A Necessary Step to Health And Happiness!
Lunch is my least favorite meal. Right smack dab in the middle of my work day, when the last thing I want to do is take a break and prepare something to eat. I have often wished for a microwave during these times so I can buy a frozen dinner, but that will be the topic of another post. However if I do not eat lunch my head starts to swim and I begin to have trouble stringing words together coherently. So this past Sunday Dr. Sheehan and I worked out our lunchtime solution: stew. Isn’t stew the solution most of the time, no matter what the problem is? We purchased veg at a farmer’s stand at Eastern Market at Musser Park and meat at CostCo. Lunchtime stew, prepared in a quantity large enough to eat throughout the week. It was delicious! And requiring only reheating for a few minutes on the stovetop, it provided an excellent solution to my lunchtime food grouchies. That is, my need for healthy food but my lack of desire to prepare it, specifically at lunchtime.
So here is my recipe for chicken and corn stew, Sheehan style:
1 head of cabbage, chopped
2 bunches garlic scapes, cut into small pieces
1 whole head of garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 very large zucchini
3.5 lbs. of chicken thighs (thank you, Costco), cut with kitchen scissors into bite-sized pieces
2 pints of orange cherry tomatoes, halved
1 lb. spicy chicken sausages, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 large bunch of fresh basil
Corn cut off 7 fresh ears (this is optional, if you do not tolerate grains or starches at all, skip this)
Coconut Oil, lots
About 1 Tablespoon Himalayan salt, to taste
Just cook up the veg in the coconut oil until it softens slightly. Add the meat and basil and then simmer over low heat for about 40 minutes to an hour. Add the salt near the end of cooking. Allow to cool, portion into single-serving containers. We got about 10 servings (about 2 cups per serving).
So here is my food diary for the last several days:
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
9:15 AM: coffee with butter and coconut oil, homemade protein bar (almonds, whey protein, stevia, coconut sugar, shredded coconut, cocoa powder)
12:00 PM: My seasonal stew (see above)
4:00 PM: protein shake: cashew milk, mixed berries, SP Complete, strawberry whey
8:00 PM: Texas Road House take-out: salmon, broccoli, green beans, 1 beer
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
7:00 AM coffee with coconut oil, cucumber
12:00 PM: 1.5 chicken sausages
2:00 PM: peanuts, chicken veg & corn stew
8:00 PM: more salmon, cucumber and hummus, 1 beer
Thursday, July 16, 2015
7:00 AM: coffee with coconut oil
9:00 AM: 1.5 pork sausages, peanuts
12:00 PM: seasonal stew, 1 diet Monster energy drink Ultra red
6:00 PM: gluten free pizza (cheese, sausage, pepperoni and mushroom) Thanks Mom :), more cucumber
