Textured Diet Recipes

Back on textured food!

Fabulous Falafel 

Simple and delicious any time of the day…

Serves: 5

Ingredients

• 1 400g can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 red onion, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 heaped tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4-1/2 tsp hot chilli (amount depends how hot you like things)
• 20g fresh coriander, washed
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• Spray oil

Method

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180°C (fan).
2. Add all the ingredients (except oil) to a food processor and roughly blend. The mixture doesn’t need to be smooth.
3. Prepare a baking tray by covering it in baking paper and lightly spray with some oil.
4. Form the mixture into 10 balls (one ball will contain around one large dessert spoon of mixture) and place on the baking tray.
5. Gently squash the top of each ball slightly to flatten into discs about 3cm thick.
6. Lightly spray the tops of the falafel with oil and bake for about 25 minutes (turn over after 20 minutes) or until golden brown.
7. Serve 2 falafel with sweet wedges (see the recipe on the other page) and salad.

Top Tips

Suitable for freezing.

Why not try 2 falafel in 1/2 a small toasted pitta bread with salad for lunch another day (it’s best to ensure you are comfortable with low-fat crackers before trying pitta).

Brown Rice Fruit Salad

A taste of the Caribbean in your kitchen, perfect for hot weather…

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 15g raw brown rice, rinsed thoroughly and drained
• 1/4 red pepper, cubed
• 1.5 tbsp tinned sweetcorn, drained
• 1 heaped tsp raisins
• 1/4 tsp fresh ginger, grated (add a little more at the end if you want too)
• 1/2 small garlic glove, peeled and crushed or finely diced
• 1 spring onion, sliced
• 2 tbsp black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 tsp reduced salt soya sauce
• 1 tinned pineapple ring, cut into thumbnail size chunks
• 1 tsp pineapple juice
• 3 cm piece of cucumber, cubed

Method

1. Cook rice as per instructions on the packet.
2. Transfer to a sieve and run under cold water to cool quickly.
3. Mix in the remaining ingredients.
4. Serve.

Don’t Forget

Rice, pineapple, sweetcorn and dried fruit are caution foods and can be problematic for some. Ensure that you are confident with the 20,20,20,20 rule and have tried a variety of textured foods previously. If any of them cause any discomfort, remove and re-trail again in a few weeks.

Sweet and Sour Pork

Confuse your taste buds…

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp oil
• 1/4 pork fillet, sliced
• 1/4 onion, diced
• 1 small garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tinned pineapple ring, cut into thumbnail size chunks
• 1/2 carrot, cut in half and sliced into thick strips
• For the sauce: 1 tsp reduced salt soya sauce

    2 tsp white wine vinegar

    2 tsp pineapple juice

    1/2 tsp cornflour

    50ml water

• 15g dried brown rice, rinsed thoroughly and drained

Method

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan.
2. Brown the meat in the oil for 2 minutes.
3. Add the onion, ginger and garlic and cook gently for a further 3 minutes.
4. Add the remaining dry ingredients.
5. Put the sauce ingredients into another pan and bring to the boil.
6. Add the sauce to the dry ingredients and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the pork is fully cooked. The carrots should still be quite crunchy.
7. Cook the rice as per the packet’s instructions and serve.

Top Tip

If you don’t like pork, you could substitute it with 1/2 skin-less chicken breast or if you are vegetarian, you could use 40-50g of quorn pieces.

Don’t Forget

Pineapple, rice and dry fried meat pieces are caution foods and can be problematic for some. Ensure that you are confident with the 20,20,20,20 rule and have tried a variety of textured foods and more tender meat products previously. If either cause any discomfort, remove and re-trail again in a few weeks.

Homemade Cereal Bar

Breakfast on the go…

Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 150g jumbo rolled oats
• 150ml skimmed milk
• 2 bananas, mashed
• 1 apple, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 60g pumpkin seeds
• 60g raisins

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (fan).
2. Prepare a 30cm square baking tray by covering it with baking paper.
3. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, then spread across the baking tray (the mixture will be about 1cm thick). Ensure the raisins are submerged in the mixture, any sitting on top will burn.
4. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown and starting to dry on top.
5. Slice into 10 bars.
6. Have one and some crunchy fruit (skin on).

Top Tips

You can store these 120kcal bars in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days or freeze them. They do not take long to de-frost.

Don’t Forget

Dried fruit is a caution food and can be problematic for some. Ensure that you are confident with the 20,20,20,20 rule and have tried a variety of textured foods previously. If they cause any discomfort, remove and re-trail again in a few weeks.

Nut Roast

You can't go far wrong with the classic nut roast …

Serves: 7

Ingredients

• 200g red lentils, rinsed and drained
• 4 shallots, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped or crushed
• 50g raisins
• 50g pumpkin seeds
• 50g each of walnuts, pistachios, cashews and almonds, broken up
• 100g butternut, peeled and grated
• 1 1/2 tsp mixed herbs
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• Pinch of black pepper

• 2 medium new potatoes (1 portion)
• 2 vegetables of choice (to fit the vegetable section of your portion plate)

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (fan).
2. Line a 25 x 11cm (or similar) rectangular cake tin.
3. Put the lentils into a saucepan and cover with lots of cold water. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat and simmer for a further 15-20 minutes. Drain off excess fluid (you may require a sieve to do this properly).
4. Cook the shallots for a few minutes until soft and translucent.
5. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
6. Blitz the nuts in a blender or chop with a knife. Don’t over-do it and create a fine powder as you want some texture.
7. Add the nuts, lentils and remaining ingredients into the saucepan and mix well.
8. Put the mix into the tin and level out.
9. Cook in the oven for about 50 minutes. If the edges start to burn cover with foil.
10. Whilst the nut roast is cooking, prepare and cook your potatoes and vegetables. Don’t over cook them as you want them to have a bite.
11. Slice the nut roast into seven pieces and serve one with your potatoes and vegetables.

Top Tips

If you want some gravy with your dinner, add only a small amount (about 1 tbsp), as adding too much will soften your meal.

The other six portions are suitable for home freezing.

Don’t Forget

Dried fruit and larger pieces of nuts are caution foods and can be problematic for some. Ensure that you are confident with the 20,20,20,20 rule and have tried a variety of textured foods previously. If they cause any discomfort, remove and re-trail again in a few weeks.

Salmon Fish Cake

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 1/2 212g can of salmon, large bones and skin removed
• 65g potato, peeled
• 1 spring onion, sliced
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• A pinch of salt and pepper
• 2 vegetables of your choice (to fit the vegetable section of your portion plate)

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (fan).
2. Boil the potatoes in water until cooked, then transfer to a bowl and mash.
3. Add the remaining ingredients (except the two vegetables) and use your hands to form a patty, about 2.5cm thick.
4. Place on a lightly oiled baking tray and cook for about 25 minutes or until piping hot all the way through, turning half-way.
5. Whilst the fish cake is cooking, prepare and cook your vegetables. Remember to lightly cook them, so they still have a crunch.

Top Tip

Steaming your vegetable is a better way to ensure they kept all their nutrients and stay crunchy.

Bean Burger

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 2 tsp chia seeds
• 6 tsp hot water
• 60g frozen soya beans
• Spray oil or 1/2 tsp oil
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• 1/3 medium carrot, grated
• 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• pinch hot chilli
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tbsp plain flour
• Salad
• Potato wedges (see other recipe for details)

Method

1. Mix the chia seeds with the hot water and leave to stand for about 15 minutes or until it forms a gel.
2. Cook the soya beans as per the packet’s instructions, then mash until broken up slightly.
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan.
4. Fry the onion until softened. Add the carrot, ginger, chilli and coriander and cook for a further minute.
5. In a bowl, mix together the soya beans with the ingredients in the frying pan and the chia seeds, soya sauce and plain flour. Form into a pattie.
6. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown, turning half way through.
7. Serve with some salad and wedges.

Top Tip

You could use any bean for this recipe but bear in mind that some beans hold a better texture than others.

Cashew Nut Paella

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• Spray oil or 1/2 tsp oil
• 1/4 small onion, diced
• 1 small garlic, peeled and crushed or sliced
• 1/4 red pepper, sliced into bite-size pieces
• Pinch -1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• Small pinch of saffon
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 15g raw paella rice, rinsed thoroughly and drained
• About 200ml stock (guide only)
• 15g cashews
• 40g cooked peas
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped

Method

1. Heat the oil in a small pan.
2. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes until soft and translucent.
3. Add the garlic, pepper and spices and cook for a few minutes, stirring continuously.
4. Add the rice and some stock. Start with around 50ml but stay close-by and add more as needed, ensuring there is always a bit of liquid in the pan for the rice to absorb (likely to need a higher ratio of liquid to rice than normal due to the small amount being cooked).
5. Cook until the rice is almost tender, then add the peas, cashews, lemon juice and parsley.
6. Continue cooking until the rice is tender, with the reminder of the liquid in the pan absorbed (the rice may take about 25 minutes in total, although it does vary).

Don’t forget

Nuts and rice are caution foods and can be problematic for some. Ensure that you are confident with the 20,20,20,20 rule and have tried a variety of textured foods previously. If either cause any discomfort, remove and re-trail again in a few weeks.

Chicken Fajita

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• Spray oil or 1/2 tsp oil
• 1/4 small red onion, sliced into long strips
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed or sliced
• 1/4 red pepper, sliced into long, thick strips
• 2 mushrooms, sliced in quarters
• 1/2 chicken breast, sliced into bite-size pieces
• 1/8 tsp chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 1/2 medium wholemeal wrap

Method

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan.
2. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes.
3. Add the remaining ingredients (except the wrap) and cook until the chicken is cooked all the way through.
4. Put the wet ingredients in the middle of your wrap and fold - it may not all fit 😉

Top Tips

If you are vegetarian, replace the chicken with 40-50g quorn pieces.

If may be easier to use a small knife and fork to eat, to help ensure you put no more than a 20p size piece of food into your mouth.

Don’t forget

Dry fried chicken breast pieces are a caution food and can be problematic for some. Ensure that you are confident with the 20,20,20,20 rule and have tried a variety of textured foods and more tender meat previously. If either cause any discomfort, remove and re-trail again in a few weeks.

Oven Baked Courgette and Butterbean Fritters

Serves: 5

Ingredients:

• 2 medium courgettes (dark green or yellow, the light green tend to have too much liquid), grated
• 1/2 400g tin can butterbeans, washed, drained and roughly broken up
• 3 spring onions, sliced
• 1/4 tsp hot chilli
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 50g panko breadcrumbs
• 50g jumbo rolled oats
• Pinch of salt and pepper

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (fan).
2. Cover a baking tray with baking paper.
3. Grate the courgette into a bowl. Using kitchen paper, a clean tea towel or sieve, squeeze out any excess liquid.
4. Mash the beans with the back of a fork or roughly blitz in a blender. Don’t over-do it, they don’t need to be completely smooth just broken into smaller pieces and add to the bowl.
5. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
6. Divid the mixture into 10 patties (each one will be about the size of the palm of your hand) and place on the baking tray.
7. Cook for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Turn over after 15 minutes.
8. Serve two with another vegetable and protein source of your choice to fit on your portion plate.

Top Tip

Suitable for home freezing.

Frittata

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 2 new medium potatoes, washed and halved (skin left on)
• 2 small-medium eggs, lightly beaten
• Dash of skimmed milk
• Black pepper
• 1 spring onion, sliced
• 1/4 red pepper, cut in half and then strips
• Heaped tbsp of chives, finely chopped
• Spray oil or 1/2 tsp oil

Method

1. Boil the potatoes in water until just cooked (they should still be quite firm). Slice into 1cm rounds.
2. Lightly beat the egg in a jug with a dash of milk, a bit of black pepper and the chives.
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan (use a small one if you have one).
4. Add the pepper and cook for 3 minutes, then add the onion and cook for a further 2 minutes.
5. Add the potato, making sure everything is mixed and spaced out.
6. Pour over the egg mixture and cook for about 3-5 minutes (slightly longer if using a small frying pan) or until it’s almost set.
7. Place under the grill to finish cooking the top. Use a knife to check it is cooked through.

Top tips

You could add a small sprinkling of low-fat cheese after adding the egg, if desired.

Home-Made Sugar Free Muesli

Home-made is always the best…

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 15g Jumbo rolled oats
• 5g barley flakes
• 3 almonds, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 Brazil nut, cut into smaller pieces
• 1 tsp raisins
• 1 dried apricot, cut into smaller pieces

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 160°C (fan).
2. Put the oats, barley flakes and chopped nuts onto a baking tray and toast in the oven for about 8-10 minutes. Shake and turn half way through and ensure nothing burns (it will taste like burnt popcorn if you overdo it).
3. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
4. Add the dried fruit and mix.
5. Serve with some low-fat plain yoghurt or skimmed milk.

Top Tips

It may be easier to make up a batch and store it in an airtight container. One weeks recipe would be 105g Jumbo rolled oats, 35g barley flakes, 21 almonds, 7 brazil nuts, 49g raisins and 7 apricots. The dried fruit and nut ingredients are only suggestions, you can change the type based on your preference.

Don’t Forget

Dried fruit and nuts are caution foods and can be problematic for some. Ensure that you are confident with the 20,20,20,20 rule and have tried a variety of textured foods previously. If any of them cause any discomfort, remove and re-trail again in a few weeks.

Orange and Ginger Beef Stir fry

Quick and easy but still bursting with flavour…

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 1/2 small lean beef fillet, cut into strips
• Rind and juice from 1/4 orange
• 1/4 tsp oil or spray oil
• 1 tsp reduced salt soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 small spring onion, sliced
• Stir fry vegetables of your choice to fit the vegetable section of your portion plate
• 10g dried wholemeal noodles

Method

1. Slice the fillet into strips and mix in a bowl with the orange rind and juice. Leave to marinade for about 2 hours (minimum 30 minutes) in the fridge.
2. Cook the noodles as per the packet’s instructions.
3. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan.
4. Add the beef and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously. Then remove from the pan and place on a plate.
5. Wipe the pan clean and add the vegetables, spring onion and ginger and cook for about 4 minutes.
6. Return the beef to the wok/pan, add the soy sauce and cook for a further few minutes until the vegetables have softened slightly and the steak strips are cooked to taste.

Top Tip

If you are vegetarian, you can swap the steak for 40-50g Quorn pieces.

Don’t Forget

Stir fry beef is a caution food and can be problematic for some. Ensure that you are confident with the 20,20,20,20 rule and have tried a variety of textured foods and more tender meat previously. If it causes any discomfort, remove and re-trail again in a few weeks.

Prawn Risotto

Prawn to be awesome…

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 1/4 tsp oil or spray oil
• 1 small shallot, diced
• 1 small garlic, peeled and crushed or sliced
• 15g risotto rice, rinsed thoroughly and drained
• 40g frozen peas
• About 200-250ml stock (guide only)
• 1 sun-dried tomato
• 4 small asparagus, sliced into 2cm pieces
• 50-75g cooked prawns
• Bit of parsley (optional)
• Black pepper
• Sprinkling of grated parmesan

Method

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan.
2. Add the shallot and cook for a few minutes until softened.
3. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
4. Stir in the rice and peas, then add a few spoons of hot stock.
5. Simmer gently to allow the rice to absorb the liquid gradually, then add a bit more stock.
6. Continue this way until the rice is almost soft.
7. Add the prawns, asparagus, sun-dried tomato and parsley and cook through until the prawns are piping hot, the asparagus el dente and rice soft.
8. Season with black pepper and parmesan and serve.

Don’t Forget

Rice is a caution food and can be problematic for some, particularly as risotto is a sticky rice. Ensure that you are confident with the 20,20,20,20 rule and have tried a variety of textured foods previously. If any of them cause any discomfort, remove and re-trail again in a few weeks. If you find you can tolerate brown rice but not risotto rice, simply cook some brown rice in a separate pan to the other ingredients and then mix together once everything is cooked.

Chicken Quinoa Salad

Quinoa the nutritional powerhouse…

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 10g quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cooked chicken breast or leg, any skin removed and cut into bitesize pieces
• 6 small olives, rinsed
• 1 spring onion, sliced
• 15g feta, crumbled slightly
• 3 cm piece of cucumber, diced into bitesize pieces
• 1/4 small red pepper, sliced into bitesize pieces
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• A few mint leaves, finely chopped (optional)

Method

1. Cook the quinoa as per the packet’s instructions.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and mix together.

Top Tips

You can play around with this recipe, swapping the vegetables for other crunchy types or if you are vegetarian, you could try adding some soya beans or similar instead of chicken. Have a go and see what you like.

Don’t Forget

Chicken breast pieces are caution foods and can be problematic for some. Ensure that you are confident with the 20,20,20,20 rule and have tried a variety of textured foods and more tender meat previously. If any of them cause any discomfort, remove and re-trail again in a few weeks.

Many find chicken leg meat easier than breast meat as it’s moister. Alternatively, ensure you pick cuts that are still tender and haven’t dried out.

Meatballs, Pepper and Tomato with Pasta

It’s not surprising that the meatball is popular in so many countries…

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 3 meatballs
• 1 tsp oil or spray oil
• 1/4 small red onion, cut into long strips
• 1/4 red pepper, cut into long strips
• 1/4 400g tin off chopped tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 15g dried wholemeal pasta
• Salad

Method

1. Bake the meatballs in the oven as per the packet’s instructions.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan.
3. Add the onions and pepper and cook until the onion is soft and translucent.
4. Add the tomatoes and oregano and cook for another 5-10 minutes. You want the peppers to remain crunchy but the sauce to thicken slightly.
5. Whilst the sauce and meatballs are cooking, cook your pasta but ensure you stop once it’s al-dente.
6. Add the meatballs to the sauce and serve with the pasta and some salad.

Moroccan Flavoured Chicken

North African flavour and aroma…

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• Spray oil
• 1 skinless chicken breast
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 small onion, sliced into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 red pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 courgette, sliced in half and then thick chunks
• 4 soft/semi-dried apricots, sliced
• 1 heaped tsp fresh coriander, roughly chopped up

• 15g dried brown rice, throughly rinsed and drained (one portion)

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 170°C (fan)
2. Cook rice as per packet's instructions.
3. Place the chicken in some lightly oiled tin foil and massage the spices across the chicken. Seal and place on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until the chicken is almost cooked.
4. Remove the tray from the oven and add the onion, red pepper and courgette. Spray with some oil and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear.
5. Slice the chicken into bite-size pieces and mix with the vegetables, apricots and coriander.
6. Serve half with the rice.

Don’t forget

Roast chicken and dried fruit are a caution foods and can be problematic for some. Ensure that you are confident with the 20,20,20,20 rule and have tried a variety of textured foods and tender pieces of meat previously. If they cause any discomfort, remove and re-trail again in a few weeks.

Many people tolerate chicken leg meat better than breast meat as it is moister, so you could try cooking this instead.

Fuss Free Seabass Traybake

Sometimes we need something simple…

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• Spray oil
• 4 medium new potatoes, washed and halved with their skins left on
• 1 seabass fillet
• 1/2 red pepper, cut into thick strips
• 1 medium yellow courgette, cut into thick rounds
• 1 garlic, crushed
• 8 cherry tomatoes
• Small handful basil leaves

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 160°C (fan).
2. Place the potatoes onto a baking tray and spray with some oil. Put in the oven and cook for about 15 minutes or until they start to soften.
3. Loosely wrap the seabass in lightly oiled foil to form an individual parcel and place on the baking tray with the potatoes.
4. After 8-10 minutes, add the pepper, courgette and garlic and cook for a further 5 minutes or until the fish is cooked through. You want the potatoes to just be cooked and the vegetables still to be crunchy.
5. Mix the tomatoes in with the vegetables, just to warm slightly and sprinkle over the basil leaves.
6. Serve half of the portion and enjoy!

Don’t forget

Tomato skins are a caution food and can be problematic for some. Ensure that you are confident with the 20,20,20,20 rule and have tried a variety of textured foods previously. If they cause any discomfort, remove and re-trail again in a few weeks.

Apple and Raisin Crumble

Everyone likes a pudding occasionally…

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 1 small eating apple, peeled and sliced
• 2 tsp raisins
• 1 tsp sugar
• 10g oats (jumbo are best)
• 20g plain flour
• 10g margarine

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (fan).
2. Layer the sliced apple at the bottom of a ramekin and scatter over the raisins.
3. In a bowl, rub the plain flour together with the margarine until it forms fine breadcrumbs, then mix in the oats and one tsp of sugar.
4. Put the crumble on top of the apple and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until lightly golden on top.

Top Tip

If you don’t like raisins or have had issues with dried fruit, as they are a caution food, try using blackberries instead. You could also add some pumpkin seeds to the crumble for added crunch.

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