Tag: Plant based eating

Running on Empty

At the beginning of this week, I ground to a halt. The endless activity and excitement of the last few weeks (months? years?) culminated in my lovely goddaughter’s wedding. The day was perfect, the bride beautiful and setting exquisite. We caught up with old friends, ate, drank and laughed.

I was sorry to be dragged away at 7pm by my husband who insisted it was time to go home and that only the two cups of coffee I’d drunk after dinner were keeping me upright. He was correct. We reached home just after eight and I quietly expired on the sofa.

My Covid jab the following day proved the coup de grace.

The big sleep

From here on out, with a few forays into the land of the living, I slept. And slept.

I don’t want to get up! Image: Andisheh A on Unsplash

I exceeded all records on Monday when I went to bed at 9pm, got up at noon the next day and returned to bed at 7pm. This was not living. This was simply filling the gaps with nausea filled spaces of exhaustion. Something needed to be done.

Interestingly, in the brief moments when I could concentrate, we watched a wonderful Netflix documentary on How to Live to One Hundred. Though I have no desire to be a centenarian, I was intrigued to see how individuals living in fairly poor communities were able to maximise their lives even into advanced age.

Much of what I learned was not entirely new – but seeing these people enjoying full and happy lives on screen was. Sometimes I feel a hundred. It cheered me to think I might enjoy it also!

Just about managing

Since diagnosis, my life has been an ongoing experiment and I was pleased to see that much of what I was doing was right. However, it was not fool-proof or days like Tuesday would not occur. I was managing, but only just.

If you’d like to read an introduction to Dan Buettner’s research into ‘Blue Zones’ follow this link: https://www.bluezones.com/2016/11/power-9/ .

What follows incorporates some of his ideas in combination with my own.

Self-preservation

This is not one that appears on Buettner’s list and may seem suspiciously selfish. However, it is not putting oneself first in a way that is detrimental to others but rather putting oneself first in order to be helpful to others. If we run ourselves into the ground, even in service, we are no use to anyone.

Don’t forget to save yourself Image: Mark Konig on Unsplash

For me that means allowing Hermione to be a bit bored occasionally; to take time to do things that replenish me; to avoid the suspicion that my only purpose is to please others. Tea can wait; dust can accumulate. No one will die.

Finding a purpose together

Everyone needs purpose in life and for most of us, that means doing something for others – either in the particular or the collective. Everyone who works and pays taxes contributes to the common weal.

But it is often the optional efforts that give us the greatest sense of fulfilment. We may volunteer at an organisation we respect or help someone with their shopping. What we do doesn’t matter. Acts of kindness are always rewarding. They are also boosted from the benefit of social interaction and especially with those of like mind.

Being among friends always lifts my spirits – even when I’m not at my best. Monday morning is my craft group and I crawled out of bed to host it. Everyone arrived full of news and chatter and my fog of exhaustion lifted a little. Jane had brought a project for everyone to do, so I determined to at least attempt it. By the end of the morning I had a great sense of achievement. I’d made my ‘pumpkins’ and could have a rest with the joy of having done at least something with my day.

Fabric pumpkins Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

Because being with those you care about, sharing a passion for an activity is vital for our well-being. And we need to do it in person.

Across the world there are epidemics of loneliness. We are all ‘connected’ but not engaging with one another. This breaks my heart. And whilst there are many who bemoan the statistics, it is up to us to act. We need to discover and support our ‘tribe’. If there seems to be no-one doing what you love, go out and find them. They are probably looking for you.

Down-time

All action all the time will leave you like me, stuck in bed and feeling sorry for yourself. Balance is key.

The good news is that it doesn’t have to be for long. A short power nap after lunch can do wonders for your concentration. Taking time for prayer or meditation brings us back to all that is truly important.

I was horrified to learn that a very successful and busy friend didn’t ‘have time’ for meditation. I suggested gazing out the window for a few minutes each hour to rest his eyes from the computer screen and give himself a well-earned break. Sadly, I doubt he does, such is the pressure always to perform.

Not taking time for rest invariably impacts our health. The time we spend in R&R simply reduces the time we spend in A&E.

Refuelling

In order to maximise our energy levels we need to eat well. The jury is definitely in that a mainly plant based diet is best for our health. I think that we all know this but are put off by the time required to prepare such foods from scratch. Many of us are not really sure how to cook, either. But there are ways to make life easier (and as someone who doesn’t have the energy to spend hours in the kitchen) these are vital.

Light and easy Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

Batch cooking is definitely the way to go whether you freeze the remainder or enjoy the next day, but fresh food can be prepared ahead too and kept quite happily for a day or two in the fridge. The colourful plate above took just minutes to assemble since the coleslaw was the last of a large bowl, the salad also, the baked courgette left-overs, which left me only to cut an avocado and peel and slice a kiwi. Such a meal fills you up without going overboard with calories. The perfect balance.

With plant-based cooking the latest fashion, it isn’t hard to find delicious and easy recipes. I’ll try to include some plant based inspiration in a future blog.

Keep moving!

Once you have your energy back, it is time to get moving. Buettner’s research made my day by suggesting natural movement is every bit as good as more obvious exercise like attending the gym. There is hope for me yet. Physical abilities and low energy levels severely restrict what I can do. That said, I think I may have found a solution. Poco a poco is what works for me.

Housework is a truly good workout, as is gardening. However, if I overdo it on either (we’re talking less than an hour here) I end up back on the sofa. So I am trying (and not always succeeding) into breaking tasks down into small units – just dusting one room, taking a break and doing another. It is painful being so slow, yet if I achieve multiple tasks in a day, I have the same result as a blast that exhausts me.

Ironically, not making life easy is the best thing for you: to walk rather than take the bus; to wash the dishes rather than use a machine. Simple and repetitive jobs give us the workout we need whilst achieving something worthwhile.

My fog of fatigue hasn’t completely lifted yet, but I’m getting there. I’m hoping that if I can follow my own advice, I will have a little in reserve for more challenging days.

My Vegetable Love – Part Two

As promised, I’ve made a post (with recipes) showing you how you can make a feast in certainly less than an hour or in fifteen to thirty minutes per dish. Putting vegetables at the centre of your diet need not be boring. The sheer variety on offer ensures that you will never be lost for something new and flavourful. What I’ve given here are dishes that are both easy to prepare and, I hope, appealing to even the most picky eater. They can all go together or be combined with your favourite foods. You are the chef- you decide!

A rainbow of flavour

When starting on a plant-based diet, it is important to ensure that you get all the nutrients you need. If you are uncertain if this is for you, ask a health professional. Some folks like to take a multi-vitamin and or iron supplements. Personally, I don’t take either. Through taking in a broad spectrum of foods, you should get everything you need.

Introducing a large volume of vegetables into your diet all at once can unsettle the tummy a little bit. (I once tried the Wahls’ diet that recommends six cups of vegetables per day and it had serious consequences for my digestion!) If your body is complaining, cut back, and take it slow.

Once you start to enjoy more vegetables in your diet and explore the fairly endless way to prepare them, you will not look back.

Soup for starters

Soups are the perfect place to begin for introducing more vegetables into your diet. They are quick and easy to prepare and are often even better the second day. (You can also freeze them.) All my soups start in the same fashion: saute an onion in water or oil; add the vegetables you like and saute for a few minutes; add 750ml or so of vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Turn off the heat and allow to cook through. Season to taste. Frozen vegetables work great too – think peas and corn. For a creamier texture, add dairy-free milk or cream. Blend if you like. Grains like oats, barley and lentils can be added to make an even heartier dish.

Since dark leafy greens are perhaps the hardest to get into your diet, the recipe I’ve given here is for spinach soup. My children, like most kids, were not impressed with the idea, so I renamed it alien blood soup and it was a hit!

Ingredients

1 large onion, chopped

250 g of spinach, washed and woody stems removed

800ml of boiling water and two teaspoons/cubes of vegetable stock

Juice of 1/4 lemon

1 tablespoon of corn (maize) flour

Salt and pepper

Dairy free yogurt and nutmeg to garnish

Method

Saute the onion in a little water/oil until soft. Add the spinach and cook gently until wilted. Add the stock, bring to the boil and then turn off the heat to cook for about 10 minutes. Blend with a hand blender or liquidiser till smooth. Return to the pan, if liquidising, and add the lemon juice.

In a small tumbler, add the cornflour and a dribble of water, stirring in more water until you have the consistency of thin cream. Add this to the pot of spinach and heat until bubbles appear at the side. Stir throughout until you feel the soup thicken. Lower the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve with a swirl of natural yogurt and a sprinkling of nutmeg.

Serves 4

Spinach soup Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

Mushroom for mains

Almost everyone enjoys burgers and you can make fabulous vegetable ones, but they take a little time to prepare. Since my mission here was to make everything as easy as possible, I thought I would show you how to make a real mushroom burger. These take barely ten minutes and accompanied with good bread and lettuce are a great alternative to a McDs.

Ingredients

1 large portobello mushroom per person – sliced horizontally

Olive oil

Sesame seeds

Salt and pepper to taste

Bread or rolls

Method

Wash and slice your mushrooms horizontally, to make two ‘patties’. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake at 180 C or gas mark 4 for about 8 minutes until cooked through. Remove from the oven, brush with a little olive oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Salt and pepper to taste and serve between bread with lettuce and vegan mayonnaise.

Would you like fries with that?

If a burger on its own is looking a little bit frugal, make some spicy oven chips to go with it. Prepare these first and they can be cooking away in the oven while you make your mushroom burgers. These fries are made with sweet potatoes and carrots, both highly nutritious and low fat.

Ingredients

1 sweet potato and 1 carrot per person

About 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil per person

Seasonings – Cajun spice, salt and pepper and chilli flakes. Adjust according to personal taste.

Method

Wash and scrub the potatoes and carrots but do not remove the skins (where many of the nutrients reside.) Cut into wedges and place in a mixing bowl. Add the oil and seasonings and coat well. Tip onto a large baking sheet and bake in the oven at 180 C or gas mark 4 for twenty + minutes. When they are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, they are done. Serve piping hot!

Spicy fries Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

And a side salad?

Nothing completes a meal like a delicious side salad. A green salad would be perfect here, but since I’m in Midsummer mode, I thought I would share my absolute favourite – beetroot salad. Added to the above, it supplements our five a day and adds a little extra colour to the meal.

Ingredients

1 small jar or 1/2 large jar of sweet pickled beetroot, drained and cut into chunks

2 dessert apples – cored and cut into chunks

2 stalks of celery – cut into bite-sized pieces

1 heaped tablespoon of vegan mayonnaise and 1 heaped tablespoon of vegan creme fraiche or natural yogurt. (You may like more!)

Method

In a large mixing bowl, add the beetroot, apple and celery and stir to mix. Add the mayonnaise and creme fraiche and mix so that all is coated in the creamy dressing. It will become a wonderful bubble gum pink. Chill until ready to serve.

Makes 4 generous servings

Fresh, crunchy and delicious! Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

Over to you…

This post is only a taster of all the possibilities of a plant based diet. I hope that it has given you some ideas that you can take and make your own. Recipes are wonderful things, but we should only really use them as the springboard from which our own interpretations can soar. My greatest resource for ideas is almost always other people sharing what they have enjoyed and what worked for them. I love reading cookery books, but I love receiving tips from friends even more. So please, if they appeal, take and adapt these recipes, pass them on and let your vegetable love grow.