Food is extremely versatile. There are foods that can create illness and chronic disease and there are foods that can heal our bodies. The choice is ours. If we continue putting foods that harm us into our body we become more susceptible to diseases, such as cancer, diabetes and autoimmune disease.
Cancer is one of the most common chronic conditions and our chances of fighting against it will improve if we go above and beyond just the treatments our doctor prescribes. We need to take charge of all aspects of our lives. Besides completing our treatments, we need to clear our minds, connect with our bodies and of course, focus on healthy eating. Our food is part of the journey to recovery, and the sooner we direct our attention to diet the sooner the healing begins!
Below are some of my favorite and most flavourful recipes that not only taste amazing but are full of cancer fighting goodness.
Roasted Carrot soup is a cancer winner. This soup is full of carotenoids like beta carotene and phytochemicals that help keep your immune system strong. These strong antioxidants also protect the cell membranes from toxins and can help slow the growth of cancer cells.
| Roasted Carrot Soup |
| 4 large carrots, peeled and diced into cubes
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth 1 piece of ginger, 2 cm long, peeled 1 small onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, whole olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Toasted combination of nuts such as pumpkin, sunflower and chopped almonds – for garnish |
| Preheat the oven to 175C. Divide the carrots in half and place half the cubes of carrot on a baking sheet. Season with salt, pepper and a little olive oil. Toss to combine and cook for about 20 minutes, shaking the pan every so often for even cooking. They are ready when they are slightly brown, soft and caramelized.
In another pot, bring the stock to a boil and add the ginger, onion and garlic. Lower heat to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes or until the onions are soft. Add the remaining carrots and cook about 5 more minutes or until the carrots are just slightly soft. Transfer the mixture to a blender and add the roasted carrots. Blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil and toasted nuts before serving. |
Keto bread is a carb-free bread made with Almond flour and no sugar. What I love most about this bread is its nutrient dense ingredients. There are seeds and coconut oil to make it a superfood in it’s own right. It’s high in fiber, good fats and healthy proteins, and it’s extremely easy to make.
| Keto Seed Bread |
| ⅓ cup Almond flour
1 tablespoon psyllium husk ½ tsp salt ¼ cup coconut oil 1 cup hot water ½ cup Sunflower seeds ½ cup pumpkin seeds ⅓ cup flax seed ⅓ cup sesame seed |
| Mix the first 5 ingredients in a blender, after it is blended well, transfer mixture to a bowl and mix in the last 4 seed ingredients. Form and add into a glass baking dish lined with baking paper. Cook at 155-160 degrees for 50 minutes. |
This dish is always a favorite amongst my clients. Many times during treatments, patients can experience low hemoglobin and protein levels. I recommend enjoying red meat two or three times a month. Shepherd’s pie is keto friendly because we use cancer fighting cauliflower mash, instead of potatoes to make sure that it remains low carb and healthy.
| Shepherd’s Pie
Serves 5 |
| 5 beef steaks, fat trimmed and finely chopped by hand
1 tablespoon olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 cloves of garlic, finely diced 1 large carrot, cut in half-lengthwise then into chunks 5 shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and finely chopped 1 tsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped 1 tsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder, dissolved in 2 tablespoon water. 1 tablespoon tomato puree 1 dash soy amino’s ½ cube of mushroom vegetable stock dissolved in 350 ml of water Cauliflower mash for topping- see below. |
| Heat oil and garlic in a large pan. Add carrots, onion and herbs and soften gently over low heat (about 10 minutes but do not brown the vegetables).
Turn the heat up and add the mushrooms, stir for a minute. Then add the beef and cook until browned. Add the tomato puree, soy aminos and stir. Gradually add the stock then lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Finally,add the arrowroot powder that has been dissolved in 2 tablespoons water. Cook for another 10 minutes. Taste and season. |
| Cauliflower Mash |
| 2 large heads of cauliflower or broken into small florets, do not leave too much stalk
olive oil and salt to taste cashew cream (with only lemon and garlic added in) if available |
| Cook the cauliflower florets in a minimal amount of water with a sprinkle of salt. Cover and simmer over low heat until the cauliflower is very soft. Watch carefully so the water does not evaporate. Drain the cauliflower from any remaining water and puree until very smooth. Season with olive oil and add some cashew cream, to taste.
Preheat the oven to 200 C. Once the beef and cauliflower are finished you can assemble the pie. In individual glass containers divide the beef and then add a generous amount of cauliflower mash to each pie. Cook in a preheated oven for 30 minutes or until brown and bubbly. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with a side of steamed/boiled green beans* or cooked broccoli. * For French style green beans, trim tips and cut lengthwise along the entire bean and then cook in salted boiling water. Season lightly with olive oil and salt. |
