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Soft Foods for Easier Eating Cookbook
Recipes for People Who Have Chewing and Swallowing Problems

Sandra Woodruff, RD, and
Leah Gilbert-Henderson

 

ISBN: 0-7570-0290-0
Length: 256 Pages
Size: 7.5 X 9-inch
Format: Quality Paperback
Category:
Cooking / Eating Disorders
Price: $16.95 US

Availability: In Print

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SynopsisContents

IntroductionReviews

Synopsis

You prepared as best as you could for the procedure. You followed your doctor’s advice to the letter, and to your relief, the treatment went well. But you didn’t expect the pain and difficulty you are now experiencing as you try to chew and swallow. The simple act of eating is no longer simple; it has become pure torture.

Each year, medical treatments leave millions of patients unable to eat normally. Most hospitals deal with this problem simply by pureeing whatever food they are cooking. Needless to say, the result is not very appetizing, so many people refuse to eat, making it impossible to obtain adequate nutrition, maintain a healthy weight, and help the body heal. To help ease them through this difficult--and many times, unexpected--period, nutritionists Sandra Woodruff and Leah Gilbert-Henderson have written the Soft Foods for Easier Eating Cookbook. Here is an easy- to-follow guide designed to provide maximum nutrition and taste with minimum discomfort.

This cookbook not only provides delicious recipes specifically designed to reduce mouth pain, nausea, and altered tastes, but also shows you how to modify recipes to increase or decrease calories, fat, carbohydrates, and fiber. You will learn how to use these recipes in any diet prescribed by your doctor for diabetes, kidney disease, high blood pressure, or other disorders. You will learn how to modify your diet to improve your overall health, whether you are having trouble losing weight or trying to prevent unintentional weight loss. And you will learn how to prepare healthful and delicious foods in your own kitchen using simple techniques.

The foods you eat will play a vital role as you travel the road to recovery. With the Soft Foods for Easier Eating Cookbook in hand, you are sure to find the journey easier, faster, and far more enjoyable.

 

Sandra Woodruff, MS, RD, LD/N, is a registered dietitian/nutritionist and the best-selling author of numerous books on nutrition, cooking, and healthy eating. Sandra holds a master’s degree in nutrition and food science from Florida State University. During her career, she has worked as the dietitian for a hospital-based wellness center, advised numerous medical groups and businesses, taught college nutrition courses, and served as president of the Florida Dietetic Association.

She currently maintains a private practice, where she specializes in helping people improve their diets for the prevention and management of obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other diet-related health problems. Sandra has spoken at numerous workshops and seminars and has appeared on television and radio shows throughout the United States and Canada, including Oprah Winfrey, The Lifetime Network, and QVC. Her work has appeared in a variety of publications, including Prevention, Cooking Light, Shape, Better Nutrition, Bottom Line Health, and Family Circle.

 

Dr. Mary Lelia (Leah) Gilbert-Henderson received her PhD from the University of Tennessee in Nutrition Science. After completing her degree, she worked as a post-doctoral fellow for Michigan State University on the Nutrition Support Service Team at Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids Michigan. In 1980, she took a second post-doctoral fellowship at IUPUI in Indianapolis, Indiana. There she performed research on insulin and glucagon metabolism. After moving to Tallahassee, Florida, Leah became a full-time clinical dietitian at Tandem Health Care of Tallahassee, a subacute hospital and long-term care facility. She has taught nutrition and metabolism courses at Florida A&M University and Florida State University, and has been president of the Tallahassee Dietetic Association.

 

Contents

Acknowledgments
Preface

Introduction
How to Use This Book

PART ONE: Living Well on an Easy-to-Chew, Soft, or Smooth Diet
1.Who Needs a Soft or Smooth Diet?
2. Special Considerations
3. StockingYour Pantry
4. Choosing and Using Kitchen Equipment
5. Converting Favorite Recipes to a Puréed Texture
6. Thickening Liquids
7. KeepingYour Diet Healthy While MeetingYour Special Needs

PART TWO: The Recipes
Understanding the Recipes
Smashing Smoothies, Shakes, and Other Beverages
Bountiful Breakfasts
Sumptuously Smooth Soups
The Secret’s in the Sauce
Breads, Spreads, and Sandwiches
NewWaysWith Entrées
Sensational Sides
Delightful Desserts

Appendices
Resources
Menu Planning
Selected References
Metric Conversion Tables
Index

 

Introduction

If you or a loved one has recently been told that you must follow an easy-to-chew, soft, or smooth diet, we know that you are going through a difficult time. Whether the problem is long-term or only temporary, it will require change and the ability to learn and accept a new way of eating. This book was written to help you through this challenging period and to convince you that chewing or swallowing difficulties do notmean the end of good-tasting food, nor do they mean hours of slaving in the kitchen. Easy-toeat dishes can also be easy to prepare and easy to enjoy. This book will show you how it’s done.

You will be amazed by the variety of tastes and visual delights that can be created while keeping it smooth. Hospitals frequently make puréed diets by simply putting whatever they are cooking for their main course into a food processor. They may add a little liquid and thickener, but otherwise, they are simply blending a food that we don’t normally eat in puréed form. Because the results are not very appetizing, people often refuse these foods even when chewing or swallowing problems make a special diet necessary. But if you avoid foods that are easily eaten and digested, you may be unable to maintain a healthy weight and give your body the best chance of healing.

There is an alternative.You can compensate for the variety you lose in texture by emphasizing a range of tastes and colors. Throughout the world, countless dishes featured in gourmet restaurants are not only soft or smooth in texture, but also rich in both taste and visual appeal. This book will show you simple ways to create delicious and appetizing foods so you can more fully enjoy eating.

Part One of this book highlights basic strategies for living with dysphagia, or difficulty in swallowing, as well as other problems that require a mechanically altered diet. You will learn about the conditions that can benefit from a soft or smooth diet, and you will find tips for dealing with added difficulties such as nausea, diminished appetite, and altered taste. You will then learn how to stock your pantry and equip your kitchen so that you can make soft and smooth foods with ease--and, when necessary, at a moment’s notice. Part One also includes special sections on puréeing and thickening, simple techniques that you may need to master not only as you follow the recipes in this book, but also as you convert family favorites into easy-to-eat dishes. Finally, you’ll find guidelines that will help you keep your diet healthy as you meet your special needs.

Part Two puts principles into practice with over 150 delicious soft and smooth recipes that cater to a wide range of tastes and dietary needs. From smashing smoothies and sumptuous soups to hearty entrées and sensational sides, you will discover how to prepare healthful and appealing meals. In addition to offering simple step-by-step instructions, each recipe provides comprehensive nutritional information, including diabetic exchanges, and specifies whether the dish is suitable for easy-to-chew, soft, or smooth/puréed diets. In many cases, tips have been included to help you boost or decrease calories, cut fat, or otherwise modify the recipe so that it is right for you in every way.

We realize that putting together meals can be a challenge to someone who’s new to easy-to-chew, soft, and smooth diets. That’s why, in addition to the recipes, we include several days of menus that will help you create satisfying and nutritionally balanced meals by joining home-cooked dishes with ready-toeat foods. Also included is a list of manufacturers that can provide you with nutritional supplements, special ingredients such as thickeners, and prepared meals that are suitable for even the smoothest of diets. A list of helpful organizations is offered as well, enabling you to find further information about health, diet, and more.

An easy-to-swallow diet does not have to mean a decline in the quality of life. Rather, it can signal the beginning of new cooking adventures. We wish you health, happiness, and many satisfying meals to come.

Reviews

to come

 

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