Creamy Chicken & Mushroom Soup Recipe

Yes, it's officially summer and soup might not be your go-to meal but most the seniors I know have poor circulation and are frequently cold.  It's also being suggested according to this article that the thermoregulation of body temperature might be a therapeutic treatment for Alzheimer's disease.  Say-what?! This takes comfort food to a whole new level, and what's more comforting than a bowl of soup?  It's also loaded with nutrients and soft on the teeth which is an every growing concern that I am realizing plagues the senior demographic right up there with high blood pressure and dramas with Medicaid.  Some things I cannot fix but I can fix soup. So... Creamy chicken and mushroom for all my favorite seniors this week!

The ultimate care package.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 large chicken breasts
• 4 carrots, diced
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 1 white onion, diced
• 1 1/2cups Cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 cup flour
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/8 cup chopped parsley (and a little more for a fresh garnish)
• 1 sprig rosemary

Directions

1. Place the chicken breast in a pot and cover with water. Slowly heat on medium till they are cooked through.
2. While the chicken is cooking prep the carrots, celery, onion, mushrooms and garlic.
3. In a heavy pot melt the butter. Add the diced carrots, onion, and celery and stir to coat them evenly in the butter.
4. Sautee for several minutes until the vegetables soften and then add the mushrooms, garlic, and thyme.
5. Cook for several more minutes until the mushrooms begin to release their juices, then add the flour.
6. Stir constantly incorporating the flour and loosening any bits starting to stick to the bottom.
7. Slowly add in the chicken stock and mix well. This will deglaze the bottom of the pan and help add flavor.
8. Add the bay leaves and allow the soup to heat into a low simmer.
9. While the soup is heating, carefully remove the chicken breat and place in a large bowl or cutting board. With two forks carfully pull apart the chicken until shredded into small pieces.
10. Carefully add the shredded chicken and the parsley to the soup pot and continue cooking until the carrots are soft.
11. Once cooked through, remove from heat and stir in the half and half and add the rosemary sprig.
12. Return to the heat and warm the soup through but avoid boiling.
13. Once warm, you can serve it immediatly remembering to remove the bay leaves and avoiding the infusing rosemary sprig (which can be discarded before storing any leftovers).
14. Enjoy, hopefully with a friend!

Rules for "how to feed a senior"...

As I temporarily leave my parents in the care of other “givers” I have been answering a lot of questions around what they like to eat.  I realize a website titled “How To Feed A Senior” should probably clarify some of the rules around the “how-to” part.  In my experience I have come to learn that it doesn’t matter what you serve.  If it is difficult to chew, hard to swallow, or complicated to eat, it’s not going to work.  Issues around poor teeth, difficulty swallowing, and decreased motor skills all increase concerns around senior nutrition and complicate matters for caregivers. The next several posts will be dedicated to a few of the rules I have come to live by and will hopefully help others whom find themselves in the same position.

Rule # 1: Texture Matters

• Keep it soft- At this age the teeth are often in rough shape.  Many folks wear dentures or have teeth that have experienced neglect leaving the mouth sensitive and chewing stressful.  Chomping down on anything can be challenging and things like tough meats, corn on the cob, whole apples, large sandwiches, etc…  These things all put a high demand on the teeth.  Biting and chewing I have noticed are becoming increasingly more difficult.  It’s not to say that my dad doesn’t want a kobe steak, it just means I have to cut it up into small bites that aren’t going to overwhelm him when he has it in his mouth.

• Moist- I know people hate this word but too bad.  Moist is a must! As Alzheimer’s progresses, difficulty swallowing also known as dysphagia, can be a common problem.  This can easily lead to malnutrition and dehydration as those struggling with the condition avoid eating and drinking as the act of doing so physically becomes more difficult.  If you are having difficulty swallowing do you think a dry cracker or dinner roll is going to help?  No.  So, dry is out and moist is in!