Dinner Recipes For Seniors
Healthy eating is essential for people of all ages, but for many seniors, a well-balanced diet is the key to feeling their best. In fact, nutrition experts consider good nutrition the first line of defense in the fight to stay healthy.
With so many “cooks in the kitchen,” a senior’s diet is sure to suffer. The following dinner recipes paired with dark green vegetables (broccoli, kale), orange vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, winter squash), or beans and peas (pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans, garbanzo beans, split pears, lentils) can transform any meal into a healthy one.
Almond Crusted Salmon
Servings: 4
Serving Size: 4 ounces salmon
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 salmon fillets, about 4 ounces each
4 tablespoons sliced almonds
1/4 cup Egg Beaters or similar egg substitute
4 teaspoons all purpose flour
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place flour, egg substitute and almonds in separate shallow bowls. Place on side of each salmon fillet in flour, followed by egg substitute. Press almond mixture into the salmon. Set the salmon aside, nut side up, and repeat for other fillets. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Place almond side of each salmon fillet down in saute pan and book until the nuts are browned. Flip fillet and cook 1 minute. Remove from pan and place on a sheet tray coated with cooking spray. Repeat process for remaining fillets. Finish in oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until the salmon is flaky and opaque and the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.
Nutritional Analysis per Serving:
Calories per serving: 300
Carbohydrates: 3 grams
Fat: 16 grams
Protein: 34 grams
Chicken Cannelloni
Servings: 8
Serving Size: 2 cannelloni
Ingredients:
2 pounds chicken breast, raw, trimmed (or 2 pounds ground chicken)
3/4 pound frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
2 pounds nonfat ricotta cheese
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
8 lasagna noodles, cooked and cut in half
4 1/2 cups marinara sauce
1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 teaspoons oregano
Directions:
Cook chicken in the oven or on the grill until done. Grind in a food processor. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, egg whites, garlic, Parmesan, nutmeg, and pepper. Add spinach and chicken and mix well. Cut lasagna noodles in half and arrange on a clean countertop or wax paper. Place 1/4 cup of filling on the end of each lasagna piece and form a log. Roll pasta with filling into neat tubes and place in a baking pan on a layer of marinara sauce. On each roll, spread on another portion of sauce. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella and oregano. Cover with foil and bake in oven at 300 degrees for about 25-35 minutes. Return to oven uncovered to lightly brown cheese. Let rest 5 minutes.
Nutritional Analysis per Serving:
Calories per serving: 400
Carbohydrates: 32 grams
Fat: 12 grams
Protein: 33 grams
Tandoori Chicken
Servings: 4
Serving Size: 4 ounces cooked
Ingredients:
25 ounces chicken breasts, raw
1 cup plain non-fat yogurt
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon ground paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash ground cloves
Directions:
Stir together yogurt, onion and garlic in a shallow glass dish. Add lemon juice and the rest of the spices; mix. Add chicken and coat well. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight. Preheat over to 500 degrees. Coat a wire rack with cooking spray and set it over a foil-covered baking sheet. Place the chicken on the prepared rack. Bake the chicken until browned and no trace of pink remains in the middle, 25-30 minutes. Serve hot.
Nutritional Analysis per Serving:
Calories per serving: 230
Carbohydrates: 8 grams
Fat: 5 grams
Protein: 39 grams
Sodium: 190 mg
Penne Alfredo with Salmon
Servings: 6
Serving Size: 1 cup pasta and 2 ounces salmon
Ingredients:
1 pound salmon fillet
Vegetable cooking spray
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons reduced-calorie margarine
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups skim milk (hot)
3/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
6 cups hot cooked penne pasta, cooked without salt or fat
Directions:
Place salmon, skin side down, on a broiler rack coated with cooking spray; place rack on broiler pan. Sprinkle with pepper. Broil 6 inches from heat for 11 minutes or until salmon flakes easily when tested with a fork. Flake salmon into bite-sized pieces, set aside and keep warm. Melt margarine in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add flour, cook 1 minute, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. Gradually add hot milk, stirring constantly. Add 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese; stir until cheese melts. Pour over pasta and toss well. Top with salmon, sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons of cheese.
Nutritional Analysis per Serving:
Calories per serving: 380
Carbohydrates: 42 grams
Fat: 11 grams
Protein: 28 grams