I-Can't-Chew Cookbook

Hunter House Inc., Publishers

Contents

Foreword.................................................................................................ixPreface..................................................................................................xiiiAcknowledgments..........................................................................................xvChapter 1 * The Science of Nutrition Today...............................................................1Basic Nutritional Guidelines.............................................................................2Chewing Difficulties May Mean Different Nutritional Needs................................................5Chapter 2 * More Nutritional Information.................................................................7Major Nutrients: Their Functions, Food Sources, and Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs).....................7Body Mass Index (BMI)....................................................................................11Calorie Recommendations..................................................................................13Chapter 3 * Tips for Getting the Most Out of Meals.......................................................14Dealing with Problems Swallowing and/or Chewing..........................................................14Enhancing the Dining Experience..........................................................................16Adapting Foods for a Soft-Food Diet......................................................................17RECIPES..................................................................................................19Beverages................................................................................................21Soups....................................................................................................43Entres..................................................................................................69Vegetables...............................................................................................125Desserts.................................................................................................163Index of Recipes.........................................................................................196

Chapter One

by Linda Yoakam, M.S., R.D., L.D.

Nutrition is an ever-growing science of how the body uses food. Experts in nutrition are continually learning more about the foods we eat. Not only how foods serve to maintain basic health, but also how these same foods can enhance health. Even for those restricted to a soft-foods diet it's possible-and equally necessary-to follow a health-promoting diet. Although it may require careful planning to do so, a soft-foods diet can include adequate amounts of all the vital nutrients and can adhere to generally accepted guidelines for healthful eating.

Experts in the science of nutrition have grouped nutrients into six classes. The three classes of nutrients that provide energy (calories) are the most abundant, were the first to be identified, and are the most well known of the nutrients; they are carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. In the twentieth century, particularly from the 1940s to 1960s, another class of nutrients was discovered: the vitamins. Vitamins are organic compounds necessary for life. They do not provide calories and are used by the body only in small amounts. There are fifteen known vitamins. Ten of them are described in the next chapter, "More Nutritional Information." The other five are easily obtained in a normal diet; deficiencies in them are rare or unknown. During the 1900s, research also occurred into the importance and roles of various minerals. There are thirteen essential minerals. The six major minerals in terms of amounts needed are described in the next chapter. And finally, but most importantly, there is the nutrient water. All six of these classes of nutrients are required to sustain and nurture life.

Basic Nutritional Guidelines

As the science of nutrition expanded to identify these essential nutrients, research continued in the area of how much of each nutrient is needed. Guidelines were first written for minimum intakes to prevent deficiency diseases. But intakes recommended for the prevention of disease were not thought to be enough to meet all of the body's needs, so in 1943, the RDAs (Recommended Dietary Allowances, written by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council) were established to maintain the health of a population group. The RDAs continued to be reviewed and rewritten as new research was made available; they were last rewritten and released in 1989. Now, for the twenty-first century, the guidelines come from the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine and are called the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs). The DRIs are designed to meet the needs of individuals who are healthy and free of specific diseases or conditions that may alter their daily nutritional requirements. There are DRIs for all classes of nutrients, except water; different amounts are given for different age and sex categories. DRIs for healthy adult women and men are included in the next chapter.

All of this is a lot to remember for any individual deciding what to eat at any particular meal. No single food provides all the needed nutrients. The variety of nutrients required by the body needs to come from a variety of foods. To help in the selection of a healthy variety of foods, several guides have been developed. The USDA Food Guide Pyramid is the current recommended guideline for Americans.

The pyramid divides foods into six groups, based on the types of nutrients they contain. These groups are listed below (recommended serving sizes of the various foods are included in parentheses):

Bread group-Includes breads (1 slice), ready-to-eat cereals (1 ounce), cooked cereals (1/2 cup), cooked rice or pasta (1/2 cup). These foods are rich in B vitamins, iron, fiber, and complex carbohydrates. Six to eleven servings per day are recommended. These foods form the base, or foundation, of the pyramid, because they should form the base, or foundation, of a healthy daily diet.

Vegetable group-Includes all cooked or chopped raw vegetables (1/2 cup), and raw leafy vegetables (1 cup). Vegetables are good sources of many vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, and dietary fiber. Three to five servings daily are recommended.

Fruit group-Includes all fresh (1 piece), frozen or canned fruits (1/2 cup), and fruit juices (1/2 cup). Like vegetables, fruits are good sources of a variety of vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber. Two to four servings per day are recommended. Fruits, with vegetables, form the second layer of a good diet.

Milk, yogurt, and cheese group-Includes milk or yogurt (8 fluid ounces), and hard or soft cheeses (1 or 1 1/2 ounces). Foods in this group provide protein, calcium, riboflavin, vitamin D, and other minerals. Two to three servings daily are recommended.

Meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts group-Two to three servings daily are recommended of these protein-rich foods that also provide zinc, iron, and other nutrients. One...