Interview with The Journal

I was interviewed by TheJournal.ie, a couple of days ago, about my experience with fibromyalgia. You can read the article here:

http://www.thejournal.ie/fibromyalgia-ireland-2-3023056-Oct2016/

Chorizo, Cauliflower, Chickpea and Tomato Cassoulet

I concocted this last night and it made for a very easy and tasty dinner.

Ingredients

1 x large head of cauliflower, grated
1 x 400g chickpeas, drained and rinsed
225g chorizo ring, sliced
400g passata or tinned tomatoes
1 x large onion, chopped
1 x tbsp coconut oil

Method

1. In a large skillet/wok, fry onion in coconut oil until soft
2. Add chorizo and cook for a couple of minutes until oils are released
3. Add grated cauliflower and stir well for one minute
4. Add chickpeas and passata and heat thoroughly
5. Serve

Porridge Bread

There has been a lot of research lately regarding fibromyalgia and a gluten-free diet. I am willing to try anything at this stage. So as reluctant as I was to jump on the gluten-free bandwagon, I'm giving it a go!

There are a lot of gluten-free products available in the supermarket but one thing I have found is that all the bread contains sugar and a variety of other unnecessary ingredients. My friend Tony told me about porridge bread ages ago but I have only just started making it. Here's my recipe:


Ingredients

1 x 500ml tub of natural yogurt (I use Aldi's Greek style yogurt)
1 x egg
2 tsp bread soda
2 x yogurt tubs full of gluten-free porridge oats
1/2 x tsp salt
Large handful of mixed seeds/nuts
1 x tbsp milk


Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C
2. Grease and line a loaf tin in parchment paper
3. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl
4. Pour mixture into loaf tin, level the top and cut a line down the centre
5. Bake in the oven for 55 minutes
6. Leave to cool fully before slicing

Everything about you is so f.i.n.e. fine

Help! I'm in the middle of a nasty flare. I look fine of course because you usually do with fibromyalgia. But outside of a flare, there is rarely a day when I don't have pain in my body. When I am in a flare, I just hurt more. Every day the ache is somewhere different. Today it is in my lower back, groin, jaw and head. I can't sit comfortably. I can't stand comfortably. And I feel sick, like I am going to throw-up. Thankfully I never do. And don't get me started on the extreme agitation! But I know how lucky I am. Even in the middle of the worst flare, I don't suffer as much as some. I can function. I can have a shower, although it exhausts me. I can cook dinner, do the laundry, play with my little girl but it all exhausts me. And by that I mean, I can barely find the energy to put one foot in front of the other sometimes. But I have to.

I am lucky to be able to work only three days a week but I'm dreading next year when I may have to go back to full-time. And the problem with that is that I know I won't be physically able to. So I may have to resign. But we need the money.

I worry all the time. I worry that I will get worse. I worry that I am turning into an alcoholic because a large G & T or a glass of wine is the only thing that seems to bring me any relief. I worry that I can't do enough with Eliza. I worry that Ronan, who works full time in a pressurized environment, then comes home to me moaning about my pain. I worry that I moan all the time. I worry that all I talk about is fibromyalgia.

The biggest problem I have with fibro is how invisible it is. Kind colleagues and friends see me limping and ask if I have hurt my leg. "No, it's the fibro" is my constant refrain and I'm sure they are as sick of hearing it as I am of saying it. I am regularly teased for being lazy by using the lift, instead of the stairs. I don't blame them. I look fine. How are they to know that my legs are so stiff, it's a monumental effort to get them to walk on the flat most days? I am offered painkillers all the time. Unfortunately not one single painkiller works for me. It is frustrating and I feel so ridiculous, particularly for my physical weakness and lack of energy. I see so many women with three or four children, juggling full time jobs and I am unable to cope with my one child. I feel like a failure. And I feel they think I am a failure.

On better days, I know I'm not a failure. But on better days, I think I am imagining the nightmare of the flare!

Cauli Kedgeree

Ingredients

2 x tbsp coconut oil
1 x large cauliflower, grated
200g smoked mackerel
3 x garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped
1 x onion, chopped
1 x thumb sized ginger, grated or finely chopped
1 x tbsp curry powder
2 x tsp chilli flakes
1 x tsp mustard seeds
4 x tomatoes, chopped
4 x hard boiled eggs, quartered
2 x tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper

Method

1. Using a stick blender or food processor, pulse ginger, onion and garlic until paste
2. Heat coconut oil in a large frying pan. Add ginger, garlic and onion. Fry for 2 minutes
3. Add grated cauliflower and cook for 10 minutes
4. Add curry powder, chilli flakes, mustard seeds and tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes have softened and broken up
5. Flake the fish with your fingers, add to the pan and stir
6. Season with salt and pepper and add lemon juice
7. Add eggs and serve

Pancetta, Tomato and Kale Courgetti

Ingredients

2 large courgettes
1 tbsp olive oil
2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes
1 large bunch of kale
100g pancetta cubes
2 garlic cloves
Chilli flakes
Salt and pepper

Method

1. Spiralize the courgettes and set aside
2. Crush the garlic
3. Chop the kale, removing the woody stems
4. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan
5. Add pancetta and fry until crispy
6. Remove pancetta from the pan and add the cherry tomatoes
7. Fry until softened
8. Add the garlic, chilli flakes and chopped kale to the pan
9. Cook until the kale is wilted
10. Add the courgetti and pancetta to the pan
11. Cook until courgetti has softened slightly
12. Season with salt and pepper and serve

Broccoli and Stilton Quiche

I made this yesterday for Ronan's Aunty Breda. My brother and his wife were convinced that the crust would taste of marzipan but there is absolutely no almond taste at all!

Ingredients

Crust:
4 tbsp coconut oil, melted
180g ground almonds
75g gluten-free oat flour (if you can't find oat flour, grind gluten-free porridge oats in a food processor)
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2-3 tbsp cold water

Filling:
7 eggs
150g blue cheese (I used Aldi's Tipperary Blue), cubed
Small head of broccoli

60g grated cheddar cheese, grated
200ml milk
Salt and pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C
2. Lightly grease 27cm quiche dish with some coconut oil
3. Combine dry crust ingredients in a large bowl
4. Add melted coconut oil and mix well
5. Slowly add water until you are able to form a ball out of the mixture with your hands
6. Place the dough ball into your quiche dish and gently press out towards the sides (and up the sides) until evenly covered
7. Bake the crust for 15 minutes
8. Chop the broccoli into small florets and parboil the 5 minutes
9. Remove the crust from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes
10. Beat the eggs with the milk, salt and pepper
11. Distribute the broccoli, blue cheese and half the cheddar evenly around the crust
12. Pour the egg mixture over the top and sprinkle with the rest of the cheddar
13. Bake for 30 minutes or until top has turned golden and eggs have set
14. Serve with a green salad