Eating local foods in season is the most healthful way to eat, for young and old alike. These delicious autumn-inspired meals for seniors are nutritious and easy to make.
Here’s to a happy and healthy fall!
Healthy Start Pumpkin Muffins
Packed with eyesight-boosting vitamin A and carotenoids to slow skin aging, adding pumpkin to your loved one’s diet has its benefits. Best of all, eating canned pumpkin is just as beneficial as fresh – but much easier to prepare! Substitute part of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour or add ¼ cup cranberries for a fiber boost.
Ingredients:
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup white sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
¾ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
1 ¼ cup pumpkin puree
½ cup milk
2 eggs
¼ cup maple syrup
¾ cup quick cooking oats
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 6 muffin cups with cooking spray. Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl until combined. Stir pumpkin puree, milk, eggs, and maple syrup into the dry ingredients until batter is smooth. Fold in oats. Scoop batter into muffin cups and bake 20-30 minutes.
Recipe adapted from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/229965/october-oatmeal-pumpkin-muffins/
Autumn Acorn Squash Side
Infused with sweet fall flavors, this simple acorn squash side dish goes well with roast chicken or served with a festive turkey dinner. The sugar-conscious can reduce the amount of brown sugar in this recipe by half without drastically altering the flavor.
Ingredients:
2 acorn squash
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen
4 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. butter
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking dish with foil. Cut acorn squash in half and scoop out seeds, then place cut side up on the baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil. In a small bowl, combine walnuts, cranberries and brown sugar. Spoon mixture into each squash half then top each with 1 tablespoon of butter. Cover the vegetables loosely with foil, then bake for 75 minutes or until squash is tender.
Recipe adapted from: http://www.sunriseseniorliving.com/blog/november-2014/3-winter-squash-recipes-to-spruce-up-a-meal.aspx
Post-Holiday Turkey Soup:
Cook up this recipe after a Thanksgiving or Christmas feast. You can substitute rotisserie chicken, too, for a quick and easy solution to any poultry leftovers. Feel free to substitute or increase the vegetables in this recipe. Try diced up yams, parsnips, sweet potato, turnips, zucchini or acorn squash. You can also throw in additional herbs and seasonings to taste!
Ingredients:
2 sliced carrots
1 chopped celery rib
1 diced onion
1 minced garlic clove
1 TBS. olive oil
2 14-ounce cans low-fat, low-salt chicken broth (or make your own!)
1 pound cooked diced turkey meat
1-2 cups cooked wild rice
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
Sauté vegetables in oil in a large stock pot over medium high heat, until softened. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes on low heat, then add turkey, rice, and seasonings. Stir soup and serve immediately.
Recipe adapted from: http://www.sageminder.com/Caregiving/ElderlyNutrition/SeniorRecipes.aspx
For more healthy recipe ideas for seniors, get in touch with Grove Menus to learn about our menu planning solutions that incorporate seasonal foods and recipes.