Food for when you're not feeling your best

Question

I'm not in a great place right now - currently on a stress leave from work. I normally love cooking, even when I'm stressed out. (Maybe especially when stressed - usually it's relaxing) Right now it's different- I've started some new meds for my anxiety, and I'm having a hard time focusing, being at all interested in food, or making decisions about what to cook. If I were on my own I'd muddle through - but I have a SO that needs to be fed. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated! I need some help until I get my mojo back!

Answer

I've totally been there. Like legit been there. I understand! 

What I did was make things that made plenty of leftovers so if I cooked for 2 days we had dinners for most of the week: pot roast, chili, lasagna, enchiladas, meatballs/sauce, roasted turkey breast, ham, etc.

Answer

Hi Flossie06, I hope you feel better soon. 

Here's a cauliflower cheese (gratin) recipe that is easy and delicious - white sauce, par-cooked cauliflower, cheese. You can microwave the cauliflower instead of steaming it, and you can also add pasta. 
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/358608/cauliflower-cheese

Pasta is great when you're not up for a lot of effort. How about penne with some olive oil, chicken or shrimp, and broccoli tossed in. Or add a tbsp of ready pesto. 

I second the chicken soup suggestion - double the chicken pieces and the extra chicken is available for other easy meals (quesadillas, chicken salad).

Answer

I think soup is a great idea. How do you feel about homemade yeast rolls? If not something you want to do, just get some good rolls or bread from the market. Is there a farmers market or good farm stand near you? There's a very festive farmers market that I like. It's a long drive but with some other stops makes a nice road trip. Maybe some other shoppers' and vendors' enthusiasm and some nice weather will help you get in the mood to cook. If the weather is cool where you live, I would suggest a pot roast cooked in a slow cooker. Get some good new potatoes and another favorite vegetable. Like the soup, should add good cooking smells to your kitchen. I think quick meals are a good suggestion but I also think you should consider something that requires long cooking or easy prep so at the end of the day, dinner is just about read without a lot of work when you might be tired. Meat loaf is also popular at our house. Make something that will provide leftovers. Current favorite lunch is sliced tomato with a dab of mayo sprinkled with fresh basil and two slices of muenster cheese heated in the microwave to melt because I'm too lazy to do a proper grilled cheese.

Answer

I feel you, Flossie. These are tough times. Seems every job comes with more added duties than ever, food prices are rising, etc. This last summer was frazzling for me, so I had to alleviate some stress by making easy but great dishes. 

My go-to is the veggie cleaner. I always have some leftover vegetation in my fridge that has only a few days of useful life left. Instead of feeling the guilt of turning those goodies into mulch, I throw them all in. Yesterday, I hit my main veggie drawer, freezer and pantry and chopped up a half head of cabbage, some radishes (they are great cooked), I peeled 4 large carrots and sliced them thinly, 5 ribs of celery, two small sweet peppers, two cheapo yellow onions, a mess of spinach, 4 cloves of garlic, frozen okra, some rosemary, a little turmeric and chopped some ginger. Olived oiled a big ole pot and started the celery/carrots/onions and peppers with a little sea salt for love, then add a few splashes of fish sauce, and let it soften a little more. Dumped some water in to reduce, then added the rest of the party. Let it reduce a bit more, then added a nice amount of lamb stock I'd made a week ago and froze. Let her go until all was soft. But in the hand blender and gave her heck. While it was still hot and blended, I then threw in some cilantro and chopped scallions, for texture and finish flavor. I find veggie prep reduces my anxiety.

Anyway, my son hates school lunch, which is pretty awful and $3 a day. Now he takes an apple a banana, homemade trail mix with almonds, walnuts, raisins, peanuts and some chocolate chips. He also brings a thermos of the aforementioned soup. Drinks it by the cup. I bet the whole dealio costs less than $2 and is exactly 5 bazillion times more satisfying and nutritious than the garbage pizza, fried yams, etc. on the school menu.
I have a wife and two bambinos, who will all eat this with gusto.

I hope you persevere over what ails you.

Answer

I hope you are feeling better soon. Good for you for reaching out.

Planning and shopping are a drag. For a time, I would pick up the ingredients for whatever meal of the week was suggested by Publix Apron when I felt uninspired. 
http://www.publix.com/recipes-planning/aprons-simple-meals
 http://www.publix.com/recipes-planning/browse-all-recipes?filters=simplemeals

Budget Bytes has weekly meal prep plans and a weekly recap email. I have liked everything I tried. https://www.budgetbytes.com/

If grocery or meal kit delivery is available, that might take some of the pressure off.

Let your partner take on some of this responsibility. Take care of yourself. Take it easy on yourself; nothing is wrong with cheese and crackers, soup and sandwich, scrambled eggs, and other easy dishes.

Answer

Thank you - everyone that has taken the time to respond to my post! I really appreciate all of your comments and suggestions. I've been on my own today - SO is on duty until tomorrow (military), so I've had a "me" day. Instead of the usual morning smoothie consumed without thought while getting ready for work, I made myself a breakfast sandwich. I didn't particularly enjoy it - but I did feel better after eating it. (Dinner last night was about four potstickers- so I needed something in my stomach) I got myself out to do some errands, had a nice walk doing so, in some very nice weather. I went and got my hair cut, and braved the grocery store to pick up something to make for dinner. That was maybe over reaching- literally just got meat before I had to get myself out of the store. (Anxiety) Quiet day otherwise, but I feel a bit better despite some bad moments, all of the help and encouragement you've all offered definitely had to do with it!

Answer

I'm a big fan of cooking multiple servings at a time, so i end up actually cooking a few nights a week and the others are reheating and assembly. 
Something like tacos are great, they're more chop and assemble than anything. Then a few days later you can use all the same ingredients for a taco salad, or a stuffed quesadilla. 

Similar you could make a batch of baked potatoes, have one stuffed as meal on day, then use leftovers to make a quick side by just chopping and sear in a hot pan with oil til the edges brown

I agree that a visit to the farmers market always sparks my enthusiasm for cooking- and since the produce itself is great i do minimal cooking or prep. If you're able to go early in the morning when it is not yet busy that helps to make it more enjoyable. 
If there are online grocery delivery options where you are look at those as an option for when going to the market feels overwhelming. I often use a grocery delivery for heavy items and nonperishables so i just shop in person for fresh produce which i like to choose myself.

Answer

Hey, Flossie - how are you doing?

Answer

Hi Flossie06, I'm so sorry to hear that you feel the way you do. It's been a little over a month after you posted (I'm new to posting on here), so hopefully you're feeling better. I won't pretend to know answers that'll fix what you're going through... we all deal with problems differently. I'm sharing a recipe that's comforting for my family and myself when we're feeling under the weather. I also find it easy to make, and I like to make a big batch, so I can just reheat for the next few days. This is my own (inspired my mom) classic chicken noodle soup recipe on a food blog a run with my wife Liz. http://photosandfood.ca/2016/11/24/classic-chicken-noodle-soup/. It warms the soul :-)

Take care. 
Nelson

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