Meal suggestions with new dentures

Learning to bite and chew with dentures is a skill that takes time to mater. To begin with, take small mouthfuls of soft (but not sticky) foods. Below are some tried and tested recipies to help you get through the first few weeks after having teeth extracted. 

Overnight Oats

Serves two (or one person for two days)

 

2/3 cup rolled oats

¼ cup bran flakes

½ cup plain yoghurt

1 apple, grated

¼ cup dried fruit of your choosing such as raisins, dates or apricots                          

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup milk

 

Yoghurt, banana, and blueberries (optional) to serve

 

In a medium sized bowl or plastic container mix together the rolled oats, yoghurt, grated apple, dried fruit, cinnamon, and milk. Cover with cling film or a lid and leave to soak in the fridge overnight. Divide the oats between two bowls and serve with a dollop more yoghurt and a sprinkling of blueberries and sliced banana. If it needs a little sweetening you can drizzle some honey or maple syrup over the top.

 

 

Breakfast smoothie

Serves one

 

1 small banana

¼ cup rolled oats

Handful of frozen berries

½ cup yoghurt

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon of LSA (linseed, sesame, and almond) powder (optional)

 

Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Serve in a nice large glass. For added nutrition you can even add a handful of baby spinach leaves (trust us you won’t taste them!)

 

Pumpkin Risotto

 

This risotto is a good comforting winter warmer that makes the most of the pumpkin that is in season. You can use any pumpkin variety you fancy or have on hand.

 

Serves two

2 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 small brown onion, finely diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

Three sprigs worth of fresh thyme leaves

1 stalk of celery, finely diced

1 cup arborio (risotto) rice

½ cup white wine

4-5 cups chicken stock

2 cups raw pumpkin cubes

5 pieces of pancetta

Parmesan cheese, finely grated

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Preheat the oven to bake at 180 degrees. Toss the pumpkin cubes in one tablespoon of the olive oil then place on an oven tray and bake for half an hour until tender. Remove the oven tray and drape the five pieces of pancetta over the pumpkin then return to the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes until the pancetta is crisp. Place the pancetta to one side to prevent it from going soggy.

 

While the pumpkin is cooking heat up the remaining olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and gently sauté the onion, celery, garlic, and thyme leaves until the onion is just translucent. Add one tablespoon of the butter and the arborio rice and stir to coat everything evenly. Leave to sauté for another few minutes. Pour in the wine and stir until it has been absorbed. Heat the chicken stock in another pan until just below a simmer. Add half a cup of stock to the rice at a time slowly stirring constantly while it absorbs. Once the stock is absorbed pour in another half cup and repeat. Continue to repeat these steps until the rice is either al dente or as soft as you feel comfortable eating. Stir through the rest of the butter and about ¼ cup of finely grated parmesan cheese. Transfer the baked pumpkin cubes to the risotto and gently fold through so that the pumpkin doesn’t break up too much. Serve the risotto up and garnish with the pancetta finely diced, more parmesan cheese and a few extra thyme leaves if you fancy.

Honey and Yoghurt Panna Cotta with Raspberry Compote

 

You can serve this with either a raspberry compote or poached rhubarb and it makes a great dessert to serve for friends.

 

Serves six

 

1 cup Greek yoghurt

2 cups cream

¼ cup honey

½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste

7g gelatine crystals

A pinch of salt

 

1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)

Zest of a small lemon

Juice of a small

2 tablespoons sugar

 

Place the yoghurt in a bowl and sprinkle over the gelatine crystals and leave them to hydrate for ten minutes. In the meantime, place the cream, honey and vanilla bean paste in a small saucepan and heat until warm to dissolve the honey. Add the yoghurt and gelatine to the warm cream and gently stir until all the gelatine crystals have dissolved. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for ten minutes before dividing between six ramekins or teacups. Leave to cool to room temperature then cover in cling film and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

To make the raspberry compote place the raspberries, sugar, lemon zest and juice in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Continue to simmer until the sauce thickens slightly. Serve each panna cotta with a dollop of raspberry and enjoy.

 

 

Baked rice pudding

 

This pudding is an old family favourite. The creamy skin that forms on the top is always fought over and any left overs (a rare occasion) make an indulgent breakfast the next day! I like to serve mine with some good berry jam but stewed black doris plums also work a treat.

 

Serves 4-6

 

5 tablespoons short grain rice

3 tablespoons sugar

3 cups of milk

½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon butter

 

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees on bake. Take a small oven proof dish and place all the ingredients inside and give it a quick stir. Place the dish in the oven and bake for two hours stirring every half hour until the milk has been absorbed and the rice has been cooked. Remove from the oven and leave to sit for fifteen minutes or so to thicken up a little bit more.

Serve with jam or poached plums.

 

 

Hearty Beef Stew

 

With the temperatures cooling it is the perfect time to turn those tough cuts of meat into melt in your mouth casseroles and stews. Make up a big batch and save the rest for left overs or even freeze portions for (literally) a rainy day.

 

Olive oil

800g stewing beef, diced into 2cm cubes

2 tablespoons plain flour

4 cloves garlic, minced

Handful of pickling onions, peeled and halved

2 stalks of celery finely chopped

4 carrots, sliced into coins

1 400g tin chopped tomatoes

½ cup red wine

2 cups beef stock

2-3 bay leaves

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Preheat the oven to bake at 160 degrees Celsius. Place a stove-safe casserole dish on a medium heat and heat up a good slosh of olive oil.

Toss the diced beef in the flour and in small batches brown the cubes of meat and then place to one side. Saute the celery, onions, garlic and, carrots for around 15 minutes until they have begun to soften.

Return the beef to the pan and pour in the wine, chopped tomatoes, beef stock, and Worcestershire sauce. Add in the sprigs of thyme and bay leaves before bringing to a simmer. Place a lid on the casserole dish and bake for 3 to 4 hours until the meat is tender and can easily be shredded with a fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste and then serve with your favourite vegetables.

 

 

 All recipes have been donated by Sophie Likes Cake