Healthy recipes you can make at home

Finding easy to make and delicious food isn’t always easy, but when you find a great recipe you can easily make it is very satisfying.

The benefits of cooking at home are not just great tasting meals but healthy and balanced meals that don’t just satisfy your hunger but also your nutritional needs.

Here are a few healthy, senior focused recipes from the BC Government that you can make at home for yourself and your family:

Spinach Salad with Orange Sesame Dressing

This salad is a nice change from lettuce and tomato. If you are saving a portion for the next day, save the dressing separately.

Serves: 2

Preparation and cooking time: 20-30 minutes

Per serving: Calories: 82, Protein: 2 g, Fat: 5 g, Carbohydrate: 7 g, Fibre: 2 g, Sodium: 36 mg, Calcium: 62 mg.

Salad Ingredients:

• 2 cups (500 mL) chopped fresh spinach
• 1 orange
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped red or green onion

Instructions:

1. Wash and dry spinach. Tear or chop it into bite-sized pieces and place in a serving bowl.
2. Finely grate a small amount of peel from the orange and put it in a small jar or cup.
3. Peel the orange, slice it into bite-sized pieces and add it to the spinach. Add chopped onion.
4. Make the dressing by adding all remaining ingredients to the orange rind in jar or cup. Shake or whisk together.
5. When ready to serve, pour dressing on top of the spinach and orange slices and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Thanks to Trudi Stevenson of Courtenay, B.C.

Variation:

In strawberry season, use 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries instead of the orange and do not use the orange rind. Substitute 1 tbsp red wine vinegar for the orange juice and 1 tsp poppy seeds for the sesame seeds.

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1½ tsp (7 mL) olive oil or canola oil
• ½ tsp (2 mL) sesame oil (optional)
• ¼ tsp (1 mL) honey or sugar
• 1 pinch powdered ginger
• 1 pinch pepper
• ½ tsp (2 mL) orange rind
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) orange juice
• 1 tsp (5 mL) sesame seeds, toasted

Indian Curry Saute

This is a very light curry, full of healthy vegetables, fruit and fibre. Serve it with brown rice or couscous. The recipe can be doubled, but we do not recommend freezing it. Instead, save it in the fridge for the next day.

Serves: 1

Preparation and cooking time: 40 minutes – 30 minutes to get everything chopped and in the pot, and another 10 minutes to finish cooking.

Per serving: Calories: 271, Protein: 7 g, Fat: 9 g, Carbohydrate: 42 g, Fibre: approx. 8 g, Sodium: 336 mg, Calcium: 85 mg

Ingredients:

2/3 cup (150 mL) finely diced carrots

1/3 cup (75 mL) finely diced celery

1/3 cup (75 mL) finely diced apples

1/3 cup (75 mL) finely diced onions

1 tsp (5 mL) curry powder

1 tsp (5 mL) canola oil

1/4 cup (60 mL) water

1/4 low-sodium bouillon cube

1/3 cup (75 mL) chickpeas

2 tsp (10 mL) toasted sliced almonds

Variation: Use black beans, pinto beans, diced cooked chicken or diced cooked beef instead of chickpeas.

Instructions:

1. Dice vegetables.
2. In heavy skillet (fry pan), heat oil, add vegetables and cook over medium high heat for two to three minutes.
3. Dissolve the ¼ bouillon cube in ¼ cup of water, and add to the vegetables with the chickpeas. Cook to desired tenderness.
4. Top with toasted almonds.

Helpful Hints:

If you use canned chickpeas, drain off the liquid in the can and rinse beans well under cold water to remove some of the salt. You can save canned chickpeas in the refrigerator and add them to a salad for extra protein and fibre. Or you could use them to make hummus in your blender – or, for a quick lunch, combine them with cooked vegetables and wrap the whole mixture in a soft whole wheat tortilla.

Adapted from Eileen Faughey’s Quick Flip to Delicious Dinners, 1999.

Quesadilla

Quesadillas are a warm, tasty way to use up leftover cooked vegetables and small amounts of cooked meat. For a complete meal, serve with a piece of fresh fruit and a glass of milk.

Serves: 1

Preparation and cooking time: 25 minutes.

Per serving: Calories: 252, Protein: 12 g, Fat: 7 g, Carbohydrate: 33 g, Fibre: 3.4 g, Sodium: 308 mg, Calcium: 236 mg.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole wheat soft tortilla (7 inch or 18 cm)
• ¼ cup (60 mL) shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
• ¾ cup (175 mL) cooked vegetables (use leftovers if you have them)
• Cooked meat (optional)
• Sliced olives or sun dried tomatoes (optional)

Instructions:

1. Chop vegetables and grate cheese before you start to cook.
2. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
3. Place tortilla on heated pan.
4. Quickly place cut up vegetables on top of tortilla and cover with grated cheese.
5. Lift up half the tortilla and fold over the other half, enclosing the vegetables and cheese, and lightly press on top to hold together.
6. Cook until the tortilla is lightly browned and crispy.
7. Flip over and cook the other side.
8. Cut in half and serve with a small amount of salsa.

Thanks to Georgina Lawlor of Penticton, B.C.

Suggested Vegetables:

Asparagus, broccoli, yams, red peppers, carrots, mushrooms and/or onions.

Eating healthy doesn’t have to be difficult and can also be a great way to connect with family and friends by cooking with them and making an evening of it.

If you have any concerns or would like some help living more comfortably at home or setting up a meal plan, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 1-866-982-2737 and speak with some about setting up an at home care assessment today.