6 February 2012
10 Things to Eat When Protein + Veggies Seems Impossible
By now, you all know that the basic meal formula I go by is meat + veggies + (maybe a little bit of starch) + fat (either in the meat or cooked with the veggies). But sometimes, that combo just doesn’t seem appetizing. Sometimes, when our appetites are low or are stomachs are upset, a juicy steak and grilled asparagus just sounds inedible (I know, crazy, but true).
I went through a period like that last week. I’m not used to not having an appetite. I always have an appetite. So not having one is a little bit foreign to me, and it makes me crave things I’d usually stay away from. I want bland foods (I kept asking for Cream of Wheat), white foods, refined foods. But I tried to compromise with myself.
So based on my experience, here are 10 recommendations for you when your stomach just says NO to your usual eats:
- Oatmeal with cream or coconut milk + nut butter. Oatmeal is NOT one of my go-to foods (it’s just not that delicious or satisfying to me), but its blandness is appealing when my appetite is low. I compromise by adding some fat in the form of cream, coconut milk, or nut butter. There are also a dozen other ways to mix it up (just in case you haven’t seen millions of recipes on other blogs yet).
- Full-fat Greek yogurt with fruit. Another bland, white, easy-to-eat food that actually packs a significant protein + fat punch.
- Creamy or brothy soup. This is kind of a gimme (especially since you all know how I feel about soup), but soup is easy to eat and comes in plenty of bland varieties. My favorite this week was a creamy butternut squash and crab soup from Whole Foods, but there are plenty of options. You could also try lentil, Asian dumpling, or broccoli cheese. Don’t worry about calorie-dense soups since you can probably use all the calories you can get!
- Bananas. Yes, bananas have a lot of sugar, but you need those calories during low-appetite periods. Bananas feel a little bit like baby food, but that’s a GOOD thing when you can’t imagine doing a lot of work chewing.
- Sprouted grain bread or tortillas with butter. Toast is the ultimate BRAT/sick food, so of course I crave it when I’m not craving much else. Just try to shoot for sprouted grain to up the health/satisfaction factor.
- Mashed potatoes. Another great bland food that fills you up without filling you up with nasty processed chemicals. Add as much butter/cream as you want.
- Cereal. I know, I know, I’m usually pretty anti-cereal. But when your stomach says “no” to more nutrient-dense foods, just try to pick a cereal that’s low sugar and absent processed/artificial ingredients. Read your labels, kids!
- Warm fruit. This sounds weird, but sometimes one of the most comforting things when my stomach is upset is baked apples or pears with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Use the microwave, or if you’re up for it, bake ‘em in the oven.
- Real Deal Chicken Soup. I know I already said soup, but trust me, this deserves its own place on the list.
