Senior Care in Buford GA

Spring is often a time when people rethink their diets. The cold weather that tends to make people want to eat hot, heavy foods that comfort and sustain them is over. Now the warmer weather, bright sunlight, and new beginnings make you want to turn your eating attention to fresher, lighter foods. This is a fantastic time to revamp the dietary approach in your senior care journey with your aging parent. Experimenting with new flavors and integrating new ingredients into his daily routine can help him to stay engaged, stimulate his mind, and ensure that he is getting a wide range of nutrients to keep his body strong and healthy.

This fast and easy lunch is a delicious and unique twist on chicken salad. Studded with sweet dried apricots and packed with protein from chicken and nuts, this meal will keep you going without weighing you down. If you are trying to limit the carbs in your parent’s diet, consider forgoing the pita all together and instead serve the chicken salad rolled up in the lettuce leaves or on top of a bed of salad greens for a meal that is equally delicious but without the grains.

What You Will Need

• 4 halved whole wheat pitas
• Lettuce leaves
• Two pounds of bone in and skin on chicken breasts
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 of a cup of dried apricots
• Fresh ground ginger
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of poppy seeds
• 1/4 of a cup of fresh chives
• 1 celery stalk
• 1/2 of a cup of chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds, toasted
• 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
• 1 large orange
• 1/2 of a cup of mayonnaise
• 1/3 of a cup of low-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream
• A saucepan
• A sharp knife
• A cutting board
• A vegetable peeler
• A large bowl
• A fork

What to Do

• Chop the celery stalk and set aside
• If the nuts are not already chopped, do so and set aside
• Chop the fresh chives until there is enough to fil 1/4 of a cup
• Chop the dried apricots and set aside
• If not already done, halve the pitas and set aside
• Add the chicken to a saucepan
• Add enough cold water to cover the chicken
• Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the water
• Cut the orange in half
• Zest one half of the orange using the vegetable peeler into the water
• Turn the heat on high and place the saucepan over it
• Bring to a boil
• Reduce the heat to a low or medium low
• Remove the cover and allow to simmer for about eighteen minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through
• Remove the chicken
• Allow to cool
• Into the large bowl, grate the remaining orange zest
• Juice the entire orange, adding it to the zest in the bowl
• Stir in the sour cream, mayonnaise and mustard
• When mixed into one color, add the nuts, chives, celery, and poppy seeds
• Add in pepper to taste
• Add 1/2 of a teaspoon of salt
• Add the apricots last
• Use the fork and the sharp knife to shred the chicken
• Remove the skin and bones
• Discard the bones and skin
• Toss the chicken in the bowl with the dressing
• Use the fork to stuff some of the chicken salad into each of the pitas
• Add a few lettuce leaves to each pita
• Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve cold

The staff at Home Care Matters is available to talk with you and your family about all of your needs. Home Care Matters is a home care agency providing quality and affordable senior care in Buford, GA and the surrounding areas. Call (678) 828-2195 for more information.

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Valerie Darling

Founder, Owner at Home Care Matters

Valerie was born in Miami, FL and after a few family moves, grew up locally in the Marietta, GA area.Valerie is the oldest of 4 (3 younger brothers).She is married and has one child.Valerie is the Founder, Owner and CEO of Home Care Matters.Valerie’s mom, Dee, is the inspiration and primary driver as the how and why the business was born.Valerie says, “My mom is never far from our thoughts.Mom was an integral part of developing and starting HCM before she passed away.Our goal is to stay true to her memory and continue to honor her with the love, values, and ethics she taught us.”

Valerie has the unique experience with home care as she has experienced it from both ends of the spectrum, as a caregiver and as needing care herself as a cancer survivor. Valerie says, “Taking care of someone you love is a physically, mentally and demanding labor of love.Taking care of my mom was the hardest thing I have ever done. It has given me an insight and perspective not many people understand unless you are doing it or have done it.I loved taking care of my mom.I love helping others take care of their love ones too.And now that I’ve been sick, it’s given me a whole new level of empathy and understanding for those who are sick and need help.”

Valerie’s schedule varies daily, but she loves visiting with our clients, families, caregivers, our network partners and being in the office.Says Valerie, “Every day is different, but I wake up excited about what we do, inspired by our team, clients and caregivers.I strive to be a resource to the community.I love my team and I love what we do every day. I like to think my mom would be proud.”

You can reach Valerie by email (Valerie@homecarematters.com) or in our office (770.965.4004).

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