Liquid diet

[helenjp]

Well, it's been liquids only for me for the past fortnight (neuralgia in face/tongue/throat), and mostly liquids for the past month. I don't care about steak, but I whimper when I see somebody bite into something crunchy in a movie!

I started out with raw juice, and then started blending that with yogurt or clear soup (as long as it will go through a straw it's fine). A non-alcoholic eggnog is an occasional treat too, flavored with a little rosewater or mace, and sometimes with the juice of half an orange mixed in at the end.

Hunger is not a problem - I get enough to keep going on. The problem is ease of preparation (since I have family meals to prepare too), affordability, and sheer boredom!

I'm starting to panic, though, as the early summer rolls around - late spring citrus and the last of the apples are disappearing, cabbage and turnip are getting less palatable, and it's too early for cheap summer fruits and vegetables.

Favorites so far:

tomato and carrot juice with yogurt

purple cabbage with lemon and apple

the eggnog mentioned above

clear soup flavored with lots of celery tops

Daikon and daikon leaf juice (just a little, it is so fibrous it practically murders the juicer) with clear soup

Looking forward to hearing good tips and a twenty-first century approach to stop myself feeling as if I've been locked up in an Edwardian sanatorium.

[annecros]

Peanut butter can be blended into a drink or soup pretty easily, and soothes my craving when I have a taste for something crunchy.

Cashew butter blended in a Chocolate Instant Breakfast shake is pretty darn tasty.

[dockhl]

I like a combination of tomato juice or tomato water with strong chicken or beef stock (consomme even). Might even try that cold.

[JAZ]

I make pureed vegetable soups from just about anything -- carrots, asparagus, broccoli, artichokes red peppers, corn -- using the same basic formula. Start out with a cup or so of onions, leeks or shallots, sliced. Saute them in butter or oil until soft. Add about a pound of your vegetable of choice, salt and half a cup of white wine or sherry. Cook until wine has mostly evaporated, then add three to four cups of chicken stock or water (depending on how concentrated you want it) and simmer until vegetables are very soft. Puree (in batches if necessary) and put through a strainer, then add half a cup of cream and adjust seasoning.

[Shalmanese]

Miso soup is super quick and easy to prepare and I've found it gives a bit of variety, flavor profile wise.

[maggiethecat]

One word: Vichyssoise, cool, or warm leek and potato soup.

Edited May 18, 2009 by maggiethecat (log)

[Dave the Cook]

Maybe you could manage soft-boiled eggs?

[KarenDW]

as long as it will go through a straw it's fine

So how big is your straw?

I cooked for a facial surgery client, and made these items for her

* carrot/ginger soup: cook carrots in prepared stock, with ginger; puree, add drained yogurt (for protein)

* yogurt with applesauce (pick up some of those last apples; do you have a freezer?)

* rice and vegetables plus some stock; add soy/tofu for protein, or a bit of softly poached/braised meat. Be cautious with the rice, as the thickening potential is much greater than I suspected.

* congee, which was blended

* softly cooked custard (eggs, milk, sugar, fruit)

for some variety, if you have a freezer and can make ice pops, it is slightly less boring

Are you having any cold/heat sensitivity?

[helenjp]

Thanks for the ideas!

I agree that tomato juice cut with stock is good. Especially freshly juiced tomato. I tried it with Shalmanese's idea of miso soup, half and half, and it was tasty...but either too hot or too salty for comfort. Miso if fine, but I'm officially (though arboring some doubts) allergic to soy and rice, and soy milk and tofu are not regular items on my menu.

Vichyssoise is definitely on my fantasy list, now that I feel more like cooking.

Yes, heat and cold are difficult. And so is very salty, sweet, or sour food. To be honest, caffeine withdrawal is probably a problem with a sudden change of diet too - I've gone from 6 or more cups of strong coffee a day to one small cup of cold coffee every few days.

Soft-boiled egg is an inspiration, thanks! Easy, good at room temp, and more approachable than scrambled egg.

I might make a chawan-mushi (savory Japanese steamed custard) for my family, with a custard-only one for me. It's really isolating to have totally different food from my family. Funnily enough, it's not just me who feels left out, my family are noticeably more relaxed if I'm suckin' up my juice from the same bowls that they are using.

I wish I'd had a bit more insight when I was looking for things for my FIL when his pancreatic cancer was advanced - although his problem was nausea, not being able to chew food means that the appeal comes almost entirely from aroma and colour. Pain and lack of sleep kill the appetite too. Even mixed with soup or yogurt, freshly juiced fruits and vegetables smell good, taste good at room temperature, and are not sweet or salty enough to trigger pain.

How big is the straw? Since the bubble tea boom died out in Japan, I can't find big fat straws . Spoons are getting more negotiable, but until now I didn't realize how different sipping and sucking are.

[zoe b]

along the lines of the vichyssoise--another nice soup is a puree of chicken (or any) stock, cooked vegetables--broccoli or spinach--whatever is cheap and nice--and cooked rice--it's pretty tasty--and infinitely variable--and you could leave half unpureed and feed it to the family.

Zoe

[Abra]

I like that peanut butter idea, if you can get peanut butter. How about banana, peanut butter, and milk?

Are you allowed to live in Japan and be allergic to rice and soy???

[KarenDW]

How big is the straw? Since the bubble tea boom died out in Japan, I can't find big fat straws  . Spoons are getting more negotiable, but until now I didn't realize how different sipping and sucking are.

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Is there a 7-11 anywhere nearby? Or similar shop which sells "slurpy" type drinks? They have a special straw-spoon thingy...

Do you like red bean puddings? They could be blended with almond milk or coconut milk for a more complete protein (an a few more calories)