It’s a common belief. The belief that we don’t have time to take care of ourselves in this way. There’s always something else to do or someone else to take care of that takes priority. Or maybe you just don’t want to spend time in the kitchen when you’ve got a sneaky hour to yourself.
Honestly I feel the same as this on a regular basis.
However my personal overriding health awareness is that if I don’t eat, rest, hydrate and exercise properly my #multiplesclerosis symptoms flare up. Which means more resting (it’s not nice resting if it’s a necessity) and less getting stuff done when I want to.
We all have that part of us that feels happier and healthier when we give ourselves the care we need. So whether it’s fatigue, anxiety, menopause symptoms, insomnia, IBS, overwhelm - making the time to eat, rest, hydrate and exercise properly as much as possible is absolutely going to support your well-being and give you more energy to live how you want to live.
Ideas as a starting point are helpful, so here’s the recipe for this delicious plate of food that I made on Tuesday. It has fed me in different forms, with different additions and ingredients during that whole time.
For me, always in a beautiful bowl, because it’s not just the food that’s making me feel good. It’s the effort, care and sense of prioritising myself that’s so important.
MIXED BEAN SPICY CASSEROLE
This is the basic recipe. It's so easy- once you've made it once, you will feel happy to adapt it according to your tastes, and add whatever you fancy to it.
1 x 400g tin mixed beans
1 x 400g black eyed beans
1 x heaped teaspoon ground smoked paprika
1 x heaped teaspoon ground cumin
1 x heaped teaspoon ground coriander
1 x teaspoon chilli flakes
1 x vegetable stock cube
2 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
1 x 400g carton passata
5 x cloves garlic
2 x large onions
2 x large peppers
8 x button mushrooms
soften the chopped onions in some extra virgin coconut oil on a fairly low heat for about 5 minutes
add the chopped garlic, pepper and spices and cook for a further 5 mins
add the tins of tomatoes, passata and stock cube and a little water. stir and simmer for a further 5 minutes
add the beans
add the mushrooms - I halved them and added them at the end so they kept their bite but it's up to you how you add them
season if needed with salt and pepper
cook for a few minutes and serve with any of the following extras!
EXTRAS:
Sliced avocado
Dollops of full fat plain yoghurt (my fave is Greek)
Fresh, chopped herbs - coriander or flat leaf parsley are good in this
Basmati Rice coated in a small amount of ghee after cooking (lovely and soothing for your digestion and nervous system (this is an ayurvedic principle))
Boiled new potatoes once then stir fried leftover new potatoes in extra virgin coconut oil and cumin seeds the next day
Jacket potatoes
Wholegrain pitta breads or tortilla wraps (also easy to make but that's for another day...)
Green salad dressed in a simple dressing of extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, wholegrain mustard and honey.
Sweet potato cubes roasted in cumin seeds, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper
Send me more ideas if you have any. I'd love to hear from you
Lynne x
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