Here we are right on the cusp of the festive season and once again coronavirus is proving that Christmas is its favourite time of year, looming like an ever present shadow trying its hardest to put a spanner in the works.
And just when the public was beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel, planning trips and holidays for next year, Covid isn’t quite ready to step aside and is proving it still has a few tricks up its sleeve.
Here is hoping that the vaccination programme is the tool that allows us to fight back this time and save this Christmas, and our sanity.
Staying strong during an anxious time
Old fears and anxieties are once again bubbling under the surface, fear of the virus itself, fear of going back into shielding and fear for my family and friends.
But I am fighting against these old anxiety’s as best as I can by acknowledging them and taking time to rationalise them, saying them out loud and talking them through with my husband. This is helping massively in my fight not to lose myself in this once again.
Health-wise these past few weeks have been a mixed bag. Days I am OK days and not so OK seem to be the way of it just now. My journey with Crohn’s is a bumpy one, full of twists and turns. Just when I think I have things nailed it comes along and pulls the rug out from under me, I can literally hear its evil laugh as it chips away at my confidence and self-esteem.
But as with all the warriors that are living with chronic conditions, you pick yourself up and keep going. What else is there? But some days it is easier than others and you just keep hoping that the good will always outweigh the bad.
Cooking on good and bad days
Cooking these past few weeks has once again been limited due to my Crohn’s, even my tried and trusted smokie pot has been causing problems. But on the good days I have been trying to stick to my basic principles of local produce, organic with no over processed ingredients wherever possible.
Taking these ingredients and doing something a little different keeps things interesting and can sometimes be a challenge during the bad periods.
But challenge or not I gave it a try. So instead of making our regular cottage pie we made a chicken and potato pie. The same, principle but using a creamy chicken filling topped with creamy mashed potatoes and cheddar – a winning combination if you ask me.
I’m going to try and add some other ingredients like ham hock or chorizo to add another element and mix it up, too.
I have been freezing portions of everything I cook to ensure that even on work days I have a home cooked meal, rather than grabbing something from the supermarket on the way to work in the morning. I work long days with a short period of time for lunch so forward planning is essential.
The family’s favourite meal this month was Indian beef keema which is my mince and tatties done a little differently. Served with rice and mango chutney it makes a warming weekday meal which is certain to be a hit with the whole family.
Indian beef keema
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 500g of minced beef
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp of ground, ginger
- 1 large potato, cut into small chunks
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 1 tbsp of tomato puree
- 2 tbsp curry powder
- 500ml of vegetable stock
To serve:
- Rice
- Mango chutney, a dollop per person
- Mini poppadoms
Method
- First brown the mince on a high to medium heat in frying pan and drain away any fat then set aside.
- Add a tablespoon of butter to the pan and melt, then add your onion, garlic and ginger and soften on a medium heat stirring regularly to stop the onions from burning. This will take roughly 8-10 minutes.
- Now add the potatoes, carrot, tomato puree and curry powder and cook for a few more minutes stirring well to coat the vegetables in the spices.
- Gradually add in your stock stirring well each time to allow it to blend with the spices. This will give you a nice thick sauce.
- Now add your mince back to the pan and let simmer on a medium heat for around 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then serve with rice, mini poppadoms and mango chutney.