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3 Dishes That Keep This 80-Year-Old Couple Looking and Feeling Young

Bob and Fran German
|Updated Feb 25, 2021
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We have been fortunate to have traveled to more than 75 countries in our eight decades on our planet. Because we live to eat, rather than eat to live, enjoying the incredible food in each was as important to us as meeting the people and seeing the sites.

Our travels inspired Fran to experiment with international recipes in our kitchen based on the meals we loved in the various places we visited. Now, it is our pleasure to share these healthy, high-flavor dishes with you, and they're all whole-food plant-based.

We spent nine winters in Chiang Mai, Thailand where we could walk to at least 30 different vegan restaurants. One was owned by an incredible Thai chef who shared his special curry recipe with me.

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Tamarind Massaman Curry From Chiang Mai, Thailand

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup tamarind sauce (found in Asian grocery stores)
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup tamari
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 1 or 2 teaspoon massaman curry paste (also from Asian grocery)
  • Bite-size pieces of onion, extra firm tofu, shiitake or baby Bella mushrooms, pineapple, potatoes, and roasted peanuts.

Instructions

  1. Mix tamarind sauce, brown sugar, and tamari and simmer. Then add the coconut milk and curry paste. Mix well.
  2. Add remaining ingredients and simmer, stirring frequently until potatoes are tender.
  3. For those who like their curry spicier, add some Sriracha sauce.
  4. Serve over brown rice or rice noodles.
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Spicy Morrocan Lentil Soup From Casablana, Morroco

Ingredients

  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 1 large carrot diced
  • 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
  • 5 or 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons curry powder
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 5 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes
  • 1/2 cups green lentils
  • 2 Yukon potatoes diced
  • 1/2 cups whole wheat orzo pasta

Instructions

  1. Saute onion in a little water or veg broth.
  2. Add carrots, ginger, garlic, curry powder, and garam masala. Saute for a minute or two. Add veggie broth, potatoes, and tomatoes.
  3. Mix well. Add lentils. Cover pot and simmer for 30 minutes.
  4. Add orzo in the last 5 minutes.
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Easy Enchiladas From Oaxoca, Mexico

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cooked brown rice
  • 1 cup vegan fat-free refried beans
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
  • 1 cup black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 6-8 tortillas
  • 1 can red enchilada sauce

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place all ingredients except tortillas and enchilada sauce in a mixing bowl and mix well.
  2. Spoon a generous portion on each tortilla, roll, and place seam side down in a glass baking pan.
  3. Top with spicy enchilada sauce, cover, and bake for approximately 30 minutes.

We hope you love these healthy delectable dinners from around the world as much as we do. Let us hear from you.

Learn more about Bob and Fran German, plus find a variety of free videos at their Healthy-Aging Advice YouTube channel here. 

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