Soft foods are your friend after you have your braces fitted as you may be adjusting and feeling a little tender for a couple days. It is sometimes hard to be creative with soft food if this is not your general diet. Here are a few suggestions to get you started.

Smoothies

Berry and Spinach smoothie

Combine frozen spinach, frozen berries, milk, honey and cinnamon and process in food processor. Add ice if desired. You can leave out the spinach, however you can hardly taste it.

Mango and Banana Smoothie

Mango, banana, yoghurt, vanilla extract, milk – chop all ingredients; add ice if desired and process in food processor.

Strawberry and Kiwi crush

Blend 1 cup strawberries, 2 peeled kiwis, 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 cups ice in food processor.

Apricot and Almond Whip

1 1/2 cups apricot nectar, 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt, 2 tablespoons almond butter, half cup of milk and half cup of ice. Blend in food processor.

Strawberry Biscuit Crunch

Blend 2 cups strawberries, 1 cup shortbread biscuits, 1 1/2 cups each milk and ice, and honey to taste. Top with whipped cream and more strawberries.

Carrot-Apple Crush

Blend 1 cup each carrot juice and apple juice with 1 1/2 cups ice.

Cherry-Vanilla Parfait

Blend 1 1/2 cups frozen pitted cherries, 1 1/4 cups milk, 2 tablespoons honey, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, 1teaspoon salted caramel and 1 cup ice.

Tropical Pineapple and Coconut Punch

Freeze about 2 cups coconut water in 1 or 2 ice-cube trays. Blend 2 cups each chopped pineapple and coconut ice cubes, 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon coconut sugar and 1/2 cup coconut water.

Spiced Coffee Frape

Blend 1/2 cup chilled espresso or strong coffee, 1/2 almond milk, 3 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 1/2 cups ice.

 

Quick easy snacks

• Guacamole
• Mashed banana
• Hummus
• Apple sauce/puree
• Mangoes chopped
• Jelly
• Custard
• Mashed potato
• Stewed frozen berries with honey
• Tinned pasta
• Scrambled eggs
• Ice-cream
• Sorbet
  
  

Smooth Beetroot Dip

Ingredients

• 1 fresh bunch beetroot
• 1 garlic head
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 cup yoghurt
• 2 tablespoons of chopped dill
• 1 tablespoon of Dukkah for garnish

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C.  Place sliced beetroot on lined baking tray, along with the garlic head slicing the top off the garlic first. Drizzle oil over beetroot and garlic and toss on tray to coat fully with oil. Place in oven and roast for 45 to 50 minutes. Leave to cool long enough to touch. Peal beetroot and squeeze roasted garlic from head. Place garlic and beetroot into food processor and blend until smooth. Place into bowl, stir in yoghurt, add salt in pepper and refrigerate for 3 hours. Serve with a sprinkle of oil, dukkah and dill.

Dinner or lunch recipes

Lentil Dahl

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tablespoon mild curry powder
• 1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed, drained
• 1cm piece fresh ginger, grated
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat coconut milk
• 3 1/2 cups chicken stock

METHOD

Cook onion over medium heat in oil until tender. Add garlic and curry powder, stirring quickly. Combine lentils, ginger, coconut milk and stock. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer, for 60 minutes or until thickened and lentil have broken down.

Ratatouille Bowl

INGREDIENTS

• 1 teaspoon of oil
• Half red onion diced
• 2 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 Zucchini diced
• 1 red capsicum diced
• Half eggplant diced
• 4 tomatoes chopped

METHOD

Cook onion and garlic on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add all other ingredients, reduce heat, cover and cook for 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Can be served with cooked pasta.

Baba Ganoush

Ingredients

• 3 medium egg plants
• olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• extra virgin olive oil
• 2 lemons

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C. Cut the eggplant in half lengthways. Score the flesh sides, making sure you don’t cut through the skin and coat with olive oil.  Place on baking tray, flesh side up, put in oven 45min. Set aside the cool when cooked. Place into food processor and blend until thick– garlic, tahini, cumin, 2 tablespoons olive oil and the aubergine, discarding the skin, lemon juice from lemons, salt and pepper.

Rice Pudding

INGREDIENTS

• 3⁄4 cup uncooked white rice
• 2 cups milk, divided
• 1⁄3 cup white sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Vanilla extract

METHOD

Bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil. Add rice and stir, bring to boil. Once starts boiling reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from pot. In clean pot combine cooked rice, with 1 1/2 cups milk, sugar and salt. On medium heat cook 15 to 20 minutes or until thick and creamy. Combine 1/2 cup milk, beaten egg and stir into rice mixture. Cook a further 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in butter and vanilla.

Green Bean Tomato Mash

INGREDIENTS

• 125g steamed green beans
• 1 tomato chopped
• Bunch fresh parsley
• Bunch fresh coriander
• Tablespoon of oil
• Sour cream
• Salt and pepper

METHOD

Process beans, tomato, fresh herbs and oil in food processor until finely chopped. Add salt and pepper to taste and top with sour cream. Can be served with steamed fish.

Seafood Chowder Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 3 salmon fillets
• 6 cooked cleaned and chopped prawn
• ½ onion chopped
• 1 celery stalk diced
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 litre chicken stock
• 2 potatoes peeled and chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 250ml of cream
• Salt and pepper

METHOD

Cook salmon and prawns in oil over medium heat until almost cooked. Set aside, and then chop into small pieces. Cook onion, garlic, celery and curry powder for 3-4 minutes stirring until translucent. Add stock, potato, parley and cook covered for 20 minutes until potatoes are soft. Stir in cream cook for further 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool then transfer to food processor and blend until smooth. Season to taste.

Egg Frittata

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/2 onion diced1
• 1/2 cup mushrooms
• ½ capsicum
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• Extra shredded cheese for topping
• ½ cup cooked diced and peeled potato

Method

Preheat oven to 200c. Place mushrooms, capsicum and onion into food processor and blend until roughly smooth. In a non-stick heavy set frying pan on medium heat, add oil, processed mushroom, capsicum and onion. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until browned and tender. Take pan off heat and spread cooked ingredients evenly over pan. Add cooked potatoes and cheese and spread over in a layer. Whisk up eggs and cream, adding salt to taste, in a bowl. Drizzle egg and cheese mixture into pan, shaking pan to distribute evenly. Return to medium heat on stove and cook 2 or 3 minutes till the eggs have set around the edges. Sprinkle extra cheese on top and transfer to oven and bake for 10 minutes. Serve warm or cold.