It’s A Pureed Thanksgiving: Feeling Blessed

by | Nov 16, 2024 | Caregiving Well Being, The Puréed Kitchen

Happy thanksgiving words overlaying a linen table cloth with small gourds

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!

Table set with bowls of mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey cutlets and a plate of all these items pureed. table in front of a wood stove with flames
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.

https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=The+pioneer+womans+thanksgiving+mashed+potatoes&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

The ingredients you will need:

  • 2 1/2 pounds potatoes, she used russets
  • 2/3 cup butter
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4-1/2 cup half n half
  • 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • extra thick broth or gravy

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.

cutting board with ingredients to include fresh herb bundle, chopped garlic, butter, small bowl of salt and pepper, two turkey tenderloins
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.

table full of bowls of food to include pot of steaming cooked potatoes, bowl of turkey stuffing, small saucer of sautéed celery, onions and mushrooms
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.

four pictures in a frame showing side dishes for thanksgiving to include cranberries, squash, green bean casserole and Harvard beets
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.

Many blessings,

Jean

Watch it on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/OuI-5MlVtfc