Really simple veggie slow cooker recipes for someone with ME

[SargeantAngua]

As it says in the subject really, I'm trying to find a solution to the fact that I really struggle to cook (can't stand for long, weak muscles, can't mentally coordinate more than 1 thing happening at a time). I've lost weight after months of no appetite, and now my appetite is coming back and I'm getting hungry but I'm finding it hard to cook nutritious filling meals.

I'm not a good cook but i used to cook veggie curries and chillis (bbc good food recipes generally), which would be perfect now but I can't chop lots of veg or stand and stir things. i was hoping a slow cooker might be an answer - if I use bought ready chopped veg, potatoes (do any other carbs like rice or pasta work?), add x amount of tinned beans, dried lentils, stock cube, spices, water etc, then it can just sit and burble away to itself without me having to worry about looking after it - it'll be safe for me to rest and leave it for as long as necessary and it'll feed me for a couple of nights.

I've never used a slow cooker. Does this sound feasible? And if so I'd be really grateful for some recipes/just ideas of quantities of veg/carbs/pulses/spices/liquid to make complete 1 pot meals!

Thank you!

[ninetynineonehundred]

I'm on a mission for you now and looking up recipes
Macaroni cheese looks good
Cauliflower cheese
Mushroom tart (ready roll puff pastry, pesto, cream cheese and ready chopped mushrooms) obviously not in the slow cooker
Lots of curries, soups and stews
Risotto
Ready made pastry case, ready grated cheese, cream and chopped veg for a quiche
What do you like and I'll dig up some specific recipes for you

[ninetynineonehundred]

And to answer your op yes it sounds totally feasible and a really practical idea.
I use our slow cooker all the time.
My only concern if you have me is that they can be quite heavy so keep it as close to the sink as you can so that you don't have to carry it far to wash.

Basically you can do pretty much anything in them. All carbs (apparently you can bake bread in them but not tried it myself), desserts, all sorts.

Like I said let me know what you like and I'll find some specific recipes with amounts and will make sure the prep is as simple as possible.

[SargeantAngua]

Thank you so much!

I can't eat cheese, but curries, stews, risotto, anything that makes a nice bowl full of something nutritious and tasty and warming, that is a meal in itself, and that I can reheat in the micro next day.

I've seen that some slow cookers are dishwasher safe (i assume they have a removable bowl and lid) so was going to get one of those. Hopefully that'll be manageable. I've never used one, but it seemed like a good solution, and I'm really pleased you agree. Any idea what size I would want? I was thinking something big enough for 4 portions but small enough that I could do 1 portion in it and it wouldnt be too heavy.

[ninetynineonehundred]

Are you a vegetarian or just someone who used to make veggie curries etc because you like them? (like me)
Do you like mushrooms? Beans? Tofu?
Greens?
Fish /seafood (i know there's a debate about vegetarians and seafood so better check)
Do you like other forms of dairy like yoghurt?

[SargeantAngua]

Yep, not a veggie but I tend to cook veggie stuff for myself as I like it and it's easier. Less worry about cleaning up from having raw meat around too. Fish might be an ok idea - do like it, just never cooked it for myself. Kitchen bin can go unemptied for 2 weeks though, and I only get a weekly tesco delivery, all of which makes veggie preferable. I like tofu, Quorn, all sorts of beans, all veg apart from peas, and for some reason well cooked spinach makes me throw up a few hours later so I can't cook with it (it happened twice!). I have soya yoghurt and oat milk - just dairy milk in cups if tea - seem to have a mild dairy intolerance so this works best for me.

Before I got ill I was just learning to cook really, trying out things from the BBC Good food website to cook on a Sunday to last me the well and it was going well. Now is occasional Quorn stir fries (1/3 bag of prepared veg, frozen Quorn pieces, straight to wok noodles) when I have the energy, and baked beans or sachets of couscous and veg microwaved more often, or cereal when things are really bad. Not much protein in most of that though and not that filling I'm starting to find.

[ninetynineonehundred]

Hi, had a crazy few days which is why I didn't get back to you but just found a thread about slow cooker recipes which I'll try and link to...

[ninetynineonehundred]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/food_and_recipes/2286694-Help-me-fall-in-love-with-my-slow-cooker

[ninetynineonehundred]

Cheating now but here is another link for veggies. A lot of the curries etc mentioned will work in the slow cooker

[ninetynineonehundred]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/food_and_recipes/2280425-vegetarian-meal-plans-this-week

[CatCushion]

If ypu are ok with fish, try the fozen portions or mackerel, salmon or white fish available in most suoermarkets. Add these to the veg you know you can eat and some potato or wholemeal rice or whatever carbs you can eat.

[SargeantAngua]

Those links look good ninetynineonehundred, thank you! I've decided to get a Morphy Richards sear and stew, so if I need to soften onions or something on the hob I can do it easily in the same pan. Also lightweight, 'droppable' for those with shaky hands and dishwasher safe.

Thanks CatCushion - I didn't think those would slow cook but that sounds like a really good idea.

[CatCushion]

The sear and stew sounds great! My slow cooker doesn't have the sear option and it's a bit of a bind.

I've got a new steamer (a Steama) and so am trying that out and so far it seems to be working for meals. (I use layer of protein, such as fish, then a layer of root veggies or brown rice in the tray provided for the carbs (or more greens and serve with bread) and then trimmed beans and cherry tomatoes, baby veggies, ready cut carrots or frozen veg on top. Sprinkle of herbs and a bit of coconut milk on the fish and it cooks like that for 30 -40 minutes. That gives me enough for 3/4 of us and one or two meals spare to freeze.