Mash for grown-ups - episode 1

Okay so the dietary highlights of my last four weeks post-dental trauma have been as follows:

• Week 1 - graduating from liquids to rice pudding (trust me it was a huge milestone at the time)
• Week 2 - rediscovering bircher muesli (albeit finely processed)
• Week 3 - mmmmm, teriyaki grilled salmon blended into sweet potato mash
• Week 4 - pasta at last (albeit tiny risoni) and a first welcome taste of slow cooked chicken...

The simple pleasures.  Still another four weeks of soft food to go before the splint comes off my teeth and I can (hopefully?) chew again.  Something I've learnt over the last month - baby food is okay but not terribly satisfying.  There are loads of puree recipes out there for kids but not a lot of flavoursome stuff for grown-ups.  So here are some of my own.

Dawn’s ‘wholemeal’ bircher muesli

(Makes 3-4 serves)

2 handfuls of porridge oats

3 tbsps All Bran cereal

3 tsps LSA mix

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

1 orange (zest and juice)

1 apple or pear

Approx 350ml soy milk

1.     Place the oats and All Bran in a food processor and pulse until very fine.  Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg and LSA mix.

2.    Place the orange zest and apple (or pear) into the food processor and finely chop.  Transfer to the bowl and combine with the oat mix.

3.     Juice the orange and make up to 400ml with soy milk.  Pour over the oats and stir until everything is combined.

4.     Refrigerate overnight.

'Wholemeal' bircher muesli

Serving suggestion:  I use my blender to mash up a small banana, a spoonful of fresh blueberries, half a peach (or whatever seasonal fruit is handy) and a tablespoon of plain greek yoghurt.  The resulting fruit smoothie spooned over the bircher with a drizzle of pure honey adds some colour and extra flavour.  Wonderful!

The final product

Simple snack

(Single serve)

½ avocado

3 tbsps of hummus

Simply mash the avocado, mix in the hummus and enjoy!