Lentils for the WIN 🏆 · L’Art de Nourrir- Let’s Cook!

Lentils for the WIN 🏆

This may not be the fanciest of all my food photos but it absolutely has its place. Most of you know, I’ve had mono for weeks and am on the mend. ❤️‍🩹 When we are sick, what we eat becomes even more important- the food is either going to work for you, or against you, on your way to healing. This is something simple I made today, very simple. It required very little efforts but gives me a huge bang for my buck for nutritional healing.

***I’m chef not a nutritionist. This is just how I break down my meals, personally, to care for my health.

Curry Lentils + Tomato Sauce + Greek Yogurt + Collagen Peptides, with a Chicory Root Milk Latte.

📊 The Macro Stats

Calories: ~518 kcal
Protein: 51.4g (Massive block for tissue repair)
Carbohydrates: 44.5g (Easily digestible energy)
Fat: 11.8g (Low-fat to protect an inflamed liver)
Fiber: 11.5g (Nearly 50% of your daily gut needs)

🧠 5 Key Points

1. The Prebiotic-Probiotic Gut Axis 🦠

Most of us know… 70% of your immune system lives in your gut. The inulin fiber in the chicory root latte acts as a prebiotic "food" that feeds and multiplies the live, active probiotics found in the Greek yogurt topping. Better gut health equals better nutrient absorption and a stronger immune system.

2. Protecting an Inflamed Liver 🧪

Mono frequently strains the liver and spleen, elevating liver enzymes. By keeping total fat low (under 12g), this meal is incredibly light and easy to process. Plus, the antioxidant lycopene in the tomato sauce shields liver tissue from oxidative stress.

3. Muscle Preservation While Sedentary 🧬

When you cannot exercise, your body risks muscle wasting. Hitting 50g+ of protein keeps you in a positive nitrogen balance. This ensures your body preserves muscle mass even while you are completely resting.

I’m assuming the 60+ stairs to the front door for a delivery, aren’t preserving too much of my muscles- I’m actually fighting myself on feeling lazy and bored…

4. The MICRONUTRIENTS ⚡

Beyond macros, this meal targets cellular recovery with specific vitamins and minerals:

Folate (B9) & Vitamin B6: Sourced from the lentils and chicory to convert food into cellular energy and fight lingering fatigue. (I’m also following this up with a B12 shot and prescription vit D)
Potassium: High in the lentils and tomato sauce to regulate fluid balance and blood pressure while you rest. Very important for me particularly as I take a diuretic medication for á Ménière’s disease- I don’t need ANY vertigo issues popping up from this!
Calcium: Sourced from the Greek yogurt and milk powder to support bone density and vascular function.
Vitamin A & C Synergy: The vitamin A from the curry vegetables supports immune defense, while vitamin C works to actually stimulate and drive the collagen synthesis for tissue repair. Please Curry, repair me.

5. Curcumin & The Anti-Inflammatory 🔥

Notice the strong yellow tinge in the photo? The curry base contains turmeric (curcumin), a potent natural anti-inflammatory that helps calm systemic viral inflammation. Because curcumin is fat-soluble, its absorption is significantly boosted by the healthy coconut milk fats in the curry mix.

💡 Tip: How I Maximize my Iron Absorption

Lentils contain non-heme (plant-based) iron, which is typically harder for the body to absorb. To unlock it and fight mono-related anemia (hopefully get some energy back), I squeezed a fresh lime 🍋‍🟩 over the lentils right before eating. The Vitamin C chemically alters the iron, making it more bioavailable to my system.

Keep the conversation going: How do you pivot your meals and nutrition, when you are forced to take a health hiatus? Let's talk about it! 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

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