If you or someone you love has had mouth surgery or a mouth injury, here are some recipes I made that actually turned out good.  Feel free to share with your friends.  Enjoy!

Criteria:

1. Soft – able to be swallowed without chewing
2. Look good – appetizing color and texture
3. Taste good cool and lukewarm
4. Maintain my normal nutrition parameters – high in protein, somewhat higher fat, plenty of vegetables, and low in other carbs
5. Use whole foods – not processed

Here’s some of what I made.  If the recipe is someone else’s I’ve given them credit.  If you share, please do the same.

Cucumber-Blueberry Water

Add still water to a gallon-sized pitcher.  Add ¼ cup sliced cucumber and ¼ blueberries to the water.  Let steep for at least 30 minutes before drinking.  The longer the fruit sits, the stronger the flavor.

Why cucumbers and blueberries?  –They aren’t as acidic as other fruits, and don’t have tiny seeds that can get caught in the surgery area.

Spinach-Blueberry Smoothie

1 ½ cup baby spinach
¼ avocado
8 oz. liquid – milk, water, almond milk, or equivalent.  I used half milk and half water.
½ banana
½ cup blueberries
1 tbsp. almond butter
1 tbsp. ground flax seed
½ scoop protein powder

Blend all ingredients in blender.  Since you may not be able to drink with a straw or otherwise put pressure on your mouth, it has to be thin enough to easily drink.  Test, and add liquid if needed.

Yield – 1 large

Spinach-Pear Smoothie

3 cups spinach & cucumber (either or both)
2 cups liquid – almond, coconut, or regular milk, water, kefir
1 large pear cut into large pieces
½ banana
1 scoop protein powder
2 tbsp. almond butter
Few shakes cinnamon

Blend all ingredients in blender.  Since you may not be able to drink with a straw or otherwise put pressure on your mouth, it has to be thin enough to easily drink.  Test, and add liquid if needed.

Yield – 2

Avocado-Mango Smoothie

From Family Fresh Meals and adjusted

½ avocado
1 cup mango
1 cup almond or other milk
½ Greek yogurt (make sure it’s low in sugar)
1 date for sweetness

Blend all ingredients in blender.  Since you may not be able to drink with a straw or otherwise put pressure on your mouth, it has to be thin enough to easily drink.  Test, and add liquid if needed.

Baked Custard

Original recipe from American International Encyclopedic Cookbook.  Adjusted sugar and vanilla.

1/8 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
4 eggs, slightly beaten
3 cups milk, scalded
¾ tsp. vanilla
Grated nutmeg

Add sugar and salt to eggs in medium-large bowl.  Beat until thoroughly mixed.  Add milk to egg mixture, stirring constantly.  Add vanilla.

Strain into 5-6 buttered custard cups and sprinkle lightly with nutmeg.

To bake in oven:

Set cups inside oblong baking pan. Pour hot water into pan to surround cups and reach the level of the top of the custard.

Bake in preheated 325 oven for 25-35 minutes, until silver knife put into center comes out clean.  Chill.

To bake in Instant Pot:

Add 1 cup water to the pot, and place the steaming rack in the pot.

Wrap the custard cups in foil and stack on top of the rack.

Cook at low pressure for 0-2 minutes, depending on the thickness of foil and cups (I used 2 minutes)

10 minutes natural release time.

Yield – 5 large cups

Mini Egg Frittatas

Original recipe from I Heart Naptime.  Significantly adjusted to customize for me.

10 large eggs
¼ cup milk or kefir
2 cups vegetables of your choice (I used ½ cup leek, 1 cup chopped spinach, ½ cup shredded carrots and zucchini)
1 cup meat of your choice (I used ground beef)
½ tsp. sea salt
Few grates fresh black pepper

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease muffin cups with coconut oil.

Cook vegetables until very soft.  Keep in mind that the goal is no chewing.  If you include spinach, add it at the end.

Cook meat if needed.  Put meat in food processor and whiz to the point where chewing isn’t needed but it isn’t pureed either. Or chop fine.

Mix meat and vegetables together.  Spoon into greased muffin cup and fill just under halfway.

Whisk eggs and liquid into a medium bowl.  Stir in salt and pepper.

Spoon or pour into muffin cups, leaving ¼ inch at the top for it to expand.

Cook for about 22 minutes.  I kept it slightly underbaked to make the eggs softer, knowing the frittata would be reheated.  Make sure a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for a few minutes, and then remove from the pan.  Store in the fridge and reheat as needed or eat cold.

Yield – 12

Special Treat – Whipped Cream and Cheese

This is very rich.  Eat a small amount as a treat.  Its coolness helps soothe your mouth. And it tastes great!

1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup mascarpone cheese
½ tsp vanilla
Blueberries or strawberries

Combine cream and cheese in a medium-large bowl until lumps are removed.

Whip cream as per normal with mixer.

When almost complete, add vanilla and finish beating into the cream.

Spoon a small amount into a dish.  Puree fruit and spoon on top of the cream.  Enjoy!

Yield – 4 or 5 servings