Level 3 · Liquidised: smooth, pourable, no bits. It can be sipped from a cup or taken by spoon, and needs no chewing. What do the levels mean?
Serves: 2 · Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients: Okinawan (purple) sweet potato, unsweetened soy milk, a little honey (optional), a pinch of cinnamon.
Steps
Peel and steam 1 medium purple sweet potato until very soft, about 20 minutes.
Blend with 1 1/2 cups soy milk until silky, then strain.
Add cinnamon, and honey only if needed (1 tsp at most). Warm or chill, then adjust thickness to Level 3.
Check the texture: it drips slowly in dollops through the prongs of a fork, and there are no lumps, skins or fibers. If it runs through quickly, thicken it a little (a food thickener works well).
Use the food level recommended by your speech-language pathologist or doctor. Textures change with cooking time, cooling and reheating, so check the food each time before serving, using the simple fork and spoon tests in our swallowing guide. Sit upright to eat, take small bites, and stay upright for 30 minutes after.