Healthy food recipes for the invalids

During the convalescence of a patient every effort should be made to see that meals are tempting and as varied as the nature of the illness allows. Food should be served in small quantities, very nourishing and easily digestible.

The following are recipes for dishes suitable for invalids:

Sour milk junket

When milk has 'turned' but has not yet become thick, pour it into custard glasses. When it becomes solid, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and serve as junket. To hasten the process of souring, a little buttermilk may be added to fresh milk.

This dish is much used in Africa and is most excellent for children and invalids, as the lactic acid developed in the milk makes it more easily digested than fresh milk.

Note: Buttermilk is the milk which remains after the butter has been separated from the cream by churning.

Arrowroot cup

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon Castor sugar
• 300 ml of milk
• 1 teaspoon arrowroot flour (crushed arrowroot)

Method

• Mix the arrowroot with a little cold milk
• Boil the remainder of the milk and pour it over the arrowroot
• Stir and boil for 5 minutes.Add the sugar and serve
• If more of a pudding is desired use 2 teaspoon of arrowroot to 300 ml of milk

Note: In case of acute stomach trouble arrowroot should be cooked with water only, till clear like starch. It is then a good medium for any stimulant such as rum or brandy.

Egg, boiled for invalid

The best way to boil an egg for a child or an invalid is to place the egg in boiling water, draw the pan to the side of the stove and leave the egg to simmer for 5 minutes. The cooking is thus slower and as a result the white is not too hard and the york is more perfectly cooked.

Gruel

Ingredients

• 2 spoonfuls of finger miller flour
• 1 cupful of boiled milk
• 3 cupfuls water of water
• Sugar to taste

Method

• Place flour in a lined pan and cover with water and leave to soak for 30 minutes
• Bring to the boil stirring constantly then simmer for 15 minutes.
• Serve hot and then add milk and sugar to taste

Note: Water gruel assists perspiration whereas milk retards. Any type of flour or even oatmeal could be used. Oatmeal should be soaked for 1 hour and then strained.

Albumen Water

  Take the white of a fresh egg and put it on a plate and with two knives cut all ways for a minute. Add a tablespoon of cold boiled water and mix well. Put into a cup and flavor with a pinch of salt or little lemon.

Barley water

Ingredients

• 60 g of pearl barley
• 30 g sugar
• 1-1/4 liters of water
• 1 lemon

Method

• Blanch the barley, then put it with the water in an enamel saucepan
• Simmer for 2 hours
• Strain, add sugar and cool
• Lemon juice may be added

Note: Barley water should be made fresh daily as it does not store well

Rice water

Ingredients

• 2 spoonfuls rice
• 5 cupfuls water

Method

• Wash rice carefully in cold water
• Soak in lukewarm water and leave on top of warm stove for 3 hours
• Boil slowly for 1 hour then strain
• Leave to cool, then serve, adding any flavouring which the invalid is allowed

Note: A useful drink in cases of diarrhoea or dysentery.

Liver soup

Ingredients

• 1/2 kg of liver
• 5 cupfuls of water
• 1 medium sized onion
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Wash liver in salted water and cut it up into small pieces
• Cover with water in a clean saucepan and add chopped onions and seasoning
• Allow to simmer very gently for 45 minutes
• Remove from the heat and rub through a fine sieve, thicket.
• Heat again and serve hot

Liver jelly

Ingredients

• 125 g minced liver
• 15 g gelatin
• 300 ml brown stock
• salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon Bovril (an extract of beef)
• 1 hard boiled egg or a few neat pieces of cooked vegetable to decorate moulds

Method

• Dissolve the gelatin in the stock with bovril, strain and season
• Rinse out 4 small mould with cold water and put a slice of egg or a few pieces of vegetable at the bottom of each.
• Set these with a little jelly mixture, then fill up with the rest of the jelly mixture to which the minced meat liver has been added
• Turn out when set and arrange on watercress or lettuce

Beef tea

Ingredients

• 500 g of lean and juicy beef
• 3 cupfuls of cold water
• a pinch of salt (lye)

Method

• Wipe meat thoroughly and remove all fat
• Scrape and place in a glass jar together with water and salt
• Cover glass jar and leave to stand for 30 minutes, pressing the meat from time to time.
• Cover the top of glass jar with greaseproof paper then stand it in cold water in a pan and bring to the boil.
• Simmer slowly for 2-3 hours on a very gentle heat.
• Skim the surface of beef tea lightly with soft paper to remove all greases and fat
• Strain and serve hot

Note: A fresh quantity of beef tea should be made every day.

Beef Tea Custard

Ingredients

• 2 egg yolks
• 300 ml of beef tea
• Pinch of salt

Method

• Beat the eggs, add the beef tea and salt, beating until well mixed
• Strain into a buttered cup or small mould, cover with greased paper
• The water should be boiling when the custard is put in the pan, which should then be covered and heat reduced so that the custard sets lightly
• Cook for 20 minutes, or until firm
• Serve hot or cold with crisp toast or plain biscuit

Milkless pudding (uncooked)

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon sugar to taste
• 15 g powdered gelatine
• 1 teacup water or orange juice

Methods

• Separate yolks and whites of eggs
• Beat yolks with half sugar till light and creamy.
• Soak gelatine and slightly warm in water or orange juice till thoroughly melted.
• Add beaten yolks and sugar
• Whip up whites with remainder of sugar and stir in gently. Chill

Note: If water is used, flavour with lemon or vanilla concentrate.

Chicken soup

  Put the chicken into a little cold water with a bunch of herbs, 2 leeks and 1 carrot, salt (lye) and pepper, and simmer for 3 hours. Strain the soup before serving. If liked a little rice may be boiled in the soup after straining.

Creamed Chicken

Ingredients

• 125 g breast of chicken
• 60 g breadcrumbs
• 300 ml of chicken or veal broth
• 1 or 2 tablespoons cream
• Salt

Method

• Soak the breadcrumbs in milk
• Mince the chicken, or chop very finely
• Strain the breadcrumbs, put them into a pan with meat, broth and salt, then stir
• Bring to boil, stir in the cream and serve

Chicken jelly

  Cut up the chicken and put the pieces in a jar with just enough cold water barely to cover the meat. Cover the top of the jar and place in a pan of boiling water, adding more hot water from time to time. Simmer for 6 hours and then strain and add a pinch of salt. when cold skim off the fat. A nourishing jelly remains. When partially cooked the breast can be removed and used for Creamed Chicken.

Note: Also, Learn how to make Healthy Homemade Ice Cream that are nutritious to the convalescent.