My Forty-first - Lobster Feast - 100 Meals Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer Survivors

My Forty-first  -  Lobster Feast


1 unit lobster tail
1 red boiled potato
1/2 shucked boiled corn
butter
cream
boiling broth

optional
3 steamed clams


Here it is Christmas Eve and I'm thinking about Christmas in France where I understand that lobster is traditionally served for Christmas.  I thought with today being the warmest Christmas Eve on record in parts of New England, what better than to make today's recipe a Lobster Feast.  70 degrees in Boston, and I would have gone to the beach for a lobster feast too.

When you think about it there are three recipes that you can combine to make a tasty meal - Lobster Bisque, corn chowder, and Potato Leeks soup.  If you read up on these three soups, you can see some commonality

LOBSTER
A good New England lobster is perfect, especially right off the docks.  Although, I said only the tail up above, if you are not warn out, you can use claws and legs.

RED BOILED POTATO
If you are not from New England you might not have heard of red potatoes, but any hipster supermarket should carry them.  Around here they are every where and more people use them than the standard russet potato.  You can use purple potatoes but the color of the meal takes a sinister color change.

CORN
Corn is always a staple of a lobster feast, so take your boiled corn cob break it in half and then cut all the kernels off.  Remember that when you puree that the kernels need to be pureed a little longer than normal.

CREAM AND BUTTER
A MUST!  Especially if your doctor is looking for you to put on weight.  I would love some French Butter and cream, seconded only by Irish cream and butter.

BOILING BROTH
You only need this to thin out the puree as needed

CLAMS
Steamed clams are an acquired taste so I left them as optional.  I also want to taste the lobster more so I recommend making two different batches - one with just clams and one with just lobster.

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My Fortieth - Feast of the Seven Fishes for Christmas Eve - 100 Meals Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer Survivors

My Fortieth  -  Feast of the Seven Fishes for Christmas Eve

1 unit lobster

or

1 unit white fish

use bisque or chowder base

If you ever get a chance to go to a Feast of Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve - DO IT!  In the Boston area, this is a pretty common holiday.  However, it wasn't until my wife and I moved to Rhode Island that we got invited to a gift from heaven feast.  The Italians in RI know seafood.  It would be a shame for someone to miss this feast because they couldn't chew food.

The key is to make small batches (less than a cup) and wash the blender out immediately after blending.  Remember you may be making 7 cups of dishes, and the blender dries out quicker than you think, because you should enjoy the party too.

LOBSTER

Lobster linguine can easily be pureed into a Lobster Bisque.  I like to add a little extra butter . . . it's Christmas, add the extra butter.  I'm not against adding a little white wine.

BAKED COD

Baked Cod can easily be turned into a fish chowder by adding cream, and either pasta or potatoes (depending on what you have already cooked.

DEEP FRIED CALAMARI

 Fried dishes were well pureed.  You just have to add liquid, and puree a lot longer because squid and octopus are very firm.  

Remember the key is to think about inclusion as you make each dish.  For every fish, there is a soup alternative.

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My Thirty-Ninth - Potato Latkes - 100 Meals Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer Survivors

My Thirty-Ninth Potato Latkes


1 unit potato latke
1 dash of apple sauce for sweetness
1 dash of sour cream
hot water for right consistency

Last night, we had the family gather for Hanukkah, but we didn't serve a full dinner.  Sometimes just getting the family together is more important than having a full flung meal.  For dessert you can puree rugelach and milk.  It's the holidays, do something fun.


POTATO LATKE
Although, I was prepared to make potato latkes, my children are now older and the allure of grating potatoes and onions is lost.  Instead, the Ladies picked them up at Whole Foods - which I will admit are pretty tasty.  This year, I realized that pureed latkes are really potato soup.  Why mess up a good thing.  I actually like potato soup, which is why I'm posting a second meal with latkes.

In the cold of winter, when there is snow coming down, a cup of hot soup is just the right thing.  When you have lost a little taste in your mouth, potato soup is a nice alternative.

APPLESAUCE AND SOUR CREAM
These are really to taste.  The great thing is that they both can be added after the pureeing process and mixed in.  I like a lot of sour cream, so don't be shy.

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My Thirty-Eighth - Guacamole Nachos - 100 Meals Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer Survivors

My Thirty-Eighth Guacamole Nachos


1 unit Guacamole (or avocado and garlic)
1 unit mild salsa (or diced tomatoes and cilantro)
1 unit frozen corn (or soaked corn chips)
1 pinch cheddar cheese

I was at a Halloween party last night, and I didn't bring my G-tube supplies because I "ate" just before I went over.   However, while I was there we were gathered in the kitchen chatting, and I had the guacamole dip sitting right in front of me.  The kids kept coming up and dipping chips, and then they would run off.  There was always a fresh wiff of avocados.  I thought to myself - that is the secret ingredient I need to make pureed nachos.

My wife has been trying to get me to eat avocados again because of they are packed with nutrition.

CORN CHIPS
Corn chips are problematic because it takes so long for them to get soft.   Caregivers don't always have the time to so soak the corn chips in water to soften them up for the blender.  If you don't have the time use frozen corn.  If you use blue corn chips the color of the blend is a little unusual.

AVOCADOS
I recommend blending fresh avocados into your guacamole, because even mild guacamole tends to be a little spicy.  It you are at all concerned about spiciness - just use avocado and garlic)

MILD SALSA
This is where we tread into murky waters.  HOW MILD IS MILD?  Most patients have a sensitivity to spicy foods.  If you are at all concerned about spice, just dice tomatoes and cilantro.  Skip the onions too.   Remember we want this to be enjoyable.  If you have to eat pureed foods, you probably have an issue washing spiciness from your mouth.  Don't chance it.

CHEESE
Cheese is just for a little flavor - you don't need that much.


MEAT
Once you have discovered the proper mix of spices, you can add little bits of ground beef, shredded chicken, pulled pork, or over meats.  I know someone want to add rattlesnake.

NEWLY DISCOVERED PROBLEM
You might have to fight your daughter for the freshest avocados.  Tonight, we split the last one 50/50.

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My Thirty-Seventh - Veggie pizza - 100 Meals Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer Survivors

My Thirty-Seventh veggie pizza


1 unit pizza - no outside crust
extra red sauce
extra cooked veggies

or

1 hot rolls mix or pre made uncooked pizza dough
Marinara sauce or spaghetti sauce
veggies like olives, onions, and peppers
meat
cheese
lots of water


For a year, I have been trying to figure out how to make a good pureed pizza.  My family has been making homemade pizza for generations.  It wasn't until the other night that I finally figured how to make a good pureed version.  My wife is not a fan of pizza dough, and will gladly steal extra sauce and topping when she can.  I had made a pizza for my wife and daughter to eat when they got home, because I was going to the high school for a TED Talk.  When I came home half the pizza dough/crust was still there.  WOW THAT'S IT!  Skip the crust, and extra sauce and veggies.

There is enough crust under a piece of pizza you don't need the extra crust.  You do need extra veggies to add flavor.  The meat and sauce would otherwise overwhelm everything.


TOO MUCH CHEESE!?!
I've been asked about cheese being too sticky for G-tubes.  My experience is that if the cheese is not too hot it doesn't stick to the tubing.  Secondarily, it doesn't take much cheese to add flavor.  Cheese and tomato sauce can overwhelm any recipe.  Which is why it took me so long to come up with a good pizza recipe.  Most nutritionist will tell you that you don't need much cheese in your diet to remain healthy.  I agree.  In these recipes, you only need enough cheese to retain that pizza flavor.

OLIVES AND PEPPERS AND ONIONS
These three and great flavor to a pizza puree

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Supermarket food bars - 100 Meals Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer Survivors

A dozen years ago, I read a great article about using salad bars to purchase items that you only need a couple of them for a meal, and not a whole jar or can.  Sometimes you only need a couple of olives . . .

Last year, when I could drive, I would pick up my daughter from dance in the next town over.  Before I get her, I would pick her up a salad, and most importantly I would top it with "baby corn".   There is no way I would bring a jar home, because baby corn for one salad a week would take forever to use.  If we made a salad every night with baby corn, we would be bored of it soon enough.    So I use the fresh baby corn on the salad bar.

Nowadays, supermarkets have gone beyond the salad bar to full food bars.  The beauty, for us with pureed food issues, is that you can purchase small premade meals.   Most homemade recipes are designed for multiple people, and if you are reading this, you are probably already bored with your food options and you want to be able to change up your meals everyday - just like everyone else.

Many of the food bars also give you the option of international food.  International give you a great break from the bland, because supermarkets tend to over spice these foods because they have to sit in the tray for a couple of hours and still taste good when they come home.

For care-givers it also cuts down on prep time.  One of the toughest commercials for me to watch are the Nationwide commercials with Peyton Manning.  When I see that Chicken Parmigiana sandwich, I WANT ONE SO BADLY.  It takes a lot of effort to make a chick-parm, but to be able to purchase a puree sized portion

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My Thirty-Sixth - Pot Roast - 100 Meals Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer Survivors

My Thirty-Sixth recipe for the new cookbook - Pot Roast

What was I thinking?  One of the classic meals in America is Pot Roast with roasted carrots and potatoes.  My mom use to make a great pot roast, and the chilly weather outside makes me want it even more.  Pot Roast is also a family gathering food, so there is a good chance it will be served when there are a lot of people in the house.  You will be the envy of your friends and family as you add the extra gravy to the Vitamix blender.

The best part is that the meat, vegetables, and starch are cooked all the way through, which softens it up for the G-tube.

They say that bananas are the number 1 fruit bought at supermarkets as a spur of the moment item.  My number 1 item is Organic Carrots.  I seem to put carrots in everything, including my daughter's school lunch bag.  Carrots give a nice color to purees whether you are drinking it on pouring it down a G-tube.  Pot roast without the carrots looks more like a grey ooze which I have yet to see on Food Network as a popular option.

1 Unit Pot Roast

1-2 units Carrots and Potatoes

extra grease and gravy

OPTION

brown mustard

BROWN MUSTARD

If your Pot Roast gets boring after a couple of days, add a little brown mustard.  The brown mustard is very aromatic dash to the puree.

EXTRA GRAVY

For most people, extra gravy is a bad health option; however, most chemo/radiation patients are told to put on weight.  There are a lot of calories in this bad boy.   OK, your nutritionist is going to tell you there are better sources for nutrition.  I maintain that the only good nutrition is one that actually gets into your body, and there is a good probability that Pot Roast juices have a better chance of making into your belly, than coconut oil.  Save the coconut oil for the dessert smoothie.

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My Thirty-Fifth - apple crisp - 100 Meals Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer Survivors

My Thirty-Fifth  Apple crisp

It's apple picking season, and a noticed that a lot of my recipes are about dinner foods.  So I thought I'd take some time to talk about breakfast food.

Apple crisp or apple crumble works well in the pureed world.

1 unit apple crisp

or

1 organic honey crisp apple

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup pancake mix

1/4 cup minute oatmeal

cinnamon


The beauty of most of the recipes that I see, is that there is a lot of fiber in this dish.  I like to keep the skin on my apples.  One of the changes you might want to do, is make your apple crisp and save the skins for pureeing.  At my house, it is only my daughter and I eating apple crisp so I make a double batch, she takes what she wants, and I puree the rest.

I still use corningware, so I place the corningware on the stove and melt the butter on low heat.  When the butter comes up to sizzle, I add the bits of apple and make sure to coat all of them.  I take it off the heat and lightly dust the rest of the ingredients over the apples, then give it a quick mix. I add another 1/4 cup of water to keep the butter from burning the bottom of the pan when I stick it in the oven.  Oh sure, it's not the prettiest dish and looks like something on BuzzFeed, but it taste great.


I pop it in the oven at 400 degrees for another 10 minutes or so.  When the timer goes off, I turn off the oven and let it sit until my daughter wakes up.  Gee, that sounds mean.  The truth is, I typically make it on the weekend; although, she sleeps in, my clock still has me waking up at 6:45 AM whether I like it or not.  To me, apple crisp is something you relax and eat, not wolf down and worry off to school.

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My Thirty-Fourth summer time picnic - beans; fried chicken; colesslaw

My Thirty-Fourth  summer time picnic baked beans; coleslaw; fried chicken;

Usually at a big family gathering there are a huge pots to choose from so here is how to break it down:

one scoop of beans - whether it is baked beans; 7 bean salad; etc

one scoop of cabbage salad which is usually in the form of coleslaw (8/15 new info - just discovered that fresh dill is great in store bought coleslaw.  It also gives a great burp )

one scoop fried chick (I prefer dark meat, but white meat is fine.  Make sure you leave the batter, but take out the bones

one scoop sweet dish - could be cranberry; could be ambrosia; or another fruit based dish

Bring you heavy duty blender because you are going to need to blend this smooth.  Bring you blend with about 3/4 foll with dishes and water.  You need to leave room at the top to build the foam which contacts at the stop.  You also don't want to overfill the blender so it can't puree well.

The dish will come out think which is better than too thin, because you can thin it out but you can't tighten it on the fly

SUBSTITUTES:   BBQ beans; corn-on-the-cob (shucked); taco fixings; meatballs; pasta salad

Be brave, be different.

You can make a dessert version with s'mores; milk; ice cream and birthday cake

FRESH CORN . . .  THIS WAY

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SPOS - G-tube and dealing with taking pills

Stomach Peg Original Soup™ SPOS - G-tube and dealing with taking pills

FIrst, I always check to see if there is a liquid or powder form.  I ask my doctor.  Then I ask my pharmacist.  Sometimes there are new formulas coming out that one of them doesn't know about

8/14/2018 UPDATE:  Dana Farber's computer system now has a huge range of medicine styles.  My doctors and nurses always are looking for liquid and powder forms.

Some of my medicines are unique and  are solids like pills that the doctors expect me to grind up and then pour them down my g-tube.  I have discovered that it is easier to boil water pour a cup of it into a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup.  I then add the pills and allow them to dissolve in the water.  I let it sit about 30 minutes.  I have more time, than I do arm muscle.

I do check with my pharmacist to make sure that the hot water won't harm the effectiveness of medicine.  I was most concerned with antibiotics, and so far I have not had any issues with the medicines I take.

Once the medicines have dissolve.   I take  chilled puree like blueberry muffin puree from the refrigerator and add a cup to the pyrex measuring cup.  This evens out the temperature of the liquid. I stir it just to make sure the temp has evened out.

8/14/2018 UPDATE:  For  my vitamins like Vit. C, Magnesium Citrate, Thistle, and Turmeric, I just toss them in my Vitamix with my second breakfast.  Never had any problem with them pureed small enough to go down the tube. 


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SPOS - Fruit Cocktail

Stomach Peg Original Soup™ SPOS - Fruit Cocktail

A lot of time, I am preaching the goodness of veggies. Supermarkets have made it so much easier to work with fruit, in the form of a fruit cocktail.  Many now carry pre-sliced fruits, and particularly blends of pre-sliced fruits - watermelon, pears, apples, cantaloupes, honeydew, pineapple, etc.

FRUIT COCKTAIL IS A SMOOTHIE WITHOUT ALL THE WHITE STUFF
Pureeing these in my Vitamix makes a great smell in the kitchen.  It also slides down the G-Tube a lot easier than a smoothie because it doesn't have the foam and heavy texture of the yogurt/cream.  Also if I make the base of fruit-only, then each of the yogurt snobs can add just THEIR FAVORITE yogurt to turn it into THEIR smoothie.

To spriten things up I'll add ginger, lemon, orange, papaya, grapefruit.

Most of my batches are less than 12 oz, so finding pre-cut pre-mixed fruit cups is helpful. Slicing a half dozen fresh fruit leaves a lot of leftovers. Buying small pre cut allows my family the ability to finish off the rest of the fruit and mix it in with their yogurt.  We then change the flavor combinations week to week.

FRUITS THAT DON'T LAST
Not that they go bad,  it's that they are the favorites in the house - fresh organic blackberries, fresh organic raspberries, fresh organic blueberries.  Everyone in the house knows how spotty the growing season is for these three fruits.


Yes I have been know to add a little bottom of a muffin to my puree . . .


FROM THE TAP TO THE TABLE
I found this site in my travels and it has some wonderful combinations that you might not have thought of.


COMMENTS
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.  We are a small global community, let me know how I can help you out.  I'm sure that whatever your issue is, there is another person who can benefit for hearing how you are solving your problems.  You are not alone, are are among other leaders.

FACEBOOK
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. 

You may also enjoy an additional blog article - Stomach Peg Original Soup(tm) SPOS I’m not a Chef

SPOS - Smell of Healing

Stomach Peg Original Soup™ SPOS - Smell of Healing

An important part of making SPOS is the smell of cooking.  I love the smell of ginger.  However, I don't like the smell of cooking cabbage.  Luckily, the smell of the ginger outweighs the smell of the cabbage.

I also cook the cabbage first thing in the morning, when my wife is making coffee.  You have to understand that my wife likes REALLY dark coffee, so our house can smell like a coffee-shop.  When I say dark, I mean the coffee you can chew.

Cinnamon is another favorite smell.  I try to add cinnamon where I can because of the anti-cancer properties.

In the afternoon, I tend to make chocolate based treats.  They are not for me, but for my neighbors who have been so helpful this winter.  My wife is a masterful baker - me? not so much.  I invite my friend Betty Crocker to come help me.

My daughter is jealous that my neighbors are making out like bandits, but is you know the amount of effort they put in this BOSTON SNOW RECORD BREAKING YEAR (March 1015).  I couldn't nearly make enough.

I have even changed my shower soap to a smell that is more appealing - Margarita!

Red Pasta sauce is another smell I love.  Tomato sauces can burn the mouth, and also cause stomach upset, so be sure to check and see if it is OK,  and don't be upset if the cancer survivor "passes" and wants something different.

Vanilla Extract and Almond extract are welcome additions to purees.  I don't cook with them, I add them Directly to the puree, to get maximum aromatic benefit.

SMELL ON THE FLIPSIDE
I love the smell of peanut butter - at least I used too.  I suddenly have an aversion to the smell.  Not sure why, and I hope it doesn't stay long.  If there is a smell that suddenly turns for the worse.  Alert your caregiver is a kind way.  
UPDATE: 1/16  My love of the smell of peanut butter has come back,  showing the ebb and flow of smells.

The other day there was a Rotary International fundraiser at one of my favorite pizza places Flatbread Company .  Walked in and was instantly overwhelmed by the smell.  Normally, I love that smell.  But between the loud bustling sounds of a restaurant and the eclectic smells, I needed to step outdoors. If you have strong reaction to the smell, don't be afraid to speak up.


COMMENTS
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.  We are a small global community, let me know how I can help you out.  I'm sure that whatever your issue is, there is another person who can benefit for hearing how you are solving your problems.  You are not alone, are are among other leaders.

FACEBOOK
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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SPOS - St. Patrick Version

Stomach Peg Original Soup™ SPOS - St. Patrick Version

3 leaves of Cabbage Chopped
2 finely chopped carrots
1 turnips finely chopped
1 Onion finely chopped
1 teaspoons of turmeric
1 DASH of Bell’s Seasoning
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 little bit of corned beef for smokey taste

Option:
1 potato

I'm not making a huge pot that need to last a couple of weeks, just enough for a couple of days.  And although turmeric is not a traditional Irish spice, it's still important to add cancer fighting spices.  I use a strong ginger beer to cleanse my G-tube, so it also helps activate the anti-cancer agents in the tumeric.

I am still using IsoSource for three main my meals, so this dish is for my three of four snacks between the main meals.

This year I added a little extra starch in the form of sweet potato, instead of traditional white potatoes.

This is the first time that instead of using a blending wand and screening the soup, I poured the cooked mash into a Vitamix and pureed it on the optional HOT SOUP setting.  Worked out like a charm.  I did have to let it settle, and skim off the foam that collected on the top.

COMMENTS
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.  We are a small global community, let me know how I can help you out.  I'm sure that whatever your issue is, there is another person who can benefit for hearing how you are solving your problems.  You are not alone, are are among other leaders.

FACEBOOK
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. 

You may also enjoy an additional blog article - Stomach Peg Original Soup(tm) SPOS I’m not a Chef

SPOS - Tandoori burp

Stomach Peg Original Soup™ SPOS


Everyone has a signature dish.   My father-in-law makes a fabulous tandoori chicken.  He was kind enough one time to send me a small jar of his signature blend of spices.  Now that I have a G-tube, I thought I might never taste it again . . . . JEFF THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX!

Many Indian spices and vegetables are cancer fighters, so it is easy to adopt a vegetarian SPOS. The goal is to consume healthy vegetables that regulate digestion, while using Isosource.

If there is one thing that I learned from working on 100 Meals, sniffing and burping are key.   Tandoori SPOS is best served a little warmer than normal so that you get that aromatic charm for your nose.  The burping seems to take care of itself.   OK so I burp all of my meals,  I shouldn't single this one out . . .

In the evening my daughter made white rice with veggies, and asked if I wanted to puree a cup to add to the Tandoori SPOS - - - which I did.

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You may also enjoy an additional blog article - Stomach Peg Original Soup(tm) SPOS I’m not a Chef

SPOS - when to eat it with Nutritionist regulated protein formula

Stomach Peg Original Soup™ SPOS Updated February 24th, 2015


Since I have 6 cartons of IsoSource to consume a day I pour them down my tube at Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner - or in my case 9:00 AM; 3:00PM and 9:00PM.

Every three hours, between those meals I pour 120 cc of SPOS per "SNACK"  the major reason is pain meds that might upset my stomach.  

STOMACH PEG ORIGINAL SOUP™ RECIPE with IsoSource

7 leaves of Kale Chopped
7 finely chopped carrots
2 turnips finely chopped
1 Onion finely chopped
2 celery stalks finely chopped
1-2 teaspoons of turmeric
1 DASH of Bell’s Seasoning
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Mystery vegetable

From the large pot of pureed veggies I take a long handled mesh strainer over a 2 cup measuring cup to screen out the last of the large pieces that would not fit down the G-tube.  I find tapping the center of the strainer helps drains the strainer better.

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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.

Stomach Peg Original Soup(tm) SPOS - Ingestible Medicines

Stomach Peg Original Soup™ SPOS Updated January 2016

Currently my Nutritionist has asked me to consume 6 containers of IsoSource 1.5 Cal Tube feeding Formula.  the simple answer is two cans each at Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Which for me is 9:00 AM; 3:00 PM and 9:00 PM.

UPDATE: December 2015 - my Nutritionist said that I could switch to Soylent or Orgain if my insurance won't pay for IsoSource.  The reasoning was that half my diet was "REAL FOOD" and I have maintained my weight for almost a year.  I opted for monthly 36 bottles of Soylent delivered to the house.

INGESTIBLE MEDICINES/VITAMINS
I also have several ingestible pills that I need to consume at those times.  I prepare a small ceramic coffee creamer cup of tap-hot-water, about an inch (3 cm) and drop each pill into the cup and wait until they dissolve.  Usually less than two minutes.  I then add room or refridgerator cold liquid like non-dairy milk or IsoSource to cool it down to luke warm.  I use the creamer to fill the 60 cc monoject syringe which is connected to my G-tube.  I've also used a Pyrex 2 cup measuring bowl.  I  find the one cup version does not give me enough room to put in enough cooling liquid.

UPDATE: January 2016- I have discovered that the Aleve green Liqui-Gels, in hot water, pops open in a few minutes and releases the medicine in the water, so I don't have to wait until the gel dissolves.  And Yes, the medicine is a white powder and the Liqui-Gel is colored green.  I puck the Liqui-Gel out once the medicine is released

I prefer to hand fill the "powdery" medicines slurry to make sure that I eventually wash them into my G-tube.  I pour the IsoSource into my creamer too, to further wash the  medicines into the tube.  And follow up with a minimum of 60 cc of clear water to clear the G-tube.  This doesn't leave much room for SPOS.

There are other medicines I need to ingest every three hours, and I use the SPOS as both a push, and a way to comfort the stomach from harsh chemicals.  I typically ingest 120 cc of SPOS and a final rinse of water to clean out the G-tube system.

STOMACH PEG ORIGINAL SOUP™ RECIPE (Protein-less stock)

7 leaves of Kale Chopped
7 finely chopped carrots
2 turnips finely chopped
1 Onion finely chopped
2 celery stalks finely chopped
1-2 teaspoons of turmeric
1 DASH of Bell’s Seasoning
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Mystery vegetable (finely chopped)

I have a large pot on the stove, which I screen out the larger chunks on an as need basis.


Enjoy

Jeff Scott Hoyland

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FACEBOOK
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.

Moving from 100 Meals You Never Thought You Would Eat Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer patients to Stomach Peg Original Soup ™

WOW the world is an amazing place.

After two different bouts with oral cancer,  the side-effects of radiation treatment finally caught up with me.    Between my trismus and inability to swallow, I lost about 20 pounds in 3 weeks (finally bottoming out at 137 pounds).  The professionals at Dana Farber agreed with me that I should surgically re-install a G-tube.  

I am going back to blogging about SPOS (Stomach Peg Original Soup).  I learned a lot about what constitutes a quality meal for people on a liquefied/pureed diet while writing "100 Meals You Never Thought You Would Eat Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer patients" and plan to take that expertise back to blogging about food for the G-tube.

You would think that flavor doesn't matter if you are just pouring it directly into the stomach.  Clearly you have never burped.  I should be released from Brigham and Women's Hospital this week, and will start writing recipes soon after that.  My original blog post on SPOS date back to 2011.


COMMENTS
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.

FACEBOOK
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.

I have an additional FACEBOOK PAGE that is all about people sharing positive energy by doing good deeds that might be as simple as saying "GOOD MORNING" - TeamGoodMorning

My Thirty-third Lasagna -100 Meals You Never Thought You Would Eat Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer patients

My Thirty-third Lasagna recipe for the new cookbook - Lasagna

1 unit Lasagna



DECEMBER BREAK
Since I celebrate most of the Holidays in December, I took time off to spend days with family.  I am free forming the recipes in this book, so it wasn't until a couple of days ago that I realized that I have never added Lasagna to the book.  I just assumed it was one of the first recipes I added.

My sister Michele makes a traditional Christmas Eve lasagna for the army of family gathering at her house.  She makes both a beef and vegetarian version.  I think this year we were up to thirty people sharing joy.  I got to take the extras home so that I had some quick fix meals over the rest of the week.

Lasagna is fabulous because it is easy to serve a lot of people quickly.  In the spring, in Bedford MA, and the Relay for Life, I asked them to switch from pizza to lasagna for the Cancer Survivor supper, because for most people lasagna is much easier to eat that pizza, and the cost per person is similar.

LASAGNA PUREE
Lasagna need a little more water than you might think, but remember that you can always add more water after it is made.  For left over lasagna from the refrigerator, I have started adding hot water from a tea kettle.  This allows me to have warm lasagna but not something so hot it burns.

GARLIC BREAD AND OTHER YUMMIES
Adding a chunk of buttery garlic bread, adds a nice pop to the flavor.

A few flakes of fresh spinach add needed nutrition and makes caregivers happy.


COMMENTS
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.

FACEBOOK
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.