Some people believe exercise is the simple answer to good health. They believe that if you exercise regularly, you can load up on cheese-laden nachos and sip tangy margaritas with reckless abandon. While regular exercise is certainly important to good health, the reality is that you can’t “out run” a bad diet at any age!

A healthy diet not only keeps our body functioning optimally but also provides the mental and physical energy for everyday life. Diet plays a crucial role in protecting us from infectious illnesses and chronic disease. And while nutrition plays an important role in any person’s life, the benefits for active older adults are particularly significant.

Research has shown that lifestyle factors, like what you eat and drink, can play a key role in overall health, including cognitive health. Tapestry understands that a healthy and well-balanced diet is a central element of aging well, which is why our culinary offering is such a defining feature of our offering.

Tapestry menus support wellness by featuring choices that offer delicious and nutritious options. Menus are reviewed by a dietician to ensure they include enticing – but also healthy options.

Tapestry’s Red Seal-certified chefs regularly update our menus to maximize choice while taking advantage of seasonal specialties. Two of our talented executive chefs recently updated their Winter menus with hearty offerings to warm the spirit and the soul!

At Tapestry at Village Gate West, Tiffany Pacheco, was inspired to create a Winter menu featuring classic choices as they “always remind me of feeling warm and satisfied.”  One of Tiffany’s recent favourites  is the crispy brussels sprouts with smoky pancetta topped with a poached egg.

“Brussels sprouts just remind me of Winter,” says Tiffany, Village Gate West’s Executive Chef. “It’s the perfect little cabbage that crisps beautifully with the accompaniment of quality thick bacon. The soft poached egg, once broken, provides its own natural sauce to beautifully blend all of the favours and textures.”

At Tapestry at Victoria Harbour, the current favourite dish of Executive Chef James West is the braised short rib, which he describes as, “everything I love about cooking” because it requires time, patience and a unique creative finesse to achieve the intense and delicious flavours that characterize this signature dish.

Chef James is also inspired to include menu items that evoke special memories or experiences shared by our residents. “One of my favourite soups is an Egyptian red lentil soup, heavy with garlic and cumin and seasoned at the end with a tasha (vinegar and garlic sauce),” says James.  “One of our residents remembers eating this soup in Egypt after riding on the back of a camel with her husband near the pyramids.”

Whatever your taste or preference, you can count on our chefs to create delicious and exciting seasonal favourites that inspire your imagination and palate, while at the same time keeping your wellness top of mind. If you are interested in sampling any of the delicious menu items at any one of our communities, please contact us. We would be pleased to host you for a personal tour and complimentary lunch.