While we’re always on the lookout for exciting scientific discoveries that could pave the way to a longer and healthier lifespan, we also like to highlight the things we can do for ourselves, right now. This, in part, means enriching our diets with foods that promote overall wellness, and by extension, longevity. For instance, we’ve reported here on foods, including herbs and spices, that help our sleep, gut, brain and heart health.
Nearly all of the studies we looked at came to a similar conclusion: we need to add more vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains to our diet, while cutting back on other items, in particular ultra-processed foods and red meat. None of this may be particularly surprising, but considering the potential health benefits at stake, we wanted to look at ways to make it easier to incorporate these power foods into your everyday meal planning.
Our philosophy, as always, in the SuperAging Kitchen: big taste, big nutrition, little fuss.
Rough chopped salads
Chopped salads are all over social media these days, and for good reason. Not only are they bursting with flavor, but they’re also a great way to incorporate your favorite longevity foods into one meal. We’re talking the entire rainbow here: peppers, onions, cucumbers, cauliflower, leafy greens, blueberries, legumes, fresh herbs … you name it. The downside? Depending on the number of ingredients, a chopped salad can require more time at, well, the chopping board.
And that’s where this hack comes in: instead of cutting up veggies and fruits individually into those tiny, neat cubes, why not layer similarly sized foods in one big stack on your cutting board, and using your best chef’s knife, begin chopping them all at once? They don’t have to look perfect — a more rustic approach is fine! Add items that need a more delicate touch, like sliced avocado, halved baby tomatoes or crumbled feta at the end. For a more robust meal, a chopped salad also works as a great filler for a wrap or between two slices of sourdough.
This same approach, of course, could also work when prepping for stir fries, a hearty stew or minestrone – or whatever else is on the menu.
Garlic
Good news for garlic lovers: it is packed with allicin, a compound known for its potential to boost immunity, as well as lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. One tasty way to get more of it in your diet is to roast it in bulk (skin on) with a little olive oil and sea salt to use as a spread or to toss in stews, stir fries and soups, all week long. Or simmer a large handful of peeled cloves in olive oil until the garlic is soft and mellowed. Remove from the oil (which is now garlic-infused and ready for your next vinaigrette or to drizzle over pasta or zhuzh your next batch of hummus). If you go with this method, be sure to store the garlic and olive oil separately.
A power pantry
I recently ordered a chopped salad at a restaurant, and it included black-eyed peas, an ingredient that, for some reason, I hadn’t thought of in years! With its mildly nutty flavor, (it’s actually a bean, not a pea), it instantly became my new go-to pantry item.
It’s far easier to keep to a healthy diet if you have a few power foods on hand, like an assortment of legumes (packed with protein and fiber, Blue Zones founder Dan Buettner calls them one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet), including chickpeas, lentils, black beans, kidney beans, and whatever other variety to fit your taste. Either dried or canned (low sodium) is fine.
Also, of course, an assortment of healthy fats (olive, avocado, sesame), whole grains like brown rice, pasta, quinoa, oats and couscous. A few nuts like walnuts and almonds for a healthy snack or to add some crunch to a salad or stir fry.
For soups, stews and curries, a few cans of coconut milk and some veggie broth (if you don’t make your own) always comes in handy.
And for variety, a few delicacies like jarred artichokes, hearts of palm, black and green olives, Tahini, nutritional yeast, Miso paste and chia seeds.
Of course, no pantry should be without dried herbs and spices to add a healthy dose of culinary and curative prowess to whatever you’re cooking. Go here for some of our favorite power herbs and super spices.
Freezer friends
Experts say that when it comes to fruits and veggies, frozen is as good as fresh, since they are picked – and flash frozen – at the peak of freshness. Here are just a few items to throw together a quick weeknight side dish or stir fry: peas, corn, spinach, edamame, fava beans, berries. For an ice-cream like treat, freeze a few ripe, sliced bananas, and when the sweet tooth strikes, let them thaw a bit and stir them up. Add antioxidant-rich berries, or maybe a healthy sprinkle of Turmeric.
Batch cook your grains
On those busy (or just feeling lazy) days, it’s a relief to find there’s already some prepared grains or even a versatile pasta, like orzo, in the fridge or freezer. It’s a lifesaver for when you’re building bowls, stir fries, or comfort foods like rice and beans, hearty soups and slow-cooked curries. Go here for a hands-off way to prepare brown rice, or here for quinoa, in your slow cooker.
Where’s the beef?
Veggies sometimes get a bad rap for being bland, because they lack the savory umami flavor found naturally in most meats. But foods like mushrooms (use a variety of them for the most impact), miso, sesame seeds or seaweed can add umami to plant-forward meals, especially for those times when you’re really missing the meat.
A simple sheet-pan dinner inspired by classic steakhouse sides might hit the spot here: Toss a mix of shiitake, oyster, or cremini mushrooms with baby potatoes, shallots and olive oil; season with sea salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder. Roast in a piping hot oven (425F) for about 20-30 minutes. When the mushrooms are caramelized and the potatoes and shallots tender, throw in a few large handfuls of spinach and cook until wilted. Voila! Steakhouse fare, without the steak.
Starving for new ideas? For inspiration for how to elevate your culinary game, we love this video from Epicurious, which includes a treasure trove of tips for plant-forward meal preparation – including some veggies you may not have even heard of!