A Thanksgiving meal should be a special affair no matter if it has to be pureed. Or at least, that would be my wish for any person that has to be on a pureed diet.
As a speech language pathologist for over 35 years, I have had the opportunity to bear witness to a lot of people having to adjust to a modified diet for one reason or another. As one would expect, there’s a wide range of reactions to this news. My heart has always ached and broken a little more for the person that has to modify foods to the pureed level.
Pureed diet consistency is a bigger change to accept and it’s a fact that a big part of eating is with our eyes as much as with our taste buds. Unfortunately, most people are first introduced to pureed foods in a hospital or rehabilitation setting. This gives them a very poor start on this new diet for both appearance, taste, and acceptance. It can require a lot of encouragement and support to overcome this introduction to the diet.
It’s a good feeling when I am able to help to provide that teaching, support and encouragement to see pureed foods differently. I hope you find these recipes inspiring and helpful when planning your Thanksgiving meal. Let’s get blending up something good to eat!
Mashed potatoes, stove top turkey stuffing and turkey tenderloin all topped with gravy.
The Best Mashed Potatoes with gravy
I grew up on a potato farm in northern Maine so I KNOW POTATOES! For holidays and special meals I make Ree Drummonds, The Pioneer Woman’s, mashed potato recipe. Her secret sauce is cream cheese. It makes the most wonderful light, creamy and fluffy potatoes fitting for a feast. I have included a link to her post.
Instructions: Boil potatoes until cooked through and drain water. Add all ingredients and blend with hand mixer until smooth. Add milk or extra melted butter until pudding consistency.
Cooking in a cozy camp in the middle of the Maine woods.
Turkey Tenderloins with Fresh Herb Butter Rub
The centerpiece for Thanksgiving is the turkey. Grocery stores have great selections for turkey products if a whole turkey isn’t necessary for your holiday gathering. In the meat section you can find turkey tenderloins like pictured above. They also had turkey cutlets. In the deli where there is rotisserie chickens, around the holidays you can often find completely cooked and seasoned turkey breasts.
Ingredients you will need:
turkey tenderloins
1/4 cup softened /melted butter
1 tablespoon minced fresh herbs, I used a poultry blend of sage, thyme and rosemary
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Extra thickened gravy or chicken broth
Instructions: In a small bowl mix seasonings and herbs with butter. Slather the rub all over the turkey tenderloins to cover all sides. Place aluminum foil on top loosely like a tent. Bake in oven until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. After cooling, chop pieces of turkey and add to food processor. Blend until sand like. Add thickened gravy or broth until a smooth , pudding consistency.
Cooking on top of a wood stove, the camp smells like Thanksgiving!
Turkey Stuffing Made Easy!
Hey, as every cook knows, some dishes you need to take shortcuts! Since I didn’t have a turkey to stuff, I took the easy route and made Stove Top stuffing. To add a little more flavor, I sautéed a frying pan of onions, celery, and mushrooms to add to the processor when blending. It came out good enough.
Instructions: Make stove top stuffing per box instructions. Add additional sautéed vegetables per your preference. Add all to a food processor with extra thickened gravy and/or broth and blend until smooth pudding consistency.
Don’t forget my previous post with these recipes for four more sides.
Things I Am Grateful For This Thanksgiving Season:
Thanksgiving time has me being very introspective looking back at the year and looking ahead at the new year laid out before me. I feel it’s important to take stock and count your blessings. With respect to this blog, these are some of what I am grateful for:
1. I am grateful that I started it! Imposter syndrome is real. It is scary to put yourself out there for all to see on the World Wide Web. I questioned myself if what I had to say and teach would add anything of value to the noise out there. I compared myself to others in this niche and whether or not I had the confidence to throw my two cents worth into the mix. In my opinion, I didn’t feel some of the information put out there on pureed diets from universities, hospitals, chefs and other institutions was relevant or realistic or up-to-date for the home caregiver. I feel I have a unique perspective knowing the medical side of dysphagia and the experience of teaching and educating caregivers to meet their needs in the home and could offer information that would be worthy and beneficial.
2. I am grateful that I get to keep learning how to bring my expertise to more people than in my immediate area. If I can help one caregiver and person with dysphagia have a better quality of life I will feel it’s been worth it. The world is a big place and I know there are many corners of the globe that don’t have the resources and professionals for all those who are in need.
3. I am grateful that I have a place to bring together my enjoyment of cooking and teaching. I enjoy trying new recipes and it brings me joy to cook for others. I think it’s my love language. I feel blessed if it brings inspiration to whomever may be reading this.
Conclusion:
I have born witness to thousands of caregivers and individuals of all ages face and manage medical crises that would change their lives dramatically. They all teach me something and to be thankful every day for what I get to wake up and do. To be there with them is a place to show strength, provide support, and above all , I feel is most important to provide hope to them. The human spirit and will to fight back is inspiring.
I really wish for you to have a very happy Thanksgiving together and to share a very special meal.
Discover how to use the power of reminiscing to trigger long-term memories with your loved one! Reminiscing can improve seniors’ cognitive health by engaging and activating different parts of the brain associated with memory retrieval, attention and language. Recalling past experiences and events provides our loved ones with memories and material to engage in conversation with us! The sharing of these memories through reminiscing will foster social connectedness and strengthen interpersonal relationships , which are vital for seniors’ emotional well-being.
The Power of Reminiscing
As our loved ones age, communication can sometimes become a challenge, leaving us searching for ways to bridge the gap and strengthen connections. This powerful tool called reminiscing – the art of sharing and reliving cherished memories, offers invaluable insights into our elders wealth of wisdom and history they carry with them.
Reminiscing with them not only strengthens our bond with them but offers invaluable insights into history, culture, and life lessons. Reminiscing isn’t just about recalling the past; it’s about creating moments of connection that transcend time.
Our elderly family members hold a treasure trove of experiences, and by delving into these memories, we can enhance verbal communication and, more importantly, deepen our understanding and connection with them.
Why Reminiscing Works
The magic of reminiscing lies in its ability to leverage long-term memory. Unlike short-term memory, which may fade with time, long-term memory tends to remain robust, holding the key to a lifetime of stories, adventures, and emotions. By leveraging this strength, caregivers can create meaningful interactions.
When you talk about past experiences or look at old photos, it’s like using special clues or hints to trigger long ago stored memories. These clues can be things like familiar smells, sounds or even feelings.
When you see an old photo or hear a familiar song, it triggers your brain to start searching for related memories. It’s like turning on a light in a dark room – suddenly, everything becomes clearer, and you can remember things you hadn’t thought about in a long time.
And the more you reminisce, the stronger these connections and memories become, making it easier to remember and recall past experiences. So, reminiscing isn’t just about sharing stories or looking at old photos – it’s a better way to help your brain find and remember important memories from the past.
Memory triggers are like keys that unlock doors to our long-term memories. They’re important because they help us remember things from the past more easily. Here’s why they’re important and some examples of what they could be:
Helping Recall: Memory triggers make it easier to find and remember specific memories.
Making Memories Feel Real: Memory triggers bring back not just the facts, but also the feelings and experiences associated with those memories.
Connecting Memories: Memory triggers can connect different memories together. For instance, hearing a song from your high school days might remind you of your first crush, your favorite hangout spot and all the fun times you had with friends.
Making Memories Last: By using memory triggers, we can strengthen our memories and help them stick around for longer.
Examples of memory triggers could include:
Sensory Cues: Such as familiar smells (like freshly baked cookies). sounds (like a favorite song), tastes (like a childhood treat), or tactile sensations (like the feel of sand between your toes.
Emotional Triggers: Like looking at old family photos or hearing stories that bring back strong emotions, such as joy, nostalgia, or even sadness.
Contextual Prompts: Such as visiting a place you haven’t been to in a long time, which can trigger memories associated with that location.
Objects or Artifacts: Seeing a cherished keepsake, like a piece of jewelry or a childhood toy, can bring back memories of the person or event it’s connected to.
2. Build a Memory Scrapbookor a memory box:
Collaborate with family members to create a personalized scrapbook filled with photos, mementos, and anecdotes.
Regularly revisit the scrapbook, providing a tangible and visually stimulating way to engage in reminiscing activities.
Fill a box with mementos, souvenirs, keepsakes, etc that loved ones can explore on their own.
3. Storytelling Sessions:
Set aside dedicated time for storytelling, allowing the elderly to share their experiences.
Ask open-ended questions to prompt detailed responses and encourage the expression of thoughts and emotions.
Explore digital platforms and apps designed for reminiscing, such as virtual reality experiences or interactive memory games.
Connect with family and friends through video calls, fostering a sense of social interaction and shared memories.
The Role of Guided Questions & Prompts
So how do we go about getting our loved ones to talk about their past? We do this by guiding them with questions or prompts. Think of guided questions as road signs that guide you on a journey through your memories. They help you recall specific moments from your past.
Guided questions and prompts act like gentle reminders , helping us remember things we might have forgotten or haven’t thought about in a long time.
Guided questions and prompts focus your thoughts on specific aspects of your past, making it easier to retrieve memories related to those topics.
Memories are often linked to other memories, like a big web inside your brain. Guided questions and prompts help stimulate these associations, making it easier to connect the dots and remember related events or experiences.
To facilitate reflection, sometimes we need a little encouragement to dig deeper into our memories. Guided questions and prompts encourage us to reflect on our past, prompting us to think about things from different angles and uncover new insights.
These questions and prompts are designed to spark your imagination and help you recall specific moments from your past. They’re like the keys that unlock the doors to your long-term memories.
Conclusion
In conclusion, reminiscing offers a powerful tool by tapping into the strength of long-term memories. Caregivers and family members can create meaningful connections and improve the overall well-being of older individuals. Whether you are a family member or a caregiver looking to connect with an aging loved one, incorporating reminiscing into your routines fosters a sense of connection and opens the door to the richness of a lifetime of memories.
