Lived Experience Forum

[Arizona]

I have no energy today and I feel very flat. I didn't get out of bed until about 3pm and I still haven't had a shower (it's been three days). I'm back in bed and my Pug is beside me. I'm contemplating getting out of bed and having some crackers and cheese and an apple (I did have breakfast earlier). I usually just have crackers and cheese and some fruit for lunch because I have a big salad for dinner that is very filling. It's a French salad called a salade niçoise and it's really yummy. It's basically a salad with tuna. Niçoise means "from Nice", which is in the south-east of France.

I will share my recipe with you for salade niçoise. It's very easy to make. This recipe is for one person.

50g cos, butter or oak lettuce 

100g green beans 

200g baby red potatoes, skin on

100g cherry tomatoes 

185g Sirena tuna in olive oil, drained 

8 organic Kalamata olives

1 boiled egg 

Honey and mustard dressing 

1. Cook the eggs. I do mine medium boiled in an egg cooker. Let them sit in some cold water while you are making the rest of the salad.

2. Cut the green beans in half. Cut the baby potatoes in half. Steam the baby potatoes for 13-14 minutes. Steam the green beans for 3-4 minutes then plunge the potatoes and beans into a large bowl of cold water and strain.

3. Drain the tuna.

4. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and cut the lettuce into large pieces.

5. Arrange the salad on a platter or in a large bowl starting with the lettuce then green beans, baby potatoes, cherry tomatoes, tuna, olives and the boiled egg. I cut the egg into quarters. 

5. Drizzle with the honey and mustard dressing. Here is the recipe for the dressing. This is actually a French Vinaigrette recipe with honey...

1/3 cup good quality olive oil 

1/4 cup organic apple cider vinegar 

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp honey

1 clove garlic

1 tsp mustard powder or 1 tbsp Dijon mustard*

1/4 tsp sea salt 

Ground black pepper 

I put everything in a mini food processor and blend until it is a creamy light yellow colour. Store it in a sterilised jar in the fridge.

*If you are using the Dijon mustard then you don't need the sea salt.

And here is a link to Stephanie Alexander's recipe for salade niçoise on her website. This is where I got the idea from. Stephanie Alexander is an iconic Australian cook who specialises in French cuisine. 

https://www.stephaniealexander.com.au/what-to-cook/recipes/salade-nicoise/

I hope you enjoy your salade niçoise as much as I do.

PS I wrote this a few hours ago and took a while to post it. I'm going to make the salade niçoise now.

[Appleblossom]

Perfect recipe for me to use up what is in my pantry.

@Arizona 

Ta   ... nicely

[Former-Member]

Dude... you sign up for a mental health support service and you get recipes for free! 

Seriously, though, it might not feel like it, but you're doing well 💕. Thanks for writing in and tell the pug I said "hello."

[Arizona]

Sorry, I have made a mistake with the timing of the baby potatoes. You need to steam them for 13-14 minutes 😊 

[LostAngel]

hi @Arizona I definetly understand the feeling of staying in bed most of the day and thats exactly what Ive done,wish I had a pet cat to snuggle up to

[Last-Lament]

Nice recipe @Arizona  and just to let you know, you can go back into your posts to Edit - click on the Post Options at the top right of your post, a menu will drop down, Edit is the topmost choice. So you could correct the timing right in that post if you wished to. 

I'm glad ot hear you are feeling differently today. 

[Arizona]

Hi @Last-Lament , thank you for the tip 👍

[Abner]

The salad sounds delicious.  I've also had times when I've not managed to get out of bed till 3 or 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and not managed to shower.  These days I have cats and they force me to get out of bed to look after their needs, they're a really lovely reason to do so.  My cat Olaf is an American silver tabby and white, and Bartok is a British medium-hair black cat.  I bet your pug is well loved and very cute.

[Abner]

I also have to get out of bed to do my vocal workouts and music practice, and go to rehearsals.  I have a very simple life, mainly I do music as my main interest, and that's a huge subject in that no matter how much you learn you never know all there is to know about it:; and you can learn it at your own pace as long you do some practice each day.

[bipolarbunny]

@Arizona Thanks for the recipe hon, sounds yummy, so glad you are having a better day today and kicking goals! xx

BB 🐰💙