Eating with Endo: crock pot chicken and barley stew
12:00 PM
As part of my effort to get better and avoid a drastic treatment like Lupron, I have decided to change my diet and focus on eating anti-inflammatory foods. This is great for both Andrew and me, since his family has a history of arthritis and other inflammatory illnesses.
Now, I am not a good cook. I can bake an awesome pumpkin cheesecake or whip together some cupcakes, but cooking is not my forte. Andrew, on the other hand, is a great chef. He makes everything look easy and delicious. But now that there is a mission behind my food, I have started to get back into the kitchen and acquaint myself with domestic living.
Recently, I took a baby step with some crock pot chicken and barley stew, courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats. It's super easy, healthy and delicious, especially during the cold weather we've had in Indiana lately.
Crock Pot Chicken and Barley Stew
Serves 8
 |
| Look, Mom! I made a food! |
48oz chicken broth (I didn't have quite that much, so I threw in some water at the end so it would cook down)
2 garlic cloves, minced (I used minced garlic instead)
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 bay leaves
2 small chicken breasts (about 12oz)
3/4 cup regular barley (not quick-cooking)
1 onion, chopped
4 cups chopped kale
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes
1 large regular potato, peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes (I used Russet)
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
- Add chicken broth, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and bay leaves into the crock pot then stir to combine. Layer in chicken, barley, onions, kale, potatoes, and carrots. Do not stir. Press veggies down to cover with chicken broth then cook on low for 5-6 hours or until barley is tender.
- Remove bay leaves then discard. Remove chicken breasts, shred, then return to the soup and stir to combine.
And that's it! I made it the night before and put it away in Tupperware for lunch the next day. It definitely hit the spot after a late night celebrating New Year's Day. Andrew even liked it, and he is highly averse to kale. I'm not a huge fan of it on its own, but it's great if you layer it with other veggies or cook it.
As far as my pain goes, I felt great later in the day. I ate my stew with some crackers and milk, and I didn't have any stomach cramping, indigestion or any of the other symptoms I'm used to feeling. It gave me enough energy to get some cleaning and shopping done, too.
This will definitely be a go-to meal for when I'm not sure what to cook. It has a little bit of everything in it, and I can easily throw it in some Tupperware to heat up at work.
Do you have any go-to meals to fight endo or inflammation? Comment and let me know!
As far as my pain goes, I felt great later in the day. I ate my stew with some crackers and milk, and I didn't have any stomach cramping, indigestion or any of the other symptoms I'm used to feeling. It gave me enough energy to get some cleaning and shopping done, too.
This will definitely be a go-to meal for when I'm not sure what to cook. It has a little bit of everything in it, and I can easily throw it in some Tupperware to heat up at work.
Do you have any go-to meals to fight endo or inflammation? Comment and let me know!
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