EAT THIS
ALL FOOD IS GOOD FOOD One local expert offers sage advice for maintaining a healthy diet during your senior years.
PASTA WITH CHICKEN 1 pound of your favorite pasta (penne, shell, rotini) 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, sliced 2 cloves of garlic, minced
intake of vegetables instead. Meal size and frequency also can diminish, and listening to your body for hunger cues to guide the timing of meals and snacks is important. Healthy snacking might become more important than ever during the senior years, and McCarty suggests keeping plenty of fresh fruit, roasted nuts, and low-fat yogurt on hand. When preparing food, you may like to use more seasoning for flavor, McCarty recommends— sodium-free if sodium consumption is a concern— and should opt for cooking methods that don’t require adding significant fats, like sauteing, grilling, roasting, and boiling. You can also prepare larger meals ahead of time, like the delicious pasta recipe provided here by Nader Tehrani, the chef at The Village at Heritage Point. Portion these larger meals out—roughly two cups of the pasta—and store in the refrigerator or freezer to ensure you have easy, healthy meals every day. written by HOLLY LELEUX-THUBRON
➼ FORGET EVERYTHING a lifetime of dieting has taught you. All foods are good and belong on your plate—just some more moderately present than others. Mon Health System Diabetes Education Coordinator Andrea McCarty explains that, even in the senior population, the notion that foods should be labeled good or bad is pervasive. “Healthy eating can include all foods,” she says. “There should be no foods off-limits, with the exception of adhering to food allergy limitations or foods that should be avoided because of chronic medical conditions.” Happy, healthy plates are built using fractions, she explains. Half of the plate should be non-starchy vegetables, ¼ of the plate should be lean protein, and the remaining ¼ full of whole grains like brown rice or whole wheat pasta. Some people lose their appetite for proteins as they age, McCarty says, and it’s perfectly acceptable in those situations to amp up your
1 onion, chopped 1 zucchini, diced 1 yellow squash, diced Salt and pepper
1½ cups chicken stock or white wine 1 pound red-ripe plum Roma tomatoes, sliced in half 2 or more tablespoons grated parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon fresh basil 1 Bring a large pot of salted water to a brisk boil; cook pasta until al dente. Drain and reserve. 2 Heat skillet over medium heat. In olive oil, brown chicken pieces on both sides, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic, onions, zucchini, and squash; salt and pepper to taste. Deglaze pan with stock or wine. 3 Once chicken is fully cooked, add tomatoes and reserved pasta. Toss together to heat. 4 Pour onto a nice platter, top with cheese, and sprinkle fresh basil on top.
MORGANTOWNMAG.COM 27
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker