Sweet Corn

To celebrate the first day of radiation success (in under 15 minutes), we are having Sweet Corn Soup topped with lump crab meat!  The soup is silky and smooth and the crab on top adds some texture.  If you were to ask the soft food diet expert, aka my dad, he would say the crab is too much.  The soup alone is perfect however and will be served again...

Today at weigh in we learned that a 4 ounce gain was made.  I will take this as success because it was not a loss...though we will aim for more gain at next weeks weigh in!

Wishing you all a Happy Monday as we mark the 1 month to the day anniversary of surgery.  Boy am I looking forward to more and more milestones.

Pumpkin Pie

Another blog had mentioned pumpkin pie as a good soft food diet item.  It is rich in vitamins and soft!  He says it was "delicious."  Tomorrow is a big day (Day 1 of radiation out of 30) and hope we fair well all week...

Manwich

 

 

My dad has always been, and probably always will be, a meat and potatoes man.  I grew up this way as well with lots of fresh fruits and homegrown veggies on the side.  These days I barely touch meat and truly see no need for it - but why deprive the old fella in his later years?  Today I am thawing some venison burger to be made into Sloppy Joe's.  If I keep the meat fine enough I am hoping he can enjoy the taste over white bread.  I want his healing process to be a joy even if it only comes at mealtime.  It is a joy for me to have him home and be able to serve him.  I know he would do the same for me...

Tilapia, It's What's For Dinner

Tonight I picked up a fresh fillet from the Safeway seafood dept.  (I have mentioned this grocery chain so often I feel like they should be paying me!)  Dad had said that he was in the mood for fish.  I researched and fish is a perfect soft food diet option.  It is low in fat and rich in so many other ways.  I pan sautéed the fish in EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) and per his request lightly floured with Wondra.  I also added to one side a seafood spice mix that we keep on hand when having crabs.  It turned out perfect!  It was fluffy and tender and the man cleared his plate!  I also added a side of sautéed spinach, pulsed for a moment in the Bullet, of course.  His dessert was vanilla pudding made from whole milk with vanilla wafers in it. 

 

 

It has been a great day overall and lovely to end with a satisfying meal.  

Potatoes for Paw (named by Molli jo)

Dad has been hungry for scalloped potatoes.  Thankfully I have a budding chef to help me out.  Molli Jo prepared the dish and it sits ready to go in the oven!  This afternoon was nice. Grandpa treated the girls and I to a trip to Jimmie Cone!  I was so happy to sit across from him as he ate that vanilla cone.  It really is the simple things in life...I have never appreciated all the cooking, cleaning and laundry that I have been doing as much as this week.  I know that life will get faster as school and radiation starts on Monday, but I hope to continue to enjoy the small things.

Mass Gainer (GNC)

I like the sound of the product: Mass Gainer.  Because, after all, isn't that what I am trying to do?  I want my dad to gain weight, aka. mass and I found two products at GNC today to help with just that.  I never expected to become a member of that organization, but things change.  I compared Muscle Milk, Monster Milk and every other product in the store to the Ensure Plus that we already have.  Not much has higher calories, carbs and protein - with the exception of the

products that I did purchase.  The Mass Gainer Complex will be had in the morning....I opted for the double chocolate flavor and the Bulk 1340 (vanilla) will be in the evening.  We will start tonight and see at our next weigh in on Monday.  If we maintain, I will be happy with that!

UPDATE: after day 1 of this product I have learned that it is not realistic to even eat the serving size of these products...I am halving the recipe and even that is packing on the calories.  He is full.  He is complying.  He is a rock star.  The vanilla Bulk 1340 was made with whole milk and was very creamy after a round in the Bullet.  The scoop size is absurd!  Just heavy.  The double chocolate Mass Gainer is sweet, sweet, sweet and was mixed with water to make it more thin and therefore drinkable in the a.m.  Weigh in info to follow after just 5 days of product use!

Dinner

Tonights meal consists of Cream of Mushroom soup, zapped for a bit in the Bullet with a hunk of soft bread that I found in Safeways bakery.  The bread is called Bolillo rolls and cost 1.99 for 6.  It doubled as the family dinner upstairs (Meatball subs...SHHHH, Dad doesn't know that) and then we had extras for him to dip in his soup.  A nice find.  The old fella is happy.  Prior to the soup and bread he had 2 Vienna sausages.  Talk about soft meat!  He says he is "eating like a hog and can't gain weight."  It is true that he is down 9 lbs from his pre-surgery weight.  We will be taking a special outing to GNC tomorrow in search of Muscle Milk (sure to be in the next post). Bon Apetit!

Cream of...

I have learned that soups such as, Cream of Celery, etc. NEED a go in the Magic Bullet before consumption in its original form.  They have pretty hard, inedible chunks within.  Some made with milk can be a nice meal with a piece of butter bread to dip in.  But I will need to look for smoother versions than what Campbell's has to offer or else to the Bullet it must go!

Cushaw

Having won the first place blue ribbon this year in the Montgomery County, MD Fair was such a blessing!  Now it is time to cook it up!  Grandma Hettie used to slice the neck into a disk like shape and bake it in the oven...I feel that I have tried that in the past, but this year am going with a recipe I found on cooks.com.

CUSHAW

1 med. cushaw 1/2 c. brown sugar 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 1/2 c. butter Peel cushaw. Using only the tenderest pieces, dice and cook covered in boiling water until tender. Drain well. Return to pot and add remaining ingredients in order listed. Cover and keep warm until serving time. This can also be baked in a casserole in which case the cushaw should be boiled until just barely tender. Serves 6 to 8.

Wish me luck...hoping the old man can enjoy it!

Weekend Crock Pot

Saturday begins the prep for a Sunday crock pot!  Dad is the master of venison stews and he is hoping to make one that he can enjoy...and I'm sure he will try!  Under the guise of him teaching me how, we will make it together.  The crock pot is out and so are our ingredients.  We will use 2 different cuts of venison donated by a friend, one is a roast and the other is a steak.  We will use 2 small zucchini, the last from our summer garden, peeled and chopped.  I am thinking that these will be a wise addition because they should get very soft.  Soft is of the utmost importance here...

Also, adding baby carrots and some cut up baking potatoes.  I peeled and dad cut...he says that I don't waste much and that Wendell would love me. All food is on hand so a trip to the store was not necessary.  Beef broth will be used to create the juice that is essential.  Happy weekend cooking to all...you know what we will be having here in Damascus, MD!



FINDS

• actual finds from the grocery store that warrant credit...they have been restocked and asked for on a repetitive basis, refried beans is a front runner...who knew??

     = required

Low key day

Today is a foggy Maryland morning...

 

I picked up some Rice Crispies and have them soaking/drowning in milk. They will no longer be "talking" in their snap, crackle, pop language. I cut a ripe banana into tiny pieces and mixed it in. He wants to eat like everyone else...

the bananas were still too much, so after picking them out the cereal was a nice treat!

Midday meal: Ensure

Special outing to the Damascus Farmers Market...Dad found some soft cookies from his favorite baker, CC.  We picked up some nectarines and squash...what is touching is that the squash he will make for me.


Dinner was spaghetti and meatballs. I used extra wide egg noodles hoping that they would be tender enough...I simmered the meatballs (special ordered from Omaha Steak) in sauce until soft.  I was able to cut them up small so that he could enjoy the entire meal.  We shall see what tomorrow brings...

Fair food?!

On the search for soft food diet options that do not melt at the fair is quite a task...what can be done for the junk food craving??  Well...purchased items include a deep-fried Twinkie and empanadas...Thinking I may be making empanada soup tonight...

UPDATE: not so successful. Fair food does not make the soft food diet list of options.
 

Humpday Lunch

Lunch on a Wednesday:

 

As we await visits from various healthcare professionals...I have steamed some fresh broccoli. In my opinion it is still too chewy for a soft food diet.  The fella was hankering for some good ole mac-n-cheese so while that is making on the stove I have come up with a plan...why not puree the broccoli with some cheesy mac-n-cheese and milk for a new soup??  Well, I did not end up going with the soup option because the mac-n-cheese turned out soft enough on its own, I did however mix in a bowl with pureed broccoli.

+ = an edible creation

 

He preferred the plain mac-n-cheese since it was soft enough...but I got him to eat some with the broccoli.  I will be happy, however,  to eat the new creation for my lunch! All served with a side of apple sauce...fruits and veggies are the way...



Breakfast fit for The King

Todays culinary delight started with a green smoothie...made with frozen banana and spinach.  He is not crazy about this sort of food, but it gets the greens in!  It was followed by a scrambled egg, baked potatoe (practically minced, of course) with butter and cottage cheese, all eaten outside on this lovely summer day. 

 

Thank you all for your comments and additional ideas for a meal...keep them coming!

Take Out

Well, besides being tempted to throw a Whopper in the Magic Bullet, take out has few options for the soft food palate...thankfully the little cherubs , aka. the grandgirls, were in the mood for Chinese.  Chicken Lo Mein was ordered from our local place Sky Kitchen and brought home.  I removed the larger pieces of meat and onions and cut it up many, many times with a serrated knife and voila: Soft Food Diet Take Out!  It gave him the taste of ordering out and was a treat for all!  We shall see what tomorrows adventures bring...

Dessert? Fig Newtons!

Chicken Pot Pie soup

So...trying to feed my hungry father with a soft food diet restriction takes some creativity!  The man has always had a healthy appetite and later in life has been acquiring his favorites.  Hungry for a chicken pot pie I picked one up prepared from our local Safeway deli. He was able to dig around in the top, and day 2 I wanted to revamp it....So I put a cup of whole milk in my Magic Bullet, reheated the original pot pie and put it in the Bullet.  After 10 seconds, I had a blend that not only could he eat, but also enjoy a chicken pot pie - ALL of it!

 

He is currently enjoying that and a side sandwich of ham salad (also Safeway deli prepared) on soft Italian bread with the crusts cut off.

 

Happy Mondaysuccessful lunch!