He prefers dishes with minimal spices but enjoys herbs. He likes only a few raw vegetables but enjoys different green vegetables, especially leafy ones. He also loves nuts and seeds. When cooking for him, I prepare boiled vegetables with salt, fresh garlic, lemon, and pepper, but no oil. After boiling, I sauté the vegetables with fresh garlic and other ingredients for 5-7 minutes on medium-low heat. Then, I add leafy greens like rapini, endive, dandelion, collard greens, or Swiss chard, cooking for another 5-7 minutes. Green or red cabbage can also be used but may require more time to cook.
He enjoys light snacks depending on his hunger level that day. I provide him with yogurt topped with nuts, seeds, honey, dates, or other dried fruits such as figs, dried apricots, dried cranberries, raisins, or prunes. Dried fruits are rich in nutrients and antioxidants and offer various health benefits, including improved heart health, better digestion, enhanced energy levels, bone health, and skin and hair health. However, they are high in sugar and calories, so they should be consumed in moderation. When buying dried fruits, ensure they are soft and fresh, as hard ones may be older and less enjoyable.
You can also combine different dried fruits with nuts and seeds to make homemade granola bars without added sugars.
Homemade Granola Bars:
Soak 1 cup of dates in 1 cup of hot water for 2 hours. Blend until smooth. Mix in 1 cup of almonds, 1 cup of cashews, 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts, 1/4 cup of pistachios, 1/4 cup of sesame seeds, and 1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds. Roast these ingredients on a low flame until crisp (avoid burning), and also roast 1/2 cup of shredded coconut until aromatic.
Set the nuts and seeds aside. Cook the date paste on a low flame for 5 minutes until it thickens. Combine the nuts and seeds with the date paste and mix in 1/2 cup of honey (flame off).
Add 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Mix well. Toast 1/2 cup of oats on a low flame until aromatic and grind them into a fine powder. Add the oat powder to the mixture and combine thoroughly.
Allow the mixture to absorb moisture and thicken. Press the mixture into a lined small pan and level it with a spatula. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Remove from the pan and cut into energy bars with a long knife.
These bars will be healthy and tasty!
I made these bars twice for my dad, and he absolutely loved them. I will make them again soon. They are easy and fun to prepare!
He also enjoys clean ranch dressing with romaine lettuce salads. I make a quick and clean dressing with 1 cup of Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of onion powder, 1 teaspoon of sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon of dill. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and enjoy with your salads.
I usually cook these kinds of foods for my dad because, as he ages, I want to avoid unhealthy fats and sugars. I use specific oils that are healthier and avoid packaged foods. I limit his meat intake, especially red meat, and reduce cheese consumption due to its highly processed nature. Instead, I provide organic, low-fat popcorn made in a pot or purchased as microwaveable options. I include nuts, seeds, and dried fruits, sometimes mixed in plain yogurt.
For a convenient shopping experience for nuts, seeds, and dried fruit, check out Nutterie online. You can find it on Google for easy home delivery.
If you want to learn more about the recipes I make, visit DimyRecipes.ca. I provide step-by-step video descriptions on how to prepare vegetarian, plant-based, keto, vegan, few dessert dishes. Stay tuned for my next article about my homemade recipes!
I hope you enjoy it!
