Listen to this blog post  |
Correlation between our food and our health
Food is the staff of life and can help us or hurt us. I am a firm believer that there is a correlation between our food and our health. Another key point, what you eat really makes a difference! In other words, that is why I wanted to make easy, delicious and good-for-you food. Ultimately, this is the focus of my best selling Trim&Terrific cookbook series. For this reason, I make it my goal to create recipes that are mainstream. Also, user-friendly and quick to help today’s busy caregiver. Another key point is my main goal is to incorporate eating healthier into a caregiving lifestyle. Along these same lines, I have written disease-specific cookbooks. As a result, these can help answer the question of what to eat with cancer, arthritis, and diabetes, etc.
Eating food with Cancer
What you eat during cancer treatment can make a difference! For this reason, My Eating Well Through Cancer cookbook focuses on the foods best tolerated during cancer treatment. Also, it includes healthy recipes for survivors and cancer prevention. In other words, as someone goes through treatment, their desires and challenges change with food. For this reason, the caregiver or the patient needs appealing EASY recipes.
Side effects of food
In other words, recipes that ease specific side effects. As a result, nourishing on lighter recipes like Potato Soup or simple baked chicken is better for you at this time. Most importantly, you want approachable simple, nourishing recipes using familiar ingredients. Another key point is to be aware of what a person can eat at each stage of treatment. As a result, there’s no reason everyone in your family can’t enjoy the same food. At the same time, be conscious of the types of food. In addition, The Chicken Pot Pie from Eating Well Through Cancer cookbook is from the Sore Mouth Chapter. But is a recipe the entire family will enjoy. This quick and classic, comfort food is a good source of protein! Even if you have cancer, nutritious and delicious food is important to maintain good health and energy.
Helping arthritis with food
So many people fight inflammation. Did you know there are over 100 different types of arthritis? In Eating Well To Fight Arthritis cookbook, my goal is to give you anti-inflammatory recipes and tools to help fight inflammation. Inflammation is the body’s immune response to protect and heal us from infection and foreign substances. However chronic inflammation results in long-term tissue destruction. Which may be the underlying basis for hosts of chronic diseases. Such as some cancers, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s’ disease, and arthritis.
Epidemiology studies
A population such as the Greeks with a Mediterranean diet high in fruits and vegetables, and nuts, have a less chronic disease. Several nutrients may be specifically important in helping to reduce inflammation. Such as the antioxidants Vitamin C, Carotenoids and Omega-3 Fatty Acids. All which are in the Anti-Inflammatory chapter of Eating Well to Fight Arthritis. with recipes such as this meaty and super satisfying Stuffed Bell Pepper Bake. Move over orange juice, did you know 1 cup of bell pepper provides 200% of your daily recommendation of vitamin C?
Foods role in diabetes
64% of adults in the US either overweight or obese. And a projected 44 million to have diabetes in the next 20 years. We have to face facts and do something about this growing epidemic. There is no magical diabetes diet. Straightforward healthy lifestyle changes, moderate sugar, fat, and portion control. I want to get rid of the stigma attached to ‘diet’ food in my trim&TERRIFIC Kitchen 101: Secrets to Cooking Confidence cookbook. I take the thinking out of healthy meal choices with nutrition facts. And diabetic exchanges on every recipe, along with the symbol ‘D’. Every dish that fits into the American Diabetes Association standards for diabetic recipes.
My goal is to make delicious good-for-you food. Practical and easy with mainstream diabetic-friendly meals that the whole family will love! Think a diabetic can’t have dessert? Guess again! These diabetic-friendly Peanut Butter Cookies from KITCHEN 101 are my all-time favorite cookie. I often make extra to keep in my freezer, as I have attempted to pull out a couple after dinner each night!
Caregiving and cooking
Often with cancer or any disease diagnosis, the caregiver gets overlooked. In my Eating Well Through Cancer cookbook, I included a Caregiver chapter. To help encourage not only those going through treatment. but also the cancer patient’s support team – the caregiver!
If cancer treatment has your loved one not feeling well, having a surprise meal will sometimes entice them to eat. A thoughtful snack, casserole, or another healthy dish can bring joy and happiness to a loved one. Eating with a friend or family can also be very helpful. It is no fun to eat alone. Here are a few tips for Caregivers from my cookbook!
Caregiver Tips: Let your loved one
- Go with you to the grocery store.
- Help you to prepare food.
- Help organize ready-to-eat snacks.
- Organize friends/or relatives to cook for you and your family.
- Enjoy meals with you.
Embracing healthy cooking
My recipes are to guide families to embrace healthier cooking whether they have a medical need or not. Most importantly, in each of these books. The recipes are easy healthy 30-minute recipes with everyday ingredients. And are also a great resource for information. You can take the condition of cancer or arthritis off the cover. And the book includes everyday family meals. Eating is a necessity and we hope these simple, super-satisfying recipes will make treatment a little easier with the comfort of food.
Holly Clegg’s Bio:
With over 1.5 million cookbooks sold Holly Clegg has become a culinary expert. She is the expert on easy, healthy and practical recipes through her nationally recognized best-sellers. Her more health-focused Eating Well cookbook series includes. Newly released 15 YEAR ANNIVERSARY edition of Eating Well Through Cancer, (English, Spanish and Chinese editions). Eating Well to Fight Arthritis and Diabetic Cooking with the American Diabetes Association. Clegg has attended the Cordon Bleu Cooking School. And has appeared on Fox & Friends, NBC Weekend Today, QVC, The 700 Club, USA Today, Cooking Light Magazine, Web MD, and Huff Post. She has consulted for Walmart, Teflon, The Coca-Cola Company, and hospitals throughout the country. Visit Holly’s YouTube channel and The Healthy Cooking Blog
Conclusion
Eating while you are ill or not feeling well can now be easy. Check out some of these delicious recipes to help you feel better. For more information, check out this site. Also, check out this past post from Tena Scallan’s blog: https://theultimatecaregivingexpert.com/2016/03/01/preparing-serving-feeding-loved-ones/
Chicken Pot Pie from Eating Well Through Cancer
This is a classic and quick, a savory and sensational favorite you can whip up in minutes. By cutting the chicken and sweet potatoes into small pieces, this nutritious dish will be easier to eat.
Makes 6 (2/3-cup) servings
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into very small pieces Salt and pepper to taste 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 cups low-sodium fat-free chicken broth 1/2 cup diced peeled sweet potatoes 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves 2 cups frozen mixed vegetable Dough of 5 flaky refrigerator biscuits
1. Preheat oven 400°F. Coat pie plate or individual ramekins with nonstick cooking spray. 2. In a nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, cook chicken breasts over medium heat 5-7 minutes or until brown. Season to taste. 3. Add flour and gradually add broth, stirring and cooking over medium heat until bubbly. Add sweet potatoes and thyme; bring to a boil, stirring, about 5 minutes. 4. Add mixed vegetables, cooking another 5 minutes until vegetables and sweet potato tender. Transfer chicken mixture to prepared dish. Split biscuits into layers and cover top. Bake 10–12 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.
Nutritional information per serving
Calories 182, Calories from Fat 17 %, Total Fat 3 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 48 mg, Sodium 298 mg, Total Carbohydrate 19 g, Dietary Fiber 2 g, Sugars 3 g, Protein 19 g, Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 1/2 lean meat
Terrific Tip
Save time and use leftover or rotisserie chicken to make this recipe extra easy. Cut chicken into very small pieces and vegetables are already in small pieces to help with swallowing.
Nutrition Nugget
This is a complete meal. Carrots and sweet potatoes provide beta-carotene and fiber while celery is rich in Vitamin C and folacin.
Stuffed Bell Pepper Bake from Eating Well To Fight Arthritis Cookbook
Who has time to stuff peppers? All the components and essence of a stuffed pepper combined in a simple, colorful, delectable dish. This is one of the most popular recipes on my healthy food blog!
Makes 8 servings
1 pound ground sirloin 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 1/2 cups chopped red, green and yellow bell peppers 1 teaspoon minced garlic Salt and pepper to taste 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chopped fire-roasted tomatoes 1 1/2 cups instant rice, uncooked (try brown rice) 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves 1 1/3 cups shredded reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese, divided 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1. Preheat oven 375°F. Coat 13x9x2-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. 2. In a large nonstick skillet, cook meat, onion, peppers, and garlic 7-10 minutes or until meat is browned. Drain excess fat; season to taste. Stir in tomatoes, uncooked rice, Worcestershire sauce, basil, and oregano. 3. Remove from heat, add 2/3 cup cheese, stirring to combine. Transfer to prepared dish. Spread with tomato sauce. 4. Bake 20-25 minutes, uncovered, or until rice is cooked. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and return to oven 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Nutritional information per serving
Calories 230, Calories from Fat 27%, Fat 7g, Saturated Fat 3g, Cholesterol 42mg, Sodium 632mg, Carbohydrates 21g, Dietary Fiber 2g, Total Sugars 4g, Protein 20g, Dietary Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 1/2 lean meat
Terrific Tip
Use no-salt tomato sauce to lower sodium.
Nutrition Nugget
Move over orange juice, 1 cup bell pepper provides 200% of your daily recommendation of vitamin C.
Peanut Butter Cookies from KITCHEN 101 Cookbook
Yes, these simple ingredients create a dynamite peanut butter cookie. Sometimes I add chocolate chips too!
Makes 30 cookies
1 cup crunchy peanut butter 1/2 cup light brown sugar 1 egg 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
1. Preheat oven 350°F. Coat baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. 2. In a large bowl, combine peanut butter, brown sugar, egg, and baking soda until well combined. Stir in peanuts. 3. Place dough by teaspoonful’s on a nonstick baking sheet and press down with a fork to form ridges. Bake 12–14 minutes or until lightly browned.
Nutritional info per serving
Calories 73, Calories from Fat 57%, Fat 5g, Saturated Fat 1g, Cholesterol 6mg, Sodium 59mg, Carbohydrates 6g, Dietary Fiber 1g, Total Sugars 4g, Protein 3g, Dietary Exchanges: 1/2 other carbohydrate, 1 fat
Terrific Tip
Use a lightly floured fork to keep the fork from sticking to the cookie batter when you make ridges in the cookies.
