first meal

My first meal after five days of dry toast and boiled water. Nothing has ever tasted so nourishing, nor left me with such a hearty glow! 

Not a body beautiful detox, I was instead possessed by some bug or virus. It was all a bit too visceral and left me grumpily waif-like and hungry. Five days of not eating properly! 

Miso soup was a real breakthrough & kept me going: salty soup is recommended to replace lost salts in the body and I happened to have some individual paste sachets from the supermarket. I will keep some in store as medical emergency provision! PJ was my other saviour: dry toast really is the only comfortable thing to eat, and PJ looked after me, toasting seedy bread.

My sister had twin symptoms, simultaneously (discussed in too-graphic detail). We recovered at the same time and, whilst wondering what to brave for a meal, I heard she was having 'your mend-all chicken and barley stew'.  Of course!  A now-distant cousin of Nigella's 'praised chicken', the barley version is very gentle and homey. Barley, cubed potato and leek are simmered about, with a few chicken thighs for 50 minutes. My taste buds feel brand new and must be very sensitive, as the dish didn't need seasoning!

chicken and rice re-vamped

A little addenda to previous chicken and rice mentions.

I got boring about a very plain chicken recipe some years back, re-ignited my love of it when Melly Bo said it was basically the same as Asian chicken and rice, sans rice (such nice comfort knowing it is a family staple somewhere else), and then promptly forgot all about it.

A year or so later Rosie, staunch robust little Rosie, actually gave in to being tired and unwell and said she'd love to eat something like it: soupy, savoury and nourishing.  Well it only takes chicken pieces, water and a handful of any veg so I gussied some up for her in no time and have been back on the wagon ever since.

Last night I made enough for four frugal portions: 4 big chicken thighs, 6 chunky cut carrots, 3 leeks cut in wedges and a heavy grind of pepper, covered in water and simmered for 40 minutes or so.  Three portions were boxed up for another time.  With the remaining portion, I threw half a cup of rice in the cooking water for the last ten minutes, and some shredded cabbage, making perfect chicken and rice.  I ate it with a dash of English mustard and a nod to Nigella and her 'Praised chicken'.

Tonight I got home late and tired yet again, and was pleased for a little chicken dish waiting.  Having had rice at lunchtime too, I needed a change.  I am simply so excited about this: how easy and speedy it was, and how very filling!

The little portion of plain stewed chicken heated up in no time.  When it was at a simmer I pushed in a scant bowl of pasta shapes (peculiar little ones I get from my local shop, small enough to cook in 6 minutes) and a leftover few florets of broccoli.  After six or seven minutes the pasta was ready and I had an unctuous, soupy mix; into this I grated some parmesan, plonked on a couple of heaped teaspoons of wholegrain mustard and set to.

Perfect.