Healthy Double Corn Muffins

Extract taken from Plant Powered Seniors: Nutritional Essentials and Easy Meals for Seniors.

Eating well isn’t just about getting enough calories; it’s about making every bite count. To support healthy ageing, we need to pack our meals with the nutrients and phytochemicals that keep our muscles, bones, and minds strong and resilient and support our immune systems.

One of the best ways to do this is to include a wide variety of plant foods every day. Here’s a simple way to put it into practice:

● Colourful Vegetables and Fruits
Choose an assortment of vegetables with an emphasis on dark greens. Include the full rainbow of colours; the more variety, the better! Each colour group brings unique antioxidants and phytochemicals that support health.

● Protein-Rich Legumes (or Other Plant Proteins)
Legumes–the protein-rich foods such as lentils, beans, tofu, tempeh, soy milk, soy yogurt, or edamame are superstars in the plant protein world. They also deliver iron, zinc, other minerals, and a wealth of B vitamins. Rely on legumes at three meals a day, or at 2 meals and a snack. At breakfast, this can be as simple as peanut butter on your toast. Yes, peanuts are a legume! Or you might have soy milk on your cereal. For lunch, you might have a salad with lemon tahini dressing, topped with delicious marinated tofu cubes. Supper could be Easy Peasy Chilli with Double Corn Muffins (see attached photo and recipes below.)

● Whole or Minimally Processed Grains
For grains, focus on whole or minimally processed options. The most nutritious choices include intact grains (such as barley, quinoa, or brown rice), broken grains (such as bulgur or steel-cut oats), and rolled grains (such as old-fashioned oats) or corn and cornmeal. If you’re aiming for weight loss, you can reduce the quantity from this group. However, our brains rely on carbohydrates as fuel, so including some has value!

● Healthy Fats: A Sprinkling of Nuts or Seeds
Top it all off with a small handful of nuts or seeds for healthy fats, micronutrients, and a satisfying crunch. Flax, chia, hemp, and walnuts are notable sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Healthy fats help boost the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients.

● Primary Beverage: Water
Drink water with your meals and throughout the day to stay well hydrated. Proper hydration supports digestion, brain function, and energy metabolism, which are especially important as we age.

● Other Add-ons: Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, and Iodine
A few nutrients, such as vitamin B12, vitamin D, and iodine, can be challenging to obtain in sufficient amounts, especially for older adults. Ensure reliable intake through a combination of supplements and fortified foods.

In the past, people have relied on fish for the long-chain omega-3s, DHA and EPA. However, fish do not make these fats that are so valuable for brain function and for cells throughout the body—fish get these from microalgae. It turns out that farmed fish are often lower in these fatty acids, and wild fish can be contaminated with metals and toxic substances. Thus, bypassing the fish and getting long-chain omega-3s from microalgae in supplement form is becoming increasingly popular.

Double Corn Muffins
Makes 10 medium-sized muffins

These moist, golden muffins are perfect alongside chilli or soup, or as part of a nourishing breakfast paired with scrambled tofu, chia pudding, or fresh fruit. The double corn (cornmeal + corn kernels) gives these muffins a sweet-savoury depth and a great texture.

250 ml unsweetened soy or other plant-based milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed (golden is preferred for colour, but either works)
3 tablespoons tahini
¼ cup maple syrup
150 g whole wheat flour or other whole grain flour (e.g., spelt or Kamut)
150 g cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt (optional)
150 g corn kernels (fresh, or canned and drained, or frozen and thawed niblets)

Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F) conventional or 200°C (400°F) fan-forced. Lightly oil 10 cups of a 12-cup muffin tin (oil spray works well). Fill the 2 unused cups with a little water to prevent scorching.
In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the plant-based milk, vinegar, applesauce, flaxseed, tahini, and maple syrup. Let sit for 5–10 minutes to allow the flax to gel slightly.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt (if using).
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
Fold in the corn kernels.
Divide the batter evenly into the 10 prepared muffin cups.
Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. If you are using a silicone muffin pan, add 5 minutes to the cooking time.
Allow muffins to cool slightly in the pan before removing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Easy Peasy Chilli
Makes approximately 2.1 litres (9 cups)

This satisfying, flavour-packed chilli is a perfect crowd-friendly meal. Alternatively, you can make a big batch and freeze portions for busy days ahead. Some veggie crumbles will deliver significantly more zinc; in this case, zinc will be listed on the ingredient list. Pair with Double Corn Muffins. Leftovers taste even better the next day and freeze well!

1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
60 ml low-sodium or regular vegetable stock, broth or water
800 g low-sodium or regular canned diced tomatoes (or 1 litre chopped fresh tomatoes)
225–285 g package veggie crumbles (burger replacement)
2 cups cooked or canned kidney, black, or pinto beans (or a combination of these), rinsed and drained (540 g can)
1 cup frozen corn or canned, drained niblet corn
1 cup mild, medium, or hot salsa
1–2 teaspoons chilli powder, or to taste
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon cumin

In a large saucepan, sauté the onion, bell pepper, and garlic in stock or water over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until softened.
Stir in the diced tomatoes, veggie crumbles (or tofu or tempeh, as in the Variation below), beans, corn, salsa, chilli powder, oregano, and cumin.
Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes to heat through. Then reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for 40–45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
If the chilli thickens too much, add an extra 125 ml of stock or water.

Optional Toppings: avocado cubes, thinly sliced green onion, chopped cilantro or parsley, shredded veggie cheese, veggie sour cream, or lime wedges.

Tofu or Tempeh Variation: Replace veggie crumbles with 285–340 g crumbled extra-firm tofu or tempeh. Bake crumbled tofu or tempeh at 200°C (400°F) for 15–20 minutes until lightly browned for extra texture.

This is an excerpt from Plant-Powered Seniors: Nutrition Essentials and Easy Recipes for Adults 50+ by Brenda Davis, R.D., Vesanto Melina, M.S., R.D. and Charlyn Black, M.D., Sc.D. reprinted with permission from the authors and publisher.