Recipes for Managing Side Effects Series: Mouth Sores
Mouth sores can be a common side effect of treatment. If you have mouth sores, you may be encouraged to eat non-irritating foods that are easy to swallow [i]. To add more variety to your smoothies and soups, try this delicious mushroom tofu scramble recipe! This tender breakfast dish is a simple and healthy way to start your day, and its soft and moist texture is ideal for preventing or managing mouth sores.
Nutritional Content and Health Benefits
Tofu is a high protein food that contains many important vitamins and minerals. If you are a vegetarian or vegan, tofu is an excellent source of plant-based protein to include in your diet! One 3-ounce serving of tofu (84 grams) offers about 70 calories, 9 grams protein, 3.5 grams fat and 0.7 grams fiber [ii]. Tofu is also a great source of calcium. One serving of tofu contains about 125 mg calcium, which is about 8% of your daily need [ii]. Getting adequate calcium from your diet is important to prevent osteoporosis during treatment [iii]. Last but not least, the soft texture of tofu makes it a perfect option when managing mouth sores.
The umami taste of mushrooms will make this dish even more savory. You can choose any type of mushrooms you like for this recipe, but the key is to thinly slice and thoroughly cook them until tender. Mushrooms are a great source of fiber, vitamin D, B vitamins, potassium, and copper [iv].
Recipe
Mushroom Tofu Scramble
Serves: 2
A delicious way to brighten your day, perfect for breakfast and brunch!
Ingredients
- Half block of medium firm or firm tofu
- 1 cup of sliced mushrooms of your choice (for this recipe I used cremini)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tbsp soy sauce
- ½ cup milk of your choice (I used oat milk for this recipe)
- Optional toppings: grated cheese and chopped spring onions
Instructions
- Drain the tofu.
- Cut the tofu into small pieces, and then crumble with a fork.
- Wash the mushrooms and thinly slice.
- Add the olive oil to a non-stick pan and heat over medium high heat.
- Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft.
- Add the tofu, milk, and season with salt, garlic powder and soy sauce to taste. Sauté for about 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle with spring onion and cheese if you like, and enjoy!
Tips
- To make this recipe gluten free, you can use a gluten-free soy sauce (such as tamari or coconut aminos) or just substitute salt, to taste.
- If you don’t like tofu, feel free to replace the tofu with 4 eggs.
- Feel free to add any vegetables you like. Some good choices include baby spinach and zucchini.
For more tips on managing mouth sores, check out this article.
References:
[i] Edwards, Anna, Claire Santos, An-Yang Chen, and Judith Bauer. “Nutritional Interventions for Oral Mucositis: A Systematic Literature Review.” Nutrition & Dietetics 78, no. 1 (2021): 101–14. https://doi.org/10.1111/1747-0080.12656.
[ii] House Foods Premium Firm Tofu. Retrieved from https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/173788/nutrients
[iii] Diniotis, Bobby, Evan Sternberg, Shrestha Shakuntala, Maguy Chiha, and Pam Khosla. “Hypocalcemia in Malignancy – Unexpected but Common.” Cureus 7, no. 12. Accessed March 3, 2021. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.442.
[iv] Mushroom. Retrieved from https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/1264302/nutrients