Green Tea & Chocolate: The Cancer Slayer Chronicles

Almond Blueberry 'Anytime' Bars

When I was going through chemo for breast cancer two years ago, I ate these bars a lot. Little protein punches designed to satisfy whenever food actually sounded good -- hence, "anytime." Oddly, food sounded most good when I was in the Chemo Lounge, receiving an infusion of medicine! But whatever the reason, I was prepared with my Anytime Bars and bone broth (but that's another story). My mother-in-law kept me well-supplied with both.

And now it is my turn to get someone else through chemo: My dad. He'll start chemo next Monday for metastatic pancreatic cancer. Already he's experiencing loss of appetite and weight-loss from the cancer itself. Chemo will add another complication to this.

So the Anytime Bars are perfect to have on hand for when he needs a healthy, tasty, satisfying bite. Plus, flaxseeds have been known to slow the growth of estrogen-receptive breast cancer tumors! Almonds are good for reducing inflammation, and blueberries are an antioxidant. Win, win, win!

But people who aren't dealing with cancer like these bars, too, since they are so tasty. They are great for kids, grabbing on the go, or after a work-out.

Almond Blueberry Anytime Bars, adapted from Rebecca Katz's The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen; makes 20-25 bars

2 cups raw almonds*

2 TBSP spelt or whole wheat flour

2 TBSP unbleached all-purpose flour

2 TBSP finely ground flaxseeds

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/8 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

2 cups dried blueberries*

1 egg

5 TBSP maple syrup

1 tsp almond extract*

*You can substitute other nuts and other dried fruit to suit your taste buds. If you decide not to use almonds, substitute vanilla extract for the almond extract.

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9-inch square pan (I use coconut oil).

Spread the almonds in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and toast for 7-10 minutes, until aromatic and slightly browned. Watch them carefully, as they can burn easily. Turn the oven down to 325 degrees.

Combine the flours, flax seeds, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir to combine.

In a food processor, chop the nuts and fruit. Or chop by hand. Add the nuts and fruit to the flour mixture. Add the oats and stir to combine.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg, maple syrup, and almond extract together until thoroughly combined. Add the fruit and nut mixture and use your hands to mix thoroughly, being sure to separate any clumps of fruit.

Spread the mixture in the oiled baking pan in an even layer and bake for 25-30 minutes, until set and golden brown; don't over-bake or the bards will be too dry. Let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then cut into 20 or 25 squares. Leave the bars in the pan until completely cool so they'll hold together when you remove them.

STORAGE: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 5-7 days, or in the freezer for 2 months.

Related articles

4 Tips for Dealing With a Loved One's Cancer Diagnosis

Recipe: Almond & Cream Cheese Holiday Scones

Asparagus: It's What's for Dinner

I love asparagus season. It always comes right around my birthday so I feel a special bond with the little plant. We've been cooking it up a lot around here lately, so I thought I'd share our favorite asparagus recipe of the moment -- fast, easy, delicious. (Though you can't go wrong keeping it simple & merely boiling the asparagus for a few minutes and serving it along side your breakfast, lunch or dinner).

Asparagus Gribiche, adapted from Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Everyday

Serves 6

1 1/2 lbs fingerling potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed & dried

1/2 cup plus 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

Fine-grain sea salt

1 bunch of asparagus, ends snapped off, chopped

4 large eggs, hard boiled & peeled

2 TBSP red wine vinegar

1 tsp Dijon-style mustard

2 shallots, chopped

1 TBSP chopped fresh parsley

1 TBSP chopped fresh tarragon

1 TBSP chopped fresh chives

2 large handfuls of arugula, washed & dried

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees with two racks in the top and middle of the oven.

If the potatoes aren't tiny, slice them into pieces no larger than your thumb. Use your hands to toss the potatoes with 1 TBSP of olive oil, sprinkle with a big pinch of salt, and turn out onto a baking sheet. Roast until they are cooked through and starting to brown, about 30 minutes.

About 15 minutes before the potatoes should be done, toss the asparagus with 1 TBSP of the olive oil, sprinkle with salt, arrange in a single layer on a second baking sheet and place in the oven as well. You are aiming to have the potatoes and asparagus finish cooking at roughly the same time.

To make the dressing, mash just the yolk of one of the hard boiled eggs in a medium bowl. Very slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil, beating constantly; the dressing should look smooth and glossy. Whisk in the vinegar, then the mustard. Stir in the shallots, herbs, and 1/4 tsp. salt.

Coarsely chop the remaining eggs and egg white, and fold them into the dressing.

Put the arugula in a large bowl. On top, put the warm potatoes and asparagus and gently toss with the dressing.

Enjoy!

(Note, Heidi Swanson's original recipe called for broccoli instead of asparagus, which is equally as delicious. Follow the same recipe, substituting 12 ounces of broccoli florets. If you can't get your hands on such a wide variety of fresh herbs, just use and equivalent amount of the ones you can find. If you don't like arugula, simply leave it out.)

 

Related articles

Weekending: Coconut-Infused Dutch Baby

Eat Like a Rainbow ~ Red & Orange ~ Bring on the Carotenoids

The produce section of the grocery store -- or the stalls at the Farmers' Market -- are such colorful places. A literal rainbow of food choices.

Color matters. Each color represents particular phytonutrients, vitamins & minerals -- each with specific life-saving benefits. 

Many of us eat "5 a day" as the FDA recommends, but we eat 5 of the same pale-colored fruits and vegetables. Apples, bananas, celery...

While apples & bananas are very good and rock in the portability department, I've taken up a new challenge lately: to eat the entire rainbow each day: Red, orange, yellow, green, purple. Tomatoes, carrots, pineapple, yellow bell pepper, kale, nori, blue-berries, grapes... 

I find the foods on the "warm" side of the color spectrum particularly attractive, and for good reason. Red, orange, yellow/green vegetables are rich carotenoids. Carotenoids are chemical compounds that absorb light and determine the color in fruits and vegetables. In our bodies they make their way to specific tissues and organs, where they have been shown to protect against DNA damage, thereby preventing heart disease and certain cancers. 

Pink grapefruits are in season now. And oh so delicious! They are rich in lycopene, which is one of the most potent free radical scavengers in nature. (Free radicals are unstable molecules that damage healthy cells as they travel through the body. They are produced naturally by the body as it uses oxygen to convert digested food into energy. Liver spots, cataracts, cancer, and other degenerative diseases are all the result of free-radical damage.**)

Sweet potatoes are another richly colored food that is in season now. Sweet potatoes are full of alpha-and beta-carotene, which are carotenoids and very effective antioxidents. They protect against cancer by preventing oxidation damage, reducing the multiplication of cancer cells, and eliminating tumors. Plus, they're chock-full of vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium. Wow!

Sweet Potato Pancakes adapted from Pam Stearns

Cancer-fighting powers:

Sweet Potato ~ Bright-colored (orange, red, yellow, green) fruits and vegetables contain vitamin A and lycopene, which have the proven capacity to inhibit the growth of cells of several cancer lines, including brain gliomas. Lycopene stimulates the growth of immune cells and increases their capacity to attack tumor cells. A study that tracked breast cancer patients for six years showed that those who consumed the most foods rich in carotenoids lived longer than those who consumed less. (Ingram, D "Diet and Subsequent Survival in Women with Breast Cancer," British Journal of Cancer 69, no 3 (1994)).

Ginger ~ Ginger root is a powerful antiinflammatory and an antioxidant (more effective than vitamin E) and has protective effects. It acts against certain cancer cells. Moreover, it helps reduce the creation of new blood vessels (needed by cancer cells to survive). *

Cinnamon ~ Like ginger, cinnamon is a powerful antiinflammatory and an antixidant, even more so than blueberries and pomagranate juice. One teaspoon helps to lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol and may help prevent Type 2 diabetes. Just half a teaspoon a day can help regulate blood sugar. (Penn State (2011, August 11). Antioxidant spices, like turmeric and cinnamon, reduce negative effects of high-fat meal. ScienceDaily)

1/2 cup: all-pupose white flour and whole wheat flour (each)

1 TBSP of your favorite sweetener (agave, honey, maple syrup, sugar...)

1/2 tsp: baking powder and salt (each)

1/4 tsp: baking soda, ground cinnamon, grated nutmeg, and ground ginger (each)

1/2 cup roasted sweet potato puree (approx. 1/4th of a large sweet potato)

1 large egg

3/4 cup milk 

Directions:

Roast the sweet potato (wash, place on a cookie sheet in a 350-degree oven for 50-60 min). Slice the sweet potato in half length-wise and scoop the inerds into a measuring cup. Mash with a fork. Set aside.

Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients, including the sweet potato puree. 

Add the wet to the dry, adding more milk if it seems too stiff. Should not be soupy, but should not be overly thick either.

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add a pat of butter to greace. 

When hot, drop the batter on to the skillet. I like to make "silver dollar" pancakes using 1 TBSP-scoops of batter at a time. A skant 1/4 cup of batter would make a "regular" size pancake.

Flip when bubbles begin to break on the surface, 3-4 minutes.

Cook for only a couple minutes more on the second side. 

Adjust your heat if the outside is scorching before the inside is fully cooked. These are dense pancakes. 

Enjoy!

~~

 *Cancer-fighting nutritional info comes from David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD: Anticancer: A New Way of Life.

** Color-related health info comes from What Color is Your Diet? by David Herber, MD, Ph.D.and Susan Bowerman, and The Color Code by James A Joseph, Ph.D., Daniel A Nadeau, MD, and Anne Underwood.

Grassfed is the New Black

Want a cold, refreshing glass of Grassmilk?

Sounds kind of scary, right? Maybe a concoction your kid would make outside in their play kitchen? 

Well, not only is it real, it is my new favorite grocery purchase. 

Grassmilk is milk from pastured cows. But all cows eat grass, and thus all milk comes from "pastured" cows, right? Sadly, no. Most convential dairy (and meat) cows eat corn and soybeans, as well as chicken manure & feathers (seriously). 

As disgusting as that sounds, it isn't the main reason I look for "pastured" on my milk, half and half, and butter. The main reason are the omega-3s that occur naturally in dairy products from pastured animals (eggs included).

Cancer fighting powers:

Short-chain vegetal omega-3s allay the harmful effects of hormones that promote cancer growth. They have also been linked to lower cholesterol and attenuation of spikes in blood sugar levels... In France, researches reported that women with breast cancer whose tissue samples were richer in omega-3 fatty acids derived from plants had a significantly lower risk of developing metastatic tumors.*

Grassfed milk, butter, eggs (and beef, but I'll get to that in a sec) tastes better than the conventional stuff. It's true. Guests have commented that my butter tastes good! Here are the products I like:

• Milk
• Half and half
• Butter

In the last six weeks, my own small flock of chickens has begun laying organic eggs, but I do sometimes still buy eggs and when I do, I make sure they are coming from pastured, organic hens. If not purchased from local farmers, I love this brand. 

Last in the grassfed items I buy and cook with is beef. All through my chemotherapy (5 months!), I drank a nutrient-dense broth my mother-in-law made for me from grassfed beef marrow bones. Now, unfortunately I can hardly say the words "bone broth" without having some PTSD effects (from the chemo, not the broth!) but we do continue to buy grassfed beef. My current favorite source is Leftcoast Grassfed/Tom Kat Ranch up the coast a little ways in Pescadero, CA. Their meat is delicious, and affordable. 

If I'm going to eat red meat now and then, I want it to be worth it. This stuff is!

(Leftcoast cows. Photo credit here.)

It is a good first step to ensure the meat and dairy products you consume are organic (pesticide, antibiotic, and hormone-free), but if the animals are simply eating organic corn and soy, you are consuming a diet richer in omega-6s than omega-3s, which causes inflammation. 

Instead, let's eat what our grandparents ate: Real eggs. Real milk & butter. Real meat. 

Check these websites to find producers in your area: www.eatwild.com and www.americangrassfed.com

Recipe: 13-Bean Grassfed-Beef Chili (kid tested; kid approved!)

Cancer fighting powers:

Cooked tomatoes ~ Research shows that lycopene in tomatoes leads to longer survival for prostate cancer patients. Tomatoes also contain a whole series of anticancer nutrients whose combined actions is more effective than lycopene on its own. Note: Tomatoes must be cooked in order to release these nutrients. Olive oil improves their assimilation, as does combining cooked tomatoes with broccoli.

Onion ~ The sulfur compounds of the alliaceous family (garlic, onions, leeks, shallots, chives) reduce the carcinogenic effects of nitrosamines and N-nitroso compounds, which are created in over-grilled meat and during tobacco combustion. All the herbs in this family help to regulate blood sugar levels, which reduces insulin secretion and thus inhibits the growth of cancer cells. Moreover, they specifically promote cell death (apoptosis) in colon, breast, lung and prostate cancer, as well as in leukemia. *

Serves approx. 8; begin by soaking the beans overnight, then 1/2 hour of prep time, 4 hours of cooking time

1 1/4 cup 13 Bean Dry Soup Mix (I like Bob's Red Mill)

1 lb. grassfed, organic ground beef (I like Leftcoast Grassfed)

1 organic medium onion, chopped

8 oz organic pizza sauce (I like Eden Organics) or double the tomato sauce below

8 oz organic plain tomato sauce

1 TBSP Mexican Seasoning (chili peppers, garlic, onion, paprika, cumin, celery seed, oregano, cayenne, bay)

1 tsp salt

1 pinch of pepper

Optional: Grated cheddar cheese, sour cream, crusty whole grain bread

*Note: This chili is robust but not spicy. You might want to add chilli powder in addition to the Mexican Seasoning.

Directions: 

Soak the beans. I prefer to do this overnight. To do so, place in a large pot (Dutch oven works great) and cover with water. 

First thing in the morning, drain the beans, then cover with fresh water and simmer for 3 hours. (Alternatively, you can let them sit all day, and then simmer them approx. 4 hours before you want to serve the chili.)

After 3 hours, turn off the burner and let the beans hang out all day in their soaking water. 

When you're ready to prepare dinner, chop the onion and brown the beef in a skillet. Add the chopped onion to the beef and cook for approx. 5 minutes. 

Add the beef and the onion to the waiting beans and soaking water. Add the pizza sauce and the tomato sauce to the bean mix. Add the spices as well. 

Stir, cover & simmer for 1 hour. 

Serve with grated cheddar and sour cream. Crusty bread for dipping is nice, too, as is a glass of cancer-fighting red wine.

 *Cancer-fighting nutritional info comes from David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD: Anticancer: A New Way of Life.