Soft Diet Recipes

Soft Diet 

Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Dahl

Comforting and tasty lentil classic…

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• Spray oil or 1/2 tsp of oil
• 1/4 onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• pinch of chilli powder (optional)
• 1/4 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 small garlic, peeled and crushed or finely sliced
• 20g dried red lentils, rinsed and drained
• A small sweet potato or half a medium one - (approx 65g), peeled and chopped into very small 1cm cubes
• Around 300mls fresh water
• 50mls light coconut milk
• Handful of baby spinach leaves, finely sliced (discard the stalks)
• Few coriander leaves, finely sliced (discard the stalks)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Cauliflower heads and carrot, latter peeled and sliced (portion to fit on the veg side of your portion plate)

Method

1. Heat the oil in a small saucepan.
2. Fry the onion for about 10 minutes, until soft and translucent. Stir continually to avoid it burning or becoming overly brown.
3. Add the spices, fresh ginger and garlic and gently fry for another minute.
4. Add the lentils, sweet potato and 250ml of cold water.
5. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 10 minutes (should the mixture become at all dry, add more hot water).
6. After 10 minutes, add the coconut milk (you may also need to add more water at this point, possibly as little as 50ml, to ensure the liquid just covers the potatoes and lentils).
7. Turn down the heat to simmer and continue cooking for a further 15 minutes.
8. While the dahl is cooking, prepare and cook your cauliflower and carrot until very soft.
9. Add the baby spinach and coriander leaves to the dahl and cook for a further 5 minutes or until the potato and spinach are very well cooked.
10. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
11. Mash the potato and lentil mixture with the back of a fork, making a smoother, sloppy dahl (add a bit more hot water to obtain the correct consistency if needed).
12. Serve with your very well cooked vegetables.

Top Tip

If making this recipe whilst on the textured phase, remove the sweet potato and some of the liquid to make a drier dahl and serve with a portion of brown rice and crunchy vegetables instead.

Fruity Milky Jelly Pudding

One to take you back to your childhood…

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1 tsp / 1/4 small sachet of sugar free jelly
• 40ml hot water
• 100ml cold milk
• Soft tinned or stewed fruit (no skin) i.e a small soft tinned pear, finely chopped

Method

1. Place the sugar free jelly powder in a bowl.
2. Add the hot water and stir until all the sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool.
3. Stir in the cold milk.
4. Add your fruit and place into the fridge until set (about 2hrs).

Overnight Oats

A fashionable take on a popular breakfast…

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 20g Scottish porridge oats
• 100ml skimmed milk or alternative
• 1-2 tbsp of plain low-fat yoghurt or alternative
• 2-4 drops of vanilla or almond extract
• 1 tsp smooth peanut butter
• 50g soft fruit (no skin) i.e. raspberries

Method

1. Mix the oats, milk and extract in a glass.
2. Cover and put into the fridge overnight.
3. In the morning, stir in the peanut butter, yoghurt and soft fruit.
4. Enjoy!

Top tip

If you want to enjoy the occasional oat breakfast once you’ve progressed and are comfortable with the textured diet, reduce the milk to make a thicker consistency, add some seeds and/or nuts and some harder fruit pieces with their skins on.

Bean Bake

Cheap, nutritious and healthy…

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 260g sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1 tsp oil or spray oil
• 1 small onion, finely sliced
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled and crushed or finely sliced
• 200g butternut squash, peeled and diced into a maximum of 1 cm cubes
• 300ml stock
• 1 400g can of chickpeas, rinsed, drained and blended
• 1 400g can of another bean of your choice, rinsed, drained and blended
• 1/2 tsp mixed herbs
• A bit of skimmed milk for the potatoes
• A sprinkling of grated parmesan

• 1/4 400g tin of chopped tomatoes (one portion)

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (fan).
2. Put the potatoes in a saucepan covered with water and boil until they are very soft.
3. Whilst the potatoes are cooking, heat the oil in a separate small saucepan.
4. Add the onion and cook for about 10 minutes until very soft and translucent. Stir continually to prevent it burning or going overly brown.
5. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
6. Mix in the butternut, then add the stock (add a little more if 300ml isn’t enough to just cover the butternut).
7. Boil for about 10 minutes to soften the squash, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
8. Add the pureed beans to the saucepan, along with the herbs.
9. Once the potatoes are very soft, mash with some milk until smooth and quite sloppy.
10. Tip the bean mixture, which should also be quite sloppy (add a little more stock if this is not the case) into the bottom of a casserole dish and top with the potato.
11. Grate a little parmesan over the top, cover the dish with tin foil and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the butternut is very soft -you’ll have to dig a bit out and see 🙂
12. Gently heat the chopped tomatoes for 3-4 minutes and serve with 1/4 of the bean bake - add a little more tomatoes if needed to ensure a soft, moist consistency.

Top Tip

If you would like to have this during the textured stage. Swop the sweet potato topping for; 1 slice of bread, 30g walnuts, 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds, 1 tbsp sunflower seeds and 15g parmesan - blitz in a blender and sprinkle on top of your bean mixture. Serve with some crunchy vegetables or salad.

Bean Ratatouille

A French classic with a twist…

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1-2 tsp oil (olive oil is traditional but it doesn’t really matter what you choose)
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed or finely sliced
• 1medium green courgette, cut into small cubes
• 1 medium red pepper, cut into small cubes
• 1/2 small aubergine, cut into small cubes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 400g can beans of your choice, blended
• 1 400g can chopped tomatoes, plus 1/2 can of water
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp sugar (optional - add if you like sauces slightly less acidic)

• 15g dried pasta or 65g potato (one portion)

Method

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan.
2. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes.
3. Add the garlic, pepper, courgette, aubergine, bay leaves and oregano, cover with a lid and allow to simmer gently for about 30-40 minutes or until all the vegetables are soft.
4. Add the blended beans along with the tomato puree and tomatoes. Fill the tomato can half way with water, use it to get any remaining tomatoes from the can and add to the saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer for a further 40 minutes or until the vegetable are very soft and the sauce has thicken slightly. The overall texture should now be soft and sloppy (add a little hot water if this is not the case). Season with salt and pepper.
5. Remove the bay leaves 🙂
6. Serve with some very well cooked pasta pieces or soft, moist mashed potato.

Top Tip

If you don’t want to use oregano, you could try thyme or basil.

Suitable for home freezing.

Vegetable, Bean and Pasta Soup

A comforting, winter warmer…

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 tsp oil
• 1/2 onion, finely diced
• 1 garlic, peeled and crushed or finely sliced
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into a maximum of 1cm cubes
• 120g butternut, peeled and cut into a maximum of 1cm cubes
• 600ml stock
• 1/2 400g can butter beans, blended
• 30g dried penne pasta

Method

1. Heat the oil in a sauce pan.
2. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent.
3. Add the garlic, butternut and carrot and cook for a further 5 minutes.
4. Add the stock, bring to boil, then turn down the heat slightly. Add the blended beans and cook for about 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
5. Add the pasta and cook for a further 15 minutes or until the pasta and vegetables are very soft.
6. Divid into two portions and enjoy!

Salmon Spaghetti

Brain power…

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 10g dried spaghetti
• Spray oil or 1/2 tsp oil
• 1/4 onion, finely sliced
• 3 medium chestnut mushrooms, finely sliced
• 1/3 213g tin of cooked red or pink salmon, flaked and large bones and skin removed
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 150ml skimmed milk
• Good pinch of dried dill
• Another vegetable of your choice, provided it can be cooked until very soft i.e. cauliflower heads, carrots, butternut squash (to fit 1/2 the vegetable section of your portion plate)

Method

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan.
2. Add the onion and cook for about 10 minutes or until very soft. Stir continually to ensure it does not burn or brown too much.
3. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 10-15 minutes.
4. Whilst the mushrooms are cooking, put the spaghetti in a saucepan, cover with water and boil for about 15 minutes or until very soft.
5. You can also prepare your accompanying vegetable at this point, ensuring it’s also well cooked.
6. Once the mushrooms are very soft, add the salmon and mix through.
7. Stir the cornflour into a small amount of milk to dissolve, then add to the pan along with the remaining milk and dill.
8. Bring to the boil, stirring continuously and cook until the sauce has thickened slightly and the fish is piping hot.
9. Cover the cooked spaghetti with the salmon sauce and serve with your vegetable on the side.

Top Tip

Salmon is a good source of omega-3 fats as well as other essential vitamins and minerals

Fish Pie

Classics never get old…

Serves: 3   

Ingredients

• 200g white potatoes, peeled and halved
• 1 smoked haddock fillet, checked for bones and all removed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 small onion, quartered
• About 350ml skimmed milk and bit more for the potatoes
• 2 medium eggs
• 3 tbsp cornflour
• Black pepper
• Parsley leaves (no stalks), very finely chopped (optional)

• Two well cooked vegetables i.e. cauliflower heads, carrots, squash (to fit the vegetable section of your portion plate) (one portion)

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (fan).
2. Place the eggs in a small saucepan, cover with water and gently boil for 8 minutes. Drain and leave to cool slightly.
3. Put the potatoes into another saucepan of boiling water and cook until they are very soft.
4. Put the fish into a frying pan and half cover with the milk. Add the bay leaf and onion quarters. Cover and simmer gently for 5-6 minutes (or as per the packet instructions) until the fish is cooked through.
5. Strain off the milk into a jug, removing the onion and bay leaf and put the cooked fish on a plate.
6. Put the cornflour into a small saucepan and use a little of the milk to dissolve the powder. Add the remaining milk and bring to the boil, stirring continually until the sauce thickens slightly. If it  becomes too thick, add a bit more milk.
7. Peel the eggs and slice finely, remove the fish’s skin and flake finely, then add to the white sauce. Season with black pepper and some parsley if you want too.
8. Mash the potatoes with some milk until smooth and quite sloppy.
9. Place the fish mix at the bottom of a casserole dish and cover with the mashed potato.
10. Cover the dish with tin foil and cook in the oven for about 20 minutes or until completely re-heated all the way through.
11. Whilst the pie is cooking, cook your vegetables until they are very soft.
12. Serve 1/3 of the pie, which should be soft and sloppy with your vegetables.

Top Tip

Once cooled, kept the other portions in the fridge for up to 2 days. If after re-heating, the texture becomes too dry, try adding a little white sauce or similar to re-moisten. Due to the boiled egg, this isn’t one for the freezer.

Spinach and Mushroom Lasagne

An easy dish for pasta lovers…

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp oil
• 1/2 small onion, finely diced
• 1 garlic, peeled and crushed or finely chopped
• 120g chestnut mushrooms, finely diced
• 160g spinach, chopped or torn into smaller pieces
• 3 tbsp cornflour
• 500ml skimmed milk
• Slightly more than 1/4 tsp grated or ground nutmeg
• Black pepper
• 4 white plain lasagne sheets
• Parmesan cheese, grated

• 1/2 medium carrot, peeled and sliced (one portion)
• 2 small broccoli heads (no stalks) (one portion)

Method

1. Place the lasagne sheets in a bowl, cover with water and allow to soak for 10 minutes before starting the recipe and whilst you make the rest of the lasagne.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan).
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan.
4. Add the onion and cook for about 10 minutes or until soft and translucent. Stir continually to prevent it burning or getting overly brown.
5. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
6. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 10 minutes or until very soft.
7. Add the spinach and cook until completely wilted, then season with black pepper.
8. In a separate pan, mix the cornflour with a small amount of the milk until the powder has dissolved, then add the remaining milk and stir well. Bring to boil, stirring continuously until the sauce thickens slightly. Add the nutmeg.
9. Using a small-medium casserole dish (roughly 21cm x 16cm), put half of the mushroom mixture into the bottom of the dish and top with a third of the white sauce. Use two of the lasagne sheets to layer on top (you may need to break them up to fit but avoid overlapping). Cover with the remaining mushroom mixture and half the remaining white sauce. Place another lasagne layer on top, then finish by pouring the remaining white sauce over (it’s important that no lasagne is left bear as it will dry out and go hard). Grate some parmesan cheese over the top.
10. Cover with tin toil and cook in the oven for about 40 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for a further 10 minutes**. Do not let the top brown too much or burn.
11. Whilst the pasta is cooking, prepare your vegetables and cook until they are very soft.
12. Use a fork to check the lasagne is soft and (over)cooked all the way though. Remove/avoid any edges or parts of the top that aren’t very soft. Should the lasagne not be sloppy, make a bit more white sauce and add to ensure the correct consistency.

Top Tip

Keep the second cooled portion in the fridge for up to 2 days. Extra sauce may be required to ensure the right consistency whilst on the soft stage, as the texture may change over time.

If you really want a vegetarian lasagne whilst on the textured diet, don’t pre-soak the lasagne sheets (unless the packet specifies this), try adding a little bit more cornflour to thicken the white sauce further, add some cooked soya beans to the vegetable mixture to add more bite, brown the top and only cover with foil to avoid burning and serve with crunchy vegetables or salad.

Don’t Forget

**Different lasagne sheets take different times to cook, so its best to read the packet first. Remember on the soft stage you want to overcook it to ensure it’s very soft, so try increasing the time by about 10 minutes. Pre-soaking the pasta, even if the packet states it’s not required may help too.

Turkey Mince Ragu

A simple change to reduce the calories…

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 tsp oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled and crushed or finely sliced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced into 1cm cubed
• 2 medium green courgettes, quartered and finely diced
• 250g Turkey breast mince
• 1 400g can tomatoes and 1/2 can fresh water
• 1/2 tbsp tomato puree
• 1/2-1 tsp mixed herbs or some fresh basil leaves (no stalks), very finely sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste

• 15g dried pasta pieces (one portion)

Method

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan.
2. Add the onion and cook for about 10 minutes, or until very soft. Stir continually to ensure is doesn’t overly brown or burn.
3. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
4. Add the carrot and courgette and cook for a further 5 minutes, then add the mince and cook until it is browned all over.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree and 1/2 tsp mixed herbs if using. Fill the tomato can half way with water, use it to get any remaining tomatoes from the can and add to the saucepan.
6. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 45-60 minutes. Check the vegetables are very soft and add some extra hot water/stock if the mixture has thicken too much, as you want a sloppy consistency.
7. Whilst the sauce is cooking, put your pasta into another saucepan, cover with water and boil for about 15 minutes or until it’s very soft.
8. Season the ragu with salt and pepper to taste and more dried herbs if desired or fresh basil if using instead.

Top Tip

Portion up the remaining cooled ragu and keep in the fridge for 2 days or freeze.

If vegetarian, you can substitute the turkey mince for Quorn mince instead.

Spaghetti Bolognese

The Italians know how to create tasty food…

Serves: 4-5

Ingredients

• 1 tsp oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled and crushed or finely sliced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced into 1cm cubes
• 1 red pepper, diced into 1cm cubes
• 250g lean beef mince (5% fat)
• 1 400g tin chopped tomatoes & 1/2 can fresh water
• 8 chestnut mushrooms, finely sliced
• 1/2 -1 tsp dried oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste

• 10g dried spaghetti (one portion)

Method

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan.
2. Add the onion and cook for about 10 minutes, or until very soft. Stir continually to ensure is doesn’t overly brown or burn.
3. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
4. Add the carrot and pepper and cook for a further 5 minutes, then add the mince and cook until it is browned all over.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes, mushrooms and 1/2 tsp oregano. Fill the tomato can half way with water, use it to get any remaining tomatoes from the can and add to the saucepan.
6. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 45-60 minutes. Check the vegetables are very soft and add some extra hot water/stock if the mixture has thicken too much, as you want a sloppy consistency.
7. Whilst the sauce is cooking, put your spaghetti into another saucepan, cover with water and boil for about 15 minutes or until it’s very soft.
8. Season the bolognese with salt and pepper to taste and more oregano if desired.

Top Tip

Portion up the remaining cooled bolognese and keep in the fridge for 2 days or freeze.

If vegetarian, you can substitute the beef mince for Quorn mince instead.

Hake Fillet in Tomato and Basil Sauce

A fishy tale…

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 1 small frozen skinless, de-boned hake fillet
• 1/2 tsp oil or spray oil
• 1/4 small onion, finely diced
• 1/3 green courgette, cut into 1cm cubes
• 1 small garlic, peeled and crushed or finely sliced
• 1/2 400g can of chopped tomato
• A few basil leaves, very finely sliced
• 15g dried pasta pieces or 65g potato

Method

1. Heat the oil in a small saucepan.
2. Add the onion and courgette and cook for about 10 minutes until the onion is very soft. Stir continually to ensure neither burn or brown too much.
3. Add the garlic and cook gently for a further minute.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes, bring to the boil and then simmer until the courgette is very soft.
5. Whilst the sauce is cooking, cook the hake as per packet instructions.
6. Prepare and cook your pasta until very soft (about 15 minutes) or mashed potato until soft and sloppy.
7. Flake the cooked fish, add to the sloppy sauce with some chopped basil and serve.

Lamb Mince Stew

Warm up with a comforting stew…

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 tsp oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled and crushed or finely diced
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 250g lamb mince
• 1 red pepper, diced into 1cm cubes
• 1 small aubergine, diced into 1 cm cubes
• 1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes & 1/2 - 1 can fresh water
• 260g potatoes, peeled and chopped into a maximum of 2cm cubes
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan.
2. Add the onion and cook for about 10 minutes, or until very soft. Stir continually to ensure is doesn’t overly brown or burn.
3. Add the garlic and spice and cook gently for a further minute.
4. Add the pepper and aubergine and cook for a further 5 minutes, then add the mince and cook until it is browned all over.
5. Add the potatoes and chopped tomatoes. Half fill the tomato can with water and add to the saucepan. Add some more liquid, if needed, to ensure all the vegetables and potatoes are covered.
6. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 60-75 minutes, or until all the vegetables are very soft. Add some extra hot water/stock at any point if the mixture thickens too much, as you want a sloppy consistency.
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve onto your portion plate. Mash the potato down before eating.

Top tip

If vegetarian, you can substitute the beef mince for Quorn mince instead.

Cheat Chilli Con Carne Pie

Family favourite…

Serves: 5

Ingredients

• 1 tsp oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled and crushed or finely sliced
• 250g lean beef mince (5% fat)
• 1/2 tsp hot chilli powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 400g can chopped tomatoes and 1/2 can of fresh water
• 1 400g can red kidney beans, mashed
• Salt and black pepper to taste

For one portion:

• 65g potato, peeled and halved
• Pinch of turmeric
• Dash or two of milk
• 1/2 medium carrot, peeled and sliced

Method

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan.
2. Add the onion and cook for about 10 minutes, or until very soft. Stir continually to ensure is doesn’t overly brown or burn.
3. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
4. Add the mince and cook for a few minutes until it has browned all over.
5. Add the spices and cook gently for a minute, before adding the chopped tomatoes. Fill the tomato can half way with water, use it to get any remaining tomatoes from the can and add to the saucepan.
6. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 30 minutes.
7. Whilst the mince is cooking, put your potatoes into a pan, cover with water and boil until very soft. Mash with a bit of milk until smooth, soft and quite sloppy. Add a small pinch of turmeric, taste and add a bit more if you want. You don’t want it to end up luminous yellow, as this means there is too much turmeric and it will over power the potato and not taste nice.
8. Add the mashed kidney beans to the beef mixture and cook for a further 15 minutes (adjust consistency with a little extra liquid/stock if required, to ensure a sloppy texture).
9. Prepare the carrot and cook until very soft.
10. Season the mince with salt and pepper to taste and serve topped with your mashed potato and carrot on the side.

Top Tip

Portion up the remaining mince and freeze once cooled. You can make your turmeric mashed potato topping whilst reheating the chilli con carne.

Turkey Mince and Lentil Curry

A twist on the Indian Dhansak…

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 100g dried red lentils, rinsed and drained
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed or finely sliced
• 1/2 tsp hot chilli powder
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 4 cardamon pods, crushed and seeds removed (discard shell)
• 250g turkey breast mince (2g fat)
• 1 400g can chopped tomatoes
• Salt and black pepper to taste

• 65g potato (1 portion)
• A bit of milk to help mash the potato
• 2 cauliflower heads (no stalks) (1 portion)

Method

1. Cook the red lentils as per the packet.
2. Whilst the lentils are cooking, heat the oil in a medium saucepan.
3. Add the onion and cook for about 10 minutes, or until very soft. Stir continually to ensure is doesn’t overly brown or burn.
4. Add the garlic, ginger and spices and cook gently for a further minute.
5. Add the turkey mince and cook until the meat is browned all over, then add the tomatoes.
6. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 60 minutes, adding the lentils once they are cooked.
7. Whilst the sauce is cooking, prepare and cook your potato and cauliflower until very soft. Mash the potato with some milk, until soft, smooth and quite sloppy.
8. Season the curry with salt and pepper to taste (and a little extra hot liquid/stock should the consistency not be moist enough) and serve your portion with your potato and vegetables.

Top Tips

If you are vegetarian, use quorn mince instead.

If you fancy a similar curry once established on the textured diet, you could add green or puy lentils instead of red as they have a firmer texture, use a bit of cornflour to thicken the sauce and serve with some crunchy vegetable and brown rice or a small chapati.

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👩🏻‍⚕️Nic 🩷 Bariatric nurse, supporting surgical and non surgical weight loss journeys
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