Category Archives: recipes

Ratatouille and Brown Rice Dinner

Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Main Dishes, Pureed, , , , , , , , , , , ,

I made this for the family last night and offered it to Mathew for the first time.  He was hesitant at first but, after I fed him the first spoon, it was all bright eyes and smiles!

Brown rice:
1 cup of brown rice
1 tablespoon of butter
2 cups of water
2 tsp chicken bouillon

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes.

GE

Ratatouille:
½ pound each sliced yellow summer squash and zucchini (about ¼ inch thick)
½ large onion-sliced
1 medium tomato-sliced or 1 15oz can stewed tomatoes-drained
1 clove of garlic-minced
½ tsp Italian seasoning
1/8 tsp of ground pepper
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ cup Parmesan cheese

Directions: In a medium bowl, toss all vegetables EXCEPT the yellow squash in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and set aside. In a large skillet, sauté yellow squash in 1 tablespoon of olive oil for 2 minutes turning once. Add remaining vegetables and seasons to the sauté pan and stir to blend evenly. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the squash is fork tender. Turn off heat and mix in the cheese.

Sautéed Chicken Breast:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6-8 oz each)
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Sea salt
Ground black pepper
Dried basil leaves

Directions: In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat until shimmering. Season both sides of the chicken breasts and place in the skillet. Cover and cook about 5 minutes each side until it is firm to touch.

Puree:
1. Place 1 ½ cups of the “ratatouille”, 1 cup of the brown rice and 4oz-6oz of cooked chicken breasts into the Vitamix in the order listed and secure lid.
2. Select Variable 1.
3. Turn machine on and increase speed to Variable 10, then High.
4. Blend for 30 seconds or until the desired consistency is reached.

GE

Food Tip: Pureed meals can seem bland because of the texture. To make it more appealing I use fresh vegetables and garlic along with a fair amount of seasons. Some individuals have digestive tract issues and/or hypersensitivity to flavors that require a bland diet. Reduce or remove the seasoning to meet their needs.

Money tip: Buying brown rice from a bulk food store like Winco’s is the best way to go. Because of the oils in it, it will keep in the pantry for about a month opened but will keep longer in an air tight container in the refrigerator. Buy only what you need based on how you will store it to avoid waste. This is a great meal to make in the summer because zucchini and yellow squash are cheaper this time of year.

Time Tip: This was dinner for the family. All I did was to puree a portion of the leftovers. The added time was about 5 minutes. Freezing them in ice cube trays and storing them in labeled Ziploc bags ensures quick well balanced meals. Defrost what you will use the next day in the refrigerator and warm it in the microwave before serving.

GE

Mellow Yellow Power Smoothie

Dairy Free, Fruit Smoothies, Gluten Free, Pureed, , , , , , , , , , , ,

I whipped this up after a trip to the gym with my husband.  He tasted it and loved it.  He suggested I add a bit of nutmeg to it and use it as a replacement for eggnog during the the holidays.  That’s saying something because he REALLY loves eggnog.  He might just have something there.  Keep your eye on my blog during the holidays.   You never know.  But for now:

GE

½ cup water
12 raw almonds
½ cup low fat cottage cheese
2/3 cup yellow squash
1/3 cup raw baby (or sliced) carrots
1 tablespoon flax seed
4 (about 4oz) frozen pureed pineapple cubes
4 (about 4oz) frozen pureed mango cubes
1TSB whey protein

1. Place all ingredients into the Vitamix in the order listed and secure lid.
2. Select Variable 1.
3. Turn machine on and increase to Variable 10, then High.
4. Blend for 30 seconds or until the desired consistency is reached.

Food Tip: This recipe makes 2 cups and contains 26 grams of protein. It is great as a post workout meal replacement. For individuals on a pureed diet or as a healthy snack, remove the whey protein and use as two 8oz servings. It’s thick enough to be eaten with a spoon even though you can drink it through a straw. The yellow squash adds vitamins and antioxidants and is very low in calories. It has a mild flavor so it blends well in any smoothie while adding to the creamy texture.

Money Tip: Yellow squash in season is very inexpensive but I prefer to grow my own because it’s fresh AND it’s free! As I have said in my fresh fruit puree entry, buying mangos in bulk when they are in season, pureeing them and freezing them is an excellent way to save money. flax seed is less expensive when buying it from a bulk food store plus you only buy what you need so it doesn’t go bad.

Time Tip: This smoothie only takes about 5 minutes to prepare and using the individual pureed fruit cubes shortens the time even more.

 

Baby Food Purees

Baby/Toddler Food, Blenderized, , , , , , ,

Baby food purees are a great place to start when you are dealing with those restricted to a pureed diet.  Whether they are special needs adults or children or just an older adult who has lost their ability to chew food, starting simple is best.  How a food looks, smell and feels is as much apart of enjoyable eating as taste is.  Each person is different.  When testing a new blended food start small.  Making a large quantity of a new food is a waste of time and money.  Some, like Matthew have a fear of trying new foods simply because they have become accustomed to drinking processed protein shakes and liquid supplements.  New tastes can be overwhelming.  Encourage 1-2 small spoonfuls but never force them.  Forcing them will only make it harder to get them to try something new the next time.  The link below is directly from Vitamix and can also be found in their whole Foods recipe book:

https://www.vitamix.com/Find-Recipes/B/A/Baby-Food-Pur%C3%A9es

Yes, it can be frustrating but don’t give up.  Please feel free to contact me if you have specific questions.  I will do my best to help you with your particular need.

Mixed Fruit “Pudding”

Baby/Toddler Food, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Pureed, , , , , ,
Orange/Banana "Pudding"
Orange/Banana “Pudding”

3 cups frozen (thawed) or fresh fruit
4 tsp Ball Instant Pectin

1. Place the fruit into the Vitamix container and secure lid.
2. Select Variable 1.
3. Turn machine on and increase speed to Variable 10, then to High.
4. Blend for about 30 seconds or until the fruit is well blended and completely smooth.
5. Turn the machine off and remove lid.
6. Add the pectin and replace the lid.
7. Select Variable 1.
8. Turn machine on and increase speed to Variable 3.
9. Blend for 3 minutes.
10. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container or a mason jar for 3-4 days.

Food Tip: Some fruits can cause severe allergies. It is wise to wait until a baby is at least 12 months old to try fruits like strawberries and avocados. Be sure to test them in small amounts for about a week. This recipe works well with a meal, as a snack or as a dessert for those restricted to a pureed diet. You can also blend this with a portion of applesauce. Babies and those on pureed diets can have a hard time with strong flavors.

Time Tip: Thaw any frozen fruit to be used in the refrigerator overnight for quick processing the next day.

Money Tip: When fruits are in season you can save lots of money by cleaning, preparing and freezing them yourself. Bananas are not seasonal but you can save money by peeling and freezing the “freckled” ones before they go bad and end up in the trash. Have fun experimenting with whatever fruit you have and nothing will go to waste.

Footnote:  It is summer time and I have tried this recipe with fresh peaches and nectarines.  For some reason the instant fruit pectin is not thickening it as with other fruits.  I will continue to work on other ways of thickening these and add a separate blog entry.  I am not in the habit of giving up so keep your eye on this blog for “Peach and Nectarine Fruit Pudding.

Ranch Dressing

Dips and Spreads, Gluten Free, , ,

Try this one out on your family (Shhhh! Don’t tell them what’s in it). They will fall in love with it and your cottage cheese haters will be shocked. I tried making this with a regular blender but my husband did not like it because the texture was not creamy enough. Not so with the Vitamix. I pack about a tablespoon of it in a small container and put it in his lunch with garden fresh veggies.

Ranch dressing with veggies1 cup low fat cottage cheese
½ cup milk
½ cup mayonnaise
1 packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix

1. Place cottage cheese and milk into the Vitamix container and secure lid.
2. Select Variable 1.
3. Turn machine on and increase speed to Variable 10.
4. Blend for 10 seconds or until smooth.
5. Remove lid and add mayonnaise and ranch dressing mix.
6. Secure lid and select Variable 1.
7. Turn machine on and increase speed to Variable 6.
8. Blend 10 seconds or until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
9. Pour into a 3 cup container and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Food tip: Using cottage cheese to replace a portion of the milk and mayonnaise reduces fat while adding calcium and protein. The cottage cheese also thickens the dressing to make it perfect for dipping vegetables instead of using sour cream. To use as a salad dressing, add enough milk to reach the desired consistency. For thicker vegetable dip use 2/3 cup of mayonnaise and 1/3 cup of milk. You can make this recipe with just cottage or a combination of cottage cheese and milk but, if you are looking for the traditional tang of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing, you will want to use the mayonnaise.

Time Tip: When using the Vitamix this dressing takes about 5 minutes start to finish.

Money Tip: Hidden Valley has a 3.75oz container of this dressing mix. It is always cheaper than the individual packages and keeps well for months in the cupboard. Cottage cheese can also be bought in larger containers for a lower price and can be used in a variety of recipes to replace whole milk, cream or half and half.

Mango Puree

Baby/Toddler Food, Blenderized, Pureed, ,

2 ½ cups peeled and seeded mangos

GE1. Place the mango pieces into the Vitamix Container and secure lid.
2. Select Variable 1.
3. Quickly increase speed to Variable 10, then High.
4. Blend for 20 seconds.
5. Pour into ice cube trays, cover with plastic wrap and freeze.
6. Store cubes in labeled and dated Ziploc freezer bags.

Ready to freeze
Ready to freeze

Food Tip: Freezing chopped fruit like mangos and pineapples without pureeing them first is a problem because the pieces stick together. Freezing blackberries and raspberries whole is ok but, if you love them in your smoothies but don’t like the seeds, pureeing them first is the answer.  To use as baby food:  Defrost only what you need and introduce new fruits to your baby’s diet to watch for allergies.

Money Tip: Buy fruit in large quantities when they are in season and freeze them. Mangos that are not in season can cost $1 each. Buying mangos from your local Mexican or farmer’s market when they are in season (especially here in California) can cost you as little as 25 cents each!  Homemade fruit puree is not only better for your baby but very inexpensive.

Time Tip: Pureed fruit cubes are perfect at smoothie making time. Open up a bag and grab as many of these perfectly portioned cubes as you need. They are all about 1 ounce so you’ll never spend time guessing how much you have. The individual cubes don’t stick together so you’ll never have to go in search of a hammer to break up your mango iceberg again!

Ready to use
Ready to use

Cream of Celery Soup

Gluten Free, Pureed, Soups, , ,

GE

This recipe is a hit even with my teenagers.  It can be reduced by half and made in the 32oz container but the 64oz container is perfect for family sized soups.

2 ½ cups of water
2 green onions
4 cups of chopped celery
1/3 cup zucchini or yellow squash
1 small potato scrubbed, baked
1 garlic clove
2 tsp Knorr Chicken Bouillon
¼ tsp celery salt
1/8 tsp white pepper
¼ cup low fat cottage cheese
Image

1. Place all of the ingredients into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure the lid.
2. Select variable 1.
3. Turn machine on and quickly increase speed to variable 10, then to High.
4. Blend for 3 minutes or until steam escapes from the vented lid.

Image

Food tip: Using cottage cheese instead of cream, half and half or whole milk makes a richer soup while adding calcium and protein. With the Vitamix there is no need to precook the vegetables so they retain their nutritional values. Canned creamed soups contain added salt, fat and thickeners and only a small amount of vegetables. Using chicken bouillon works well but if you are on a salt restricted diet you will want to use a salt free chicken stock. Homemade stock is always the best and it can be frozen in 1-2 cup portions for easy use.

Money Tip: Fresh celery can cost less than 25 cents a pound and none of the celery needs to go to waste. This size recipe makes 2 quarts (8 servings) and costs less than 50 cents. A can of condensed celery soup (2 servings) costs $1.50 to $2.00 a can.

Time Tip: Instead of taking time to bake the potato in the oven, microwave it until it is soft then simply add it to the Vitamix container skin and all. You can also save time if you happened to bake potatoes for dinner. Simply save a small one in the refrigerator and make your cream of celery soup within the next few days. In almost the time it takes to open a can of condensed celery soup, reconstitute it and cook it, you can have 2 quarts of fresh celery soup for the entire family.

 

 

Fresh Almond Milk

Blenderized, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Milks, Pureed, Tubie Talk, , , , , ,

This recipe can be found in the Vitamix Whole Food Recipe book.  My twist on it is the added vanilla.  Because I filter my almond milk, I found that adding the vanilla after meant using less of it. Also the mash remains unflavored so it can be used in a variety of recipes.

GE

3 cups of water
1 cup of raw almonds
Sugar or sweetener to taste (optional)
1 tsp of vanilla

1. Place the water and the almonds into the Vitamix container and secure the lid
2. Select variable 1.
3. Turn machine on and quickly increase speed to variable 10, then to High.
4. Blend for 2 minutes or until desired consistency is reached.

Food Tip: Milk can be filtered through a nut milk bag for a smoother consistency. The remaining almond mash can be used in lots of other recipes. Processed almond milks contain additives and many contain added sugar. One carton I found had 15g of sugar whereas fresh unsweetened almond milk has 0g and it’s always fresh.

Time Tip: Many recipes for almond milk require hours of soaking before blending. With the Vitamix that is unnecessary so it can be made on the spot with no waiting. Freeze the almond mash in ice cube trays so that they can be quickly added to recipes in 1oz portions. You never have to defrost more than you will use.

Money Tip: A quart of processed almond milk can cost $5 but making it fresh is about half if you buy the raw almonds in bulk.

 

Matthew’s Oatmeal

Baby/Toddler Food, Blenderized, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Pureed, , , , , , , , , ,
GE
Matt’s Oatmeal

This is the recipe that started it all.  After I blend this in the Vitamix, my family comes into the kitchen looking for the apple pie because that’s exactly what it smells like.  Even if you or your child has never liked oatmeal, give this recipe a try.  You will be amazed at how good it tastes.  The apples and raisins add natural sweetener.  If you like your cereals a bit sweeter you can always add your favorite sweetener to the bowl but try it first.  Enjoy!

GE
Basic Ingredients

4 cups of steel cut oats (cooked)

1 cup fresh coconut milk

2 cups of water

1 large apple (cut in quarters & seeds removed. DO NOT PEEL!) or 1 banana

1/3 cup raisins

2 tbs chia seeds (hydrated in 2/3 cup of water)

2 tsp cinnamon (substitute 1 tsp of vanilla if using banana)

  1. Bring 1 cup of dry steel cut oats, water and coconut milk to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and continue cooking for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and let stand for 15-20 minutes or until all of the liquid is absorbed.
  2. GE
    Cooked Steel Cut Oats

    Place the chia seeds, apple, raisins and 1 cup of the cooked cereal into the large Vitamix container in the order listed and secure the lid.

  3. Select Variable 1.
  4. Turn machine on and quickly increase speed toVariable10, then to High.  Blend until completely smooth.
  5. Turn off machine and remove lid.
  6. Add remaining cereal and replace lid.
  7. Select Variable 1.
  8. Turn machine on and quickly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High.
  9. Blend for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until desired consistency is reached.
  10. Pour into ice cube tray, cover with plastic wrap and freeze.
GE
Ready for Freezing

Food Tip:  This recipe can be reduced by 1/2 and made in smaller containers.  This oatmeal is best suited for older babies and individuals on a pureed diet that can handle a bit of texture.  For younger babies and individuals with gag reflex problems it is best to start with basic oatmeal made from oat flour (see recipe in whole grains).  When making this recipe for younger babies, add 1 ingredient at a time with at least 4 days in between additions to test for allergic reactions.  This recipe tastes so good the whole family will love it!

Money Tip:  Watch your prices.  I use Steel cut oats instead of whole oat groats, old fashioned oats or quick oats.  Oat groats and Steel cut oats have a more robust flavor  and more fiber because of the oat bran.  Other than that, they are pretty much the same nutritionally.  Steel cut oats run about 65 cents a pound if you buy them in bulk.  Since you are grinding or blending, why not save some money.

Time Tip:  Each cube is approximately 1 once.  Storing you cubes in labeled freezer bags will save lots of time and your servings will always be fresh.  To serve, simply put the desired portion in a microwavable bowl the night before and heat for 15-30 seconds on high.  If the cubes have not been defrosted, it will take 30-60 seconds to heat. 4 frozen cubes takes approximately 45 seconds.