Raw Food Diet For Healthy DetoxRaw Food Diet For Life In The Urban Jungle

My husband and I have been trying to lose weight, but avoid the d-word – diet. Basically, try to eat more raw vegetables, more fruit, less sodium and less fat. My mother, a stroke patient, needed soft foods with good mouth feel, easier to chew and swallow.

Ah, and our pre-tween daughter, well, it's easy to guess that it eats more vegetables and avoid all salt, fat and sugar they can get. She is also particular, sauces and food mixed together. About the only common bond is that we all enjoy the meat. Carnivores are us. How do you cook to meet all those needs?

Cook a main dish, serve in many ways! Today the focus is on grilled meats. This recipe is inspired by several that have been floating around the Internet for a while, because the preparation is easy and the result is delicious.

Ingredients

onion, garlic, potatoes, carrots, and / or celery – cut into chunks

1 roast (3-5 pounds) – back or shoulder

1 can (10.75 ounces) cream of mushroom, cream of celery cream of chicken soup – low-fat or low sodium as desired

2 cups prepared beef stock, beef soup base or canned beef broth

thyme (to taste)

marjoram (to taste)

salt and pepper (to taste)

Worcestershire sauce (to taste, optional)

1 / 4 cup sherry (optional)

cornstarch (optional)

Instructions

Layer vegetables in the bottom of a large crockpot. Place roast in the top of the vegetables. Pour in the cream soup and the meat stock or broth. Simmer for 6-8 hours, depending upon your crockpot, until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 145 degrees F (medium rare) to 160 degrees F (medium).

When the roast doneness approaches, sprinkle in a little fresh thyme, marjoram, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce (if using) to taste. Add the sherry, if desired. Let flavors blend for 15 minutes, shown below, the sauce au jus and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Remove from oven crockpot when done at the desired temperature. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting, crushing or fragmentation. Au jus sauce thickened with cornstarch, if desired. Now comes the creative part of customization is roasted to meet of all members of the family.

Standard Diet Options

* Roast Beef Dinner – Cut beef into slices and serve with grilled vegetables and gravy. Complete the meal with a salad and crescent rolls.

* French Dip Sandwiches – Arrange the slices or chunks roasted on buns or rolls. Add cheese, onion and tomato slices to taste. Serve a bowl of au cogens with each sandwich sauce, for dipping. Also serve pickles, raw vegetables, and some chips on the side.

Options soft diet

* Steak with mashed potatoes – Cut beef into very small pieces, then gently push the meat in a mound of mashed potatoes. Cover potatoes with gravy. (The potatoes and gravy aid in the ingestion of beef, for those suffering from dysphagia (difficulty swallowing). Serve with roasted vegetables or mashed soft canned vegetables such as peas or carrots, mashed smooth.

* Beef Vegetable Soup – Put the sauce and grilled vegetables in a blender or food processor. Combine until mixture is smooth. Add the beef broth or water, if necessary, to achieve desired consistency. Serve in a bowl or cup, garnished with a dollop of sour cream.

Child-Friendly Options

* Serve any of the above options, according to the preferences of your child. OR if your child has no food-can-touch-any-other-the syndrome of food, served in consequence, but insist that he or she at least every sample. If your child will not eat grilled vegetables, substitute raw baby carrots and celery.

My daughter just read this article. Enjoy your comments with me: "Eewww grilled vegetables, salads eewww, Beef Yum, yum sauce. "Consult your physician or other qualified professional for specific feeding patterns, especially for the elderly, children infants, and family members with health issues.

Carolyn Brooks Fleming is a freelance writer living in St. Louis. For nine years she balanced the roles of caregiver, wife and parent. Life was overwhelming – a mix of wheelchairs and strollers, adult diapers and baby diapers. But over time, with love and support, she learned to balance the roles of caregiver and parent. Today Carolyn shares her experiences and coping strategies, to help others who travel the same road.

http://www.examiner.com/x-16408-St-Louis-MultiGenerational-Caregiver-Examiner
http://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynfleming

Copyright 2009, Carolyn Brooks Fleming, All Rights Reserved. Permission is granted to publish all/part of this article free of charge as long as: the author’s byline is included, the links are live, and the author is notified: carolynbf@sbcglobal.net.

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