Ideas for a dairy-free soft foods diet?
September 21, 2014 10:36 PM Subscribe
I am having dental surgery soon and will be on a soft foods (mashable with a fork), nothing-spicy diet for two weeks. Ideas? Difficulty: I'm lactose-intolerant and a somewhat picky eater.
I've read some previous similar asks but many of the suggestions are dairy-based and I prefer to minimize my use of lactase pills.
Foods that I dislike:
- creamy liquids/drinks (which rules out non-dairy/lactose-free milk, drunk straight)
- pureed vegetables
- beans, squash
- peanut butter, eaten straight (too sticky and rich)
What I've managed to come up with so far, that I do like:
- savory oatmeal
- rice congee
- scrambled eggs
- fresh berries
- lactose-free yogurt
- fruit smoothies
- hummus? (not sure how to do hummus without chips or bread; it's a bit much to eat straight)
Price is not a major factor; if Whole Foods has something pre-made that I'm allowed and actually want to eat, please tell me! I'm concerned about protein, which is the only thing that keeps me full for more than a few hours, and which I typically get from eating stir-fried or whole hunks of meat. I can cook some things if the skill level required is low, but easier/faster is better.
Bonus points if you can suggest a restaurant cuisine/dish besides Japanese and Vietnamese that offers soft, non-spicy, dairy-free food.
I've read some previous similar asks but many of the suggestions are dairy-based and I prefer to minimize my use of lactase pills.
Foods that I dislike:
- creamy liquids/drinks (which rules out non-dairy/lactose-free milk, drunk straight)
- pureed vegetables
- beans, squash
- peanut butter, eaten straight (too sticky and rich)
What I've managed to come up with so far, that I do like:
- savory oatmeal
- rice congee
- scrambled eggs
- fresh berries
- lactose-free yogurt
- fruit smoothies
- hummus? (not sure how to do hummus without chips or bread; it's a bit much to eat straight)
Price is not a major factor; if Whole Foods has something pre-made that I'm allowed and actually want to eat, please tell me! I'm concerned about protein, which is the only thing that keeps me full for more than a few hours, and which I typically get from eating stir-fried or whole hunks of meat. I can cook some things if the skill level required is low, but easier/faster is better.
Bonus points if you can suggest a restaurant cuisine/dish besides Japanese and Vietnamese that offers soft, non-spicy, dairy-free food.
Some variant on peanut soup? Shakshuka-- basically tomatoes with onions and garlic and spices, with eggs poached in the sauce? Variant of shepherd's pie with finely ground meat and veg?
I had the most luck with Indian food after wisdom tooth removal. Many places will do a low level of spice, and depending on where you are, there may be a fully vegan option to ensure that there is no cream. If mashed doesn't toe the puréed line too finely, sweet potatoes can be microwaved and fork-mashed to a very tender consistency and then topped with the flavors of your choosing. (I do like sweet potatoes and hummus, though in wedge version.) Soft goat's milk cheese might be a way to add protein to soups or melted onto another soft base dish.
posted by jetlagaddict at 11:09 PM on September 21, 2014
I had the most luck with Indian food after wisdom tooth removal. Many places will do a low level of spice, and depending on where you are, there may be a fully vegan option to ensure that there is no cream. If mashed doesn't toe the puréed line too finely, sweet potatoes can be microwaved and fork-mashed to a very tender consistency and then topped with the flavors of your choosing. (I do like sweet potatoes and hummus, though in wedge version.) Soft goat's milk cheese might be a way to add protein to soups or melted onto another soft base dish.
posted by jetlagaddict at 11:09 PM on September 21, 2014
You may be able to do a lot with ground meats, including ground chicken or turkey, if they're cooked in a way that keeps them fairly "granular" (as opposed to being formed into burgers or meatballs). I'm thinking, for example, of chili con carne with the meat well broken up in the sauce, or of something like the Thai dish larb gai with ground chicken. Larb gai can be spicy but when I've had it in restaurants, it's usually been pretty mild. There are also vegetarian meat-subsitute "crumbles" that could be cooked into something like a chili or stew (look in the freezer section of the grocery store, near the vegetarian burgers and sausages).
posted by Orinda at 11:19 PM on September 21, 2014
posted by Orinda at 11:19 PM on September 21, 2014
There are hummus variations you might like -- search for recipes for black bean hummus and roasted red pepper hummus. Black bean hummus is flavorful but not overwhelming and you might be okay with a couple of spoonfuls, though since you don't like beans, maybe you'd like to try something else. You could put a bit on some very soft wheat bread.
Can you eat cottage cheese or another soft cheese like feta as part of a recipe? (I know some lactose-intolerant folks can handle some dairy in small amounts, but maybe that's not you.)
Some more fruits: bananas, apple sauce.
Have you tried various butters like almond butter, apple butter, etc?
posted by bluedaisy at 11:19 PM on September 21, 2014
Can you eat cottage cheese or another soft cheese like feta as part of a recipe? (I know some lactose-intolerant folks can handle some dairy in small amounts, but maybe that's not you.)
Some more fruits: bananas, apple sauce.
Have you tried various butters like almond butter, apple butter, etc?
posted by bluedaisy at 11:19 PM on September 21, 2014
Best answer: Miso soup, with a lot of soft tofu. You can also whisk in an egg if you want to add more protein.
Soft tofu can also be added to fruit smoothies, without adding a lot to the taste.
Baba ghannouj, which is an eggplant dip. You can minimize the lemon and garlic and tahini, so that you can eat a fair bit without getting overwhelmed with the flavors.
Soft polenta, with a smooth marinara or pesto sauce.
If you want to get all Oliver Twist, there's gruel.
posted by spinifex23 at 11:47 PM on September 21, 2014
Soft tofu can also be added to fruit smoothies, without adding a lot to the taste.
Baba ghannouj, which is an eggplant dip. You can minimize the lemon and garlic and tahini, so that you can eat a fair bit without getting overwhelmed with the flavors.
Soft polenta, with a smooth marinara or pesto sauce.
If you want to get all Oliver Twist, there's gruel.
posted by spinifex23 at 11:47 PM on September 21, 2014
Best answer: How are you on egg custard? This was a childhood sick-time staple.
Basically, beaten eggs + a bit of water in a heat-safe bowl; steam; add scallions, sesame oil, and black vinegar.
posted by batter_my_heart at 12:15 AM on September 22, 2014
Basically, beaten eggs + a bit of water in a heat-safe bowl; steam; add scallions, sesame oil, and black vinegar.
posted by batter_my_heart at 12:15 AM on September 22, 2014
Soft boil an egg. Crumble up a piece of bread, stale is ok, into a bowl. Break the soft boiled egg over the breadcrumbs. Smash together and season to taste. Is good.
posted by salad at 12:37 AM on September 22, 2014
posted by salad at 12:37 AM on September 22, 2014
Boiled/steamed potato, sweet potato, or yams, mashed with a dollop of coconut oil and some seasoning (red salt, garlic powder).
posted by Rube R. Nekker at 1:17 AM on September 22, 2014
posted by Rube R. Nekker at 1:17 AM on September 22, 2014
Chia pudding is delicious and can be made in many variants. It's got a decent amount of protein. Usually it's sweet variants (you use coconut/almond/quinoa/etc milk instead of dairy milk, plus a liquid sweetener like honey or maple syrup) but you could do savoury variants as well if you used stock. Kind of like congee, but more protein and fibre.
I can't think it would be terribly nice to eat much on its own, but pâté (nice kinds) is pretty high in protein (as well as fat etc) and also very smooth.
posted by Athanassiel at 1:51 AM on September 22, 2014
I can't think it would be terribly nice to eat much on its own, but pâté (nice kinds) is pretty high in protein (as well as fat etc) and also very smooth.
posted by Athanassiel at 1:51 AM on September 22, 2014
Best answer: For restaurant cuisine, you might check out your nice Greek restaurants. There are several traditional "salata" dishes that are like dips, and should fit the bill: Melitzanosalata (delicious roasted eggplant salad); yummy Fava salad; Taramasalata (creamy fish roe salad – sounds bad, tastes great). And of course, there's Tzatziki and Tyrokafteri, but these use yogurt and feta, respectively. And probably some form of hummus. I'd inquire about options.
The way these dishes are served typically is in small bowls that are shared by the table, so they aren't entrees; you could order two or three to have as a meal, maybe with some bread that you could pull off tiny bits of the soft inside and eat without chewing.
I think just the filling of Spanokopita (spinach pie) would work too, though it might have a little feta... and with the number of people on low or no carbs, I bet it's not a terribly unusual request. And there are other dishes, such as Gigantes Plaki, lemon roasted potatoes, or Greek chicken soup, for example, that could be given a quick spin in a food processor and still be delicious.
posted by taz at 3:54 AM on September 22, 2014
The way these dishes are served typically is in small bowls that are shared by the table, so they aren't entrees; you could order two or three to have as a meal, maybe with some bread that you could pull off tiny bits of the soft inside and eat without chewing.
I think just the filling of Spanokopita (spinach pie) would work too, though it might have a little feta... and with the number of people on low or no carbs, I bet it's not a terribly unusual request. And there are other dishes, such as Gigantes Plaki, lemon roasted potatoes, or Greek chicken soup, for example, that could be given a quick spin in a food processor and still be delicious.
posted by taz at 3:54 AM on September 22, 2014
Best answer: Mashed potatoes and homemade (frozen) chicken stock got me through recovery from dental surgery.
My favourite breakfast is pretty mushy: well-cooked rice with an egg or two, soy sauce.
posted by third word on a random page at 4:01 AM on September 22, 2014
My favourite breakfast is pretty mushy: well-cooked rice with an egg or two, soy sauce.
posted by third word on a random page at 4:01 AM on September 22, 2014
Cream of wheat?
posted by litera scripta manet at 4:26 AM on September 22, 2014
posted by litera scripta manet at 4:26 AM on September 22, 2014
Yes to chia pudding! I think whole foods has those premade Chia Pods in a couple of flavours. Warning though, it can have a very startling effect on the processing speed of your GI system.
posted by poffin boffin at 6:39 AM on September 22, 2014
posted by poffin boffin at 6:39 AM on September 22, 2014
Best answer: Slow-cooker stews work well for this. Take some inexpensive meat and some chopped veggies for flavor (celery, carrots, onions, etc.), add water just to cover it, and then cook on high for 6 hours. By the end, the veggies should be mashable and you can use two forks to pull the meat.
Hummus can be eaten on lettuce leaves if you can't take it straight. Tear off little pieces that are small and soft enough to swallow whole, and then use them to grab a bit of hummus, as if they were tiny pieces of injera (Ethiopian bread). BTW, if you like hummus but you don't like beans, what is it about beans that makes them worse (for you) than puréed chickpeas?
Similarly, if you dislike creamy drinks, what is it that differentiates them from fruit smoothies? Would something like Ensure Plus work, from time to time at least? Supposedly it is OK for people with lactose intolerance, and it has a fair amount of protein. I generally hate those meal replacement shakes, but they do have a use every now and then.
posted by brianogilvie at 7:30 AM on September 22, 2014
Hummus can be eaten on lettuce leaves if you can't take it straight. Tear off little pieces that are small and soft enough to swallow whole, and then use them to grab a bit of hummus, as if they were tiny pieces of injera (Ethiopian bread). BTW, if you like hummus but you don't like beans, what is it about beans that makes them worse (for you) than puréed chickpeas?
Similarly, if you dislike creamy drinks, what is it that differentiates them from fruit smoothies? Would something like Ensure Plus work, from time to time at least? Supposedly it is OK for people with lactose intolerance, and it has a fair amount of protein. I generally hate those meal replacement shakes, but they do have a use every now and then.
posted by brianogilvie at 7:30 AM on September 22, 2014
Best answer: Pretty much everything cooked at length - casseroles, slow cooker - is mashable with a fork. (Source: several years with a grandparent with dysphagia.) Whole Foods must have at least one dairy-free lasagna.
Pasta with jar sauce is also fine, and you can use finely ground (you can ask the butcher to fresh grind or double grind it for you, but if you break it up while cooking and then stir it around in the sauce as it heats up you'll be fine) browned meat or just mash up some soft tofu for protein (it turns into a ricotta-like substance anyway).
If you can stand smoothies you can do protein powder smoothies. Whole Foods should have (and Amazon definitely does) vegan protein if you can't tolerate whey. I just bought a little $20 Oster personal blender for protein shakes, and I find it way easier to clean than a big blender.
If you were inclined to get one anyway, you might consider getting a Magic Bullet or NutriBullet because you can also use those to puree cooked chicken or sausage to mix into sauces for protein.
There are a lot of dysphagia recipes out there that you might peruse for inspiration. A lot of them are dairy based but don't forget unsweetened unflavored coconut milk and canned coconut milk, which is how I de-lactose and veganify most of my food.
posted by Lyn Never at 7:30 AM on September 22, 2014
Pasta with jar sauce is also fine, and you can use finely ground (you can ask the butcher to fresh grind or double grind it for you, but if you break it up while cooking and then stir it around in the sauce as it heats up you'll be fine) browned meat or just mash up some soft tofu for protein (it turns into a ricotta-like substance anyway).
If you can stand smoothies you can do protein powder smoothies. Whole Foods should have (and Amazon definitely does) vegan protein if you can't tolerate whey. I just bought a little $20 Oster personal blender for protein shakes, and I find it way easier to clean than a big blender.
If you were inclined to get one anyway, you might consider getting a Magic Bullet or NutriBullet because you can also use those to puree cooked chicken or sausage to mix into sauces for protein.
There are a lot of dysphagia recipes out there that you might peruse for inspiration. A lot of them are dairy based but don't forget unsweetened unflavored coconut milk and canned coconut milk, which is how I de-lactose and veganify most of my food.
posted by Lyn Never at 7:30 AM on September 22, 2014
Best answer: Frozen bananas + peanut (or other nut) butter + almond milk + cocoa powder + (optional if your bananas aren't that ripe) maple syrup makes a really delicious, pretty high calorie and decently high protein option. The cold should also be soothing. If you don't use too much milk, you can get the texture pretty close to the texture of soft-serve.
At whole foods, look for Faux Gras (it's a lentil dip) and Basilcotta (pesto mixed with cashew "ricotta"). They're in the hummus section. I can easily eat a couple of servings of faux gras on a spoon without needing to dip it in anything. If your whole foods doesn't have it, cooked lentils blended with caramelized onions, toasted pecans and some thanksgiving-y herbs will get you pretty close. Bobbi's Best hummus is also amazing if you can get it (it's sold at whole foods in my area, but I've also seen it in bakeries and random stores in other cities). It's thinner, more garlic-y and less fatty than most hummus, so you might enjoy it plain a bit more than typical tahini-rich hummus.
posted by snaw at 7:32 AM on September 22, 2014
At whole foods, look for Faux Gras (it's a lentil dip) and Basilcotta (pesto mixed with cashew "ricotta"). They're in the hummus section. I can easily eat a couple of servings of faux gras on a spoon without needing to dip it in anything. If your whole foods doesn't have it, cooked lentils blended with caramelized onions, toasted pecans and some thanksgiving-y herbs will get you pretty close. Bobbi's Best hummus is also amazing if you can get it (it's sold at whole foods in my area, but I've also seen it in bakeries and random stores in other cities). It's thinner, more garlic-y and less fatty than most hummus, so you might enjoy it plain a bit more than typical tahini-rich hummus.
posted by snaw at 7:32 AM on September 22, 2014
Response by poster: Thanks for the all the suggestions!
brianogilvie: I like hummus but not beans for a similar reason that I like salsa but not tomatoes; the dip form is salty + eliminates grainy (or sour-juicy, in the case of tomatoes) texture. And I usually like ice-based fruit smoothies, no dairy substitutes or even creamy fruits like banana and avocado--so it doesn't come out very creamy at all.
posted by serelliya at 11:15 AM on September 22, 2014
brianogilvie: I like hummus but not beans for a similar reason that I like salsa but not tomatoes; the dip form is salty + eliminates grainy (or sour-juicy, in the case of tomatoes) texture. And I usually like ice-based fruit smoothies, no dairy substitutes or even creamy fruits like banana and avocado--so it doesn't come out very creamy at all.
posted by serelliya at 11:15 AM on September 22, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
If you like ethiopian food, you can try kitfo -- I don't know what the texture's like when the meat is fully cooked, but when it's raw, it's completely mashable. And also delicious.
Tuna or chicken salad, maybe? if the meat was flaked very fine?
posted by KathrynT at 10:48 PM on September 21, 2014