OS ways and Poor Health

ariarnia

Anoneemoose wrote: »

I am plodding my way through the whole thread, but does anyone have any tips about quick, nutritious meals.

When I'm struggling I find it helpful to have components that can cook from frozen.

One of my easy meals -

Coop do bags of portions of frozen veg - 4 in a bag for just over £1 - A bag takes 2 minutes in the microwave and is mixed broccoli, peas. carrots and corn.

Quorn sausage cooks from frozen in the ramoska in less than 20 minutes and the low fat ones are often discounted to a pound a pack (6)

Combined with a 10 minute microwaved potato and a dot of (salted proper) butter.

A relatively healthy/balanced meal for around £2.50 for two adults and two babies - or three adults - in less than 20 minutes.

Alternatively, beans on wholemeal toast are healthy and quick, as is egg on toast now and then (or spaghetti hoops - surprisingly not as bad for you as you'd think).

Baked potatoes in general with a mix of fillings - soft cheese, sweetcorn corn or (frozen) diced peppers, and tuna is a staple in this house - Philadelphia cheese can't be frozen and used as normal, but frozen and mixed with something like tuna is absolutely lovely.

Larumbelle

I was in Lidl earlier and they had lots of aids, including bottle/jar/can openers, shower stools etc in. I couldn't find them on the Lidl website but did find a blog on them here: http://buildmumahouse.co.uk/2016/09/mobility-issues-and-lidl-another-lidlsurprise/
I hope that is of use to someone!

Hi to the new posters and welcome :wave:

Thanks grunnie, I will look out for them - my town is overrun by poundland, I have three different branches within walking distance of me so one of them is bound to have them! I never look at that aisle usually since I have enough regular bags to last me a lifetime (I am a Tightwad Gazette fan so I wash and reuse them LOL).

Anoneemoose I struggle this way too, when you are exhausted it is so much easier to live on rubbish, but so much worse health-wise, and it can be a vicious circle.
One thing I do is cook batches on a 'good' day to tide me through bad ones. That can be a huge relief! But often I am not organised, and have not shopped or cooked. I am still trying to train myself to make something simple from what I have in as otherwise I just won't bother to eat at all, so far my 'foraged' meals have tended to be:

• Jacket potato (cooked quickly in microwave then crisped up in oven). There are a million and one toppings you can have, depends on what is in the cupboards really!
• 'Something' on toast or in a sandwich (again depends what is in). Sometimes I make pretend pizza on pitta breads.
• Salmon or cod steamed in the microwave. Served with either frozen/tinned veg and some kind of potato (frozen potato products, tinned new potatoes, or mash), or rice (cooked or micro pouch depending on fatigue), frozen/tinned veg, with beaten egg and a little curry paste stirred in at the end to make a kind of kedgeree
• Stir fry frozen veg mix with noodles (just soak in hot water) and a dressing made of 1tsp each of light & dark soy sauce, sesame or chilli oil, and honey

I have had to change how I eat substantially, I never used to rely on frozen or tinned as much as I do now. I still don't like it as much, especially tinned veg, but it is the only way I am likely to eat something reasonably nutritious on bad days, so needs must! The above are all pretty tasty, even if I have no appetite I can usually persuade myself to eat them if I make them lol

Nomoonatall

Tink_04 wrote: »

Nomoonatall- I have meniers disease as well as MS and it's a horrible thing to live with! The dizziness and throwing up absolutely floor me!

Today I have been like super woman but I'm sat tonight thinking it may have been too much! Good job we have a freezer casserole (made in good days and frozen) and micro rice to go with it - I try and make something for the freezer every week so always have something in - it's easier on a good day to just double cook and freeze one - even easier to use the SC!

Hi Tink,

Yes, Menieres is quite rubbish!

I've lost most of my hearing now. Relying on Bahas, which aren't as great as advertised! I also have Migraine Associated Vertigo...to add to my ailments!

I don't even have my looks to get me through!

Anyway, batch cooking is the way forward. I really recommend keeping basics in the cupboard. And tablets nearby!

Hope all is well with people. I know that my ailments are not the end of the world...even though they feel like it sometimes. x

Anoneemoose

Good afternoon everyone.

I am feeling wrung out again today. Have managed to do a couple of things, but resting with a cuppa now. I hardly had any food in yesterday so I have had some groceries delivered today. I used to use Aldi a lot, but I found a lot of their stuff lacking..I appreciate others swear by it though. I read a thread on Netmums where people said it seemed to be area dependent as to quality, in particular with the fruit and veg.

I ate loads of 'rubbish' yesterday - Greggs pasty and toast and biscuits. It wasn't a 'normal' day, but by the evening I craved actual food!! I have ordered some ready prepped veg - only a few tubs, but I think it will help get me some nutrients. And I know it's expensive, but I think when we are ill, it's about reality and what we can actually do. And as I said, it's cheaper than a takeaway.

Hope everyone is 'ok'.x

LameWolf

Nomoonatall wrote: »

I don't even have my looks to get me through!

Aww, sweetie (((HUG))) I bet you have a beautiful spirit. x

Re quick'n'easy meals - this one I can do on autopilot.:D

• Sling some diced onion in a small saucepan (I use the milk pan) with butter or your choice of oil. Fry gently.
• Sling 2 frozen veggie hot dogs per person on a plate, microwave for 1 min to thaw. Cut them into small pieces.
• Boil up half a kettle of water, put this into another pan. Add 75g per person of tagliatelle, and leave to cook (I cook it on simmering heat)
• Add the hot dog pieces to the pan of onion, followed by a tin of chopped tomatoes, and some dried herbs if you like.
• Warm this all through, stirring it all in well.
• Carefully drain the lasagne once it's "al dente" - I haven't done this myself, but I like the idea of something like a chip basket in the saucepan - and divide up onto your dinner plates.
• Put the tomato/onion/hot dog mix on the top.
• Ensure you have serviettes to hand, as this is somewhat messy to eat - at least it is for Mr LW. :rotfl:
• Pour a glass each of white wine if you're allowed it (I know some meds preclude alcohol) and enjoy.;)

It's probably taken me nearly as long to type that out as it would to make the meal!! :rotfl:

maddiemay

In the spirit of Marie Kondo I am trying to get rid of unused or un-needed stuff in this house. a few kitchen gadgets have gone because either they are not used now we are at home all the time or because I can no longer operate them safely. I have, however, this week purchased a soup maker and so far have made two batches, chicken and mushroom and leek & tattie (OH's favourite:D), very impressed and I think that this will get a lot of use through the Autumn and Winter. I really struggle to peel and chop veggies, but while OH has been busy with other stuff I have managed:eek: My lovely, but quite aged Magimix food processor has stopped working and I miss it so much:(, I do have a FP attachment for my Kenwood Chef, but it is smaller capacity and I sometimes have to stand on the single step thingie to be able to locate it on top of the Chef:eek: There is no obvious place around here to take the MM to see if it can be repaired, so must quiz my lovely neighbour to see if he knows anyone who does such things, I really cannot afford to buy a new FP at the moment, anyway I am of the age that thinks things should be repairable :rotfl:

I hope that everyone is having a good Sunday, OH just returned home and told me my line of washing has just been subject to a short sharp shower that I obviously missed whilst sitting with back to the window:(

pollyanna_26

Apologies for not being in for the last few days . Daughter has been going downhill rapidly over the last month or so and narrowly escaped hospital rehydration twice in the past few days . On Friday gp added more medication but advised contacting her rheumo nurse as only the consultant can alter any of the medication . Everything is flaring worse than seen before and the effect on her mental health is creating a perfect storm . Phone was just ringing out in Rheumatology on Friday and nurses answering service was not responding but giving a normal ring tone . Will hit the phone again tomorrow morning .
I've phoned dwp and been granted an extension on the form return date on the doctors recommendation . I could finish it myself as her appointee but she is determined to do it .
Sunny , cold and very windy here today but no spoons left to hang out the washing or worse bring it back in . At least those on here will understand that one !
Wishing you all the beat day possible . Not really remembered any of the posts so will say welcome to new friends and gentle hugs to all . I'll be back .
polly x

Nicki

You sound like you've got more than enough in your plate at the moment Pollyanna.

It was my youngest DS's birthday yesterday so grandparents came to visit. Even though we went out for lunch with them, this was still fairly exhausting and I ended up falling asleep on the sofa whilst they were still here

Today I'm having a bad flare and am very sore and tired all over, and feeling quite bad tempered to boot. Anonymooose asked about quick and easy meals for days like today. I didn't manage breakfast, but for lunch I put some pre chopped onions, a teaspoon of lazy garlic, some pre prepared cauliflower florets, a tbsp of curry powder and a chicken stock pot in the soupmaker, topped it up with boiling water, and had the resulting soup with a bread roll for lunch. It was very tasty and hopefully reasonably nutritious. Am hoping my eldest DS will make dinner for everyone, and plan to spend the rest of the day on the sofa wrapped in a rug.

Nomoonatall

Sorry to everyone that's having a rotten time. Best wishes to Pollyanna and daughter. x

Hi Nicki, I've been really bad tempered lately and I've not spoken to anyone for days! I'm blaming it on the weather..and the fact that I'm a lady of a certain age! Plus the wobbly spells and migraines. Oh well.

Hope everyone has at least one good day soon x

Slowly57

I find OS really helpful in managing my illness (which after 6 years they cannot definitively diagnose), Smart money is on brain damage. I meter my time in 15min chunks with a kitchen timer - energy + concentration. So 15mins doing, then 15mins not (and that means nothing!). OS for me has an easy logic and lots of sit-down planning. Also - baby steps and no all-or-nothing. The lovely folks on this forum mean the world to me at the mo xx

Every good wish and positive vibe to anyone living with a chronic health prob - whether it be physical, mental or a combo of both. Onwards and upwards eh.

Be kind to yourselves xx