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Introduction
For the last fifteen years, I’ve felt like one of those wild-eyed Hawaiian surfers riding a wave that, instead of cresting, just keeps gathering momentum and strength. That wave is the food-as-medicine movement, the idea that what we eat can keep diseases at bay, including cancer. When I wrote my first two books—One Bite at a Time and the first edition of The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen—the initial goals were modest, yet vital. What we knew at the time (2003–2008) was that 80 percent of cancer patients were malnourished. Indeed, most of the people who picked up those books, either as caregivers or recently diagnosed patients, had but two questions regarding food that burned in their minds: Am I going to enjoy eating during treatment? and Heck, am I going to be able to eat at all?
These were—and still are—crucial concerns. This book is all about enhancing your appetite during treatment. The key concept is what I call “the power of yum,” the mind-blowing notion that great nutrition and fabulous taste can joyfully coexist on the plate. As one of my colleagues noted years ago, “If food doesn’t taste great, people won’t eat it, no matter how good it is for them.” Essentially, I work as a culinary translator, teaming up with oncologists, nutritionists, and cancer wellness professionals to help their patients stay well fed during treatment by translating nutritional recommendations into delicious, nourishing meals. The positive results I’ve seen in thousands of patients have been heartening. People who had completely disconnected from food have been brought back to the table and nourished by engaging three easy-to-follow ideas:
1. Make the food appealing to all the senses.
2. Offer lots of choices to fit often changing tastes and appetites (think small, easily stored, and reheated nutrient-dense portions).
3. Create ways that patients or caregivers can comfortably shop for, prep, and cook said meals.
But now, nearly a generation into the food-as-medicine journey, it turns out that there’s far more to “the power of yum” than taste. I’ve watched as research into food and how it can restore and maintain health (aka sustainable nourishment) has matured in numerous mainstream peer-reviewed journals including the Journal of the American Medical Association and the New England Journal of Medicine. I’ve chronicled this explosion of knowledge in three more recent cookbooks: The Longevity Kitchen, The Healthy Mind Cookbook, and Clean Soups. What I’ve learned researching those books—such as the wonderful roles herbs and spices play in improving health—also applies to those fighting cancer. Many people, not surprisingly, become motivated to eat well when taking on a disease. I try to capitalize on that motivation to help folks realize that the very foods that weed the body’s garden of cancer can create long-term downstream benefits that help ward off recurrence.
Kale with Sweet Potatoes and Pecans
If there’s a safe haven in the vegetable kingdom, it’s sweet potatoes. I mean, what’s not to love? Sweet taste, beautiful color, and fantastic nutrition, not to mention a creamy texture that allows you to introduce chopped greens in a nonthreatening manner. Here, I’ve added kale, which has outstanding anticancer properties, and some zippy ginger, which aids digestion.
SERVES: 4
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 10 minutes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or unrefined virgin coconut oil
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 cup peeled and finely diced Garnet sweet potato
1⁄8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄4 cup Magic Mineral Broth (page 49) or water
3 cups cleaned, stemmed, and chopped dinosaur kale, in bite-size pieces
1⁄4 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons golden raisins
1⁄4 teaspoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons ground pecans, for garnish
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat, then add the ginger and sauté for 30 seconds, just until aromatic. Add the sweet potato, cinnamon, and broth and sauté for about 1 minute. Add the kale, salt, and raisins and sauté until the kale is a darker shade of green and the sweet potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the maple syrup, then taste; you might want to add another pinch of salt if desired.
Serve garnished with the ground pecans.
COOK’S NOTE: The ground pecans have the same texture as a sprinkling of finely grated cheese. If you’d like something crunchier, place 1⁄4 cup of pecans on a baking sheet and toast at 350°F for 7 to 10 minutes, until aromatic and slightly browned. Chop coarsely before sprinkling on this beautiful dish.
STORAGE: Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for 5 days.
PER SERVING: Calories: 160; Total Fat: 10.1 g (1.3 g saturated, 6.6 g monounsaturated); Carbohydrates: 17 g; Protein: 3 g; Fiber: 3 g; Sodium: 200 mg
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen, Second Edition"
by .
Copyright © 2017 Rebecca Katz.
Excerpted by permission of Potter/Ten Speed/Harmony/Rodale.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
<Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
Introduction 1
CHAPTER 1
Cancer-Fighting Tool Kit 7
8 Side Effects
9 Recipes for Specific Side Effects
13 Menu Planning
18 Enhancing Flavor and Dealing with Taste Changes
20 FASS Fixes for Taste Bud Troubles
20 Learning Your Food Preferences
23 Discovering Your Culinary Preferences
23 The Power of Herbs and Spices
25 Optimizing Nutrition
28 Culinary Pharmacy
40 Receiving Support—and How Family and Friends Can Help
CHAPTER 2
Nourishing Soups and Broths 47
49 Magic Mineral Broth
50 Chicken Magic Mineral Broth
51 Pasture Beef Bone Broth
52 Italian White Bean Soup
53 Lemony Greek Chicken Soup
55 Chicken Vegetable Soup with Ginger Meatballs
56 Ma’s Mushroom Barley Soup
57 Minestrone
58 Thai It Up Chicken Soup
61 Bella’s Carrot, Orange, and Fennel Soup
62 Cooling Cucumber Avocado Soup
63 Rockin’ Black Bean Soup
64 Curry Cauliflower Soup
66 Spiced Sweet Potato Soup
67 Summer’s Best Zucchini Soup
69 Roasted Red Roma Tomato Soup
70 Velvety Red Lentil Dal
71 Creamy Broccoli and Potato Soup
CHAPTER 3
Vital Vegetables 73
75 Basil Broccoli
76 Baby Bok Choy with Yam and Ginger
77 Green Beans with Brazil Nuts and Basil
78 Emerald Greens with Orange
81 Gregg’s Stuffed Acorn Squash with Quinoa, Cranberries, and Swiss Chard
83 Mashed Cinnamon Butternut Squash
84 Kale with Sweet Potatoes and Pecans
86 Kale with Carrots
87 Broccoli with Ginger and Garlic
89 Arugula with Edamame, Radish, and Avocado
90 Baked Sweet Potatoes with Assorted Toppings
92 Roasted Root Vegetables with Rosemary and Thyme
93 Stir-Fried Baby Bok Choy with Shiitake Mushrooms
95 Shredded Carrot and Beet Salad
96 Warm and Toasty Cumin Carrots
97 Warm Napa Cabbage Slaw
CHAPTER 4
Protein-Building Foods 99
100 Easy Eggs in a Cup
101 Simple Scrambled Eggs with Kale
102 Nana’s Egg Salad
103 Poached Eggs with Basil Lemon Drizzle
104 Curried Chicken Salad
106 Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry with Cashews
107 Cozy Comfy Chicken and Rice
109 Orange Ginger Roasted Chicken
110 My Family’s Favorite Chicken
111 Tuscan Farro and Bean Salad
112 Middle Eastern Chickpea Burgers
115 Lemon Mustard Salmon Salad
116 Poached Salmon with Moroccan Pesto
119 Triple-Citrus Ginger Black Cod
120 Baked Citrus Halibut with Signora’s Tomato Sauce
121 Turkey Patties with Apple and Arugula
CHAPTER 5
Anytime Foods 123
125 Anytime Bars
127 Beyond Just Good Cornbread
128 Best Oatmeal Ever
131 Edamame Avocado Dip with Wasabi
131 Cannellini Bean Dip with Kalamata Olives
132 Navy Bean and Sun-Dried Tomato Dip
132 Black Bean Hummus
133 Curried Hummus
134 Creamy Polenta
135 Coconut Ginger Lime Rice with Cilantro
137 Maple-Glazed Walnuts
138 Spiced Toasted Almonds
139 Curried Kale Chips
141 Orange Pistachio Quinoa
142 Quinoa Porridge with Walnut Cream
143 Kathie Swift’s “Ciao Bella” Chia Pudding
144 Mediterranean Lentil Salad
146 Forbidden Rice Salad
147 Simple Tuscan Farro
148 Rice Paper Moo-Shu Rolls
151 Curried Hummus and Vegetable Pinwheels
CHAPTER 6
Tonics and Elixirs 153
154 Turmeric and Cinnamon Masala Chai
156 Annemarie’s Calming Kudzu Elixir
157 Commonweal’s Most Nourishing and Healing Tea
158 Ginger Peppermint Green Tea
158 Green Tea Ginger Lemonade
159 Cinnamon Ginger Tea
159 Ginger Tea Spritzer
161 Mouthwatering Watermelon Granita
162 Cantaloupe Granita with Mint
165 Ginger Ale with Frozen Grapes
166 Peach Ginger Smoothie
168 Triple Berry Smoothie
169 Chocolate Banana Smoothie
CHAPTER 7
Dollops of Yum! 171
172 Apricot Pear Chutney
173 Tomato Mint Chutney
175 Basil Lemon Drizzle
176 Avocado Dressing
177 Avocado Cream
178 Cashew Cream
179 Pistachio Cream
180 Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
181 Zesty Lemon Fennel Vinaigrette
182 Blueberry Compote
183 Dried Fruit Compote
184 Seasonal Stewed Fruit
185 Olive and Caper Relish
186 Moroccan Pesto
187 Parsley Basil Drizzle
188 Herbed and Spiced Yogurt
189 Signora’s Tomato Sauce
CHAPTER 8
Sweet Bites 191
193 Almond Muffin Mania
195 Baked Apples Filled with Dates and Pecans
196 Chocolate Tapioca Pudding
197 Great Pumpkin Custard
198 Cardamom Maple Mini Macaroons
201 Coconut Rice Pudding
202 Chocolate Apricot Date Nut Truffles
205 Poached Pears with Saffron Broth
206 Strawberries with Mango Coconut “Sabayon” Sauce
209 Triple Ginger Snap Cookies with Pecans