Tips For The Kitchen Archives - Page 2 of 4

The Thing About Cancer + Healthy Eating Is…

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During the month of May, we’ll be bringing back some of your favorite posts in groups of 5!

Today, we’ve got 5 GREAT posts focused on getting to the nitty gritty of young adult cancer and healthy eating.

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Welcome Sarah S!

Lacuna Loft is excited to continue introducing more young adult voices! These great folks represent a variety of perspectives on the myriad of topics covered here at Lacuna Loft. Before everyone starts really getting into the nitty-gritty of all they have to say, we wanted to introduce them a bit. Without further ado, here is Sarah S!

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Community Herbalist Sarah is a native of Buffalo NY, and a 2014 graduate of the Holistic Herbalism program at the Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine. For Sarah, herbalism is the perfect combination of natural gardening and permaculture, forest ecology, counseling skills, anatomy/physiology, nutrition, world culture and history, botany and chemistry, art, writing, and connecting with nature. She has been offering consultations since 2014, and was excited to incorporate the CSA model (Community Supported Agriculture) into her work in 2015. Sarah also has a certificate in horticultural therapy, and loves using gardening as a venue to support healing and wellness.

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Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Some neighbors of mine recently hosted a Thanksgiving in September celebration so I found myself officially calling it Fall and breaking out some pumpkin. I baked these delectable Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls and some creamed corn, all from scratch. Now that October is underway, I’m feeling the need for some more pumpkin in my life, pronto! Seemed like a good week to share the pumpkin cinnamon rolls recipe! I’d call these rolls an intermediate baking activity but the instructions in the recipe are VERY step-by-step and straight forward. I followed them exactly and my rolls turned out absolutely delicious.

To start, the recipe for these mouth watering pumpkin cinnamon rolls is found here, at Averie Cooks. I used canned pumpkin…there weren’t many harvested pumpkins yet back in September, and honestly, given the time it takes to make these rolls, I think I’ll go for canned pumpkin the next time I make them too. I’ll also admit to having served these pumpkin cinnamon rolls for dessert and then for breakfast the next morning. 🙂

The pumpkin cinnamon rolls are tender and gooey. Not overly pumpkin-y but just the right amount. Too bad I made these a few weeks ago…I’m really getting a craving for one now!

Are you doing any baking with pumpkin this fall? Share your recipes!

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Baked Apples

Well, since it is officially fall, I decided to grab some apples and start baking!

While at the grocery store the other day, I picked up 6 apples, fully intending to make homemade applesauce. Well, when I got home, I remembered that I’m in the middle of a move and don’t have a large enough pot to cook as much applesauce goodness as I wanted. So, I improvised!

Baked Apples

What you’ll need:

[list type=”like”]
[list_item]6 apples of any kind you’d like[/list_item]
[list_item]pumpkin spice[/list_item]
[list_item]cinnamon[/list_item]
[list_item]1 Tb. brown sugar[/list_item]
[list_item]1/2 c. water[/list_item]
[/list]

Preheat your oven to 350 °F. Rinse the apples and cut them into quarters. This is easily done if you first cut off the bottom. Then you have a nice, flat surface to cut the apple in half. Then lay each half down on your cutting board and cut into fourths. Taking each fourth and setting it upon it’s flat bottom then makes it really easy to cut out the core. I like to keep the skins on the apples as it lets you keep all of that awesome fiber…but you can definitely skin them too if you prefer!

Lay the cut apples in a baking dish. Add the 1/2 c. water. Then sprinkle with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice.

Cover the baking dish with tin foil and place in the oven. After 20 minutes, take the dish out of the oven, and carefully stir around. If the apples appear dry you can add a bit more water to the bottom of the baking dish. Bake another 25 minutes.

And that’s it! Not too sweet, not too mushy. A yummy, healthy, and delicious baked apple treat for your fall! Once the pan has cooled a bit, the water and sugar in the bottom of baking dish will thicken slightly and add a great syrup to your served baked apples.

Want the apples more thoroughly cooked? Cutting them into smaller pieces should help as well as baking them for longer.

Do you have any baked apples recipes for this fall? We’d love to hear more!

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Gluten-Free Berry Lemon Cake

There aren’t any gluten-free (GF) bakeries in my area, which means I am on my own when it comes to GF cakes, pies, and scones. Fortunately, the internet is full of good gluten-free recipes. I recently found a recipe from the UK for a raspberry polenta cake; I converted the measurements and adapted it to be nut-free. The result is delicious – rich without being too heavy, and sweet without being overly so. I used raspberries when I made it, but I think it would be just as wonderful with any berry (I think I’ll try blueberry next).

Do you have any favorite gluten-free recipes? Share them in the comments!

Gluten-free berry lemon cake, adapted from Stevie Parle’s gluten-free raspberry and polenta cake recipe from The Telegraph.

8oz unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1/2 cup white rice flour

1/2 cup corn meal

1 tsp gluten-free baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp lemon extract

6 oz fresh raspberries

1 Tbs confectioner’s sugar, if desired.

Preheat oven to 325F. Grease a 10-inch springform pan.

Beat the butter and sugar until creamy and pale, then beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in rice flour, corn meal, baking powder, salt, and lemon extract.

Pour half of the batter into the pan, and sprinkle the raspberries evenly on top. Add the rest of the batter and smooth it over the raspberries, covering them completely.

Bake for 50–60 minutes until golden on top and firm in the middle. Cool in the pan. Dust with confectioner’s sugar just before serving, if desired.

Does your long term illness require a gluten-free diet? What gluten-free recipes do you enjoy?

chronic illness gluten-free patient survivor

The Fork In The Fight: Navy Bean Root Vegetable Stew

Andrea and G have a lovely history together. Go here to learn more about them, and to read the first three posts in their first segment of The Fork In The Fight series. Look forward to reading Part 3: Introduction to Ayurveda later this week!

The Fork in the Fight: recipes for restoring our souls and thriving in the face of cancer

Part 2: Navy Bean Root Vegetable Stew

This is the second post in the second segment of the Fork In The Fight series. In this three-part segment, we will be sharing a recipe for the soul in finding retreat in creativity, a recipe for the body with a delicious navy bean stew, and a recipe for the mind as Andrea introduces the world of Ayurveda. Stay tuned! Check out Part 1: Recipes For Calm And Creativity.

The Recipe

We are both soup lovers and this navy bean stew is no exception! It’s perfect for using the last of your winter root vegetables before spring seasonals arrive. Andrea’s best friend, who is vegan, told her this is the BEST recipe she has made her (and Andrea has been cooking with her for 10 years!). Even if you are tempted to substitute in some animal products (like cream or cheese), we dare you to be bold and try it this way first because it’s just that good. 🙂 It’s easy to add more later.

Navy Bean Root Vegetable Stew
(adapted from Gillian McKeith’s You Are What You Eat)

Ingredients

½ lb. dried navy beans (or lima beans)
- This will cook to 1lb. of cooked beans
3 carrots, diced
- Try daikon radish, red or golden beets, watermelon radishes, or a variety of turnips
½ of a rutabaga, peeled and diced
- Try jerusalem artichokes (sunchokes) for a nuttier flavor
½ a red pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
2 red onions, diced
2 bay leaves
2 tsp turmeric ground or 1 tsp peeled
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp fennel
½ teaspoon cumin
½ tsp ginger
¼ tsp black pepper
1 pinch Himalayan pink salt
Handfuls of pea shoots, arugula, thinly sliced kale, or a local green of your choice

Directions

Prepare by soaking the ½ lb. of dried beans overnight (or for several hours) and cooking in a large pot of boiling water. Perfectly cooked beans are soft in the center but not split on the seams. Remove from heat and let the beans cool in the water completely. P.s. By starting with dried beans, you are eliminating the extra processing and sodium that can be found in canned beans.
While the beans cool, you can cut, peel, dice, slice and chop your way through all the vegetables.
In a large pot on medium heat, add the onions, bay leaves, and a splash of water, stirring occasionally. Once the onions soften, add the rutabaga, carrots, and enough water (or vegetable stock) to cover. Let boil and then reduce to simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the beans and remaining spices and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
Top with fresh greens and serve immediately with a hunk of fresh bread.

IMG_5027_2 — Share this simple, nourishing dish with your friends and loved ones!

Tips and Hints

If you are have leftovers and want something new, the soup does well with a bit of raw milk cheese and day old bread on the bottom of the soup bowl!
While the beans are cooking, you can roast the vegetables! This will bring out the sweet and nutty flavors that make the soup divine. Andrea suggests roasting with coconut oil salt & pepper

BONUS Recipe!

Antioxidant Supplement ‘Jam’
(from William Siff of Gold Thread Herbs)

Ingredients

1 large mason jar with lid
1 cup rose hips, roughly
1 cup of pomegranate or blueberry organic juice concentrate, roughly
1 handful goji berries, elderberries, and/or hawthorn berries
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch saffron
Citrus peels, to taste
Fresh ginger, to taste

Directions

Pour the rose hips into the mason jar until half way full and cover with juice.
Stir in the remaining ingredients and let sit for several hours until it becomes paste-like. If you are using seeded berries, be sure to let them soak in water.
Take 1 tablespoon every day! You can add it to a cup of hot water or onto a bowl of porridge.
The jam can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 months.

With love and gratitude,
Andrea and G

Put A Fork In It! Send us your comments, suggestions and food-fighting ways to support a healing life.

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Healthy Eating: Healthy Snacking

For the next few weeks, here at Lacuna Loft we’re going to explore some different aspects of healthy eating! We’ll talk about various alternative eating styles, healthy eating on a budget, creative ways to fit all those fruits and veggies into your day, and much more! We’ll call upon cancer survivors, nutritionists, and others to offer their expertise.

While we are definitely not pushing one way of healthy eating over another, knowing all you can about the foods we eat is a great thing. We want to give you all the awareness we can in order to help us all make healthy eating choices.

So far, we’ve discussed vegetarian eating and smoothies. Today we’ll talk about healthy snacking!

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Today we are welcoming, Jenny, a Registered Dietitian and Personal Fitness Coach. She graduated with a Bachelors in Dietetics from Fontbonne University in 2013. She went on to complete her dietetic internship and Master of Arts in Multidisciplinary Health Communication Studies from Fontbonne University in December of 2014. Jenny has a strong passion for both nutrition and fitness and strives to raise awareness, educate the public, and clear up misleading nutrition information. Jenny believes that balance, variety, and moderation are the key to a healthy lifestyle and strongly discourages food deprivation and fad diets. She hopes to help people build a healthy relationship with food, learn to seek credible nutrition information, and develop a healthy lifestyle (not diet) through fitness and nutrition.

Jenny will be talking to us about snacking your way into a healthy lifestyle! Thanks Jenny!

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For years, snacking has been frowned upon as a successful way to achieve a healthy lifestyle. Society has been brainwashed into choosing quick fix diets that include cutting calories, fat, carbohydrates, etc. as a way to see quick results. I am here to tell you that those times have changed. As a Registered Dietitian, one of the most common questions I often hear my clients ask is, “how do I get rid of my cravings for snacks?”

Well, I am here to tell you do not need to give up snacking! Actually, incorporating snacks into your day has been proven to not only help with weight loss, but also increase metabolism, improve energy, improve concentration, and achieve essential nutrient needs.

I am a strong advocate for eating consistently throughout the day, not going without food for more than 2-3 hours. This is the key to successful weight maintenance and loss, as it keeps metabolism high. It also prevents overeating and poor food choices because you never let yourself get to the point of hunger or starvation. Healthy snacking plays a huge role in this ideal meal plan.

So what’s the catch, you ask? Well, obviously snacking on potato chips and candy is not what I am referring to in this situation. I am talking about snacking on healthy foods such as whole fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy products. Food manufacturers have been successful in getting Americans hooked on high sugar, high calorie snacks over the years, mainly due to their convenience. These snacks are highly processed and absolutely contribute to the obesity epidemic that is so present in this country.

So what are the best healthy snacks?

The ideal healthy snack is a mix of a protein and/or fat and a carbohydrate combination. A perfect example is an apple or banana and all natural peanut butter. The apple provides carbohydrates to refuel your body. It also provides fiber which will help you feel full longer. The peanut butter is a good source of protein and healthy fats that will help with satiety as well. Especially after a workout, it is important to consume a good protein/carb mix within 30 minutes to refuel and repair your muscles.

Healthy Snack Options:
• Apple and Peanut Butter
• Hardboiled eggs and fruit
• Whole grain bread and nut butter
• Tuna and whole grain crackers
• String cheese and a piece of fruit
• Trailmix
• Deli Roll Up-low-sodium deli meat with a piece of string cheese wrapped in it
• Hummus and veggies
• Cottage cheese with fruit
• Plain non-fat Greek yogurt topped with fresh fruit

Let me break down the science of this real quickly for you. I won’t get too detailed, but it helps to have a brief understanding of how the body processes certain nutrients.

That bag of potato chips you love. We’ve all been there. We have reached the point of starvation and we hit the nearest vending machine and find the most convenient option. We’ll go with Doritos. They taste delightful and you are able to devour the bag in about 5 seconds. Here is why:

Simple carbohydrates (chips, candy, white bread, white pasta, etc) are digested and absorbed VERY quickly. This is why when you are sitting on the couch with a bag of potato chips, you can easily eat the whole bag in one sitting. Simple carbohydrates do not trigger satiety. You don’t even realize how quickly you are digesting endless amounts of these empty calories with no nutritional value. This is why it is important to choose whole grain carbohydrate sources that are filled with fiber. This may include brown rice, whole grain or whole wheat pasta and breads, quinoa, barley, and other whole cereal grains. White grain products are simple sugars, are absorbed quickly, and do not provide nutritional value.

Now let’s talk about protein and fat. Protein is absorbed much more slowly than carbohydrates, hence the reason for feeling fuller longer. Fat is absorbed EVEN more slowly than protein. That peanut butter or other nut butter that goes on your apple. Almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds, string cheese, Greek yogurt. These are all good sources of protein and healthy fats and will help keep you full.

The purpose of a good protein or fat and carbohydrate combination is to give you all the essential nutrients you need and the satiety to get you to the next meal. The purpose of healthy snacking is to give your body the nourishment it needs to get through the day.

When we think of convenient snacks, we think of unhealthy snacks. But I am here to tell you that snacking can be both convenient AND healthy. It just takes a little planning ahead.

If you are at a loss of where to start when it comes to healthy snacking, here are a few tips of my own and suggestions that stem from the research by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics:
• Plan Ahead: Keep a variety of healthy snacks nearby at all times. I always have a bag of nuts, hardboiled eggs, string cheese, yogurt or fruit in my lunch box at work. This helps with unhealthy food temptations and the desire to hit the vending machine or nearby convenient store. Preparation is key!
• Choose Nutrient Dense Foods: Make your snack calories count. Choose foods with a good carb/protein/fat ratio that will satisfy you until the next meal. Consider snacks as small meals that will help you get those extra fruits and vegetables in your day!
• Don’t Deprive Yourself: I believe in everything in moderation. If you are craving a bag of chips or a piece of candy, you can have it. Just watch your portion size. Deprivation leads to binging and unhealthy relationships with food. You can feed your cravings occasionally and still be healthy. After you feed your unhealthy craving, make sure you are back on track for the rest of the day. It will be okay. It’s all about consistency and habits. All food fits.
• Watch Portion Size: A good rule of thumb is to keep snacks between 100 and 200 calories. A good protein to carbohydrate ratio is 10-15 grams protein and 15-30 grams carbohydrate per snack.
• Drink Water!!! Sometimes when we think we are hungry, we are just dehydrated. If you are feeling hungry, drink a glass of water and see how you feel. If you are still hungry, it’s time for your snack.

I hope that snacking begins to be viewed in a healthier way and that people use it as a tool to improve overall health. It all starts with building a healthy relationship with food, and if you can do that, then the rest will fall together on its own. Food is a wonderful thing that fuels and nourishes our body. Be aware, do your research using credible sources, and if you have food and nutrition related questions don’t hesitate to seek advice from a nutrition professional such as a Registered Dietitian.

Happy Snacking!
Jenny Miller, MA, RD, LD

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Thank you Jenny! What are your favorite healthy snacking choices?

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Healthy Eating: Smoothies

So far, we’ve discussed vegetarian eating. Today we’ll talk about smoothies!

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I am not a huge lover of vegetables. I eat as many as I’m supposed to most days (emphasis on most though…) but it often seems like a chore. I find many many of the green leafy vegetables that are raved about far and wide for their healthy eating properties bitter and boring. Then the thought came to me…why not try smoothie recipes with vegetables in them?! Smoothies are easy to make, easy to consume, and I’ll get to hide some of those vegetable tastes in fruit! For this post I looked far and wide for smoothie recipes. You know what I discovered? So many of them create glasses of syrupy goodness with way more sugar than I wanted and so many more of them have weird ingredients that left me wandering the aisles of my local grocery store.

Finally I stumbled up Simple Green Smoothies. The site has a ton of great smoothie recipes, from the more exotic, to the 5-ingredient variety. While the site also has some challenges and cleanses (which we are NOT endorsing or recommending…), the instructions on the smoothie recipes are easy to follow and the photographs are amazing. Runner’s World was another site with some great smoothie recipes. Their Runners-Friendly list of smoothies comes complete with photos, list of ingredients, and nutritional facts. For this initial post on healthy smoothies, I wanted to attempt something green, filled with berries and something with some protein.

For our green, something filled with berries smoothie, I chose the berry bash. I’d never bought a whole container of unsweetened almond milk before, but better late than never right? My husband gave the almond milk by itself the seal of approval. I skipped the almond nuts in this recipe…I just don’t like chunky things in smooth beverages! If you try it with the almonds though, let us know! This smoothie turned out quite green because of the spinach in the recipe yet the flavor and consistency was very approachable. The banana was definitely a dominant flavor and I wonder if it completely masked out the strawberries and the blueberries (which are my favorite). Overwhelmingly though, the smoothie tasted like almond milk. Despite everything else that was placed in it….lots of almond milk flavor. I think I’ll try it again but with cow’s milk…I just like that taste better!

For our something with some protein, I chose the Breakfast: Apple Crisp smoothie. I once again skipped the nuts in this smoothie. Otherwise I followed the instructions and experienced a great, fall tasting smoothie. My husband commented that he would have preferred a thicker consistency. The smoothie is very runny with all of the apple cider involved. Still, very yummy tasting. I am a huge fan of every ingredient in this smoothie so I’m glad that I like them all blended together too. With the cider and cinnamon, this has a very autumn vibe.

Overall, my first go at smoothie making was successful. Everything I blended up was full of flavor, packed with goodness, and easy to make. I think the next one I try will be the beginners luck green smoothie. The ingredients seem simple enough and easy to find in my normal grocery store and I’d like to try a smoothie recipe actually labeled as “green.”

Do you have any favorite smoothie recipes? When I asked my own social network for ideas I received everything from kale-filled smoothie recipes to ice cream-filled ones. 🙂 Do you use smoothies to help you boost your intake of fruits and veggies?

P.S. pictures of your daily servings of fruits and veggies

P.P.S. We are not suggesting that you do a cleanse or go totally smoothie eating. Not at all! Just offering you creative ways of getting more fruits and veggies in your diet!

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A Yummy Cranberry Porridge

I am a huge fan of breakfast. Since it’s the meal I eat most often, I’m always looking for ways to spice it up and add something new to the table (literally). 🙂 While I was going through treatments, sometimes I had trouble finding anything that sounded good to eat…breakfast was one of the groups of foods that worked best for me. What you eat is so important while facing cancer. While sometimes just eating at all is important, paying attention to nutrition as much as possible is key to maintaining energy levels and helping your body heal…during cancer as well as into survivorship. Food during cancer for thought!

Recently, a blog that I love has been talking with chefs and having them share breakfast recipes. This one for cranberry porridge looked absolutely fabulous. Since breakfast is the most important meal of the day (so they say), I thought it would be fun to share with you!

What are your go-to breakfast foods? Have you tried cranberry porridge before? Are there any specific food during cancer that you were drawn to? Finding the right food during cancer that works for you might be tricky! Let’s learn together!

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The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

While often we talk about the difficulties of eating during treatment or doing our best to stay healthy into survivorship…sometimes you just want to eat the best chocolate chip cookies!

Anyone that knows me also knows that I have a definite sweet tooth. My favorite kind of cookie is a little bit gooey and chewy, and very melt in your mouth…no crunchy cookies over here please! (Unless they are Oreos…seriously those have got to be the best store bought cookies of all time, but I digress). A few years ago, I came across this blog post, offering tips on baking the perfect chocolate chip cookie. I’ve followed her recipe before but once I became comfortable making alterations, I started making a few changes of my own. First off, I’ve found that I prefer to use only brown sugar. I also completely skip the nuts, and I use an entire tablespoon of vanilla.

[list type=”like”]
[list_item]2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into the measuring cup (to prevent the flour from packing)[/list_item]
[list_item]1 teaspoon baking soda[/list_item]
[list_item]1/2 teaspoon salt[/list_item]
[list_item]1 cup butter, softened (not melted!)[/list_item]
[list_item]1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar[/list_item]
[list_item]1 tablespoon vanilla extract[/list_item]
[list_item]2 large eggs[/list_item]
[list_item]2 cups chocolate chips[/list_item]
[/list]

I preheat my oven to 375 F and allow my butter to warm up on the counter. Combine the baking soda, flour, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl (I use my stand mixer), cream the butter, then add in the sugar and cream together, add the vanilla and cream together, and add each egg, one at a time, mixing well in between. Slowly add in the dry ingredients. Once all mixed together, stir in the chocolate chips! Separate them out onto a cookie sheet and bake 8 1/2 minutes.

I used a cookie dough scoop to portion out the dough and ended up with some very large cookies! After the first cookie sheet of large cookies, I split the dough balls into two to make smaller treats.

However you prefer your chocolate chip cookies…they are a decadent treat that can brighten up anyone’s day. Heading to treatments? Take a handful of cookies with you! Or have some ready for when you’re feeling better a few days later. Caregiving for a friend or family member? Making cookies can help brighten your mood, help you treat yourself, and also offer everyone around you a loving and sweet treat.

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