As someone who’s written more than 23 cookery books, Beverley Jarvis knows her stuff when it comes to creating delicious, healthy meals. Here, she shares five age-enhancing recipes for those keen to live well (and well into their nineties, and beyond!)…
By Beverley Jarvis (Photos: David-James Selling)
Healthy ageing recipes: Vegetable curry with chickpeas and dates
This curry takes about the same time to cook as wild rice, so cook them side by side on the hob, for
a complete main course. Serves 2-3.
Ingredients:
- Olive or rapeseed oil 1 tbsp
- Large red onion 1, chopped
- Fresh ginger 5cm piece, peeled and grated
- Garlic clove 1, chopped
- Garam masala 1 tbsp
- Turmeric 1 tsp
- Sweet paprika 1 tsp
- Ground cumin 1 tsp
- Medium-size sweet potato 1, washed and cubed
- Red pepper 1, deseeded and chopped
- Butternut squash ½, unpeeled and cubed
- Chopped tomatoes 1 x 200g can
- Chickpeas 1 x 200g can, drained and rinsed
- Vegetable stock 300ml
- Dates or dried apricots 50g, chopped
Method:
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, over a medium heat for about 5 mins to soften.
- Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 min.
- Stir in all the spices and cook, stirring for 2 mins, until aromatic.
- Add the sweet potato and red pepper, together with the butternut squash.
- Stir well, then add the canned tomatoes, chickpeas, stock and dates or apricots.
- Bring to the boil and cover with a lid, then simmer for about 35 mins, until the vegetables are tender.
- Serve the curry on a bed of boiled/steamed brown or wild rice, topped with a little freshly chopped coriander.
Bell peppers and butternut squash are high in vitamin C, with a large body of evidence stating that maintaining healthy vitamin C levels can go towards protecting you from age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s.
The chickpeas in this recipe also make a valuable contribution to your RDI for carbohydrate and protein. They also contain 68 per cent of your RDI for fibre per 100g.
Healthy ageing recipes: Turkey stir-fry
The combination of sweet, sour and spicy flavours makes this dish a real winner with all who try it. Prepare all the vegetables before you start to cook, ensuring they are cut into evenly sized pieces. Serves 2.
Ingredients:
- Olive or rapeseed oil 2 tbsp
- Flaked almonds 25g
- Skinless, boneless turkey breast 250g, cut into strips
- Spring onions 5, sliced
- Red pepper 1, deseeded and sliced
- Carrot 1, cut into matchsticks
- Celery stick 1, chopped
- Medium courgette 1, thinly sliced
- Red chilli ½, deseeded and sliced
- Garlic clove1, crushed
- Fresh pineapple 100g or 2 slices, peeled, cored and chopped roughly
- Light soy sauce 1 tbsp
- Runny honey 2 tsp
- Swiss vegetable bouillon powder 1 tsp
- Root ginger 1 tsp, freshly grated
- Coriander 1 tbsp, freshly chopped
Method:
- Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan, then add the almonds and stir-fry until golden, which should take about 1 min.
- Using a slotted spoon, lift the almonds onto a plate lined with two sheets of absorbent kitchen paper. Set aside.
- Add the turkey strips to the wok and stir-fry, over a medium-high heat, for 1 min or so, until golden. Add the spring onions, red pepper, carrot, celery, courgette and chilli, if using, to the wok, then stir fry for about 4-5 mins, over a high heat, until the turkey is cooked but vegetables remain crisp and lightly charred.
- Stir in the garlic and stir-fry for 1 min, then stir the pineapple pieces into the wok with 3 tbsp of the reserved pineapple juice or water.
- Add the soy sauce, honey, vegetable bouillon powder, ginger and coriander. Season with a little black pepper and stir-fry for a further 2 mins.
- Top the stir-fry with the reserved almonds and serve immediately with steaming hot rice or noodles.
Turkey is one of the healthiest meats you can eat as it is rich in protein, which contributes to the ongoing maintenance and repair of muscle growth and bones. Cooked turkey breast meat contains 28g of protein per 100g, which is more than half of an adult’s recommended daily allowance!
Healthy ageing recipes: Mustard and apple-stuffed mackerel
This tasty fish dish makes a filling meal when served with a freshly cooked sweet jacket potato, which can be cooked in the microwave in 5 mins while the fish ‘stands’. SERVES 1.
Ingredients:
- Brown breadcrumbs 25g
- Small eating apple 1, ½ of it chopped
- Granary or Dijon mustard 2 tsp
- Small lemon ½, zested and juiced
- Fresh mackerel 1, filleted and pin boned
- White wine, cider or water 1 tbsp
- Handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Method:
- Put the breadcrumbs into a mixing bowl and add the chopped apple and mustard, with the lemon zest and juice.
- Add a seasoning of salt (keep to a minimum) and pepper and mix well to combine.
- Lay one of the mackerel fillets in the dish, skin side down, then spread the prepared filling evenly over it.
- Top with the second mackerel fillet, flesh side down and pour over the wine, cider or water. Cover with greaseproof or kitchen paper, tucking this under the dish loosely.
- Stand the dish on a microwaveable dinner plate, for easy handling, and microwave on High for 3½-4 mins.
- Stand covered for 3 mins, then serve, sprinkled with the parsley and accompanied by the remaining half apple thinly sliced, and a cooked sweet potato.
This recipe is great for ageing well, because mackerel is a good source of vitamin D3, which you’re more likely to be deficient in as you age, with 80g providing roughly 400 IU of the vitamin. The apple in the stuffing contains the flavonoid quercetin, which has been shown to have anti-inflammatory benefits.
Healthy ageing recipes: Broad bean and pea penne
Everyone loves pasta and this versatile recipe can be table-ready in about 20 mins to make a delicious lunch or supper. It is great in the winter months as it uses frozen vegetables. Serves 2.
Ingredients:
- Dried penne or wholemeal pasta shapes 150g
- Frozen garden peas 50g
- Frozen broad beans 50g
- Fresh basil leaves 30g
- Toasted pine nuts 20g
- Olive oil 3 tbsp
- Garlic clove 1, chopped or crushed
- Freshly grated parmesan 30g cheese, or vegetarian alternative
Method:
- Add the penne to a large pan of lightly salted, boiling water, return to the boil and simmer for 5-7 mins uncovered, according to how you like your pasta cooked (or cook pasta according to pack instructions).
- Put the peas and beans into a medium saucepan, just cover them with boiling water from the kettle, and simmer for 2 mins, then drain through a sieve, reserving the cooking water, and turn the vegetables into a food processor fitted with the metal blade.
- Add the basil leaves, pine nuts, olive oil, garlic and parmesan together with 2 tbsp of the reserved cooking water and blitz to make a pesto sauce.
- Add a little freshly-ground black pepper and blitz again.
- Drain the pasta, leaving it moist and retaining about 2-3 tbsp of the water. Return the pasta to the saucepan, add the pesto sauce and toss to coat. You can loosen with a little of the water drained from the pasta.
- Serve immediately, with a little extra grated parmesan and maybe a mixed salad.
Pasta makes a valuable contribution to your RDI for carbohydrate, as well as protein, with wholegrain pasta providing about 9g of protein per serving. The vegetables provide valuable fibre, antioxidants and protein, while the cheese contributes to your RDI for protein, with some calcium.
Healthy ageing recipes: Almond baked apples
The microwave really does come into its own when there are just one or two people to cook for. As it cooks by weight and time, not temperature, this method is particularly quick when dealing with small quantities. Serves 2.
Ingredients:
- Cooking apples 2, preferably Bramleys, about 150g each
- Orange juice 2 tbsp
- Butter 20g, softened, or olive oil spread
- Ground almonds 2 heaped tsp
- Almond essence 2 drops
- Runny honey 2 tsp
Method:
- Stand the washed apples on a chopping board and, using an apple corer or a sharp knife, remove the core from each.
- Cut a small piece from the base of each core and use as a ‘bung’ to plug the bottom of each apple. With a sharp knife, make a shallow cut, right round the circumference of each apple, about 2.5 cm from the top.
- Stand each apple on an individual microwaveable saucer or side by side, but spaced slightly apart in a suitable shallow microwaveable dish. Pour orange juice into their centres and cover the apples loosely with absorbent kitchen paper, tucking the paper under the dish to prevent it moving.
- Microwave both apples together on High for 2-3 mins then leave to stand while you prepare the filling.
- To make the filling, put the butter, or olive oil spread, into the mixing bowl and stir in the ground almonds and almond essence. Divide the filling between the cavities of the two partly cooked apples and top each apple with 1 tsp runny honey.
- Cover and microwave on High for 4-5 mins, giving each apple a ½ turn after 3 mins.
- Stand for 1 ½ mins before serving with custard or crème fraiche.
The cooking time will depend on the wattage of your microwave and the ripeness and size of the apples. Test after the second standing time: gently press the sides of each apple, which should give slightly. If still firm, return to the microwave for a further min on High.
Eat Well to Age Well: Recipes for health and happiness, by Beverley Jarvis (£24.99, Hammersmith Health Books) is out on January 20.
