We all know the importance of a balanced, nutritional diet. However, it can be difficult to make sure that your elderly loved one is getting the most nutrients out of their cooking. From mobility issues and reduced grip, to transport issues making it difficult to get to the supermarket, cooking can become quite the challenge as we get older. Of course, we all want to stay safe and independent; being able to cook for ourselves is an important part of this. That’s why we’ve compiled a few quick recipes for older people to prepare with ease.
We should encourage our elderly relatives to continue cooking as long as they are able. For more information on the topic, look no further than the Careline365 blog:
- Discover our top kitchen aids and gadgets for older cooks.
- Read our complete guide to nutrition for older people.
3 Quick Recipes for Older People
Each of these recipes uses a few simple, affordable ingredients which should be easy to find in your local supermarket. If you can’t find them on the supermarket shelves, why not order online? See our guide to online grocery shopping for beginners. You can also easily amend these recipes to suit a range of dietary requirements e.g. vegetarian, vegan etc.
1. Vegetable Stir-Fry
Ingredients:
- Savoy cabbage
- Spring onions
- Peppers
- Beansprouts
- Noodles
- Chinese five-spice
- Garlic or garlic seasoning
- Stir-fry sauce of your choice
Method:
Begin by heating a wok and add sliced peppers, beansprouts, spring onions, and cabbage. Stir continuously until they are as soft as you would like. Add soy sauce while cooking the vegetables as well as garlic (or garlic seasoning) and Chinese five-spice. Then add the ready-to-wok noodles and cook for 3-5 minutes. Finally, add a stir-fry sauce of your choice and cook for a further couple of minutes. Serve and top with optional sesame seeds.
This is a great option for those who might struggle standing up for long periods of time. The meal only takes about 15 minutes to make.
2. Italian Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients:
- 4-6 mixed coloured peppers
- Beef mince
- Rice
- Tomato puree
- Mixed Italian seasoning
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella
- Red wine (optional)
Method:
Begin by cutting off the top of the peppers and removing the seeds before placing them on a baking tray. Then brow the mince in a pan and add Italian seasoning and 1/2 cup of red wine if desired. The mince will soak up the red wine and give it a richer flavour, but this is optional. Mix the cooked rice and the tomato puree into the pan with the cooked mince. Then stuff this mixture into the peppers until full and add the shredded mozzarella on top. Finally, cover the baking tray tightly with tin foil and cook for 20 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius. Remove tin foil and cook for a further 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbling.
As quick recipes go, this one is simple to follow and delicious to eat!
3. Cream of Vegetable Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 Onion
- Carrots
- Celery
- 3 medium potatoes
- Garlic
- Red pepper flakes
- 3 cups of vegetable stock
- 1/4 cup of cream
Method:
Cut the onion, celery, and carrots, and add to a pot heated to a medium temperature with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, adding red pepper flakes to taste. Stir occasionally and cook until the vegetables soften – this usually takes about 10 minutes. Next, add the potatoes, garlic (and bay leaves if available), and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add more oil if needed. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil before reducing to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are suitably soft (test them by pushing a fork through the pieces). Remove the mix from the heat and take out the bay leaves. If you like, use a blender to puree the soup until smooth, or keep it chunky if you prefer.
Last but not least of our quick recipes, this soup is great for older people who have trouble with harder solid foods. The soup is delicious, easy to prepare, and freezes well to provide several meals from one big batch.
Careline Alarm
Cooking and eating well help to protect your loved one’s health. But what about their independence? Nothing will give your loved one more protection than a Careline alarm. Whenever the alarm is activated, our trained call handlers are able to assess the situation and arrange help fast. In fact, we answer alarm calls on average within just 6 seconds.
Call our helpful team today on 0800 030 8777 to get more information or order an information pack.
Alternatively, you can order your new Careline alarm online.
