It's hard enough trying to eat healthy when you're well, but when you're stressed out or not feeling well, it can be especially challenging. There are days I've felt like crawling into bed with a comfy blanket, fluffy pillow, and a container of Haagen-Dazs ice cream.
Fighting cancer requires a strong body, mind, and spirit. Diet is just one component, but an important one in the treatment of cancer. Eating the right foods builds up the immune system, which enables the body to fight and inhibit cancer growth.
Having had the opportunity to cook for a number of friends with cancer, I've come to learn that cancer can make a person crave certain foods, so when preparing meals for loved ones with cancer, it becomes a balancing act of satisfying their cravings while providing a healthy meal.
Recently, I made dinner for a friend with breast cancer, a true warrior. She had been craving comfort foods such as chicken, mashed potatoes, and quiche. Between weekly chemotherapy appointments, doctor's appointments, moving to a new town, and more, it's no wonder she was craving comfort foods. I would too. Honestly, I don't know how she does it all. She is an amazing woman that I am in complete awe of. She has the most beautiful smile, unbelievable determination, and is one of the people who inspired me to start this blog.
Initially, I have to say I was intimidated by the "comfort food theme." How would I make comfort foods like quiche and mashed potatoes, which are typically high in fat, healthy? I poured through cookbooks, magazines and the internet, looking for ideas.
Here's what I came up with:
At first glance, this menu sounds heavy, but in fact, it has less fat than traditional recipes. To balance out the menu, I included a variety of vegetable dishes. Aside from providing a healthy meal, my hope is that this dinner provided some comfort for my friend.
Here are some of the recipes:
Greek Lemon Chicken
Traditionally, chicken on the bone is used; to reduce the fat content, I used boneless chicken breast. The marinade provides a spa treatment and keeps the chicken moist.
3 pounds boneless chicken breast
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Greek seasoning
zest of one lemon
salt and pepper to taste
To make marinade, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, Greek seasoning, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Put chicken in a container or Ziploc bag. Pour marinade over chicken and toss well. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Remove chicken from marinade and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until done.
Mashed Potatoes
The combination of buttermilk and olive oil gives these mashed potatoes a rich taste without using butter. I like Yukon Gold potatoes because their color and taste give the mashed potatoes a more "buttery" look and flavor than Idaho potatoes.
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
3 tablespoons extra olive oil
1/4-1/2 cup non-fat buttermilk
salt and pepper to taste
Place potatoes in a pot of water, making sure there's enough water covering the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, 20-30 minutes depending on the size of the potato. Drain potatoes and mash using ricer or electric mixer. Add olive oil and buttermilk, adding more buttermilk as needed to reach desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Note: Potatoes absorb liquids differently, depending on their starch content, so add more or less buttermilk to reach the desired consistency.
Rice Pudding
adapted from Ellie Krieger on FoodNetwork.com
2 cups water
1 cup Arborio rice
3 cups vanilla almond milk
1/4 cup raw cane sugar
pinch salt
1 cinnamon stick
1 vanilla bean
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit.
Bring water to a boil in an ovenproof saucepan. Add the rice, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until rice is nearly cooked. In a large bowl, whisk together almond milk, sugar and salt. Cut vanilla bean lengthwise (but not all the way through) and scrape seeds into almond milk.When rice is cooked, while still hot, add almond milk mixture and cinnamon stick.
Cover, and place in oven. Cook for 45-55 minutes, until rice is mostly absorbed, but there is still some liquid. Remove pan from oven and remove cinnamon stick. Stir in vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pudding will be slightly liquidy; excess liquid will be absorbed into rice as it cools.
Serve with Blueberry Compote.
Blueberry Compote
adapted from Rebecca Katz's Cancer-Fighting Kitchen cookbook
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Combine blueberries, lemon juice, lemon zest and agave nectar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat for about 4-6 minutes, or until mixture is reduced to a syrupy consistency.
To serve, spoon rice pudding (warm or room temperature) into dessert glasses. Top with warm blueberry compote.
Anti-Cancer Ingredients: Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, Onions, Mushrooms, Whole Grains, Tomatoes, Kale, Lentils, Spinach, Blueberries
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