Cooking/recipe advice with disability

myonlysunshine

Hi everyone :j

In my head I LOVE cooking, but in reality my body would rather go to sleep 🙄💤

I have a family of 4 and I have M.E. and I'm really struggling to think of easy ways to feed the family, it's just getting harder for me.

I try to use the slow cooker when I can and try and cook bigger portions so I can freeze, but with a husband who works long hours, a uni student son and a young son I just feel so tired of trying to cook good food for my family.

I know unfortunately there are many people in my situation too just wondering how you cope day to day, it's 11 years for me now and just getting worse

Thanks for reading X

Artytarty

That sounds tough, exhaustion robs you of so much.
Not a day to day recipe but I'd like to share my "something special" recipe with you. It's so simple it's ludicrous, yet is delicious.
Slice a chicken breast, I use two for three people, horizontally.
There,mthats he worst bit. Fling in a shallow open dish .
Mix a jar of mango chutney with an equal amount of double cream, single will do at a push. Pour over.
Put in oven for half hour, serve with rice. And evens if you feel,up to it
I promise you, this is gorgeous, I've served it at dinners and had people begging me for the recipe!
I only make it now and again because it's not very mse or healthy!

myonlysunshine

Oh my that sounds delicious! I could serve that with rice, salad or new potatoes? will give that a go thanks 😊👍🏻

pipkin71

I love cooking, but, like you, myonlysunshine, I can't physically do as much as I would like due to disability.

I batch cook when I am able to. I also have help with meals as both my mum and friend will cook meals for the freezer for us. My youngest enjoys cooking so she can take over when I'm unable to.

I think, apart from the batch cooking, asking eldest and OH to pitch in where they can, it is something you shouldn't beat yourself up over. If chopping veg seems impossible then, at those times, pre-prepared can be a godsend. Also look for dishes that are easier to prepare and require limited effort and double ip your portion sizes.

myonlysunshine

Thanks pipkin, sorry to hear of your struggles too..my Oh cooks when can, just to explain why I'm probably more overwhelmed with things is that my youngest has silent acid reflux so the 'easier' meals of pasta, Bolognese and currys that I do in slow cooker are a big no as no tomatoes allowed and they seem to be in everthing he likes, we are just having more tests at hospital so really having to restrict food too right now 🙄

My elsdest is bad with depression and ADHD and is really struggling at the moment, when he is home he wil take the dog out for us which helps but he's really bad at time management and often walks away from tasks (ie. Frying pans 😱) in full flow so that's another story! My mum died a few years ago and my MIL helps on her terms only 🙄

I don't want to sound self pitying, I get on with life as best as I can each day, I just get frustrated with the situation, I desperately need help! X

pipkin71

myonlysunshine wrote: »

Thanks pipkin, sorry to hear of your struggles too..my Oh cooks when can, just to explain why I'm probably more overwhelmed with things is that my youngest has silent acid reflux so the 'easier' meals of pasta, Bolognese and currys that I do in slow cooker are a big no as no tomatoes allowed and they seem to be in everthing he likes, we are just having more tests at hospital so really having to restrict food too right now 🙄

My elsdest is bad with depression and ADHD and is really struggling at the moment, when he is home he wil take the dog out for us which helps but he's really bad at time management and often walks away from tasks (ie. Frying pans 😱) in full flow so that's another story! My mum died a few years ago and my MIL helps on her terms only 🙄

I don't want to sound self pitying, I get on with life as best as I can each day, I just get frustrated with the situation, I desperately need help! X

That's understandable with everything you have going on and, sometimes, just getting it written down about how things are in the here and now can really help.

We have to cook different meals as I can't digest meat, wheat, sugar and fats so this last year has been a learning curve in terms of what we cook. Add to that the eldest is very fussy when it comes to meals and youngest only eats chicken or fish (meat wise), then it can be a nightmare!

Fingers crossed the tests from the hospital will help with your youngest and what he can eat.

Batch cooking different meals if you are having a good day might work. I'm thinking along the lines of one week batch cook for youngest, next week you are up to it batch cook for the rest of the family.

Could you purchase a second slow cooker? I found that really useful

Bogof_Babe

Artytarty wrote: »

That sounds tough, exhaustion robs you of so much.
Not a day to day recipe but I'd like to share my "something special" recipe with you. It's so simple it's ludicrous, yet is delicious.
Slice a chicken breast, I use two for three people, horizontally.
There,mthats he worst bit. Fling in a shallow open dish .
Mix a jar of mango chutney with an equal amount of double cream, single will do at a push. Pour over.
Put in oven for half hour, serve with rice. And evens if you feel,up to it
I promise you, this is gorgeous, I've served it at dinners and had people begging me for the recipe!
I only make it now and again because it's not very mse or healthy!

Would that be an already cooked chicken breast?

Serendipitious

I used to make my own version of Coronation Chicken, to serve with salad and crusty rolls etc.

Cooked chopped chicken
Handful of sultanas
Tub of plain soya yoghurt - large
Curry powder.

Put yoghurt in a large bowl, keep adding curry powder till it tastes right, add chicken, add sultanas, stir well, refrigerate and serve cold.

Used to do this for parties, was always asked for recipe.

Artytarty

No, my recipes calls for raw chicken breasts.
It cooks in the sauce in the oven.
I usually leave it for about forty mins at 180.

Bogof_Babe

Artytarty wrote: »

No, my recipes calls for raw chicken breasts.
It cooks in the sauce in the oven.
I usually leave it for about forty mins at 180.

Oh right, thanks for clarifying. I was a bit dubious about only half an hour in the oven, thought the chicken would need a bit longer.

myonlysunshine

pipkin71 wrote: »

That's understandable with everything you have going on and, sometimes, just getting it written down about how things are in the here and now can really help.

We have to cook different meals as I can't digest meat, wheat, sugar and fats so this last year has been a learning curve in terms of what we cook. Add to that the eldest is very fussy when it comes to meals and youngest only eats chicken or fish (meat wise), then it can be a nightmare!

Fingers crossed the tests from the hospital will help with your youngest and what he can eat.

Batch cooking different meals if you are having a good day might work. I'm thinking along the lines of one week batch cook for youngest, next week you are up to it batch cook for the rest of the family.

Could you purchase a second slow cooker? I found that really useful

Thanks! And good idea about the second slow cooker too, having a fussy son who is now restricted diet wise is just another headache but I've asked him to write down some ideas of meals so we can work round that, I had a cry which made me feel better and I'm going to focus on what I can manage rather than wha I can't 👍🏻