Purees/Smoothies for a sick friend

[tjbern]

Hi All,

I have a friend who is terminally ill and at this point he can only eat things of a pureed/smoothie consistency. if it's the wrong consistency, it could be difficult for him to eat

Do any of you have ideas for some tasty concoctions? He is a foodie, so a good recipe would be very much appreciated.

Thanks so much!

Regards,
Tim

[thomasd]

Black bean soup (pureed):

1) chop 1 onion, 1 celery stick, 1 green pepper, 2-3 cloves garlic
2) fry onion, garlic, pepper, and celery in 2 tbsp. olive oil for 5 minutes
3) add 2 cans of black beans, 1 bay leaf, and red pepper flakes to taste
4) add 4 cups of veggie or chicken broth and 2 cups of water
5) raise to a boil, and leave it boiling, partially uncovered, for 30 minutes
6) remove bay leaf and puree (using either a submersible blender or a regular one)
7) add salt and black pepper to taste (let soup reduce if you want it thicker)

[Emme]

what a good friend..

chipotle corn chowder - corn cooked with scallions and a little chipotle in adobo, then pureed with corn stock (made from the cobs) and almond milk. salt and pepper if desired to taste. i usually immersion blender it, then run it through a food mill to produce an almost velvety texture.

baba ghanoush if done quite pureed; same with hummus if you thin it... altho i'm not sure if he'd want to eat hummus...

try pureeing chili
or french onion soup
or chicken mole

blend up ratatouille

i wish you and him much luck, and as little pain as possible...

[MrsCris]

I made cauliflower puree as a side dish for dinner tonight, and it was the star of the plate. Steamed cauliflower simply pureed with some butter and salt - delicious. My husband shaved some goat gouda on his and loved it. Also good with parmesan, or sour cream, or some fresh thyme. I will next try it with some roasted garlic.

[tjbern]

Thank you all for the suggestions; keep them coming if you have more ideas (finely processed things work as long as there's a liquid companion to wash it down). He is no longer on chemo or going through radiation so that taste factor is not an issue. We know that his love for smoked turkey legs has not changed (we finely food processed those, and he was very happy!). His energy level goes up when he has savory things. We'll be passing these recipes on to his family so they can keep his foodie needs satisfied.

[perk]

You are a good friend! I was recently bedridden with a fractured spine, and my friends who came with food really got me through it.
I don't have specific recipes, but I love hotoynoodle's suggestions. Fresh herbs added to smoothies and soups make all the difference. Mint especially.....very soothing.

[chefj]

Flax Seed makes a delicious "Wheatena" flavored smoothie

http://www.whats4eats.com/beverages/t...

[italia84]

Avocado smoothies. Don't knock it till you try it! I do an avocado, some milk (I usually use almond milk, but whatever you like should be fine) and a touch of honey or vanilla protein powder, depending on my needs. Blend with ice. Delicious!

[chowser]

I love roasted vegetable soups--roast at high temperature, puree and thin w/ chicken stock. Add creme fraiche, if tolerable.

As smoothies goes, chocolate peanut butter is good, add frozen banana.

You could also try jook, Chinese rice porridge and add whatever soft food he can eat--hard boiled eggs, overcooked chicken.

[pine time]

First, has he recently had chemo or radiation? If so, either can radically change taste perceptions, like meat can taste metallic, or normally sweet things can taste sour or spoiled. Some patients also can't tolerate certain smells or textures, so be careful to start with just a tasting menu. So, do a few experiments. The American Cancer Society has a booklet (free) called something like Nutrition for Cancer Patients--give them a call. Bless you for helping out your friend.

[4Snisl]

Sounds like you're a good friend, Tim.....

Some nice smooth favorites:

White gazpacho- blend in the grape and cucumber garnishes that usually float in the soup. Here's a good basic recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/White-Gazpacho-102302

Blended roasted garlic and white bean soup. Or heck, just roasted garlic soup.

Cream of (whatever vegetable is looking good) soup.

Peanut butter and banana smoothie.

African sweet potato and groundnut soup, blended: http://www.closetcooking.com/2009/04/sweet-potato-and-peanut-soup.html

Pureed Indian Dal.

If the consistency of anything is too thin, some options:

Add a little Thick-it powder ( http://www.thickitretail.com/)

Cook a little bit of liquid that will not curdle with cornstarch, then add to the rest of the liquid.

For cold items, like the gazpacho, a little gelatin can help it set up firmer without turning solid as well.

To make things thinner is a little easier- add water or any flavorful liquid, and adjust seasoning as needed.

[hotoynoodle]

fresh green pea soup with mint.

carrot soup with cardamom.

cantaloupe and pear with soy or almond milk.

gazpacho without spiciness.

blueberry and ginger with yogurt.

[Lenox637]

I always enjoy orange, strawberry, banana smoothies to which I add, not necessarily at the same time, soy protein powder, bee pollen, royal jelly, greek yogurt etc..... I would highly recommend he look into wheatgrass juice as well. Wheatgrass is packed with nutrients.