Everybody wants to eat healthier – it makes you feel much more alert, proactive, and generally better both physically and mentally.
And when you have a chronic illness, such as lupus, eating healthy is more important than ever. You need protein, iron, vitamins, omega 3, everything basically that isn’t high in salt, sugar, or fat.
But also, when the fatigue that can hit you without warning it makes cooking (something I usually love) seem like too much effort. Other times I’m just lazy.
So here are my go to recipes, for when I want to eat something quickly, but also feel good knowing what I’m eating is good.
Most ingredients are found in most, if not all, of these recipes. Useful for money saving, and I hate when recipes online require the most random ingredients I have to go and buy especially for. These are recipes for people like me, who don’t have things like almond butter or nectar of the gods lying in the back of their fridge.
Portion sizes are how much you want, I have a bad habit of always cooking to much!
Lentil and Quinoa Salad
I’ve recently started buying quinoa to feel like a smug adult, also because it is so easy to cook. Not to mention the nutrients that come with it, and mixing it with this salad I find makes a great lunch for when I want to feel alert and productive after. Also great to cook in two portions, to save as a cold lunch for the next day.
Per person: quinoa, lentils (drained), spinach, chopped pepper, feta, olive oil
Cook the quinoa (rinse, then cook in a pan until the water is soaked and it’s nice and fluffy – usually takes me 15 mins)
Serve with a salad of the spinach, lentils, pepper, feta, and drizzle of olive oil
Sometimes I use chickpeas instead of lentils, and sometimes I fry the salad ingredients together instead. And add smoked salmon for some omega 3!
Iron Rich Salad
This is super simple, like all salads are. But it’s a fun salad, and I invented it when my anaemia was really bad, so if you need more iron in your life I recommend.
Per person: spinach, chickpeas, walnuts, feta, smoked salmon, olive oil
Mix it all up and drizzle on the oil. This is hardly a recipe, I apologise
Fish Cakes
I found the recipe off the internet a while ago. There are many fish cake recipes online worth trying, but this one uses the most basic ingredients – handy when you’re a student, or just happen to be low on groceries!
Per person: 1 potato, 1 egg (beaten), 1 portion of fish (I use tinned tuna, but baked fish is also ideal), seasoning
Chop up the potato (remove skin first if required) and boil for 20 mins
Mix and mash in a bowl with fish, egg, and seasoning. Shape into two fish cakes
Fry on both sides until cooked all the way through
Serve with salad
Salmon Pasta
I use olive oil as a dressing because it’s so simple and healthy, but making your own tomato sauce with chopped tomatoes and the onions, garlic and herbs is also good – and healthier than using store bought tomato sauce!
Per person: smoked salmon (chopped), whole wheat pasta, pepper, spinach, feta, oilive oil
Cook the pasta (I don’t add salt to the water!)
Cook the pepper, salmon, and spinach together witch any onion, garlic and seasoning
Drain the pasta and add the rest to the pasta
Drizzle with oilive oil
Scrambled Eggs
Amazing comfort food, and the add ins give a bit of something extra to a simple meal (seriosuly though, if I ever run a cafe this will probably be the first thing on the menu) I usually just use one add in, but sometimes it’s fun to go all out. A bit of camembert also works well as I have recently discovered.
Per person: 2 eggs (beaten), butter, bread, add ins (chopped onions, peppers, spinach, avocado)
Melt the butter in a pan (I use a big chunk of butter)
Fry the add ins until fully cooked
Add the egg and scramble
Sometimes I like to add herbs or spices to the egg, such as tumeric for its anti-inflammatory properties (also makes a nice colour, unlike the avocado which turns the egg a funny green)
Serve on toast
Avocado on Toast
Who doesn’t love this? It was my life saver before I was diagnosed – when I would return to my flat after work and sleep all evening, waking up at 10 or 11 pm, to quickly eat this before going back to sleep for the night. Not a good way to live! Thank god the fatigue isn’t that bad any more, but this is still a quick and delicious meal.
Per person: 1 avocado, bread
Simply spread the avocado on the toast xD
Add some dressing, or other chopped veg if you’re feeling fancy
Inside a Mind 