Train Like an Athlete to Triumph over Cancer

Posted by Tommr

Here is a Guest Post from Jillian McKee at the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance:

After Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong recovered from testicular cancer, he created the Livestrong Foundation as a resource for those with cancer. He sometimes worked the phones himself and received many questions about his lifestyle and his diet. Cancer patients wanted to know exactly what he was eating that made him recover so strongly.

Lance is an elite athlete. His body might not be anything like yours, but a healthy diet cannot only reduce your chances of getting cancer, it can also help you recover faster. The National Cancer Institute gives an overview of nutrition in cancer care and says cancer can change the way the body uses food. Some types of stomach or intestinal tumors may prevent the body from absorbing the necessary nutrients from food.

Cancer treatments can also affect the senses and the appetite. One type of cancer that requires proper nutrition is Mesothelioma cancer, which typically affects the lungs and is caused from exposure to asbestos. Many people don’t know that this type of cancer can also affect organs vital for digestion such as the stomach and intestine.

Treatments for cancer will often make the patient weak and tired. Food is our main source of fuel. Eating the right foods during cancer treatment can help replenish nutrients in the body and give the patient additional strength and mental vitality needed to speed recovery.

Because the immune system is weakened by cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation, it is important to eat foods that naturally boost the immune system. Other symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, and vomiting can also be addressed with proper nutrition.

Lance Armstrong already followed a rigorous training schedule and diet plan. You probably are not used to monitoring every little thing you put into your body. If you could prevent getting sick with cancer, the extra effort would probably be worth it. If cancer has already invaded your body, you want to do everything in your power to fight it.

Even if you’re not an award-winning athlete, good nutrition is one of the most cost-effective and simplest things you can do to possibly extend your life. You never know, you might have the sudden urge to take up cycling to expel all that extra energy from eating good food.

About Jillian McKee:

Bringing a wealth of personal and professional experience to the organization, Jillian McKee has worked as the Complementary Medicine Advocate at the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance since June of 2009. Jillian spends most her time on outreach efforts and spreading information about the integration of complementary and alternative medicine when used in conjunction with traditional cancer treatment.

Visit Jillian on her blog      Follow Jillian on Twitter    Find Jillian on FB

NOTE:

Have you been exposed to asbestos, a cancer causing mineral, at work or during military service and are now suffering from asbestos related diseases, such as mesothelioma cancer?

This website  MesotheliomaLawyerCenter.org      is a comprehensive asbestos disease informational resource. Additionally, they offer mesothelioma victims and their loved ones the following items, free of charge: a comprehensive Mesothelioma & Asbestos Guide; 3 must-read mesothelioma books written by medical professionals and mesothelioma survivors; veteran benefits assistance, and more.

 

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Fermented Foods are your Best Friends!

Posted by Tommr
Kim Chi fermenting in jar

Kim Chi fermenting in jar

Today we have the benefit of refrigeration to keep our food fresh. This is a relatively new occurrence. As little as 100 years ago many Americans used an icebox. They literally would get ice delivered to their home. Perhaps you have heard of the phrase, “the ice man cometh”. If the ice ran out, the food went bad.

Long before using cool temperatures to keep food fresh, techniques such as salting, pickling, and fermentation were used. Fermentation is very effective and has some pleasant side benefits. Beer and wine are the most popular fermented items today (yes, beer is a health food if it is not Pasteurized) Others include sourdough bread, yogurt, buttermilk, kombucha, tempeh and miso.

Foods that are fermented are rich in probiotic cultures. These probiotics are essential to a healthy digestive system. Old world cultures such as the Europeans, Russians, and Japanese have known about the benefits of fermented food for centuries. Do you want to save money by avoiding visits to the doctor or missing work because you are sick? Consider including fermented foods in your regular diet to help cleanse your digestive tract.

Learning to fermented on your own food is a valuable skill. Very few foods available in grocery stores contain live cultures. This is thanks to our good friend Louis Pasteur. Pasteur developed a process of heating food briefly to kill pathogens. While this has the effect of helping prevent food from spoiling, it also wipes out beneficial probiotics.

The High Country Conservation Center in Frisco, Colorado, recently held a workshop on fermented foods. Cassidy Callahan from HC3 presented the use of the brining technique to prepare Kim chi. Brining involves using a salt solution to ferment food. Fermentation is an an-aerobic process. Air must be kept out and gases produced in the process must be permitted to escape. A low tech and a very effective solution to this problem is a Ziploc bag filled with water. By placing the water filled bag on top of the food being fermented a one-way seal is created.

Callahan led the group through the simple process of chopping some vegetables, soaking them in salt water, and waiting patiently for a few days. In this case, the recipe called for cabbage, both green and red, onion, radish, carrots, and some fresh ginger, chilies, and garlic.

A brine of 4 tablespoons of salt to 1 quart of water is used to soak the chopped vegetables. Four hours is sufficient soaking time, and overnight is preferred. Next the vegetables are transferred to a jar, packed down to remove any air pockets, and covered with brine. Finally, the one way seal is put on top and the jar is left to rest for 4-5 days. When the Kim chi reaches a pleasing taste, excess brine is drained off and the Kim chi is ready to be enjoyed.

Two websites that are particularly helpful are Wildfermentation.com and Domesticdiva.ca. Both have blogs with news and recipes about fermentation. Homemade Kim chi, sauerkraut, yogurt, and kombucha are easy to make and a delicious part of healthy eating. These good friends can help you stay healthy for years to come.

 

MGH Tags: cleanse, skin

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Storing Fresh Herbs – A Garden in Your Fridge

Posted by Tommr

Nothing is worse than buying a fresh bunch of herbs and the only getting to a little amount one time before they go bad. Say goodbye to that black, soggy lump of cilantro that is only 3 days old.

Fresh Herbs add sparkle as a topping for many dishes or tossed into salads to liven them up.

To keep herbs such a such as Cilantro or Parsley fresh for up to 10 days:

1) Pick off any leaves around the base of the stem area

2) Trim the end of the stems so they are even and all are freshly cut

3) Place the herbs in a stable shaped coffee mug that won’t tip over

4) Fill the mug with one inch of water, making sure that no  leaves are in the water

5) Put a produce bag loosly over the whole thing and keep it in the refrigerator.

Fresh Herbs in a cup

Make a fresh cut across the base and pick off an leaves at the bottom

Remove Leaves from the bas area & make a clean cut across the bottom of the stems befor putting the bunch into a cup with a little water in it.

Step 2 - Put a bag loosely over the whoe thing

Put a produce bag loosley over the whole bunch

Place a plastic bag loosely over the whole thing and store the whole thing in the fridge.

MGH Tags: cleanse, skin

 

 

 

 

 

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Delicious Light Chicken Picatta

Posted by Tommr
Photo of Chicken Picatta

Delicious and Easy to Prepare - Chicken Picatta

Chicken is one of the most popular food items on the plates of America. Often considered humble, it is the stuff of family dinners.

The Med Diet focuses on lean protein. Boneless, skinless chicken breast fits that description well.

Every once in a while it rises to the occasion when a light, easy preparation is called for. Here, finished with a splash of white wine and a sprinkle of capers, chicken takes a starring role on the plate.

The name Picatta means sharp. Fresh lemon juice is responsible for the name in this case. The finished dish is bright, lively, and delicious. This is perfect for small number of people, perhaps even only two 🙂

CHICKEN PICATTA:

(Serves 4)

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast (sliced horizontally and lightly pounded thin)

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp paprika

4 Tbsp olive oil (divided)

2 Tbsp butter (divided)

1 Tbsp capers (divided)

1/4 cup white wine (divided)

1/2 lemon (sliced into four wedges)

Parsley for garnish

1) Place flour in a shallow bowl and add paprika. Mix well.

2) In a medium skillet heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat.  Dust 2 chicken breasts with flour on both sides and add to pan. Do not crowd the pan. Cook until browned on one side, then turn. Continue until cooked through and remove from pan to a warm plate.

3) Add 1 Tbsp butter, white wine, capers to pan and cook, stirring 1- 2 minutes.

4) Pour pan juices over chicken. Sprinkle each breast with one lemon wedge.

5) Wipe pan with a paper towel and return to stove. Repeat procedure with remaining ingredients and garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.

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Pineapple Fried Rice – Thai comfort food

Posted by Tommr
photo of pineapple fried rice

A hollowed out pineapple shell makes a smashing serving dish!

After a particulalry stressfeul travel experience in southern Thailand, Kathy and I were both craving something to calm our nerves. The carbs of the rice and sweetness of the pineapple worked magic on our frame of mind.

After an overnight lake tour, our guides had dropped us off at a bus stop in a small village and were headed back to their base. We were headed in the other direction towards the airport. Unwittingly, we had left a small backback containing all our money and passports in the truck. With not so much as bus fare in our pockets, we managed to hitch a ride from a local on a moped to the police station. After explaining our situation, the policeman was driving us to the bus stop and would explain to the driver to allow us to ride back to the tour base to gather our belongings.

 As we were pulling out of the police station, we saw our tour guides in their truck and flagged them down. They had been looking for us once they discovered the backpack we had left behind. We quickly transferred vehicles, and chased down the bus that was headed for the airport. All of this happened in the course of 30 minutes. Finally we were back on track and headed in the right direction thanks to the amazing helpfulness of the Thai people.

I recomnend this dish anytime, and especially when you need to feel comforted. Remeber, you will need rice that has been cooked and cooled to prepare this dish (or any fried rice dish).

PINEAPPLE  FRIED RICE

Serves 4-6

 4 cloves Garlic (smashed & chopped)

1-2 Thai Chilies (smashed)

1 Cup Carrot (grated)

1/2 Cup Onion (chopped)

4 Cups Jasmine rice (cooked and chilled)

8 oz. Crushed pineapple with juice

4-6 Green onions (cut into 3/4 inch lengths)

1/4 Cup Roasted Cashews

2 Tbsp Fish Sauce

1/2 tsp Crushed Red Chili

 Additional Garnish:

            Fresh Mint (chopped)

            Crushed Red Pepper

 1) Heat the oil in a wok and fry the garlic and chilies until fragrant. Add the onion, and then the carrot, and cook over high heat stirring constantly for one to two minutes until soft.

 2) Add the rice and continue frying over high heat, stirring constantly. Add the pineapple, cashews, and spring onions. Season with fish sauce and soy sauce and cook a moment or two longer, until rice is well mixed and piping hot.

 3) Pile the rice onto a serving dish, sprinkle with mint and crushed red pepper.

 Note:

For a truly smashing presentation, serve the rice in the hollowed out half of a fresh pineapple.

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Mulligatawny Soup

Posted by Tommr

 

This delicious Indian soup is easy to make. It provides a great refresher at any time of day.

Enjoy this recipe from the Moosewood Collective.

 MULLIGATAWNY SOUP

1 1/2 Cups Chopped Onions                    1 Medium Red or Green Bell Pepper,seeded and chopped

1 Celery Stalk, Chopped                              1 Firm Tomato, Chopped

2 Tbs Ghee                                                        1 Small Chili, seeded & chopped

1 tsp Turmeric                                                 1/2 Cup Unsweetened grated coconut

 1 Tbsp Ground Coriander                           1 Cup Coconut Milk

4 Cups Water or Vegetable Stock             2-4 Tbs Fresh lemon or Lime Juice        

1/2 tsp Salt                                                        2 tsp Chopped Fresh Cilantro

1 Medium Carrot, Chopped                           

1 Large Potato, cut into Small Cubes

 1) In a medium soup pot, saute the onioins and celery in the ghee.

 2) When the onions are becomming translucent, add the chili, turmeric, and ground coriander. Saute for a minute, stirring to prevent spices from burning.

 3) Add the water or vegetable stock, salt, carrot, and potato.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pot, and sever the vegetables for 10 minutes.

 4) Add the pepper, tomato, grated coconut, and coconut milk.  Simmer gently for another 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

 5) Add the lemon or lime juice and cilantro.  Adjust the seasonings.  Serve at once or, even better, let it set for an hour or so to bring out the flavors and then reheat gently and serve.

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About the 5 flavors & their connection to feelings of hunger

Posted by Tommr

Basically it works like this. There are 5 flavors among food & when all are present in a meal,your brain gets the signal that everything is A-OK and it is satisfied (this can help in observing another healthy eating guidline, to stop eating when you feel 2/3 full).

Even if only 2-3 are represented this is a step in the right direction and can reduce feelings of still being hungry in spite of eating sufficient calories.

The flavors are Sweet, Salty, Savory (spicy), Sour, & Bitter.

Representation does not require and entire dish with one of these predominate flavors. For example, a simple stir fry of brocoli & beef sesoned with garlic & soy sauce has Bitter, the brocoli, Sweet, the beef, Savory, the garlic, and Salty, the soy sauce.

A glass of water (no ice) with lemon in it would add Sour to the meal & now you have a grand slam!

When a meal that is dominated by one or two flavors, say pasta with tomato sauce, the brain keeps thinking something is missing, but may not be sure what. Often people will just have another helping of the same thing & get the crazy “i’m stuffed, but I still want something more” sensation (remember too, that it takes 20 minutes for your brain to receive the signal from your stomach that enough food has been eaten).

Repersenting all 5 flavors does not have to mean eating a bigger quanitity of food. It means being aware of what is on the plate in front of you and making adjustments to seasonings, or substituting an additional flavor for a part of one already present. In our pasta example, topping the dish with a good romano cheese can add a salty element. Reducing the serving size of the pasta, and adding in a green vegetable, especially a bitter one like escarole or broccoli, will make a huge difference.

 

MGH Tags: cleanse, skin

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Stuffed Chicken Breast with Spinach and Feta

Posted by Tommr

Easy Elegant Entree - Stuffed Chicken Breast

Stuffed chicken breasts are common in country style cooking. They are easy to assemble, in spite of their sophisticated appearance. Cutting a slit in the side of the breast will be the hardest part of the whole thing.

The key to keeping skinless chicken moist is a light rub of olive oil before rolling it in bread crumbs, and then another drizzle on top before putting it in the oven. 

You can assemble these ahead of time if you’re having friends over. They also travel well if you are going to a potluck. The beautiful presentation guarantees you will be the hero either way. The dish features Colorado Proud Red Bird chicken, organic spinach, and feta cheese. A toasted pine nut coating adds flavor and crunch to the dish.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 Cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

Garlic Powder, Salt & Pepper to taste

2 oz Feta Cheese

2 Boneless skinless chicken breasts (I prefer Red Bird brand)

Olive Oil

1/3 Cup bread crumbs (I use plain and add my own herbs)

1/4 Cup Pine Nuts, toasted and chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the filling by seasoning the spinach with Garlic Powder and Salt and Pepper. Then crumb the Feta into the Spinach and mix well.

2) Spread the Bread Crumbs on a plate and add the Pine Nuts.

Spinach Feta Filling

3) Tenderize the Chicken by using your fist to gently pound the thick part of the breast.

4) Make a small slice into the side of the Chicken Breast and use the tip of the knife to create a cavity to hold the filling. Be careful nut to cut through the chicken.

Make a cavity in the checken breast to hold the stuffing

5) Fill the cavity with half of the stuffing mixture and press the opening closed.

6) Brush or rub the chicken with Olive Oil and roll in the bread crumbs to completely cover.

Cover the Chicken completely with the breadcrumb mixture

7) Drizzle a small amount ( 1/2 tsp) of olive oil into an oven proof baking pan (corning ware works great) where the chicken will rest. Lay the stuffed breast on top and drizzle a few more drops of olive oil on top. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

8) Bake the chicken for 25 -30 minutes, just until nicely browned and the juices run clear. Do not over cook. Remove from oven and let stand a few minutes before serving.

Let the Chicken rest a few minutes before slicing

What was your “aha moment” about food awareness? Mine came on a Sunday afternoon when I was eleven years old. I was seated at the table in my grandparent’s dining room. Noni and Grandpa had both immigrated from Italy and brought their deep cultural roots here to America. I suddenly realized the food on the table was wholesome, real food, prepared from the heart to feed all of us there.  I know Noni would be proud to see how she has influenced me to embrace preparing wholesome foods, and making meals that reflect her cultural values. Mangia!

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Unique Thai Salad discvered in tiny rice village

Posted by Tommr

I could never imagine it grew so tall! I’d only seen pictures of farmers bent over planting small plugs in patties of water. Much to my surprise, these beautiful emerald green stalks stood over 6 feet tall. The fields shimmered in the late day sun. This tiny rice village in the north part of Thailand, named Pai is where we discovered an unusual Thai salad.

Kathy by Rice Field in the village of Pai

My wife, Kathy, and I were visiting Thailand in 1998 for a three week honeymoon. The tail end of our adventure found us here in the village of Pai, near the border of Myanmar. There is a delightful little restaurant named Ruan Ban Pai.

One of the items on the menu was labeled spicy cashew nut salad. We had found spicy cashew nuts earlier on our trip in the southern part of the country. There, the dish was little more than creamy cashew nuts fried in spicy oil. The dish that arrived at our table, however, was something completely different. Here was a celebration of color, shape and texture. The dish was spiced with fresh jalapeno and a salted lime dressing. Crisp, roasted cashew nuts topped the salad, giving it its name.

We became infatuated with spicy cashew nut salad. Kathy loved it so much, that she would eat it for breakfast each day. As we were doing with other dishes we felt we could replicate, we began to dissect the salad each time it appeared before us. We began noticing not only the ingredients, but the size and shape of each cut, and the ratio of each vegetable to the others. Thai dressings, with their subtle balance of flavors, (salty, sour, sweet, and spicy) can be a bit of a mystery. One thing is for sure, they always leave you craving more.

Spicy Cashew Nut Salad - Easy, fast, and healthy too!

Interestingly, I have never come across this salad even by another name, in any other restaurant or cookbook. Re-creating it here at home has been a worthwhile endeavor. It gets rave reviews every time!

Here then, is a recipe for Spicy Cashew Nut Salad. Be sure your knife is sharp; success lies in thinly slicing the vegetables so that no flavor over powers the other and the pieces are easy to chew.

SPICY CASHEW NUT SALAD
(Makes 2 servings)

1       Med Carrot Sliced on diagonal into 1” pieces
1/2  Medium Onion Cut into Wedges
1/2  Green or Red Bell Pepper Sliced into 2 “ strips
1       small Tomato Cut into thin Wedges
1-2   Jalapeno Pepper seeded and Chopped fine
1/4  Cup Fresh Cilantro Coarsely Chopped
1        Full Green Leaf Lettuce leaf per person
1/2   Cup Cashew Nuts, Toasted

Dressing:  Mix all ingredients together and adjust to a pleasing balance of sour, salty, and spicy.
2 Tbs. Lime Juice
2 Tbs. Fish Sauce
1 tsp. Palm sugar (chopped fine)
1-2 Crushed Birds Eye Chilies (optional)

1) Combine Carrot, Onion, & Bell Pepper in a large mixing bowl and toss gently.

2 Add Tomato & and Jalapeno and toss with dressing.

3) Add in fresh cilantro. Serve salad on a lettuce leaf; top with roasted cashews.

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Syrian Salad

Posted by Tommr
This delightful salad features finely chopped fresh vegetables, a trademark of middle eastern salads. Topped with feta cheese, cured olives, capers, and fresh parsley it is nearly a meal in itself!
Serves:
8

Continue Reading »Syrian Salad

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