Winter Recipes for Seniors

By Anna Hazard

Introduction

While the colder months of winter are not known for their abundance of produce & other natural foods as with the other milder seasons, there still remain certain herbs, fruits, vegetables, and types of meat that reach their peak taste or availability around this time of year. In addition, there are other edible plants that are hardy enough to retain their growth even through the frost & thus will also still be available locally fresh.
 
The following recipes focus on fresh natural ingredients easily available during the winter with an emphasis on those that provide nutrition particularly beneficial for seniors during this time of year. This includes fatty fish & other sources for the Vitamin D not absorbed through direct exposure to sunlight, citrus fruits for fighting off colds, flus, and other infections abundant during winter, as well as dark leafy greens, root vegetables, and winter squashes that are nutrient dense & reach their peak taste after the first frost. This is a phenomenon often known as frost-curing or frost-touched where certain crucifers, cabbages, roots, and tubers produce sucrose from their stockpiled starches in order to help protect the plant from the incoming cold.

In Season Foods

Winter Herbs

​Chervil
Chives
Cilantro
Fennel
Hyssop
Oregano
Mint
Parsley
Rosemary
Sage
Thyme
Winter Savory
Yarrow

Winter Fruits

Cherimoyas
Citron
Dates & Date Plums
Grapefruit
Kiwi
Lemons
Limes
Olives
Oranges (Clementine, Mandarin)
Papaya
Passion Fruit
Pear
Persimmons
Pomegranate
Pummelo
Tangerines

Winter Vegetables

Beets
Broccoli
Broccoli Rabe
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Cardoons
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery Root (Celeriac)
Chicories (Escarole, Radicchio)
Collard Greens
Endive (Belgian, Curly)
Horseradish
Kale
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Mustard Greens
Parsnips
Radishes
Red Currants
Rutabagas
Squash (Buttercup, Delicata, Sweet Dumpling, Winter)
Sunchokes
Sweet Potatoes
Swiss Chard
Taro Root
Turnips

Winter Meats

Bass (Striped)
Butterfish
Cod
Crab (Dungeness, King,  Stone)
Crawfish
Flounder
Hake
Mackerel
Oysters
Pollock
Shrimp
Squid
Swordfish
Tilefish
Whiting
 
Mature Beef (Grass-fed bison or buffalo)

Recipes

Hot Winter Drinks

• During the chillier parts of the year is the perfect time to indulge in some healthy & warming drinks that take advantage of the vegetables & fruits (as well as the more frost proof herbs) that are actually in season during the colder months. All recipes use natural ingredients, some depending only upon the inherent sweetness of the fruit or with additional organic sweeteners such as honey or maple syrup. Drinks with thicker consistencies such as smoothies are particularly beneficial for those seniors who may have trouble swallowing chunks or thinner beverages and thus may otherwise require a thickener for liquids.
• Lemon Ginger Tea | Soothing Sage & Thyme Tea | Dairy Free Mint Hot Chocolate | Hot Green Smoothie | Warm Cinnamon Spiced Pomegranate Juice Recipe

Warm Winter Soups

• Another popular source of food based warmth in the winter comes in the form of soups & stews that use a variety of in-season winter ingredients ranging from popular vegetables, herbs, & spices to fish & other meats in plentiful supply at this time of year. Flavor profiles & consistency varies depending upon their exact preparation with additional blending/dicing potentially necessary for those chunkier soups that may pose a bit more of a problem to those who have trouble chewing or swallowing.
• Celeriac & Quince Soup | Broccoli Boost Soup | Roasted Garlic and Smoky Greens Soup | Detoxifying Kale & Cauliflower Soup | Taro Chowder

Warm Winter Salads

• Salads are often considered more of a summer staple due to the plentiful supply of produce during that time of year as well as their commonly being served chilled or cold. However, there are also many heated versions of salad recipes that use ingredients that have their peak season during the colder months instead. While being cooked makes these salads softer & less crunchy than their raw & chilled varieties, these dishes do require a base level of chewing. Try blending heated smoothies using the same ingredients for those seniors who may have trouble with the salads in their normal form.
• Quinoa Salad With Roasted Squash, Dried Cranberries, and Pecans | Warm Kale Salad with Dried Cranberries and Walnuts | Toasted Farro Salad with Roasted Leeks and Root Vegetables | Warm Winter-Vegetable Salad | Warm Shrimp & Escarole Salad

Hot Winter Entrees

• Here are a selection of entrees & main dishes meant to be served hot that use the various produce & meats that are in-season during winter. There's a focus on softer types of food that would be easier to chew & swallow, however, the previously listed soups & stews recipes are still superior for those who have more advanced cases of dysphagia. Lean cuts of of grass fed bison or buffalo is the healthiest choice for matured beef at peak availability during the colder months.
• Mackerel and Super Greens with Yoghurt Dressing | Healthier Crawfish Crab Gumbo | Not Risotto With Shrimp and Winter Squash | Cranberry Bison Meatloaf | Lemon Linguine with Smoked Oysters

Warm Winter Desserts

• While many chilled versions of these recipes exist, these particular sweet treats are meant to be heated and served while still warm. All recipes use winter season ingredients as their base and eschew the use of refined sugar for the natural sugars found in honey, maple syrup, unrefined cacao, and the fructose in fruits. Warm smoothie bowls & puddings are a particularly good choice for those with trouble chewing or swallowing.
• Date Sweetened Brownie | Warm Sweet Potato Smoothie Bowl | Awesome Gluten Free Pear Crisp | Warm Lemon Lavendar Pudding | Cranberry Orange Scones