After all of the debate, I ended up staying home on Super Bowl Sunday.

I had no choice—I got sick over the weekend, too sick to stand in a stadium with 80,000 other screaming football fans. I wouldn’t call what I have the flu, or a cold. I would call it flat out exhaustion from lack of sleep and self-care. So, to the couch I retired.

Before the game, I mustered enough strength to throw some chicken and peppers into the slow cooker for chicken Philly cheesesteaks. It was the only thing I had the strength to make. Slow cooking was exactly what I needed—because I wore myself ragged from running to work and parties and dinners and the gym and whatever else, I got sick. This is why E often has to remind me to “be nice to myself.” Slowing down is what I needed to do. While the meat and peppers cooked in the Crock-Pot, I took a nap.

When I woke up, I felt good enough to take a slow walk around our neighborhood with E. It was the first uninterrupted stroll with my boyfriend, with the purpose of just spending time together, not picking up something or running errands, in months. It gave us 20 minutes to clear our heads, and the chicken was ready by the time we got back.

We watched the game on the couch, wondering if the Denver Broncos could have also benefit from another day’s rest before the whooping they sustained by the Seattle Seahawks.

These chicken cheesesteaks are super easy, super slow, and healthier than your usual meat and Velveeta versions. Plus they helped me get my strength back after feeling so ill these last few days. I took my time eating dinner, savoring each bite, and didn’t pop up to do the dishes for a while after we’d finished the sandwiches. Me getting sick was another reminder to myself that I need to slow down and take care of myself. Otherwise I won’t be healthy enough for life’s big games.

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