I've never thought about oatmeal as risotto, but now that you mention it, it kinda makes sense. Might have to give the mushroom-parmesan combo a shot. As for blended mac and cheese...I'm curious, does the texture stay creamy or does it get kinda gluey? I've been sticking mostly to soups and smoothies to keep costs down, but if blending pasta actually works, that could open up some pretty tasty possibilities without breaking the bank.
I've tried the mushroom-parm oatmeal "risotto" myself, and it's surprisingly good—definitely recommend sautéing the mushrooms first for extra flavor. About blending mac and cheese, I've found that adding a splash of warm milk or broth helps keep it creamy and prevents that gluey texture you're worried about. Blend it slowly, starting on low speed, and stop as soon as it hits a smooth consistency. Honestly, pasta-based dishes blended like that saved us when my daughter had her jaw wired shut—cheap, filling, and tasty enough to keep her spirits up.
Your mac and cheese tip is spot-on. When my brother had jaw surgery, we went through a similar phase—blending everything in sight. Pasta dishes were a lifesaver, especially since he was craving comfort foods. One thing we learned the hard way: avoid blending anything tomato-based too long... it gets weirdly frothy. But creamy soups and cheesy pastas? Those were golden. Glad your daughter found something tasty to keep her spirits up; that's half the battle right there.
Totally agree about the tomato thing—been there, done that, and it wasn't pretty. Another winner we found was mashed sweet potatoes with a bit of butter and cinnamon. Easy to blend, tastes great, and packed with nutrients to help healing. Honestly, comfort foods make such a difference when you're stuck on liquids. Glad your brother got through it okay; it's tough but temporary, and every tasty meal helps keep morale up. Hang in there!
Mashed sweet potatoes sound decent, but did you find the cinnamon irritating at all? I noticed spices—even mild ones—sometimes made my mouth feel weird after surgery. One thing that worked surprisingly well for me was avocado blended with coconut milk and a little honey. Smooth, calorie-dense, and didn't sting or irritate at all. Did you guys experiment with avocado at all, or was it mostly sweet potato-type stuff? Curious if others had similar spice sensitivity.
