With age, the bones and muscles of middle-aged and elderly people gradually degenerate, and the flexibility of their legs may also decrease. In order to maintain good mobility and physical health, middle-aged and elderly people must pay attention to supplementing their daily diet with foods that are high in calcium, high in protein, and rich in vitamin D. Calcium is crucial for bone health, while protein and vitamin D help strengthen muscles and enhance the absorption of calcium. Today, we specifically recommend three types of “leg-healthy dishes”, which are not only delicious but also effectively help middle-aged and elderly people strengthen the strength and flexibility of their legs.
Recommended Recipe 1: Braised Big Bone
Ingredients: 2 large bones, 3 slices of ginger, 2 tablespoons of cooking wine, 3 tablespoons of light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce, appropriate amount of rock sugar, 2 star anise, 2 bay leaves, salt, water.
Preparation steps:
1. Prepare the large bones: First, cut the large bones into sections, wash them clean, put them into a pot of cold water, add 2 slices of ginger and 2 tablespoons of cooking wine, bring to a boil, blanch for 5 minutes to remove blood foam and fishy smell. Then, remove the large bones and set aside.
2. Sauté the seasonings: In a clean frying pan, add a little oil, slice the remaining 1 piece of ginger, and add it to the pan with star anise and bay leaves, sauté over low heat to release the aroma.
3. Braised Big Bone: Place the blanched large bones in the pan, stir-fry over medium heat until evenly heated. Then add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and rock sugar in sequence, continue stir-frying until the large bones are colored.
4. Stew to perfection: Add an appropriate amount of water to the pot, with water covering the large bones. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat, cover and simmer for 1.5 hours until the large bones are tender and the sauce is thick; finally, uncover the lid, add salt to taste, increase heat to reduce the sauce, making it richer. Once cooked, transfer the large bones to a bowl, sprinkle some chopped green onions on top, and serve.
Braised Big Bone is rich in collagen and calcium, which helps strengthen bone resilience and density. The bone marrow in the large bones is also rich in various trace elements that can help supplement the nutrition needed by middle-aged and elderly people. This dish has a rich taste, tender meat, and is very suitable for the taste and appetite of middle-aged and elderly people.
Recommended Recipe 2: Steamed Chicken Thigh with Shiitake Mushrooms and Chinese Yam
Ingredients: 2 chicken thighs, 10 dried shiitake mushrooms, 200g Chinese yam, 1 carrot, 2 tablespoons of light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of cooking wine, chopped ginger, salt.
Instructions:
1. Prepare the ingredients: Wash the chicken thighs, cut into small pieces. Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water in advance, peel and cut the Chinese yam into chunks, peel and cut the carrot into pieces.
2. Marinate the chicken thighs: Place the chicken thighs in a bowl, add salt, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, cooking wine, chopped green onions, and ginger, mix well to coat the chicken thighs with seasoning, marinate for 15 minutes.
3. Prepare the steamer: Take a large plate, place the marinated chicken thighs in the plate, arrange the chunks of Chinese yam and carrot around the chicken thighs, and place the soaked shiitake mushrooms on top.
4. Steaming: Add an appropriate amount of water to the steamer, place the plate of ingredients in the steamer, cover with a lid. Bring to a boil over high heat, then switch to medium heat and steam for 30 minutes, until the chicken thighs are cooked through and fragrant. Remove the plate, garnish with chopped green onions and cilantro, and serve.
Steamed Chicken Thigh with Shiitake Mushrooms and Chinese Yam combines high-protein chicken meat with fiber-rich Chinese yam and carrot. Shiitake mushrooms not only enhance the flavor but also contain vitamin D, which aids in calcium absorption. The dish has a mild taste yet delicious, suitable for middle-aged and elderly people who pursue a healthy diet.
Recommended Recipe 3: Stir-Fried Fuzhu with Green Peppers and Wood Ear Mushrooms
Ingredients: 100g fuzhu (dried beancurd sheets), 2 green peppers, 1 carrot, 20g dried wood ear mushrooms, 2 slices of ginger, minced garlic, salt, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of starch.
Instructions:
1. Prepare the ingredients: Soak the dried fuzhu in warm water until soft, cut into sections, drain and set aside. Soak the dried wood ear mushrooms in cold water, remove the stems, tear into small pieces. Remove the stems and seeds from the green peppers, slice them. Peel and slice the carrot.
2. Deep-fry the fuzhu: In a frying pan, heat some oil to 60% hot, add the drained fuzhu segments and fry until golden and crispy, then remove and drain the oil.
3. Sauté the vegetables: Leave a little oil in the pan, add ginger slices and minced garlic to sauté until fragrant. Then add carrot slices, green pepper slices, and wood ear mushrooms in order, stir-fry until cooked.
4. Season and finish: Add the fried fuzhu segments, stir well. Then add light soy sauce, oyster sauce, and a little water, simmer for 2 minutes to let the fuzhu absorb the flavors, add starch water, quickly stir-fry until the sauce thickens. Finally, add salt to taste, mix well, then plate and serve.
Stir-Fried Fuzhu with Green Peppers and Wood Ear Mushrooms is a balanced and nutritious dish. Fuzhu is rich in plant protein, wood ear mushrooms help cleanse the blood vessels, while green peppers and carrots add a variety of vitamins to the dish. This dish is colorful, flavorful, and very suitable for daily consumption by middle-aged and elderly people.
