Older adults should focus on their diet.
It’s important for overall mental and physical health. Yet, many people fail to get enough calcium, protein, and fiber. Few eat enough fruits and vegetables.
In the winter months, the growing season impacts the types and quantities of produce items some areas can get. These soups are quick to make and contain everything your dad needs nutritionally.
Senior Care in Tuskegee AL: Quick and Nutritious Soups
Chicken Farro Soup
Chop 2 large chicken breasts and a large onion and sauté in avocado oil. Add a bag of frozen peas and carrots, a cup of frozen spinach, the juice from a lemon, and grated lemon peel. Once that’s stirred in, add 6 cups of water, a cup of farro, and ¼ cup of chopped fresh dill. Let that simmer for an hour.
Beans and Barley Tomato Soup
Get out a large pot and sauté a large, chopped onion, a carrot, and a stalk of celery in a tablespoon of avocado oil. Add a 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes, a package of frozen mixed vegetables, 6 cups of chicken bone broth, a can of drained, low-sodium chickpeas, and ½ cup of whole barley. Let that simmer for an hour.
Lentil Soup
Sauté a small chopped yellow onion in a tablespoon of olive oil. Add 3 cloves of garlic, 2 teaspoons of grated ginger, ½ teaspoon of turmeric, a 14-ounce can of low-sodium diced tomatoes, and 4 cups of vegetable broth. Bring that to a boil and add a cup of red lentils, the juice from a lemon, and half a teaspoon of black pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Pasta Faggioli
This hearty Italian soup contains a good mix of everything your dad needs. Start by sautéing a pound of ground chicken and a medium chopped onion with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Let the liquid evaporate and add a diced celery stalk, a small bag of cut carrots, and a 28-ounce can of low-sodium crushed tomato. Stir in a 32-ounce container of low-salt vegetable stock.
Add a cup of fresh basil leaves, ½ cup of sliced fennel bulb, a cup of baby kale, a teaspoon of Italian seasoning, a can of cannellini beans, and ½ cup of whole-grain macaroni. Simmer for an hour. Top it with some fresh Parmesan before serving.
Frozen containers of soup are easy for your dad to reheat and eat. If he has a hard time reheating his meals, hire elder care aides to cook healthy meals for him instead. Caregivers can cook meals he craves and makes sure he’s getting enough to eat. Call an elder care agency to talk about pricing.
