Well the blog, Powders to Pack the Pantry -100 Meals You Never Thought You Would Eat Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer patients was so popular, I thought you might like to see what a "Puree Chef" keeps in a stocked freezer.
Just make it easier, I will post them in this order - Protein, Vegetables, Fruit, and Starches. This is the list order that I go through when I have to restock, so that if I think I will run out of room, I leave off Fruit and Starches, because I'm rather have them fresh anyway - except tater tots.
I keep them in the freezer for the times when I A) burn the meal and have to start over; B) discover the fresh has gone bad in the refridge; C) out of season, and I use it all the time; or D) only use a small amount at a time, and it is not economical to buy fresh.
SAUSAGE
Frozen, fully-cooked sausage are a staple to my breakfast. I pour hot coffee into my Vitamix, so adding a frozen sausage cools off the coffee. I buy chicken, because my wife asked me to do so. With six years of being the spouse of a Cancer Treatment Survivor it is the least I can do, so she doesn't open the freezer door and see "PORK" on a box. I buy pork sausages fresh instead, and use them right a way.
The brand changes depending what is on sales, and the time of year. I'll add this to my veggie chili in stead of meat. I grill them in the summer-time.
Usually fish is sold in large pieces, so if I just want fish by myself, I end up with too much leftover.
This is my cross-over from protein to vegetables. It is hard to buy fresh, shelled edamame, and I add just a few at a time, so frozen is the way to go.
This is more for my daughter, because it seems every dish gets a little corn sprinkled in it. If I share a meal with her, I will get corn in my puree.
By now you might have seen that most of my foods are Organic, and have the Cascadian Farms Label. General Mills has made a move towards healthier foods, so I purchase Cascadian Farms to support that move - besides they are available through Amazon.com.
Peas are another of my daughter favorites, so we add a lot of peas to meals.
My wife is constantly buying fresh leafy vegetables - spinach, kale, Spring Greens. So, frozen spinach is relegated to those rare times we run out - like when the "fresh" has gone bad.
Yes, I do make smoothies. Usually at night, when my daughter ask me to make one. Frozen berries help to keep the smoothie cold, and she likes her smoothies very thick. So after I make her one, I take my half of the puree, and add hot water and protein powder.
Boy, do blueberries spike in price out of season. Between my dried blueberries in the pantry, and the frozen in the freezer, I'm covered for my breakfast blueberries. Besides, my fresh blueberries tend to disappears from late night snacking thieves in my house. I deliberately by too many fresh berries in season, for just this issue.
WARNING - I need to mention that seeds can be an issue with tummy-tubers. These are always the frozen fruit that disappear first in my house. It is a given, that when my daughter helps put the groceries away, there will be a night-time request for a raspberry smoothie.
Great to had as a thickener, when you run out of fresh cooked potatoes.
FRIES
I mix off between sweet potatoes, and Idaho potatoes, depending on the meals planned for the week. My wife prefers sweet potatoes.
RAVIOLI
Raviolis are easy to quickly cook up and puree. Typically I make them for lunch because tomato sauces at night can be a heartburn problem. Found a kale and bean version at Costco
TATER TOTS / HUSH PUPPIES
Who doesn't love tater tots. They make the house smell great.
WAFFLES
Some morning, you just can't get motivated to make fresh waffles. Other days, someone has eaten all your fresh eggs, or hard-boiled them to take them to work. Good problem to have.
ICE CREAM
Just kidding. I don't keep ice cream anymore, because the late night thieves make it disappear. Now, I keep fresh cream and puree with flavors I like.
Also I will say, Yasso frozen yogurt have been known to fall into the grocery cart when I am shopping alone - oops! They support the Oral cancer Foundation walk in Boston, so I support them too.
Please add your comments and suggestions to my blog. Nice to see people from around the globe reading my blog. Please follow you want the latest recipes.
I have created a companion page on Facebook called: 100 Meals Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer Survivors. Sometimes it is easier to share a FB page than send a blog address.
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