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Putting healthy meals on the table can be a challenge for anybody--either by yourself or feeding a family. When the cook is sick, or tending to sick family members, the chore becomes even more cumbersome. Throw in the dietary restrictions faced by many people with Lyme disease (gluten-free, avoiding sugar, etc.) and the prospect of fixing dinner every day can seem like an insurmountable obstacle.
Fortunately, two things can help a lot.
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TOUCHED BY LYME: Easy meals for Lyme families
Putting healthy meals on the table can be a challenge for anybody--either by yourself or feeding a family.
When the cook is sick, or tending to sick family members, the chore becomes even more cumbersome. Fortunately, two things can help.
Putting healthy meals on the table can be a challenge for anybody--either by yourself or feeding a family. When the cook is sick, or tending to sick family members, the chore becomes even more cumbersome.
Throw in the dietary restrictions faced by many people with Lyme disease (gluten-free, avoiding sugar, etc.) and the prospect of fixing dinner every day can seem like an insurmountable obstacle.
Fortunately, two things can help a lot.
1.) A crockpot
2.) A decent book of recipes for the crockpot
Crockpots, also known as slow cookers, allow you to assemble ingredients in the morning and simmer them all day.
At dinner time, the only remaining job is to ladle up the vittles. (It's almost like somebody else fixed dinner!)
In my experience, the most important requirement is to have appropriate ingredients on hand.
Luckily, a new cookbook by crockpot maven Stephanie O'Dea can help you there.
Make It Fast, Cook It Slow (Hyperion Books, 2009) is based on ordinary ingredients that people are likely to have around the house, like rice, vegetables, canned beans, chicken, and ground turkey.
In fact, one of the recipes is called ``Clean out the pantry chili''--the name says it all.
Furthermore, all recipes are gluten-free. *****************************************
(Though if that isn't your issue, it's easy enough to use wheat instead of rice noodles or throw in regular flour.)
Cookbook author O'Dea started 2008 with a New Year's resolution to use her crockpot every single day for a year.
She documented her results on a personal Web site.
When she tired of using the slow cooker as simply a ``glorified pot roast machine,'' she started to ``think outside the crock.''
Eventually, she came up with quite a collection of innovative, family-friendly meals. She even uses the crockpot for breakfast dishes and desserts.
A particularly inventive chapter is called ``Take-out Fake Out.''
Because her family's diet has to be strictly gluten-free, she tried her hand at making GF versions of traditional take-out food.
She devised crockpot versions of broccoli beef, chow mein, lemon chicken and Thai curry soup, among others. Her family's verdict?
``Wonderful meals that completely satisfied our takout cravings without the worry of gluten contamination.''
So, the next time you're flummoxed by the mere thought of having to cook dinner, pull out the slow cooker, dump in a few ingredients, and walk away. When dinner time comes, you'll be glad you did.
Click for more information about Make It Fast, Cook It Slow.
This blogger made split pea soup in the crockpot while she wrote this article.
Comments (3 posted):
Katherine Morrison on 13 October, 2009 10:18:26
I also need to keep things simple. About 3 steps is what I average. So, waiting to hear from those who use this book.
So glad to see a book for those of us with lyme and need to eat GF.
Karen Fernandez on 14 October, 2009 02:16:16
Great Article!!! We love to use our Crock Pot!!
We take chicken breasts and slice an onion and then cover with our favorite Pace Picante Sauce and cook all day!
Then when ready you simply take a set of tongs and shred the meat...makes great chicken tacos!!
You also can use a chuck roast for this too!! Happy cooking everybody!!!
Willy on 14 October, 2009 03:13:54
The cookbook's author, Stephanie O'Dea, asked us to post the following comment for her:
Thank you so much for posting this wonderful write-up. I had an absolute ball with this project, and am so happy to have been able to help busy families and those who need to adhere to a gluten free eating plan.
Katherine, one of my favorite ways to cook is the "lazy way"-- simply plop a frozen hunk of meat (chicken, beef, pork, etc) and top it with your favorite jarred sauce.
I've used pasta sauce, bbq sauce, and the simmer sauces from Trader Joe's (read labels carefully!) with great success.
After slow cooking on low for 6-8 hours (longer if your meat hunk is large), shred the meat and serve it over rice or brown rice pasta.
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