About This Recipe:

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Like all Natural Tube Feeding recipes, the antioxidant smoothie has been designed specifically for blenderized tube feeding, but tastes truly delicious and can also be enjoyed by family members who eat by mouth.

 

It provides a balanced ratio of carbohydrates, protein and fat, and uses simple healthy ingredients. It is nutrient dense (over 1 calorie per mL volume), and quick and easy to prepare. None of the ingredients are hard to break down, so an expensive blender is not required. Bonus- it contains no added sugar and uses foods that are natural sources of antioxidants.

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This recipe can be enjoyed by tube fed adults or children, and can be fed by syringe, pump or gravity infusion. 

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Time: 5 minutes

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Ingredients:

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1 cup whole milk or a plant-based milk alternative (note: substitutions change the nutritional content)

1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (if using frozen blueberries, measure frozen then thaw before blending)

1/2 cup lightly packed fresh spinach leaves

1/2 cup (about 4 ounces) of raw firm tofu

1/2 of a medium banana

1 tbsp almond butter

1/2 tsp cinnamon

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Steps:

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Place all ingredients in blender and blend until a smooth liquid texture is achieved. This could take several minutes, particularly if your blender is not very powerful. If you plan to use this blend for pump or gravity feeding, it may be necessary to create a thinner consistency by adding a little more milk. 

 

After blending, strain as needed to remove any seeds or particles. Note: depending on the size and type of feeding tube and the feeding method, straining may not be necessary. Your healthcare team should be able to advise you as to whether or not all your blends should be strained. Use of a wire mesh strainer with a mixing paddle, (like this one) is the most efficient way to strain.

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Nutritional Information:

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This recipe makes about 450 mL and provides approximately 480 calories, 27 g protein, 36 g net carbohydrates, 25 g fat, 6 g fibre, 125 mg sodium, 800 mg potassium and 315 mg phosphorus.

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