Jorden Williams, Content Designer at BANES Carers Centre, has pulled together this blog of healthy eating inspiration for us busy carers. What would you add?
Delicious dishes that require minimum effort
We all know that with caring responsibilities comes very little time, especially to think about getting creative in the kitchen. As well as providing care, many of us are pushed to the limit juggling jobs, supporting a family and anything else life throws our way. It can be difficult to factor in the time or headspace to create exciting meals.
We've pulled together some of our favourite recipes that are healthy and nutritious to help us all feel inspired when our energy is running low. All of the options below can be adapted in some way to suit various dietary needs, and these no-fuss dishes won't break the bank!
So next time we're stuck for inspiration, we can try these yummy and budget friendly recipes:
Now who wouldn't want self-love in a stew? When Jack found herself at a low point, with barely enough energy to muster a meal, she forced herself to the hob and the self-love stew was born. Jack reflects on how this nutritious dish is soothing, both in the creation and the consumption.
"It is mindless, not mindful. Sod mindful. My mind is full enough. It is a minefield. Sometimes I want to stir some stuff up and stare at my hands or into nothing." - Jack
We love Jack's recipes. She considers everything from cooking ability to dietary preference to cost per serving. This stew is made with white fish, but it's easy to substitute tofu, or meat, and we can also make it gluten-free.
For the full recipe, see Cooking on a Bootstrap.
Rather than reaching for the fish fingers, why not scour the fridge for any leftover veggies to make this delicious dish.
Chop and roast them along with a splash of oil and any seasonings of our choice (and we suggest paprika and oregano as they work so well!)
While they're doing their thing in the oven, we can whip up this gorgeous dressing.
If you've never had tahini before, it's a sesame seed paste originating in the Middle East. A key ingredient in hummus, it makes a delicious dressing, especially when paired with lots of garlic! Tahini is easily found in the world food aisle of any local supermarket or in Middle Eastern food shops.
Once our roasted vegetables are ready, we serve them with a grain or meat of our choice and drizzle the dressing all over - it really is dreamy!
Find the Dreamy Tahini Dressing recipe on Inspired Taste.
This comforting mid-week dinner will most certainly leave us and our loved ones feeling completely satisfied. It's a deliciously filling and creamy dahl that is super easy to make.
We can make this gluten-free, as mild or as spicy as we like and it's also 100% vegan.
We can also serve it on its own or if we want to make it go further, we give ourselves a smaller portion with some rice, veggies or a naan as a side. Perfection.
To save for a future dinner, we can simply store it in a sealable container in the fridge for up to five days or in the freezer for up to three months. Then reheat it as needed on the hob or in the microwave.
For the full recipe, see Running on Read Food.
This delicious dinner is the perfect pick-me-up after a long week. With its fresh springtime flavours and cooking time of just 15 minutes, this is just the ticket! We will need to be prepared by picking up some fresh gnocchi at the supermarket, but after that, it's an easy recipe to follow.
If we don't have the right vegetables we can get creative. For example, replacing the broccoli and peas with any veggies we have to hand, or even including some bacon for a meaty kick. What are you waiting for? Enjoy!
For the full recipe, see BBC Good Food.
Want to try a classic with a bit of a twist? Then chow down on this tasty casserole, full of smoky paprika goodness! This recipe calls for Quorn sausages but we can easily swap them for meaty ones if we want. This hearty dish is packed full of protein, low in saturated fat and contains two of our five a day! Frozen vegetables work well in this recipe to keep costs down, and it also uses easy store cupboard ingredients like tinned beans and tomatoes. It's a healthy and cost effective staple to keep coming back to.
For the full recipe, see the Quorn website.
We hope this has encouraged thoughts for some new meal ideas that will ultimately help us save time, money and even cut down on waste. Remember, bookmark this page if you're ever looking for some cooking-inspo in the future.
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About the Author
Jorden Williams is Content Designer at BANES Carers Centre.
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