Liquid/soft diet recipes please?
January 4, 2024 3:13 PM Subscribe
For Reasons, I am on a liquid/soft diet for another three weeks. I managed the first three weeks on soup and Boost and pasta, but the thought of another three weeks eating those same recipes gives me a case of the screaming meemies. Help me please?
I am expressly forbidden from biting anything with my front teeth, so even soft sandwiches are off limits. Basically, whatever I eat needs to be conveyed into my mouth via a teaspoon and be no harder/denser than the consistency of something that can be gummed. Soups, especially ones that have been hit with an immersion blender, are good. Salmon works, as would other fishes, but probably not any meats unless it's something like ground beef that's kept loose like in a casserole. My kitchen is well-stocked, I'm a competent cook, and have few dietary restrictions (except, of course, that whole "liquid/soft diet" thing).
I am expressly forbidden from biting anything with my front teeth, so even soft sandwiches are off limits. Basically, whatever I eat needs to be conveyed into my mouth via a teaspoon and be no harder/denser than the consistency of something that can be gummed. Soups, especially ones that have been hit with an immersion blender, are good. Salmon works, as would other fishes, but probably not any meats unless it's something like ground beef that's kept loose like in a casserole. My kitchen is well-stocked, I'm a competent cook, and have few dietary restrictions (except, of course, that whole "liquid/soft diet" thing).
I immediately thought of saag paneer, hold the paneer. Although now that I think about it, you could probably sub in a non-firm tofu to add some soft protein.
posted by smirkette at 3:37 PM on January 4, 2024
posted by smirkette at 3:37 PM on January 4, 2024
Cottage cheese? Yogurt? Mashed potatoes? Spooning them up via teaspoon would be tedious, but anything is going to be tedious.
Smoothie bowl (skip the solid toppings, of course).
My cousin was on a soft diet for months, and he gave up and just started blending food. Lasagne, hamburger, casseroles, whatever, it went in the blender. I'm not sure it sounds appealing to me, but he said it was better than the monotony.
posted by joycehealy at 3:38 PM on January 4, 2024
Smoothie bowl (skip the solid toppings, of course).
My cousin was on a soft diet for months, and he gave up and just started blending food. Lasagne, hamburger, casseroles, whatever, it went in the blender. I'm not sure it sounds appealing to me, but he said it was better than the monotony.
posted by joycehealy at 3:38 PM on January 4, 2024
Response by poster: smirkette, I would think paneer (which I happen to love) would be soft enough for me to eat, especially if I break the cube up with a spoon before putting it in my mouth.
Keep the ideas and recipes coming, please!
posted by DrGail at 3:40 PM on January 4, 2024
Keep the ideas and recipes coming, please!
posted by DrGail at 3:40 PM on January 4, 2024
Coconut curry with pumpkin, chickpeas, and lime (NYT)
Creamed spinach - I don’t have a recipe, but you can take a box of frozen spinach, heat it with butter and cream, stir in Parmesan and some nutmeg, and zotz it with the stick blender.
If you look at resources for people who’ve had oral cancer, you will find a ton of recipes.
posted by expialidocious at 3:42 PM on January 4, 2024
Creamed spinach - I don’t have a recipe, but you can take a box of frozen spinach, heat it with butter and cream, stir in Parmesan and some nutmeg, and zotz it with the stick blender.
If you look at resources for people who’ve had oral cancer, you will find a ton of recipes.
posted by expialidocious at 3:42 PM on January 4, 2024
Steamed Egg is so soft and savory, cook some rice (add extra water to cook it soft) to accompany. Congee or Juk would work well.
posted by Swisstine at 3:43 PM on January 4, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by Swisstine at 3:43 PM on January 4, 2024 [1 favorite]
I think I have eggs on the brain right now, Cilbir or Turkish style poached egg on garlicky yogurt.
Savory Cheesecake
I'd imagine that dynamic and strong flavors will get you through the next bit of time, but that probably really depends on what you normally go for.
Baked or mashed potatoes with saucy toppings, chia pudding with strong flavors like matcha or gingerbread spices.
posted by Swisstine at 3:56 PM on January 4, 2024 [1 favorite]
Savory Cheesecake
I'd imagine that dynamic and strong flavors will get you through the next bit of time, but that probably really depends on what you normally go for.
Baked or mashed potatoes with saucy toppings, chia pudding with strong flavors like matcha or gingerbread spices.
posted by Swisstine at 3:56 PM on January 4, 2024 [1 favorite]
Butternut squash risotto?
I'm thinking that any roasted orange squash / pumpkin will be soft enough to be squished rather than bitten, actually.
posted by inexorably_forward at 4:03 PM on January 4, 2024
I'm thinking that any roasted orange squash / pumpkin will be soft enough to be squished rather than bitten, actually.
posted by inexorably_forward at 4:03 PM on January 4, 2024
Silken Tofu with Korean style sauce, which would be fine if you blended up the sauce!
posted by Swisstine at 4:05 PM on January 4, 2024
posted by Swisstine at 4:05 PM on January 4, 2024
Are cooked grains okay? Orzo? If so, there's plenty of pilaf recipes out there that would do the job. Or biryani. Or grain salads, though those are rather summery. You could vary the exact grain, too -- rice, couscous, etc. Wild rice might be too chewy, though.
posted by humbug at 4:17 PM on January 4, 2024
posted by humbug at 4:17 PM on January 4, 2024
Boneless, skinless sardines (from a tin) thoroughly mashed with a large dollop of brown mustard and the juice of 1/2 a lemon. Super delish and gummable.
posted by BlahLaLa at 4:29 PM on January 4, 2024
posted by BlahLaLa at 4:29 PM on January 4, 2024
Egg custard, French toast, bread and butter pudding especially if you have someone to help eat the crispier bits.
Salmon quiche
Stewed fruit and Greek yoghurt
Porridge
Mash and proper gravy
Mash, caramelised onions and cheese
Fish and hollandaise, cod and parsley sauce and mash
Inventive smoothies with your favourite fruit, use full fat yoghurt and/or add protein powder if necessary
Not sure if you're interested in more soup ideas, but:
Cauliflower cheese soup
Spicy parsnip soup
Chowder
Roasted tomato soup with basil oil
posted by quacks like a duck at 4:38 PM on January 4, 2024
Salmon quiche
Stewed fruit and Greek yoghurt
Porridge
Mash and proper gravy
Mash, caramelised onions and cheese
Fish and hollandaise, cod and parsley sauce and mash
Inventive smoothies with your favourite fruit, use full fat yoghurt and/or add protein powder if necessary
Not sure if you're interested in more soup ideas, but:
Cauliflower cheese soup
Spicy parsnip soup
Chowder
Roasted tomato soup with basil oil
posted by quacks like a duck at 4:38 PM on January 4, 2024
Response by poster: quacks like a duck (and everyone else): soups are perfectly fine with me, just not the ones I've been making for the past three weeks. And links to recipes are much appreciated.
posted by DrGail at 4:47 PM on January 4, 2024
posted by DrGail at 4:47 PM on January 4, 2024
Crustless quiche
I make an easy "breakfast cheesecake" that would work for you. I usually have a granola crust, but I'll leave that part of out the directions below.
1) Put 2 cups cottage cheese & 2 cups plain greek yogurt in the blender. Whip/blend until creamy & a little fluffy. Add honey until you like the level of sweetness. Add a splash of vanilla & some cinnamon. Pour into a casserole dish.
2) Heat up some frozen fruit with spices (I use cinnamon, nutmeg, & cardamom.) & a little brown sugar. Put on top of filling. If you don't think that will be soft enough, you could use jam, fruit puree, or just skip the fruit part.
3) Chill. (At this point, I usually freeze for an hour or two & then move it to the fridge. It kind of depends on how runny your mixture was. I like it the consistency of a soft cheesecake but you could eat it before it sets if you want it softer.)
posted by belladonna at 4:51 PM on January 4, 2024 [1 favorite]
I make an easy "breakfast cheesecake" that would work for you. I usually have a granola crust, but I'll leave that part of out the directions below.
1) Put 2 cups cottage cheese & 2 cups plain greek yogurt in the blender. Whip/blend until creamy & a little fluffy. Add honey until you like the level of sweetness. Add a splash of vanilla & some cinnamon. Pour into a casserole dish.
2) Heat up some frozen fruit with spices (I use cinnamon, nutmeg, & cardamom.) & a little brown sugar. Put on top of filling. If you don't think that will be soft enough, you could use jam, fruit puree, or just skip the fruit part.
3) Chill. (At this point, I usually freeze for an hour or two & then move it to the fridge. It kind of depends on how runny your mixture was. I like it the consistency of a soft cheesecake but you could eat it before it sets if you want it softer.)
posted by belladonna at 4:51 PM on January 4, 2024 [1 favorite]
If very well-cooked grains would work, you've got base options like savory oatmeal and cheese grits you could play with.
posted by EvaDestruction at 5:20 PM on January 4, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by EvaDestruction at 5:20 PM on January 4, 2024 [1 favorite]
I'm thinking soups with parsnip or celeriac (celery root) might be a bit off the beaten track. I'm likely as not to wing it when it comes to recipes, but looking at this one I would certainly give that a throw.
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 5:24 PM on January 4, 2024
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 5:24 PM on January 4, 2024
soft cheeses? Brie, camembert, Gorgonzola, cream cheese, etc.
I like this extremely simple tomato soup and this chicken soup with pastina.
posted by wheatlets at 12:26 AM on January 5, 2024
I like this extremely simple tomato soup and this chicken soup with pastina.
posted by wheatlets at 12:26 AM on January 5, 2024
Tortilla soup. Hit the whole thing with the immersion blender. You can even have the tortilla strips! Just let them go floppy in the soup before gumming them down.
posted by shock muppet at 3:56 AM on January 5, 2024
posted by shock muppet at 3:56 AM on January 5, 2024
I'm going to make butternut squash soup later today:
Base:
4 stalks celery with leaves cut in pieces
4 small onions, cut in half and quartered
2 stalks of parsley, minced
¼ pound butter
4 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut in small sections
8 small potatoes cut in small sections
8 cups chicken stock (I usually use the low sodium vegetable better than bouillon)
Sauce:
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup white wine
¾ c. maple syrup
¼ tsp nutmeg
salt/pepper to taste
To make base:
Saute celery, onions, parsley in butter until tender but not brown. Add squash, potato, stock,
simmer (covered) 40 minutes. Puree in blender or processor. Return to heat and add sauce. To
make sauce, combine cream, wine, maple syrup, and seasonings.
posted by Ms Vegetable at 8:22 AM on January 5, 2024 [1 favorite]
Base:
4 stalks celery with leaves cut in pieces
4 small onions, cut in half and quartered
2 stalks of parsley, minced
¼ pound butter
4 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut in small sections
8 small potatoes cut in small sections
8 cups chicken stock (I usually use the low sodium vegetable better than bouillon)
Sauce:
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup white wine
¾ c. maple syrup
¼ tsp nutmeg
salt/pepper to taste
To make base:
Saute celery, onions, parsley in butter until tender but not brown. Add squash, potato, stock,
simmer (covered) 40 minutes. Puree in blender or processor. Return to heat and add sauce. To
make sauce, combine cream, wine, maple syrup, and seasonings.
posted by Ms Vegetable at 8:22 AM on January 5, 2024 [1 favorite]
congee
posted by QuakerMel at 10:58 AM on January 5, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by QuakerMel at 10:58 AM on January 5, 2024 [1 favorite]
Make a white sauce (butter, flour, milk) and add anything to it, after puréeing it with a food processor. For example, my family had a meal of braised chicken thighs, broccoli, and carrots; I had cream of broccoli soup, cream of chicken soup, and cream of carrot soup. (Totally different from the canned garbage masquerading under the same names!)
Mashed potatoes with cheese melted on top was my go-to replacement for a quick sandwich. I'm normally a snob about peeling my own potatoes, but instant mashed potatoes were more convenient for this.
Split pea soup with ham is just as tasty if you processor it to blend the chunks of ham in. Beef stew, made with chuck roast slow-cooked until falling apart, tastes wonderful puréed; it's not as pretty with the carrots blended in, but a sprinkle of finely chopped fresh parsley helps with that.
posted by metonym at 11:26 AM on January 5, 2024
Mashed potatoes with cheese melted on top was my go-to replacement for a quick sandwich. I'm normally a snob about peeling my own potatoes, but instant mashed potatoes were more convenient for this.
Split pea soup with ham is just as tasty if you processor it to blend the chunks of ham in. Beef stew, made with chuck roast slow-cooked until falling apart, tastes wonderful puréed; it's not as pretty with the carrots blended in, but a sprinkle of finely chopped fresh parsley helps with that.
posted by metonym at 11:26 AM on January 5, 2024
A current favorite with my family is slow cooker chicken enchilada casserole. It's not pretty but it is super tasty and very easy: make a quart of Robb Walsh's chili gravy (a roux with 1/3 to 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup flour, and 4 cups water, 2 teaspoons salt, four tablespoons good dark chili powder, four teaspoons ground cumin, one teaspoon dried oregano, one teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, and three cloves garlic). Add this to a slow cooker with eight or ten boneless skinless chicken thighs, cook on high four hours or on low for longer, until the chicken is falling apart. Take out the chicken thighs and cut them into bite-sized pieces or pull them apart with two forks (or in your case purée them, as needed). Stir in twelve to fifteen corn tortillas, sliced into strips (or in your case squares of one inch or less in size) and a quarter pound of shredded cheese and cook another half-hour, then top with another quarter pound of shredded cheese and cook until it has melted. If you like, you can stir in half a cup of chopped fresh cilantro before adding the cheese on top. I always serve this with rice and with canned spicy refried beans, the latter of which are already perfect for not chewing.
posted by metonym at 11:41 AM on January 5, 2024
posted by metonym at 11:41 AM on January 5, 2024
Oxtail ragu, where the ragu is cooked to spoonable deliciousness.
Risotto. These two recipe + the minestrone would be a good enough reason to buy Elizabeth David's "Italian Cooking". There are tons of newer recipes, but I keep retuning to the "originals". (I'm well aware that ED was an English person doing a sort of food anthropology in Italy, but in many cases her observations are more interesting than those of the Silver Spoon, the basic Italian cookbook).
Shepherd's Pie is my favorite food of all times, and right now I am making a vegetarian version (I'd planned to make it before, but now it is in the oven). Gum-friendly and nourishing and incredibly tasty.
posted by mumimor at 11:31 AM on January 9, 2024
Risotto. These two recipe + the minestrone would be a good enough reason to buy Elizabeth David's "Italian Cooking". There are tons of newer recipes, but I keep retuning to the "originals". (I'm well aware that ED was an English person doing a sort of food anthropology in Italy, but in many cases her observations are more interesting than those of the Silver Spoon, the basic Italian cookbook).
Shepherd's Pie is my favorite food of all times, and right now I am making a vegetarian version (I'd planned to make it before, but now it is in the oven). Gum-friendly and nourishing and incredibly tasty.
posted by mumimor at 11:31 AM on January 9, 2024
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posted by Windopaene at 3:19 PM on January 4, 2024