Balanced Breakfast

This blog isn't about the latest trends in dieting. It's about finding ways to provide wholesome, great-tasting food for my husband who suffered a brain injury. There's foods that create a brain "fog" and there's foods that enhance thinking clarity, memory, mood, etc... My husband has difficulty swallowing so I need to incorporate good foods into a pureed substance and still make it taste good. The things I come up with aren't perfect.

For this breakfast, I incorporated a grain, fruit, protein and brain-healthy foods while making it dysphagia-friendly. The brain foods highlighted in the meal are the unique fats in coconut milk and blueberries.

Berry Coconut Oatmeal

   1/2 cup dry baby oatmeal
   1/4 cup vanilla coconut milk
   1/4 cup pureed unsweetened fresh berries (blueberries are a great brain food with a relatively low glycemic index compared to other fruits)
   Enough water to bring to desired consistency

   Warm on stove or microwave to desired temperature.


6 oz of Greek yogurt (flavor of choice)

Chicken Asparagus Quinoa Soup

Ingredients

1 bunch fresh asparagus, cut into 2" pieces
5 oz fresh baby spinach
8 oz vermicelli, uncooked and broken into 3 inch pieces
1 cup quinoa, uncooked
1 lb chicken, cooked and chopped
8 cups chicken broth
pepper to taste

In large skillet, sautee asparagus and spinach in 3 tablepoons olive oil until tender crisp. Set aside. In large pot, brown vermicelli. Place in bowl and set aside. In same pot, cook quinoa in broth for 10 minutes. Add vermicelli and chicken. Cook for 7 minutes. Add asparagus, spinach and chicken. Stir until warm.

Serve as is or puree in food processor for dysphagia diets.

8 servings