During the holidays we all tend to indulge in our favorite tasty, and maybe not so heart-healthy foods. This can be an especially challenging time for seniors recovering from a stroke or a heart attack. There are delicious and healthy alternatives that Albuquerque, NM, stroke caregivers can incorporate into Thanksgiving menus using less salt, healthier fats, and more fresh fruits and vegetables.
Appetizers
Skip the cheese, processed meats, and cracker platter. Prepare a roasted eggplant and garlic dip with a little olive oil and light seasoning to taste. Serve this with raw carrot and cucumber slices, radishes, and whole grain crackers.
Albuquerque caregivers can also toss whole raw nuts in a small amount of olive oil with dried herbs and a little salt. Roast or toast them for a crunchy snack.
Entree
Turkey is a Thanksgiving staple. Roast turkey stuffed with apples, onions, and citrus fruits instead of your typical bread stuffing saturated with butter. This method infuses the bird with sophisticated flavors while cutting out the unhealthy fats. Rub the skin with poultry seasoning and olive oil. Serve the breast meat without the skin. Moisten with low-sodium broth instead of gravy.
Side Dishes
Offer brown rice or quinoa in place of traditional stuffing. Jazz these up with mushrooms, celery, and seasonal herbs to give your loved one a healthy taste of fall.
Instead of mashed white potatoes, bake sweet potatoes and serve mashed with plain yogurt, chives, and seasoning.
Fresh green beans are excellent sautéed with a little olive oil and topped with slivered almonds and fresh herbs or steamed over low-sodium vegetable stock.
Cook your cranberries with ginger and sweeten it with fresh orange juice and powdered stevia.
Dessert
Instead of pie, try an apple crisp made with naturally sweet apple chunks, lemon juice, and cinnamon topped with a crumble of nuts and rolled oats drizzled with pure maple syrup. Serve warm with a dollop of low-fat yogurt infused with vanilla or almond extract.
Learn more about heart-healthy meals you can prepare for your senior loved one this Thanksgiving by calling Home Care Assistance of Albuquerque, New Mexico, at 505-798-0800. Our reliable in-home caregivers work around your loved one’s schedule to enhance physical and mental wellbeing while he or she recovers from heart attack or stroke. Let us customize an individualized care plan for your loved one when you call.
