What does Christmas dinner look like for you? …
There’s much anticipation, and relief, in my house this year as my son, Joseph, has volunteered to cook his first ever Christmas dinner - he’s very capable in the kitchen, but he’s never mastered Christmas lunch and wants to give it a goðŸ‘.
And as he’s jetting off to back pack round Mexico in December and not back until Christmas Eve, my fam have been chatting a lot about exactly what we’re eating, who’s queuing at M&S at some ungodly hour of the morning to wrestle for the last bag of sprouts, who’s bringing the starters and the Christmas pud, and who’s peeling, chopping and washing up. (Think I’ll end up as his Commis Chef for the day! )
Whether you enjoy your turkey roast, cooked ham, joint of beef, or something more exotic, like a nut roast or a curry, Christmas lunch is a special time as we all come together, to sit round the table with family and friends, pulling crackers, telling awful jokes and enjoying eating too much of the traditional turkey roast with all the trimmings.
For some, it means having more than one, just to keep the in laws happy😊.
But what if you had swallowing difficulties and for your own safety had been prescribed a pureed diet, what would your Christmas dinner look and taste like?
Would Christmas mean any less to you?
In fact, as we know how much food is linked to reminiscence, for people living with a dementia a Christmas dinner could unlock lots of happy memories of Christmases past spent with their families and bring much joy to them.
Check out our latest offer to help you give the gift of a Dysphagia Christmas Dinner this year here.
Because I firmly believe that everyone deserves to enjoy a dignified dining experience all year round regardless of their condition, this year, with the help of our brilliant chef friends from Essential Cuisine, we bring you a practical 6 minutes step by step video demonstration of how to create a visually appealing and appetising Christmas dinner for the people you support on pureed diets.
We want to make this really easy for you by including all the step by step recipes plus all the tools you’ll need which were included in the video to be able to create this truly special inclusive Christmas meal for your ladies and gents.
You can buy your complete Dysphagia Christmas Dinner Complete Solution Kit here.
Here are the recipes:
Christmas dinner
Follow these steps to create a festive Christmas dinner using Nutrisis Thickener which is designed to adapt the texture of meals for individuals with dysphagia and other swallowing disorders.
Turkey with gravy recipe
500g sliced turkey breast
Chicken stock mix
Chicken gravy granules
Nutrisis thickener to desired consistency
Butter (for cooking)
125ml water
Method
Lightly sprinkle chicken stock mix over the turkey breasts
Heat butter in a pan and add the turkey breasts
Cook the turkey on both sides until golden and crisp
To make the chicken gravy simply add the gravy granules into lukewarm water
Bring to the boil stirring constantly and then allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes
Next, add the turkey to the gravy and leave to cook for 5-6 minutes
Add the turkey breasts and gravy mix to a blender
Then add the Nutrisis thickener to desired consistency and blend until smooth
Carrots and parsnips recipe
2 carrots
2 parsnips
Vegetable stock mix
750ml water
2 cloves of garlic
1 sprig of thyme
1 sprig of rosemary
Olive oil
Nutrisis thickener to desired consistency
Method
Preheat the oven to 180â°C
Peel then chop the carrots and parsnips
Add vegetable stock mix to 500ml boiling water
Then add the carrots and parsnips, cook until soft
Place the carrots and parsnips onto a baking tray
Add a few sprigs of rosemary, thyme and lastly add the crushed garlic
Finish by adding a drizzle of olive oil
Cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes
Add the carrots to a blender with Nutrisis thickener to desired consistency
Blend until smooth
Repeat this process with the parsnips
Red cabbage recipe
â…Ÿâ‚„ red cabbage
â…Ÿâ‚‚ apple
20g raisins
Vegetable Stock Mix
20g honey
5ml balsamic vinegar
Nutrisis thickener to desired consistency
750ml water
Method
Chop the red cabbage and apples
Add Vegetable Stock Mix to 500ml boiling water
Add the red cabbage, apples and raisins then cook until soft
Add the red cabbage to a blender, drizzle with 20g honey
5ml balsamic vinegar
And 250ml of water
Add Nutrisis thickener to desired consistency
Blend until smooth
Broccoli and Green Beans
Half a head broccoli
100g green beans
Vegetable Stock Mix
750ml water
Nutrisis thickener to desired consistency
Method
Cut the stems from the broccoli
And dice the green beans
Add Vegetable Stock Mix to 500ml of boiling water
Add the broccoli and leave to boil until soft
Then add the green beans and cook until soft
Place the broccoli and green beans into a blender, add 250ml of water
And lastly add Nutrisis Thickener to desired consistency
Blend until smooth
Sprouts recipe
200g sprouts
Vegetable Stock
750ml water
Nutrisis Thickener to desired consistency
Method
Add Vegetable Stock Mix to 500ml of boiling water
Add in the sprouts and cook until soft
Add the sprouts to a blender, then add 250ml water
Add Nutrisis Thickener to desired consistency
Blend until smooth
Roast potatoes recipe
700g potatoes
Butter (for cooking)
2 garlic cloves
1 sprig of rosemary
1 sprig of thyme
200ml milk
Nutrisis Thickener to desired consistency
500ml water
Chicken Stock Mix
Method
Peel and chop the potatoes
Add Chicken Stock Mix to 500ml boiling water
Then add the potatoes to the chicken stock and cook until soft
Once cooked, place half into a suitable mixing bowl
Add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, butter and add the other half of the potatoes into a pan
Cook until crispy, tossing regularly
Place the potatoes in a blender, add the milk and Nutrisis Thickener to desired consistency
Blend until smooth
Then mix in with the other half other potatoes until smooth
Leeks recipe
1 leek
Vegetable stock mix
200ml double cream
1 sprig of rosemary
1 close of garlic
Nutrisis Thickener to required consistency
500ml water
Method
Slice the leek
Add vegetable stock mix to boiling water
Then add the leek and cook until soft, once cooked place in a bowl
Poor milk into a pan followed by the rosemary, garlic and the leek, then cook until soft
Place contents into a blender and add Nutrisis Thickener to desired consistency
You can buy your complete Dysphagia Christmas Dinner Kit here.
Moulding
It’s time to place the mixtures into the food moulds
Spoon the turkey mixture into the chicken leg mould, then spread evenly with a knife
For the vegetables, using piping bags pipe the carrot, parsnips, leek and red cabbage mixtures into the carrot mould.
For the green vegetables, pipe the broccoli mixture into the broccoli mould, and the sprout mixture into the pea mould.
For the potatoes, spoon the mixture into the rice mould then spread evenly with a knife
Then spread evenly with a knife
Freeze the moulds for a minimum of 4 hours, then when ready, remove from freezer, and place on a on heatproof dish cover and thaw in the fridge overnight, then heat and serve as required
Your pureed Christmas dinner is ready to go.
Don’t forget to click here to buy your complete Dysphagia Christmas Dinner solution kit, and give the best Christmas gift of a dignified, inclusive Christmas meal for your ladies and gents this year! ðŸŽ
Merry Christmas everyone, ho ho ho!!!
