I don't know about where you are, but here it's been the kind of heat where even opening the fridge feels like too much effort. You stand there, door open, cold air on your face, and your brain just... goes blank. What was I even looking for?
Here's the thing I want you to hear today: low energy isn't just an ADHD thing.
Yes, I wrote a whole section of my book for the days when your ADHD battery is flat, no motivation, no executive function, nothing left. But heat does exactly the same thing to your brain and body, whether you're neurodivergent or not. It's dehydrating, it's draining, and it makes "just make dinner" feel like being asked to run a marathon. If you're wiped out because it's 30-odd degrees and your body's working overtime just to keep you cool, that counts. You don't need a diagnosis to be allowed a no-cook dinner.
This is what my "No battery days" section is actually for
Some of you know it already, but it's worth saying again: these recipes aren't really "recipes." They're assembly meals. Nothing gets cooked, nothing needs watching, nothing needs "simmering" where it'll inevitably get forgotten and burn to the pan (we've all been there).
The rule I keep coming back to on these days is simple: eating something with protein in it matters more than eating "well." This is damage control, not optimisation. You don't need to sit at a table. You don't need to plate it nicely. You just need fuel in, so tomorrow can be a slightly better day.
A few tricks that make these evenings easier:
Keep pre-cooked prawns, rotisserie chicken, boiled eggs, or pouches of cooked rice/quinoa/lentils on hand — you want ready-made protein you can just tip into a bowl.
Measurements are "ish." A cup is roughly 250ml, a handful is roughly 125ml. Eyeball it. Close enough is good enough.
Don't skip the protein. Swap it if you need to, but don't leave it out — it's doing the heavy lifting for your mood, focus, and blood sugar.
Your summer no-cook dinner:
Prawn, Avo and Mango Sesame Bowl
This is one of my favourites for exactly this kind of week — cold, fast, and it actually tastes like a treat instead of a consolation prize.
Serves 1
You'll need:
1 cup (150g) pre-cooked prawns
½ medium avocado, cubed
½ medium green mango, cubed
1 cup rocket (or watercress)
2 tbsp lime juice and zest
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp sesame seeds
Pinch of sea salt flakes
How:
Mix the sesame oil, lime juice, lime zest, and a tiny pinch of salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
Put your rocket or watercress in a bowl as the base.
Arrange the prawns, avocado, and mango on top.
Pour the dressing over the whole bowl and scatter with sesame seeds.
If you've got pickled ginger in the fridge, add a little — it lifts the whole thing.
No prawns? Crab works beautifully. No mango? Pineapple gives you the same vitamin C hit. No avo? A spoon of tahini does the job.
Five minutes, zero hob time, and it genuinely feels like something you'd order at a restaurant rather than something you scraped together because it was too hot to function.
So if tonight is a "no battery" night, heat-induced or otherwise: skip the guilt, open the fridge, and assemble something. That's more than enough.
Speak soon, Jen
Follow us on TikTok
Every day we post information on nutrition, anxiety, panic attacks and lots more. Follow us on TikTok so you do not miss out.
And if this bowl hits the spot, there's a whole "No battery days" section in my book full of these no-cook assembly meals, plus the "Low battery days" recipes for when you've got just a little more in the tank. It's also got the why behind all of it the nutrition science on blood sugar, sleep, and gut health, and how each one plays into your ADHD brain (or just a wiped-out one). If you haven't grabbed a copy yet, you'll find it on Amazon , and it might just make the next heatwave a lot less stressful.
Take care, Jen
