Stress Food

I write to you tonight in a state of stress. Let’s just say that I still can’t run, I have two confusing chemistry assignments to do, and I lost my lunch bag today. Boo.

Anyway, as a result of this sudden surge of stress, I find that all I want to eat is pumpkin flax granola, with a few mugs of mint tea thrown in for good measure.

Which foods do you crave when you’re stressed?

Thanks to a packed lunch and my devotion to the Ellie Project, I didn’t eat granola all day…

Sunflower butter with chocolate chips are a magical duo, particularly if piping hot oat bran is involved.

For lunch, I packed a Mock Tuna Salad wrap with a few crunchy accoutrements.

Dinner was a big bowl of pasta—Pasta with Escarole, White Beans, and Chicken Sausage, to be precise.

My tweaks:

-I used kale instead of escarole, as I think escarole is out of season…and I love an excuse to eat more kale.

-In order to make this dish veg-friendly, I used smoked soy sausage instead of chicken sausage.

This made one hearty bowl of pasta—just what I needed after a long day! I didn’t sit down to eat this meal until nearly 9:30, so my taste perception might have been biased due to unruly hunger, but still, it was a sensuous mélange of spicy, salty, and freshness (thanks to the fresh sage). I need to use more sage in my cooking from now on!

If you’d like to try this recipe, it’s available from FoodNetwork.com: Pasta with Escarole, White Beans, and Chicken Sausage

I am in desperate need of sleep. Nighty-night.

Filed under: Meals

18 Responses to “Stress Food”

1. Anna, on January 25th, 2011 at 12:06 am Said:

   when i’m stressed = sugar!

   I’m sorry to hear about your frustration with lack of running – I can def. relate! I struggled with not being able to exercise a lot last fall, with the Lyme Disease and then the appendix surgery. It was interesting to see how my body adapted though. You’ll come out okay in the end!

2. Rosey Rebecca, on January 25th, 2011 at 12:29 am Said:

   Your pasta dish looks wonderful. I’ll have to try it! And thanks for the mock tuna idea. I’m a vegetarian, and I’ve been trying to think of a good substitute for tuna salad for a while, now. Also, that cookbooks sounds great. I’ll have to look for it!

3. Carrie (Moves 'N Munchies), on January 25th, 2011 at 4:09 am Said:

   i love your mock tuna idea! that looks legit– it would probably even fool my dad! he has the stuff EVERYDAY!

4. sarah (the SHU box), on January 25th, 2011 at 6:44 am Said:

   when i’m stressed: oatmeal (or any carb, really) with pb! i have no idea why, but it’s what i will gravitate towards if superstressed or sick. cereal-for-dinner can make an appearance, too.

5. Matt, on January 25th, 2011 at 7:33 am Said:

   SUGAR when I am stressed!

6. Evan Thomas, on January 25th, 2011 at 10:36 am Said:

   When I’m stressed I always want to go for the jar of peanut butter, or a bar of chocolate.

7. Heather, on January 25th, 2011 at 11:17 am Said:

   Sorry to hear of your bad day and frustrations! I hope you can find your lunch bag!

   I eat lots and lots of chocolate when I am stressed…I wish I ate granola!

8. Felicia ( A taste of health with balance), on January 25th, 2011 at 11:45 am Said:

   pumpkin flax granola is the freaking BEST once i start i can NOT stop and i vividly remember buying boxes of it through nursing school to get me through stressful times. gosh i love that stuff. feel better girlly

9. Jenny, on January 25th, 2011 at 12:13 pm Said:

   So sorry to hear that you still can’t run and are super stressed! All your meals still look gorgeous though – which, I have to say, impresses me! If I cook when I’m stressed, usually my meal presentation suffers horribly, haha.

   I crave yogurt like crazy when I’m stressed… And apples. (But I rarely eat them together, strangely.)

   Organic chemistry is B-R-U-T-A-L. Know that you are most certainly NOT alone if it’s giving you a heck of a hard time. It’s known as THE course that crushes the dreams of those wishing to enter medicine.

   I took it last term and miraculously passed with a B+. Let me know if I can be of any help!!

10. Clare@FittingItAllIn, on January 25th, 2011 at 3:18 pm Said:

    When I’m stressed all I want is CARBS. I’m sorry about your day – hope it gets better!

11. Eftychia, on January 25th, 2011 at 5:51 pm Said:

    Thanks for sharing your daily meals with us. Interesting choices.

12. Sarah (Running to Slow Things Down), on January 25th, 2011 at 6:05 pm Said:

    Ugh…so sorry to hear about the stress! Not fun! Chemistry is brutal and it stinks that you can’t run. Hang in there!

    I’m totally into the same granola. I could eat it on top of everything, I think.

13. Jessica, on January 25th, 2011 at 6:24 pm Said:

    I think I’m going to have to make all this to reduce my stress level as well. Though I usually just end up eating way too many pastries.

    Don’t stress! Because you know a few days later you’re going to realize that all the stress is now over =)

14. Emily, on January 25th, 2011 at 8:01 pm Said:

    Hope that the chem assignment isn’t too hard and that you find your lunchbox! Orgo is no fun!

    I usually eat dark chocolate when I’m stressed.

15. Erica, on January 25th, 2011 at 9:02 pm Said:

    aw Sorry to hear about the stress! When I’m stressed- I crave pickles, tortilla chips, cantaloupe and cereal. Odd- right? Anyways- another fab ellie recipe. And I enjoy the use of kale.

16. Emma, on January 25th, 2011 at 9:22 pm Said:

    I am very sorry to hear about all the stress going on in your life at the moment. As I said in a previous comment I TOTALLY understand how you feel about the hip/running issue. It’s been since beginning of December since I could really run and have gone through all the stages of “grieving” the injury. At the moment I am just trying to take it as an opportunity to do other forms of exercises: cardio, strength, classes, yoga etc. In some ways I think my body is happy being more balanced, but I still turn green with envy seeing the other runners out and about. Hopefully that will change for both of us soon Hang in there!

17. katie, on January 26th, 2011 at 10:45 am Said:

    Sorry you’re so stressed. In addition to chocolate, hot baths and a good book that has NOTHING to do with school or work always makes me feel better.

    Your Ellie meals look so good!

18. Tiffany, on January 26th, 2011 at 11:51 pm Said:

    Carbs, carbs, carbs! I crave pasta, bread, and sweets when I’m stressed!

Leave a Reply