You are what you eat – healthy recipes for seniors

The human gut is home to trillions of microbes or ‘good bacteria’. The food that we eat everyday feeds these microbes or microbiota and therefore what we eat can influence the health of our gut.  Foods that are high in fibre, particularly resistant starch, support a healthy gut.  Potato, sweet potato, legumes and beans as well as unripe bananas (slightly green bananas) are good sources of resistant starch.

We now understand that by eating a healthy diet, particularly one that includes foods that are high in resistant starch, can support our overall health including:

• Gut health
• Immunity
• Cardiovascular health
• Mental health, and
• May help prevent diabetes and obesity.

So what we eat affects us in more ways than one.  We need about 20 grams of resistant starch per day. Try one of these two high resistant starch recipes to feed your gut microbes.

Roast vegetable salad

SERVES 4     METHOD Bake    TIME 60 mins

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium sized pumpkin
• 1 medium beetroot, peeled
• 2 medium potatoes
• 1 small sweet potato
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 20 walnuts, raw
• 1 handful rosemary, fresh
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Spinach leaves

METHOD

1. Set oven to 180C.
2. Thoroughly wash all vegetables and chop potato, pumpkin, sweet potato and beetroot into bite size pieces and place in a large bowl.
3. Add walnuts, garlic, rosemary leaves, oil and balsamic vinegar. Toss to coat vegetables in oil.
4. Place vegetables on an oven tray lined with baking paper.
5. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Serve hot or cold on a bed of spinach leaves.

1 serve ~ 165g

Resistant Starch per serve – up to 2.5g

Green banana blend

SERVES 2     METHOD Food processor    TIME 5 mins

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup spinach or bok choy leaves
• ¼ avocado
• 1 tbsp chia seed
• 1 handful mint
• 1 cup water
• 1 green banana, peeled

METHOD

1. Place all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Serve with crushed ice.

Makes 2 serves

1 serve = 260g

Resistant Starch – up to 2.6g

This drink keeps well in a jar in the fridge for a few days.

Cruciferous ‘green leafy’ vegetables, including broccolini and Brussels sprouts, are packed full of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that are beneficial for health and may reduce your risk of developing serious diseases, including cardiovascular disease..

Give yourself a challenge and try consuming at least 1 cup of cruciferous vegetables per day.

Brussel & broccolini side

SERVES 4     METHOD Saute    TIME 15 mins

INGREDIENTS

• 12 broccolini stalks
• 8 Brussels sprouts
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 Tbsp pepitas
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

METHOD

1. Wash all vegetables.
2. Remove the base and outer leaves of each Brussel sprout. Cut lengthways.
3. Heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil in a frypan. Add cumin.
4. Place broccolini and Brussel sprouts in frypan and toss. Cook for 10 minutes or until slightly tender.
5. Serve with a piece of grilled fish, chicken or beef.

Makes 4 serves