By Carleton Rivers, MS, RD, LD

Meal time frustration is a common occurrence for those who have issues with chewing and swallowing. Try these easy food tips to widen the variety of choices you have at meal and snack time.

Chop it and mash it

Use blenders, food processors, grinders, and potato mashers to make food as bite-size or mashed as you need it.

• Puree steamed vegetables in a food processor or blender and add to soups, casseroles, or eggs!

Butternut Squash Soup

Recipe found at http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/butternut-squash-soup-5
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 cup soup)

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 1/2 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 3/4 cup chopped carrot
• 1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
• 2 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup half-and-half
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. To prepare soup, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add squash, carrot, and onion; sauté for 12 minutes. Add chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in half-and-half and salt.
2. Preheat broiler.
3. Place squash mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape), and secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth.
4. To prepare toasts, arrange French bread on a baking sheet. Broil for 1 minute or until lightly toasted. Turn bread over, and top evenly with Swiss cheese. Broil for 1 minute or until bubbly. Serve toasts with soup.

Nutrition Information:

Per serving

Calories  168 | Total fat  5g | Saturated fat  3g | Monounsaturated fat  1g | Polyunsaturated fat  0g | Protein  3g | Total carbohydrates  28g | Fiber  5g | Cholesterol  13mg | Sodium  406mg

*The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.