T
his month, we’re celebrating the beautiful seniors in our lives. Healthy eat-
ing is important at any age, from baby to boomer to retired and loving it.
With our aging parents, we’ve noted that tastes change. They either crave
more spice or are very sensitive and prefer less. With partials, those grilled steaks may
be a little harder to chew. And sometimes, cooking for one means microwaving a fro-
zen meal, not always the most nutritious. Following are a few recipes that are family-
friendly and easy to adapt.
Stuffed peppers are both comfort food and a healthy option. Season to your taste. I
like them with a little heat, some enjoy a hint cinnamon or nutmeg. I like to make extra
and freeze the leftovers
Baked potatoes or baked sweet potatoes with a variety of toppings are a hit with any
age. They’re easy to make, last for several days in the refrigerator and they’re vegan.
Salmon is a superfood, loaded with nutrients essential as we age. Our salmon recipe
is as simple as it is tasty. Just a little bit of water, a few lemon slices, and perfect salmon
in 10 minutes. No overcooking, no messy clean up, no sticking to the pan, no fishy smell
for days. Frozen is as good as ‘fresh’ since fresh is generally frozen and then thawed
at the store. Skin on or off is a matter of personal preference. You don’t need skin on to
hold the filet together with this cooking method.
Stuffed Peppers
Free of: DAIRY, EGGS, SOY,
WHEAT, PEANUTS,
TREE NUTS, FISH,
SHELLFISH and
GLUTEN
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15
minutes Cook
Time: 45 minutes
4 large bell pep-
pers (green, red,
orange, yellow)
1 pound ground turkey,
chicken, or lean beef
1 cup cooked brown rice or quinoa
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups tomato sauce
Seasonings to taste
Preheat oven to 350°. Cut off the
top of the peppers. Remove the seeds
and the pulp. In a saucepan, brown the
meat. Drain, put the meat into a large
bowl. Sauté the onion. To the bowl, add
the cooked onion, rice, 1/2 cup tomato
sauce and seasonings, stir. Stuff each
pepper with the mixture and place in a
casserole dish. Pour the remaining sauce
over the peppers. Cover and bake at
350° for 30 minutes.
70 WNY Family March 2020
Loaded Potatoes
Free of: DAIRY*, EGGS, SOY,
WHEAT, PEANUTS, TREE
NUTS, FISH, SHELLFISH,
GLUTEN, can be VEGAN
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
4 large potatoes
(gold, red, sweet or any
variety)
Topping ideas:
Olive oil, seasonings
Salsa
Marinara sauce
Steamed broccoli florets, asparagus
Sautéed spinach, onions, peppers
Roasted portabella mushrooms
Corn, peas, tomatoes, avocado, scal-
lions
Black beans, cannellini beans
Greek yogurt* or sour cream* (dairy/
soy free variety)
Preheat oven to 400°. Place potatoes
on a lined baking sheet, bake at 400° for
50-60 minutes, until pierced easily with
a knife. Remove from oven, serve with
toppings.
Easy Poached Salmon
Free of: DAIRY, EGGS, SOY,
WHEAT, PEANUTS, TREE NUTS,
SHELLFISH and GLUTEN
Yield: 2 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 6-10 minutes
2 salmon filets
4-6 lemon slices (about 1/3-1/2” thick)
salt and pepper to taste
Place lemon slices in frying pan.
Add water, enough to come to the top
of the lemon slices but no higher. Place
salmon on the lemon slices, so they are
raised just above the water. Salt, pepper,
season to taste. On medium heat, bring
water to a gentle boil. Cover, reduce heat
to a simmer for about 5-8 minutes, just
until salmon is opaque and flaky. Re-
move from heat, serve with lemon slic-
es, salsa or fruit, a little drizzle of olive
oil for taste.
If you have any questions about
our column, e-mail Kathy at allergy@
roadrunner.com. For further information
about food allergies, contact FARE at
www.foodallergy.org, or call 1-800-929-
4040.
Kathy Lundquist is a Western New York
parent whose son, now an adult, was
born with severe food allergies. Over the
last two decades, she has worked tire-
lessly, in a variety of capacities, to in-
crease community awareness about food
allergies.