Food ideas...

Ok...I am absolutely bored with this liquid diet now.  I am eating chicken broth, sugar free popsicles, sugar free fudgesicles, sugar free chocolate pudding, and of course, as much water as I can stomach...actually 1.5 to 2 bottles a day.  Any ideas to keep it interesting?   I go see my surgeon on Wednesday of next week.  I should be getting the ok to eat mushy food then...any ideas?  High protein, mushy, yummy food?  I am not hungry at all...but dang I miss eating good food.

Here are some of the "Meals" that I used at the Mushy/Pureed Stage-

:Cream of Wheat with a teaspoon of protein powder mixed in.

:Super Soft "Cheese Grits" (cook in skim milk and add cheese)
..........(those "Butter Buds®" sprinkles are great early on)

:Really Mushy Oatmeal. Splenda and even a touch of cinnamon and rocks
..........(Vanilla protein Powder in this is good too)

***:Refried Beans with a spoon of enchilada sauce and cheese on top. (my ‘Go-To-Food.’)
..........(or just buy a small order at Taco Bell! Loved those)

:Yogurt (CarbControl or SF or Lite,)
..........( jus****ch out for more than 4gs of sugar)

:Campbells Bean w/Bacon soup,
..........(run through the Blender. -food of the gods)

:Tomato Soup with Cheese and/or some protein powder
..........(try with spices for variety- Basil/Italian flavors, Curry Powder,etc)

:Cream of Mushroom Soup, Cream of Chicken Soup
..........(be sure to chew those mushroom/chicken bits)

:Instant Mashed Potatoes with Fat Free or Low Fat Cream Cheese
..........(Also good to make with Chicken or Ham Bullion instead of water)

:Scrambled Eggs with Cheese (My "Go To" Favorite)
..........(can top with spoon of Non-Chunky or blended Spaghetti Sauce,
..........Chili, Cheese sauce, every type of cheese that will melt, etc)

:SF Puddings! The Jell-O Cheescake SF Pudding –w/ cream cheese blended in Rocks!
..........(A little SF strawberry Jam, thinned with juice and spooned on top is great)

:Egg Salad- Boiled egg mashed with pickle or olive juice, pepper and Mayo

Things that I had success with running through the Food processor/blender-

:Canned Carrots,
..........(Added Splenda Brown Sugar, Butter Buds® & cinnamon like Sweet Potatoes)

:Deli Sliced Chicken, mayo and pickle relish with a spoon of Cream Cheese
..........(Like a Chicken salad Spread)

:Chili! With or without beans, then melt cheese over in the Micro wave

Those are some of the "favorites" of the "pureed stage" that come to mind.

Hope these help.
------------------------------------------------------------------
-for adding a little protein powder to mushy foods or soups?

A lot of people have trouble getting
Those Protein Powders to mix with stuff.
Someone at my support group
Said she always thought it made stuff taste like
Someone had thrown a "Handful of Chalk Dust"
In her food or drink.

Well the solution? -- Liquid into Dry!

Suppose you are trying to add some to
Yogurt or mashed potatoes.
Take your scoop, (or actually only ½ scoop)
Of the powder and put it in a coffee cup or small bowl.
Get a fork,
And slowly drip some cool water into the powder while
Stirring with the fork.
Don’t try to just add the liquid.
Attempt to make a very thick paste.
Once you’ve got it into a thick paste
Then slowly add more drops
And stir some more until you get a thinner paste.

Keep this up until it is the same consistency
As the food you want to add it to.

By not having "liquid" per se,
The powder can’t clump up
And hang onto "bubbles."
Even mixing this up ahead of time
And keeping it in the fridge
Is good.
Then just take out how much you want
And stir it into your food.

I have great success this way
Adding Protein Powder to-
Yogurt, Soups, Oatmeal, Smoothies, polenta, etc...
It really helps going into shakes/smoothies.
You don’t get that "foam" on the top
That, no matter how long you run the blender
Just stays forever.

It also gets rid of the "powdery" texture
That can hang on otherwise.

You’ll be on to real food soon.
Just take it SLOW.

Glad to see you here and "On the mend!"

Hope you’re feeling better soon!
Best Wishes-
Dx

A few regular things (puree) the first few weeks.  Egg or tuna salad.  I added a small amount of low fat mayo and some Mt. Olive pickle relish (made with Splenda).  I would add some salt and pepper to both.  I would cook some frozen spinach in the microwave...adding a small amount of water and salt.  Cottage cheese works fine too.  I would put some on my nightstand.  When I went to pee in the middle of the night...I would have some of the cottage cheese at that time.  Here is a great post op sandwich; take a piece of string cheese.  place a piece of dark green lettece with it.  Now place a slice of lunchen meat (lean chicken or turkey) around both.  Add a small amount of mayo if you wish.  Be sure you take small bites and chew it till it become mush in your mouth.  ALSO EAT SLOWLY...Just some ideas.  Brian

The nutritionist at the hospital said to not eat protein shakes until I have hit the pureed food level.   Any ideas?

+1 on the strained soups.  They tasted really good to me at that stage.  I also remember enjoying the first scrambled egg after surgery. It does get much better after the liquid stage is over.  Hang in there!  You'll be eating again soon.

For liquid how about some good quality strained soups such as chicken vegetable or turkey vegetable?

Tuna Tuna Tuna    and beans too.... a little goes a long ways  Edit: follow your Nut's advice, please.

Baja,

I agree with the beans, they mash easily and really taste good to me.  I was able to find some baked beans that were low in fat and sugars and tasted so good to me.  Unless someone else will help you eat them make sure to buy small cans, or else you will be eating them for quite a long time.

I am craving chick peas now, so I have to find a recipe for them that is low fat/sugar.

Jim 

Craving Chick Peas: Try some of the Hummus recipes you can find on the net. Good stuff

Before I get back on track with the liquid stuff, I want to add my favorite to the tuna and beans thing. I mix a can of tuna with a can of great northern or garbanzo beans. I mix it up with 1/2 ff yogurt and 1/2 ff mayonaise to max a nice mixture. Add w/e you like. GREAT fiber and protein.

Second favorite tuna is to mix it with pepper and cottage cheese. Sounds utterly at first, but once I tried it I got hooked. tons of different ways to spice it.

And now for something completely different....

My saving grace on the liquid diet was home made stock. It's SOOO not the same as the canned crap. That, and a nice hot cup of Miso (soup made from fermented soy paste...get it at a hippy store).

Seriously...It's worth spending the day making stock like grandma used to. Freeze it in ice-cubes and use it for months. I do, frequently. /thinks of the turkey carcass in the refrigerator salivating.

If you want a recipe, msg me...or there are a million online. The trick is to cook it FOREVER! Like, all day.