful not to zest too deeply—you just want the outer skin, not the white meat. This will also help you to build strength in your fingers.

To juice, place the citrus on a flat, hard surface such as a cutting board, using your forearm to apply pressure to the citrus, and move your arm back and forth to get the juices flowing. You may also place the citrus in the microwave for ten seconds. To cut the citrus in half, first make a small slice in the citrus with a serrated knife. If you have weakness in your hands and have trouble applying pressure, hold the knife still in the starter slice. Using the other hand or forearm, move the citrus in a back and forth motion while using your body weight to apply pressure to the knife in the citrus. Your knife is not moving, just the citrus. To juice citrus fruit, use an electric juicer. Place each half one at a time on the juicer. Using the weight of your body, apply pressure. The juicer will do the rest.

To slice or wedge citrus, pierce the citrus with a fork to hold into place and use a serrated knife to slice. Another method is to use a mandoline to slice the citrus. When using a mandoline, be very careful. The blade is extremely sharp. The mandoline comes with a pronged disk to hold food into place. This is a very helpful item. Simply place the prong disk into the item you are slicing and apply pressure using your hand or forearm.