A special holiday request from Your Cancer Dietitian:
I have a very special friend who has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer for the 4th time. Her first diagnosis was over 20 years ago. Since then, she had been providing care for people diagnosed with cancer – over 50,000 survivors to date!
I really want to do something to honor her, and am riding Cancer Services’ Polar Bear Ride for Courage on January 1st. YES, in the cold :). I need your support to reach my goal of being the #1 sponsor this years in honor of Linda! My goal is to raise $5,000 for Cancer Services.
In case you don’t know, Cancer Services is what makes this website and information possible! I do not receive any revenue from ads or selling things. You have the benefit of great information and yummy recipes all at no charge.
If you would like to help make this website possible and provide HOPE to those living with cancer, like Linda, please consider donating to my ride: http://www.active.com/donate/cancerservices2010/JulieandLinda. ALL funds are used responsibly – 90% of Cancer Services’ budget goes
for direct client services – which far exceeds the government
recommendation that at least 85% of funds be used for services.
I so appreciate your support, any amount will make a difference whether it’s $5 or $500! For anyone who donates $100 or more, I will hand make a bracelet or earrings!
Merry Christmas!
– Julie
Cancer Fighting Holiday Meals!
Do you think that it costs more to eat healthy, cancer fighting foods during the Holidays? Not Necessarily! A really cool experiment was done by a food writer in Ohio comparing traditional holiday meals vs. a fresher version and what the cost is.
Guess what she found? It’s not necessarily cheaper to eat the canned versions of your favorite holiday recipes! In fact, she found that the total cost for traditional cranberries, green bean casserole, candied yams and stuffing from can or box was $11.46.
The cost for similar recipes from fresh and/or frozen? Only $12.30. And the amazing part is that the fresh recipes fed twice as many people! So the cost per serving for canned was $2.38 (combined for all 4 sides) and the cost per serving from fresh/frozen was $1.20 per serving.
What’s the catch? You do have to spend a little more time preparing the food. BUT, is it worth your extra 30 minutes to know that you are providing extra cancer fighting phytochemicals and not loading them up with cancer promoting nutrients this year?
You decide for yourself, but I think the answer is YES for me!
Simple Holiday Recipes
Citrus Ginger Cranberries
Down Home Green Beans:
- 10 oz. frozen green beans
- Red wine vinegar
- Cooking Oil
- One onion, diced
- Cajun or Creole seasoning
- Heat pan with oil in it
- Sauté onion for 5 minutes
- Add green beans to pot and mix with onions
- Add vinegar and a little olive oil to cover bottom of pan
- Let the green beans boil in the vinegar for at least 5- 8 minutes or until hot.
- Add Cajun or Creole seasoning to taste
- Serve and enjoy!
Candied Yams
Ingredients:
• 4 cups sliced sweet potatoes or yams – precooked in the microwave until soft
• 2 apples, sliced
• 1/3 c. pecans
• 1/4 C brown sugar, packed
• 1 tsp flour, sifted
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp orange peel
• 1/2 C orange juice
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Toss apples and nuts with combined sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and grated orange peel.
3. Place half of sliced yams in medium-size casserole dish. Sprinkle with spiced apple mixture.
4. Add second layer of yams, using the rest of the ingredients in the same order as above. Add orange juice.
5. Bake uncovered for 30-45 minutes
Dad’s Stuffing:
Ingredients:
• Stuffing mix (whole wheat bread mix if possible)
• egg (beaten in a cup)
• chicken broth or bullion
• celery
• onion
• sliced black olives (can use the juice with the broth if desired)
• Cooking oil
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Sauté the onion and celery in a pan with olive oil
3. Add stuffing mix, egg, black olives and any other additions to the onion and celery
4. Continuously add broth until desired consistency is achieved
5. Place in a covered dish
6. Cook stuffing for 30-45 minutes
Possible additions: cooked brown rice, fresh apples, dried cranberries or mushrooms – just mix in before baking!
Happy Holidays!
– Julie
