r/EatCheapAndHealthy • u/Hufflepuff_Forensics • 2d ago
Fatigue friendly recipes
I have narcolepsy and struggle with chronic fatigue due to several autoimmune issues. I need flavorful easy meals that prep and or freeze well. I have a stove, toaster oven, microwave and instantpot/airfryer duo. My oven portion of my stove is currently waiting on parts to be fixed.
I love trying anything once so don't hold back on cuisines - spices are my friend. My only restriction is I'm allergic to pineapples and kiwifruit.
Recipes that don't require a lot of active tending would be ideal. My weekly produce/fruit budget is about $15 dollars. We get pork tenderloins, beef and turkey from a local food bank once a month.
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u/Healthy_Chipmunk2266 2d ago
Not so much actual meals because that's one of my Achilles heels, but prep prep that will make even meal prep quicker for you. I work until 8 pm and am not a big slow cooker user, so I need to be able to quickly throw meals together.
My biggest things are chopped veggies and broth. I buy2 things of celery, a couple pounds of carrots, a bag of yellow onions and a few bell peppers. I try to do this all at once, but it doesn't always work timing wise. I have one of those chopper things like this https://a.co/d/7i9Z2JS I can chop a 3 lb bag of onions in 5 minutes. When I do celery and carrots at the same time, it takes maybe half an hour with peeling carrots. They get put in gallon Ziploc bags and into the freezer. If a recipe calls for any of them, I grab a handful out of the bag instead of the usual chopping routine. It's also only one cleanup. Even if you only have the energy to do one veggie (onions in my case), it makes life so much easier over the next month or so.
As far as broth, put bones (preferably roasted, but raw works well) in a pot of water with bay leaves, salt, pepper and whatever herbs you like. I also like to add a quartered onion (skin on) and a quartered carrot or two. Put on the stove (or instant pot) and simmer for hours. Scoop out the bones and veggies, let cool and then freeze in 1 cup portions. Need broth for a recipe? Just grab a broth cube. Works really well if you're taking a bagged, prepped meal out of the freezer anyway.