I need a few recipes

[starsapphire]

My DH just had stomach surgery and is on a restricted diet.

Soon he will graduate to being able to eat small size pasta and rice. I'm looking for pasta and rice dishes with and without ground beef/ground turkey/ground chicken. At first, it will be without meat. Then, we can gradually include ground meats.

I've already got macaroni and cheese, and flavored rice planned.

He CANNOT have:

Beans, peas, lentils, legumes

Anything tomato based. A little bit is okay (no diced or chunks), but definitely no red sauces.

Stringy vegetables (such as
green beans, asparagus), Lettuce,
Bread, Sticky food (peanut
butter), Nuts, Chips, High fiber,
Coconut, Raisins, Seeds and Skins

No strong spices - chili and curry is out

No pork of any kind

No bread or stuffing

*He CAN have*:

small size pasta

white rice

mild cheese, cream cheese, cottage cheese, ricotta - no cheddar yet

mushy cooked vegetables, mashed potatoes

chicken/beef/veg broth

cream soups

eggs

So I'm looking for some very basic hamburger helper-type dishes with rice or small pasta that I can gradually add some ground beef/ground chicken/ground turkey to.

Thanks for your help!

[shoiji]

You can cook the rice in the broth. If he can have milk you can also make rice pudding. You can make casseroles with rice/noodles and creamed soup.

See if he can eat plantains. The yellow ones have a sweet flavor and can be cooked and mashed. Just might be a nice change of pace.

[Contrary Housewife]

Here's some casserole recipes from my grandmother's recipe box. I'm not a casserole person, but grandma liked these enough to keep them.

Noodles Romanoff

Cook noodles 8 minutes. Drain but do not rinse.

1/3 stick butter
tuna fish (in casserole on bottom)
1 cup milk

After noodles are drained put cold milk and butter in cheese mix* and stir. Do not heat milk ahead. 350 oven.

[I have no idea what cheese mix is, maybe shredded cheese? It sounds like this dish just needs to be warmed and bubbly, maybe 30 mins?]


Chicken and Broccoli Buffet Bake

2 2/3 cups corn flakes
3 T frozen broccoli spears (crush well drained)
8 large slices cooked chicken
1 can mushrooms (well drained)
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cup water (can use chicken broth)
1 cup milk
1 can chicken broth
1 cup mayonnaise

Crush corn flakes into fine crumbs.Set aside. Melt margarine in sauce pan, remove from heat. Add crushed crumbs and mix well. Set aside for topping.

Arrange broccoli spears in bottom of a 2qt baking dish. Cut large spears 1/2 length. Place slices of chicken over broccoli. Sprinkle mushrooms evenly over chicken. Set aside.

Measure flour into a large sauce pan. Add water gradually stirring until smooth. Stir in milk and chicken broth. Cook over med. heat stirring constantly until bubbly and thickened. Remove from heat, stir in mayonnaise. Pour hot sauce over mushrooms, chicken and broccoli in baking dish. Sprinkle crumbs mixture over the top.

Bake in oven at 350 about 30 mins or until thoroughly heated, uncovered.

[this sounds like it would be good over cooked rice.]

[Contrary Housewife]

Chicken Encore serves 4

14 oz cooked chicken, finely chopped
8 oz small elbow macaroni
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
4 hard boiled eggs
1 medium onion, minced
1 cup milk
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 lb mild cheese, cubed or shredded
1/2 tsp thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a 9 by 13 baking dish. Mix well. Cover and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for one hour.


Cream of Potato Soup

4 medium sized potatoes
2 medium onions chopped fine
1 1/2 cups boiling water
3 cups milk
salt and pepper

Pare and dice potatoes. Cook potatoes and onions in boiling water until tender. Mash and return to water they were cooked in. Scald milk. Add milk, salt and pepper to potatoes and reheat.


Beef Burgundy

2 lbs strong beef (good grade)
1 pkg Lipton onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Put uncooked beef in a casserole. Top with all other ingredients that have been thoroughly mixed together. Cover and bake for 2 1/2 hours or 3 at 350.

Serve over egg noodles.


Chicken Casserole

1/2 cup macaroni (cooked)
1/2 cup diced celery
1 cup chicken broth
1 can cream of celery soup
1 small can of mushrooms
2 cups of cut up chicken
1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper

Cook celery in chicken broth until tender. Combine all ingredients. Pour into 2 qt casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

[I don't know if celery counts as stringy, but you could leave it out and substitute cream of mushroom soup]

[Contrary Housewife]

Chicken Casserole

Put breast of chicken in casserole.

1 can mushroom soup
1 can chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup rice

Put all together in casserole. Do not cook rice ahead. 350 for 1 hour.

[I used to make this with broccoli added to it.]


Finally, this is not mine, but it came to mind for the no-tomato restriction: Lasagna Alfredo Recipe - Allrecipes.com

[starsapphire]

Perfect. These are the kinds of recipes I'm looking for. He will be able to eat most of these, I just have to tweak the ingredients a bit. I think he'll really like the alfredo lasagne and I can make it with ground chicken or turkey. Thanks!!

[max915]

My boys always like when I would make mac and cheese and add tuna to it. I know he can't have most vegs but when he can you can drain a can of vegs and add it. Or how about what my Dad always called SOS they had it in the army (WWII) some call it chip beef on toast...what I do is make some milk gravy and put that on toast..oops just read he can't have bread so I guess that is out...

[Darlene]

Orzo parm is a fav around here and you can add peas or spinach and later chicken to it. Recipe is easily halved.
Orzo Parmesan

Veggie and cheese omelets are one of my favorite easy on the tummy dinners.
Wish your hubby a speedy recovery.

[vigilant20]

This is different what you asked for, but sounds like it would be allowable...have you thought about smoothies? After I had my tonsils out I couldn't have solid food so I had green smoothies for several weeks. You get your fruits and veggies, and since there aren't carb heavy ingredients the protein levels in just the produce is high enough. You can add yogurt or tofu for extra though.

[starsapphire]

This is different what you asked for, but sounds like it would be allowable...have you thought about smoothies? After I had my tonsils out I couldn't have solid food so I had green smoothies for several weeks. You get your fruits and veggies, and since there aren't carb heavy ingredients the protein levels in just the produce is high enough. You can add yogurt or tofu for extra though.

Yes he's been having smoothies, ice cream, blenderized soup, etc. We have a Vitamix blender which is a big help. He's at the point where he's transitioning off of the full liquid diet and can gradually eat a soft diet so I'm looking for recipes. He had macaroni and cheese for the first time today. At the rate he's going, I'm thinking I'll be including ground meat and soft-cooked veggies to his pasta/rice by sometime next week.

[Ceashels]

I love orzo cooked in chicken stock with added minced/ground browned turkey. You could add peas to it you squash them with a fork first.

Risotto would be another dish to make for him.

Blenderized sauces like peas and mint, spinach, broccoli etc. would also make lovely sauces over pasta and help keep the vegetables on the plate.