He Spends Millions to Stay Young and Eats His Last Meal at 11 a.m.: 15 Bryan Johnson Foods You Can Make for a Few Dollars

He is the tech founder who reportedly spends about $2 million a year trying to slow down aging, and he finishes eating for the day at 11 a.m. Bryan Johnson calls his routine Blueprint, and millions of people watch his videos. His YouTube channel has more than 2 million subscribers, and one video about his morning routine has over 3.6 million views. Strip away the gadgets and the pills, though, and the food on his plate is surprisingly simple: lentils, vegetables, nuts, berries and a lot of olive oil. Here is what he eats and how to make home versions for a few dollars..

Who Is Bryan Johnson and Why Does Everyone Watch What He Eats?

Bryan Johnson sold his payments company Braintree, which became part of PayPal, and now spends his time and money on his own health experiment. Fortune reported his own words: “My final meal of the day is at 11 am. I eat between ~6-11am.” That is three meals in about five hours. You do not have to copy his schedule, and you should talk to your doctor before any big change. But his main dishes are real food that anyone can cook. Would you try eating dinner before noon?

You will need: A home starter kit: 1 bag dry black lentils, 1 bag frozen broccoli, 1 head cauliflower, mushrooms, a bottle of extra virgin olive oil, mixed nuts, frozen berries.

How to make it: 1. Cook a big pot of lentils on Sunday. 2. Steam a tray of broccoli and cauliflower. 3. Store both in the fridge for the week. 4. Build bowls in 5 minutes with a drizzle of olive oil. 5. Keep nuts and frozen berries ready for a quick pudding or snack.

The Super Veggie Bowl Bryan Johnson Eats First

His first meal of the day is a dish he calls the Super Veggie. The Blueprint version uses black lentils, broccoli, cauliflower and shiitake mushrooms, cooked with garlic, ginger, cumin, lime and a splash of apple cider vinegar, then topped with hemp seeds and olive oil. Some people blend it into a thick, hummus-like bowl. At home, a chunky version is just as tasty. Blended or chunky?

You will need: 1/4 cup dry black lentils, 2 cups broccoli florets, 1 cup cauliflower florets, 1/2 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms, 1 clove garlic, 1 small slice ginger, 1 tsp cumin, juice of 1/2 lime, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp hemp seeds, 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, salt.

How to make it: 1. Simmer lentils in water 18 to 20 minutes until tender, then drain. 2. Steam broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, garlic and ginger 7 to 9 minutes. 3. Toss everything with cumin, lime and vinegar. 4. Blend if you want it smooth. 5. Top with hemp seeds and olive oil.

Why Bryan Johnson Picks Black Lentils

Black lentils, sometimes called beluga lentils, are small and hold their shape when cooked, so they do not turn mushy. Like other lentils, they are a cheap source of plant protein and fiber, and fiber-rich diets are linked to better digestion and heart health. A one pound bag costs a few dollars and makes many meals. Have you ever cooked black lentils?

You will need: 1 cup dry black lentils, 3 cups water or broth, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp olive oil.

How to make it: 1. Rinse the lentils and pick out any stones. 2. Bring water and bay leaf to a boil. 3. Add lentils, lower the heat and simmer uncovered 20 to 25 minutes. 4. Drain, season with salt and olive oil. 5. Keep in the fridge up to 5 days.

The Broccoli and Cauliflower Base

Broccoli and cauliflower show up again and again in recipes from Bryan Johnson. Both are cruciferous vegetables, and eating more of them is linked in studies to better health. They are also cheap, especially frozen. Steaming keeps them bright and tender. Here is a simple side you can make with the same base. Broccoli or cauliflower: which one do your kids eat?

You will need: 1 head broccoli, 1 small head cauliflower, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 clove garlic (grated), juice of 1/2 lemon, salt and pepper.

How to make it: 1. Cut both into small florets. 2. Steam 6 to 8 minutes until just tender. 3. Toss with olive oil, garlic and lemon. 4. Season and serve warm or cold.

The Nutty Pudding Bryan Johnson Eats Next

Right after the Super Veggie comes what Blueprint calls one of his go-to desserts: Nutty Pudding. The published recipe blends ground macadamia nuts, ground walnuts, flaxseed, a quarter of a Brazil nut, cinnamon, berries, cherries, nut milk and pomegranate juice until foamy, with chia seeds on top. It tastes like a thick berry smoothie bowl. Would you eat this for breakfast?

You will need: 3 tbsp ground macadamia nuts, 2 tsp ground walnuts, 1 tsp ground flaxseed, 1/4 Brazil nut, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 cup berries, 3 cherries (pitted), 1/4 cup nut milk, 1/4 cup pomegranate juice, 2 tbsp chia seeds for topping.

How to make it: 1. Add everything except the chia seeds to a blender. 2. Blend on high about 2 minutes until foamy. 3. Pour into a bowl. 4. Top with chia seeds and more berries. 5. Let it sit 5 minutes to thicken.

Homemade Macadamia Nut Milk

The pudding and porridge recipes Bryan Johnson shares use macadamia nut milk. You can make it at home with just nuts and water, and it costs less than many cartons. Macadamias make a very creamy, mild milk that does not need to be soaked overnight. Use it in coffee, oatmeal or the pudding. Have you ever made nut milk?

You will need: 1 cup raw macadamia nuts, 4 cups cold water, pinch of salt, 1/2 tsp vanilla (optional), a nut milk bag or thin towel.

How to make it: 1. Soak the nuts in hot water for 30 minutes, then drain. 2. Blend with 4 cups cold water for 1 minute. 3. Strain through a nut milk bag. 4. Stir in salt and vanilla. 5. Keep in the fridge up to 4 days and shake before using.

Walnuts, Flax and a Quarter of a Brazil Nut

The tiny details in his pudding say a lot about his style. Walnuts and flaxseed bring plant omega-3 fats, which are linked to heart health. And it is just a quarter of a Brazil nut, because Brazil nuts are very high in selenium and a little goes a long way. A small jar of mixed ground nuts makes the pudding fast every morning. Do you keep nuts in the house?

You will need: 1 cup walnuts, 1 cup macadamia nuts, 1/2 cup ground flaxseed, 1 Brazil nut, 1 tsp cinnamon.

How to make it: 1. Pulse walnuts and macadamias in a food processor until finely ground, not pasty. 2. Grate in the Brazil nut. 3. Stir in flaxseed and cinnamon. 4. Store in a jar in the fridge. 5. Use 3 to 4 tbsp per pudding.

Berries and Cherries, Bryan Johnson Style

Berries, cherries and pomegranate juice give his pudding its color. Berries are rich in fiber and natural plant compounds, and studies have linked eating them often to better heart and brain health. Frozen berries are just as good and cost much less out of season. Here is a quick berry bowl in his style. What is your favorite berry?

You will need: 1 cup frozen mixed berries, 6 cherries (fresh or frozen, pitted), 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds or juice, 1 tbsp chia seeds, 2 tbsp chopped nuts.

How to make it: 1. Thaw berries and cherries for 10 minutes. 2. Spoon into a bowl. 3. Add pomegranate seeds. 4. Sprinkle with chia seeds and nuts. 5. Eat right away.

The Olive Oil Habit Bryan Johnson Swears By: 30 Milliliters a Day

Fortune reported that he takes 30 milliliters of extra virgin olive oil every day, which is about two tablespoons. Studies of Mediterranean diets rich in extra virgin olive oil have linked it to better heart health. The easiest way to use it is not to drink it, but to drizzle it over lentils, vegetables and salads. How do you use olive oil at home?

You will need: 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil per day, spread over meals: 1 tbsp on a lentil bowl, 1 tbsp on salad or vegetables.

How to make it: 1. Buy oil in a dark bottle and keep it away from the stove. 2. Drizzle 1 tbsp over warm lentils or vegetables. 3. Whisk 1 tbsp with lemon and salt for salad. 4. Use within a few months of opening.

Dark Chocolate and Cocoa as His Sweet Bite

Even the most famous health routine has room for chocolate. Cocoa shows up in the Blueprint recipes Bryan Johnson shares, like a smoothie made with berries, cherries and cacao. Very dark chocolate has much less sugar than milk chocolate. A square or two after a meal can feel like a treat without a sugar crash. Milk chocolate or dark chocolate?

You will need: 1 oz dark chocolate (85 percent cocoa or higher), 1/2 cup berries. Or a smoothie: 1/2 cup strawberries, 1/2 cup blueberries, 1/2 cup cherries, 1 cup almond milk, 1 tbsp flaxseed, 1 tsp cocoa powder.

How to make it: 1. For a quick treat, serve a square of dark chocolate with berries. 2. For the smoothie, blend everything for 1 minute. 3. Drink right away.

A Stuffed Sweet Potato for the Third Meal

Fortune listed a stuffed sweet potato as one of the later meals Bryan Johnson eats. Here is a simple home version in the same spirit: a baked sweet potato stuffed with lentils, greens and a spoon of tahini. Sweet potatoes are filling and cheap, and you can bake several at once for the week. What would you stuff yours with?

You will need: 2 medium sweet potatoes, 1 cup cooked lentils, 1 cup spinach or kale, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp tahini, juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/2 tsp cumin, salt, pumpkin seeds.

How to make it: 1. Bake sweet potatoes at 400F for 45 to 55 minutes until soft. 2. Warm lentils with spinach, olive oil and cumin. 3. Split the potatoes and fluff the insides. 4. Fill with the lentil mix. 5. Drizzle tahini and lemon, add pumpkin seeds.

Orange and Fennel Salad

The other later meal Fortune mentioned is an orange and fennel salad. It is bright, crunchy and very easy: shave the fennel thin, add orange slices and a few olives, then dress it with olive oil and lemon. It feels fancy but costs very little. Have you ever tried raw fennel?

You will need: 1 fennel bulb, 2 oranges, 8 olives, 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, juice of 1/2 lemon, salt and pepper, fennel fronds.

How to make it: 1. Slice the fennel very thin. 2. Cut the peel off the oranges and slice into rounds. 3. Arrange fennel and oranges on a plate. 4. Add olives. 5. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon and season.

How to Buy and Slice Fennel

If fennel is new to you, look for heavy, white bulbs with no brown spots and fresh green fronds. It tastes a little like mild licorice when raw and turns sweet when roasted. Cut off the stalks, slice the bulb in half and cut out the hard core. The fronds work like an herb. Would you try roasting it?

You will need: 1 fennel bulb, 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, a sharp knife or mandoline.

How to make it: 1. Cut off the stalks and save the fronds. 2. Halve the bulb from top to bottom. 3. Cut out the core. 4. Slice thin for salad or in wedges for roasting. 5. Roast wedges with olive oil and salt at 425F for 25 minutes.

His Kind of Meal on a Family Budget

The routine of Bryan Johnson is famous for costing millions, but the core meals are cheap. Dry lentils, frozen broccoli, cauliflower, a bag of nuts, frozen berries and olive oil can feed one person these meals for a few dollars a day, especially when you cook in batches. Here is a simple family bowl in the same style. If you want more ideas, try our bean and lentil recipes. Would your family eat this?

You will need: 2 cups cooked lentils, 4 cups steamed vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots), 2 cups leafy greens, 4 tbsp olive oil, 2 lemons, 1/2 cup nuts or seeds, salt and pepper.

How to make it: 1. Divide greens into 4 bowls. 2. Add lentils and warm vegetables. 3. Whisk olive oil with lemon juice, salt and pepper. 4. Drizzle over each bowl. 5. Top with nuts or seeds.

Easy Takeaways for Regular Families

You do not need the budget Bryan Johnson has or his strict schedule. A few ideas are easy to borrow: eat more vegetables, beans and lentils, use olive oil, keep nuts and berries around, and if it suits your family, eat dinner a little earlier. Some studies have linked eating earlier in the day to better blood sugar control, but talk to your doctor before big changes, and never skip meals because of a video. Which idea would you try first?

You will need: An easy week: 1 pot of lentils, 2 trays of roasted vegetables, 1 bag frozen berries, 1 jar mixed nuts, 1 bottle extra virgin olive oil, a few oranges and a bulb of fennel.

How to make it: 1. Cook lentils and roast vegetables on Sunday. 2. Make a jar of ground nuts for puddings. 3. Plan an earlier family dinner on a few nights. 4. Add one new vegetable each week. 5. Keep it simple and enjoy your food.