I need ideas please for food

Stuff that's healthy, cheap, and EASY. Yea right, don't think there's such a thing. Finding it hard to motivate myself to eat let alone make something to eat so any ideas would be nice please.

This was sorta edible - mind you, I was bloody hungry.

Devilled sausages - a packet of Devils from Maggi, some precooked snarlers, an apple, an onion, some tinned pineapple, all biffed into a once nonstick fry pan. And in a pot, mashed spud and pumpkin. Cook. Mash etc. Slop onto plate. Eat.

Yum. Well, survivable, anyway.

I had enough to freeze another meal, so it was worth the effort. Almost. It didn't sicken or kill me, anyway. Thats an important consideration with my culinary skills. Do you want me to send you the one in the freezer? I don't mind?

Yea Paddy, I usually do things like that and freeze them down. I just don't have the energy at the moment, it's a struggle to even eat anything, gotta force myself to. I'm after something I can just pull out and eat or at the most throw in the microwave and press a few buttons then eat.

Thanks for the offer, and as much as I'd appreciate it, you keep it and eat it, it will probably be defrosted by the time it gets to me, and then may not be safe to eat. Thanks though.

Hi LC, What about some of the days when you're working - going to the Deli part of your store and getting some cold meat or chicken, a little bit of a couple of salads etc. Just a thought - and I might do that for our tea tomorrow - I have a busy day coming up!

Daze

one thing i cant get enough of at the moment lc is the old scalloped spuds...

cut em in thin slices and spread a layer on the bottom of a greased oven dish
add a sprinkle of onion, garlic, whatever thin sliced vege or herbs you have around, with a couple little bits of marg
repeat the layers again until youve used everything
warm up some milk and pour over and chuck it in the oven
sprinkle over a bit of cheese if you have any
takes 10 minutes to make, about 50 in the oven...
yummo

Yum, another verson of that dish is just to layer your potato (thin slices), just cover with cream and sprinkle the top with chicken stock. Not too much stock, the trick is just the right amount. Cover and put in the oven for about 40mins, then uncoverand cook for about another 20mins or so until it has all thickened. It is mine and all my families favourite dish of all time. Very rich, but oh so beautiful.. Another dish I make, is cook sml potato's with skins until almost cooked. Then I use a wok, but you can use a fry pan, dice up some bacon and cook till browned, throw in potato, couple of spoons of garlic, stir around. Squeeze about four lemons over the top. Cover and cook until potato skins have browned and fully cooked. Put in a dish and toss with lots of garlic mayonase, sprinkle with finely chopped mint. This can be served hot or cold. So so easy. Oh now i'm feeling so hungry.

Oh and another which is quick and healthy, especially good for summer. Buy a sml cut of beef, or lamb, I usually just buy a pce of steak, slice in long strips and fry until cooked but still pinkish on inside. Get some of that mixed lettuce selection, (only buy what you need, not the bags) Lay lettuce in your dish, arrange meat over the top. Get an orange or two, layer with segments of orange, sprinkle with chopped nuts of your choice, (I use sunflower seeds). Drizzle Some yogurt and then also a dressing of some sort, (I use Mango and chilli dressing, but any will do even Watties spiced Apricot is nice). Thats it done, tastes fab) Food should look amazing as well as taste great and this dish does both. The combination of colour in this dish makes it look so good. Be warned, if you ever make this dish for freinds, they will never leave you alone, to make it again. Happy eating.

A common meal I have is an open steak sandwich. Nice, cheap and easy.

Cook the steak to you likeing.
While that is happening on a piece of toasted bread place mayo and lettuce.
Once steak is cooked place on lettue, top either with fried eggs and onions or chopped tomato.

If you want to be even healthier make (get) a side salad to go with it. Once a week I get a coleslaw with my groceries.

Happy munching.

Thanks guys, these all sound good and tasty, but too much work at the moment Think I might just get yogurts, cup a soups and tins of spaghetti when I do my shopping.

Here is a silly idea, and I dont know the critera they have.

Talk to your doctor about getting maybe meals on wheels and say you don't have the energy to cook etc due to depression or ask if you can get home help come in a couple of times a week to prepare meals to keep in the fridge.

Eating right is very important when unwell.

I don't know if that would work, coz I work all sorts of hours and I don't know if I'd fit their criteria. Ok and now I'm just making excuses, so we'll stop there.

Thank you Ros, it is something worth looking into and will bring it up to my doctor in a couple of weeks when I see him again if I'm still finding it a struggle.

Roswell I think that is a brilliant idea.

I'll be following this thread with interest too, I really don't look after myself enough. Do you have a rice cooker logical? I think those are simple and healthy... just had a few mixed vegies... or go the whole way and make it a stir fry?

I don't have a rice cooker JK, just cook it in the microwave. When I am well, I cook up heaps of things, stir fry's, meatballs and rice, devilled sausages, spag bol etc. It's just at the moment, and over the last 2 weeks it's far to much energy and too overwhelming to even think of trying to do anything. Like I say at the moment I have to force myself to eat anything in a day, too hard to force myself to cook it as well.

sometimes i just cook chicken nuggets and have em with salad leaves. no fuss, super quick and i get the 'heart tick' ones so reasonably nutritious i guess...

LC if you think you would use a rice cooker, I have one that I don't use, so pm me and I will send it to you. Worried you are going to fade away, lol.

I love my rice cooker, they'r so handy

Don't worry Pam, I won't fade away, got more than enough fat on me to keep me going. Thanks, I have looked at rice cookers before, just don't know what the difference between that and a microwave is??

It sucks, eh LC?

'Twas Beans here again tonight. Sigh.

I do understand what you mean by it all being too much bother, hon.

What can seem like such a simple to prepare dish to one person, can be a huge mountain of effort for another, some days. Just be gentle with yourself LC and don't beat yourself up over this.

The thought is overwhelming, *sigh* will try find something half way decent tomorrow.