READ THIS: What to Eat During Cancer Treatment by Jeanne Besser, Kristina Ratley, Sheri Knecht, and Michele Szafranski Our Coverage Sponsored by Fresh Origins
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Cancer is an awful disease that I hope never touches anyone's life. Unfortunately, chances are that everyone at least knows someone who has been diagnosed with cancer. The treatment needed for recovery is extremely difficult, and it can be hard for someone battling cancer to get through their daily routine. What to Eat During Cancer Treatment, by Jeanne Besser, Kristina Ratley, Sheri Knecht, and Michele Szafranski, makes one aspect of this ordeal a little easier to manage. This book divides up recipes based on symptoms that one might experience while receiving cancer treatment. Patients or their caregivers can pick the best foods that will keep them as healthy and strong as possible. These recipes actually taste quite good too.
I made the Rice Pudding and the Peanut Butter Banana Panini. The Rice Pudding was so warm and comforting. I made sure to lick the spoon.
The panini was out of this world! I will never go back to eating a plain peanut butter and jelly sandwich again. This sandwich blows that old recipe out of the water!
When undergoing cancer treatments, patients face all kinds of changes with their bodies. Things taste different, there are bouts of nausea, it may be difficult to swallow, etc. So, finding ways to eat well can be somewhat trying. Well, thanks to the American Cancer Society's book, What To Eat During Cancer Treatment, patients now have many more options to choose from. What To Eat During Cancer Treatment contains 100 satisfying, family-friendly recipes to make figuring out what to eat much simpler. The recipes are easy to prepare, and have been divided into groups according to what side effect they are designed to combat: nausea, diarrhea, constipation, sore mouth and difficulty swallowing, taste alterations, and unintentional weight loss. Recipes that may help more than one symptom are clearly notated, to make the book as easy to follow as possible.
I sampled a few of the recipes, including Pita Pesto Pizzas (p. 94) and the Pumpkin Shake (p.70). The pita pesto pizzas were an absolute breeze to make and 100% satisfying. Geared to help patients suffering from taste alterations and/or unintentional weight loss, the pizzas are made by slicing the pita open and topping each half with 2 tablespoons of prepared pesto, 6-8 slices of ripe tomato, 1/4 cup of feta cheese, 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, and 2 tablespoons of black olives (optional). They bake in the oven for 10 minutes, and voila! Yummy pesto pita pizzas! They were so tasty and easy to make, I'm going to be adding them to my list of go-to recipes for busy weeknights!
The pumpkin shake was a hit, too, and also very easy to prepare. You just need to combine 2 crushed ice cubes, pumpkin puree, milk, vanilla frozen yogurt, maple syrup and a few spices, and within minutes, you have what tastes like liquid pumpkin pie in a glass! The rest of the recipes in the book also look terrific; I'm looking forward to trying them out - and if anyone I know is diagnosed with cancer, I'll be ready to cook up a storm for them!
The Honey Teriyaki salmon recipe in What to Eat may very well become a new staple in my household.
I sprung for pricey wild salmon since it is generally considered to be less fatty and higher in protein content and omega 3s. Mixing together organic teriyaki sauce, raw honey, minced garlic and ginger took only a few minutes. I did not cook at 500 degrees on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil as the recipe instructed. Since this book was published, there have been multiple studies indicating that aluminum foil should only be used with cold food. Otherwise, the aluminum can leach into food. Additionally, foods that are cooked at lower temperatures retain more of their nutritional value. Thus, I marinated the fish for about ten minutes and then baked at 350 degrees for fifteen minutes. The result was a lovely balance of sweet, savory and salty. The authors indicate that this glaze would also work well on chicken breasts.
I have to admit that I was drawn to the Fruit Smoothie recipe because I have become just a wee bit obsessed with the new Juice Press chain in New York City, specifically their “Fountain of Youth.” What to Eat’s recipe appeared to be a close base to the “Fountain of Youth,” so I decided to give it a go. The great thing about smoothies is that there is so much flexibility in terms of ingredients and What to Eat’s recipe basically says you can adjust accordingly. They suggest a proportion of 1 cup of fresh or frozen fruit to ¾ cup of juice mixed together in a blender. Like the Juice Press version, I used blueberries, raspberries and blueberries (frozen) and coconut water. I also threw in a spoonful of ground flax seed for added nutrition. My first taste was a little acidic, so I added a dash of agave nectar. The final result? Cool and refreshing. I think next time, though, I may take another tip from the folks at Juice Press and throw in a little banana both to balance the acidity of the berries and as a thickening agent.
What do you give a cancer patient? It's a tough call, but most of us have friends or family who are going through the Big C, and need our tender loving care. And food! Here's a recipe book that you can tuck into a bag of groceries, or volunteer to cook from, for any friend, whether they are suffering through chemo or not. The American Cancer Society has published "What to Eat During Cancer Treatment". We tried a few of the recipes, and came up with some winners. The book is marked with little icons, for various symptoms (N for Nausea, SM for Sore Mouth and Difficulty Swallowing, etc.), so it actually does help with a blow by blow for those moments in front of the refrigerator when nothing appeals to you. Side effects notwithstanding, these are recipes for all mankind.
We tried the "Baked Rice Balls," as an alternative to a meatball, in a very tasty marinara sauce. Ours was made with brown rice, for added nutritional value, and some hot pepper flakes, for a little zing steam up some Squash, and that would be a great lunch/dinner for the entire vegetarian family, should you be so inclined. Snack food is important to have on hand, for those times when time is short, and cooking is not an option.
Try the "Hummus", just to have in the fridge. With some pita bread, it's one of the best appetizers around. The recipe in here is great, and basic, with great flavor. For all of the recipes we tried, we used organic ingredients, and freshly cut herbs for maximum nutritional value. The book has a great addendum, too. There's a list of kitchen staples, stuff to keep in the fridge, and freezer. Practical for the entire family, and so helpful for someone going through treatment.
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New American Cancer Society Cookbook Offers 100 Nutritious Recipes to Help Cancer Patients Get Well During Treatment
Cookbook also offers tips to overcome side effects and advice for caregivers
ATLANTA 2009/09/22 -Cancer patients have unique nutritional needs, and a person’s appetite may change daily based on the type of treatment they are receiving. Although nutrition is critical to getting well from cancer, eating is often one of the hardest things cancer patients have to face due to treatment side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, mouth sores, swallowing problems, and unexpected weight loss. The American Cancer Society’s new cookbook, What to Eat During Cancer Treatment, helps cancer patients and their caregivers by providing great recipes and useful, comforting advice about cancer nutrition.
Healthy and delicious recipes such as “Mini Shepherd’s Pies,” “Crunchy Asian Salad,” and “Pineapple-Mango Slushies” will not only meet the needs of the person undergoing treatment, but will also be perfect for the entire family, eliminating the time and hassle of preparing separate meals. Recipes are organized by symptom and flagged with colorful “symptom icons” for easy reference. Although there are 100 recipes in the book, many of the recipes may be used for multiple symptoms, providing more than 220 options for symptom relief. The American Cancer Society recommends asking your dietitian to help you create a nutritious, balanced eating plan after cancer, and this cookbook provides healthy, delicious recipes that can be enjoyed beyond cancer treatment as well.
"This cookbook serves as a great resource for anyone facing a cancer diagnosis," said Colleen Doyle, M.S., R.D., director of nutrition and physical activity for the Society. "Good nutrition is essential during cancer treatment but sometimes, side effects may have a negative impact on what and how you eat. This cookbook offers healthy recipes that can help cancer patients cope with a variety of different side effects. And the recipes taste great, so caregivers and family members will also enjoy them."
The cookbook also includes six bonus features, including advice for the caregiver, tips to make eating out easier, a kitchen staples list, advice on avoiding excess weight gain during treatment, tips on assembling a take-along food “survival kit,” and a helpful list of organizations that provide information on nutrition and cancer. The Library Journal described the cookbook as, “Valuable information in [a] readable format.”
The book, which includes 24 full-color recipe photographs and would serve as a wonderful gift for patients undergoing treatment, was created by Jeanne Besser, co-author of the Society’s best-selling The Great American Eat-Right Cookbook, and three American Cancer Society dietitians with extensive experience providing nutrition assistance to cancer patients, survivors, and their caregivers. The result is the ultimate comfort-food cookbook that focuses on helping people with cancer get well.
About the authors
Jeanne Besser is a food columnist for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and a published cookbook author. Her cookbooks include The First Book of Baking (1996), Working Mom’s Fast and Easy One-Pot Cooking (1998, revised as Working Mom’s Fast & Easy Family Cookbook in 2003), The 5:30 Challenge: 5 Ingredients, 30 Minutes, Dinner on the Table (2006), and The Great American Eat-Right Cookbook (2007). Jeanne resides in Atlanta, Georgia.
Kristina (Kris) Ratley, RD, CSO, LDN, is a registered dietitian and works as a Dietitian on Call with the South Atlantic Division of the American Cancer Society. Kris is a Board Certified Specialist in Oncology nutrition with more than 20 years experience in the field of dietetics. Her personal accomplishments include completing three marathons, and she hopes to run in the New York City Marathon soon. Kris lives in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Sheri Knecht, RD, CSO, CNSD, LDN, is a registered dietitian and manager of the Dietitian on Call program for the South Atlantic Division of the American Cancer Society. She founded the Dietitian on Call program in 2000 and works within that program to assist, educate, and promote good nutrition and physical activity for cancer patients and survivors. Sheri is a Board Certified Specialist in Oncology Nutrition and a Certified Nutrition Support Dietitian. She resides in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Michele Szafranski, MS, RD, CSO, LDN, is a registered dietitian and works as a Dietitian on Call with the South Atlantic Division of the American Cancer Society. Michele is a Board Certified Specialist in Oncology Nutrition. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.
About the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing about $3.4 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.
What to Eat During Cancer Treatment: ISBN-13: 978-1-60443-005-9; ISBN-10: 1-60443-005-2 (trade paperback)
