I hit the food doldrums recently. I’m sure you know the place, it’s when your ability to produce lovely healthy nutritious meals stagnates, stalls or stops altogether. It feels impossible to get any meal together never mind a good one.

My yo yo nemesis of becoming too busy, starting to feel tired, ignoring it for a bit, and then ending up having my body stop me in my tracks came calling again. My body just will not tolerate a lack of self care anymore.

Instead of having time and energy to prepare decent meals I was trying to cram cooking in-between other activities. It does not work. If I want myself and my family to eat well then I need to look after myself so that I continue to feel inspired and energetic enough to be willing spend the time needed to creating lovely delicious meals.

Although I managed to produce stuff it wasn’t very appetising and some days I couldn’t be bothered at all. The rest of my family ate frozen pizza, which pleased them, or they fended for themselves. I had salad with avocado or tinned fish or my go-to for when I just do not have the energy for anything else, a green smoothie;  spinach, kale or other greens, almond milk, ground nuts and seeds, coconut oil, all whizzed up.  This probably sounds pretty good to some of you, and it is certainly massive progress not to default to rubbish anymore, but I can’t keep on with that situation indefinitely.

Thankfully I watched the film Food Matters at the Films That Transform screening last night and was fortunate to share in stimulating conversation afterwards. As usually happens after watching this film I felt re-engaged with my health, buoyed up and inspired to get back on it. This is one of the main reasons I re-watch this film and others like it, they support and encourage me to stay on track with my health choices, the ones that support health and healing.

So today I decided to take better care of myself. After my mediation I spent the morning pursuing something creative, which I know feeds my soul so much better than sitting at the computer studying or working and I started again with my diet by eating super well. After the film I felt inspired to think “more raw” so here is what I did to introduce more raw food into my meals today.

Raw Pad Thai

Breakfast:

I tried a new juice using parsnip and pear, bit weird and actually a bit too sweet, but still drinkable. This was followed by 3 slices of black-pudding with wilted pak-choi and fermented veg (raw).

Lunch:

I made nettle soup and had it with a raw veggie pate on oatcakes.

This Raw Veggie Pate Recipe is very flexible, you can basically use what you have to hand. Today it was:

1/2 a small onion

1 garlic clove

1 red pepper

1 carrot

large handful of walnuts

small handful of coriander

2 tbs olive oil

1 tbs apple cider vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Roughly chop all the vegetables add everything to a food processor and whizz up until you have a consistency you like. This pate can be eaten with crackers or added to the top of a salad or even mixed through pasta.

Dinner:

One of my favourite raw meals is Raw Pad Thai, I’ve shared the recipe before here.

As well as the nutty sauce that accompanies this salad today I also made an avocado sauce which I will use with the leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

Avocado Sauce

1 avocado

1 garlic clove

2 tbs lemon juice

2 tbs of olive oil

salt and pepper

You can then add herbs of your choice, basil, wild garlic, coriander, parsley etc.

Whizz it all up and add enough water to get the consistency you desire. I like mine thick.

Avocado Sauce

When you hit the food doldrums how do you get yourself back on track?

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