Monday, January 23, 2023

More Soft Food

Eating after oral surgery can be very challenging.  The chewiness and texture of foods that were never an issue before can be beyond painful. At the same time, you crave good, comforting food.

Nutrition is essential while you heal, but so is satisfaction.  So, going into yet another round, I am trying to think of some new soft meal options for my recovery.

I'm hoping to enjoy a larger selection of food and flavors this time around.  Here are some of my favorite foods, soft diet style.

Mexican - Huevos Rancheros, Refried Beans, Red or Green Chili, Sopa, Rice, Tres Leches Cake.

Indian - Vegetable Tikka Masala, Curry, Tarka Dal, Palak Paneer, Rice, Mango Lassi, Gulab Jamun.

Italian - Fettuccini Alfredo, Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce, Risotto, Tiramisu.

American - Eggs, Baked Fish, Bread Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Yams, Ice Cream, Chocolate Sauce, Whipped Cream.

Asian - Egg Foo Yung, Rice, Sweet and Sour Tofu, Egg Drop Soup, Miso Soup, Rice Pudding.

Spanish - Poached Fish, Gazpacho, Tortilla Espanola, Paella, Flan.

Irish - Potatoes (Soup, Mashed, Colcannon, Champ), Shepards Pie, Baked Beans, Salmon, Mushy Peas, Cabbage, Carrots, Parsley Sauce, Trifle.

Mediterranean - Hummus, Baba Ghanoush, Lentil Soup, Orzo, Feta Cheese, Shakshuka, Cream Cake.

Depending on your procedure, you may want to prepare these at home so you can control the ingredients and texture to suit your needs.

Disclaimer:  These meals were approved by my dental provider and were specific to my procedure. Please follow post-op instructions provided by your dentist.


Thursday, January 12, 2023

Soft Food Diet

After 2 rounds of dental surgery, I had to be on a soft food diet for almost 10 weeks.  At first, it didn't seem so daunting but by the second day, I was so tired of mashed potatoes and scrambled eggs I began to panic.  Not only did I need to eat my meals, but all of my medication had to be taken with food.  


I started searching the internet for what else I could have, and the choices were very limited.  Nothing hard, crunchy, sticky, brittle, spicy, acidic, no nuts, seeds, skins or anything hard to chew were my initial instructions.  What I discovered was that even the texture of a soft noodle would cause excruciating pain, so I needed to get creative.

Like most people, I love really good and flavorful food.  So, I decided to experiment with some of my favorite recipes to see what could be modified to fit my new way of eating for the next 2 months.  Some were more successful than others, but I started to get the hang of it.  Here are some of the meals and snacks that were easy to prepare and were also satisfying to eat.

Week 1 of both phases was the toughest, everything had to be extremely soft, essentially the consistency of baby food, with no chewing required.

Soft scrambled eggs (mixed with sour cream for more flavor and creaminess)

Vegetable soup (blended until smooth)

Egg Drop Soup (I whipped the egg into the broth so there were no large pieces)

Broth with soft white bread and butter (white bread almost dissolves into the broth)

Pancakes loaded with butter and syrup

Instant mashed potatoes with butter, sour cream and gravy (instant potatoes are creamier than my homemade version and easier to prepare)

Baked acorn squash

Cream soup (blended until smooth - no lumps or chunky pieces)

Soft egg foo yung with brown gravy

Plain greek yogurt with honey

Pudding, chocolate milk, applesauce, protein shakes, instant breakfast drinks, yogurt smoothies, mashed banana

Week 2 - I was able to tolerate a little more texture so I added these dishes.

Pasta with white sauce (cook the pasta until soft and blend until smooth)

Sour cream enchilada casserole (corn tortillas become soft and mushy in the sauce)

Red beans and rice (cook the rice until soft and mash the beans)

Scrambled/Poached egg with baked beans

Potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, yams (boiled and mashed)

Crab Cakes with mild cocktail sauce (microwave to keep soft)

Dos Leches cake (pound cake soaked in milk topped with whipped cream)

Ice cream sundae (no nuts or fruit pieces)

Week 3 - getting better and was able to add a little more texture and variety.

Crustless green chili quiche

Macaroni and cheese (cook pasta until very soft)

Tuna noodle casserole 

Lentils with potatoes and carrots

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Soft Sunday dinner – mashed potatoes, carrots, yams, bread stuffing and gravy (canned carrots and yams are easy to mash and box bread stuffing is nice and fluffy)

Instant Grits with butter and cheese

Take-out Mexican refried beans, soft rice, smooth chili

Graham crackers soaked in milk

Tips:
My biggest suggestion is to prepare as much as possible in advance.  I didn’t do this on my 1st round and seriously regretted it.  I underestimated how much pain I would be in and did not feel like cooking but still needed to eat.

Before the next round, I stocked up on everything that I thought I might want.  That included a lot of pantry items that were easy to prepare – instant mashed potatoes, instant gravy, soups, canned carrots/yams/beans, box stuffing mix, soft cakes, white bread, saltine crackers, graham crackers, pancake mix, syrup - anything that could be mashed or soaked in soup or milk.  Dairy was easier – pudding, milk, sour cream, yogurt and of course eggs.

I made some things ahead of time to freeze and then was able to just heat them in the microwave – pancakes, soups etc.

Eating out was not an option but I loved the soft dinner I was able to get from my favorite Mexican restaurant.  That felt like a total indulgence!

Meat didn’t really work out for me – I made a very soft pork stew but it was still too much to chew and it got caught in my stitches so I won’t do that again.  I’d rather stay vegetarian until I can chew properly.
  • Please note this was after dental surgery and it was specific to my procedure.  You should always check with your doctor and follow their instructions for whatever you need to do following any condition or procedure you may have.
Delicious Dos Leches Cake

Crustless Green Chili Quiche

Stuffing and Carrots


Scrambled Egg Foo Yung

Ginger Carrot Soup

Enchilada Casserole

Egg and Baked Beans















Wednesday, January 11, 2023

Wanderlust

There is nothing that spurs my wanderlust more than not being able to travel. 

I love being free to just pick up and go whenever I want.

This year will prove to be a little tricker, but I have no doubt I will manage to make it happen.

My list of the yet to be discovered is growing by the day and I can't wait to explore those fantastic new horizons!


Tuesday, January 10, 2023

Pure Silence

There have only been a few times in my life that I have experienced true peace and tranquility.  

The first time I really noticed it was while paragliding in Mexico.  I was a little nervous at first but when the wind caught the chute and took me up into the air, all my fear faded away.  

I was overcome with the beauty and silence as I floated above the water.



Monday, January 9, 2023

Smashed Tomato Starter

Sometimes, something as simple as a smashed tomato appetizer with a lovely glass of Spanish wine reminds me just how wonderful simple pleasures truly are.


Matadora - Hilton Hotel Woburn, MA




Sunday, January 8, 2023

Homeplace

Explore the world, travel near and far until you find the homeplace of your heart. 

Saturday, January 7, 2023

A Gentle Path

My journey is shifting yet again, this time it is a peaceful and easy change. 

What started out as a rocky and steep climb has evolved into a beautiful, scenic walk.  

The further I move along this road the more I realize that I do not need to struggle with the obstacles in my way.

I just need to go around them to stay on that lovely, gentle path.