2 years out Update.

Greetings! 

I felt the desire to post an update. I used to read  these cancer/stories/blogs and then wonder what happened to those persons. So here I am reporting in. 

It's been 2 years since my last Radiation treatment. Like, exactly 2 years ago today!!! 

Here's me right this very minute sitting at my desk and typing.  

The hair, yes it is still short. 2013 saw so very little growth so instead of working towards  length I kept it short and styled. This is my natural color. There is gray mixed in with the black but I have no plans to change that. My eyebrows are thinner that before. I do sometimes pencil them in a bit. My lashes are a bit thinner as well. I'm not wearing any makeup here (and rarely do wear much if you knew me before then I'd say it's about the same.)

My Oncologist visits have recently tapered to 6 month intervals. September last year I had an MRI showing no severe damage to the skin in the area. A few weeks ago I had an ultrasound to check up on a pesky  lymph node that appeared inflamed at my last Dr. visit. In the 2 weeks after Dr Patt noticed the node and before  the test was scheduled I have to admit I had mixed feelings about the test. I did a few extra sessions of acupuncture, added cupping to the mix and a two rounds with the massage therapist to stretch the never ending tightness in my right arm. I figured I would go into that ultrasound cured of whatever Dr Patt had seen or I would light it up so there was no mistaking it's agitation. Test results showed no abnormalities. Actually it read: we are pleased to inform you...yada yada...shows no signs of cancer. Ummm,Thanks?! 

I didn't know Dr Patt had suggested signs of cancer. 

2013 flew right on by with a few changes  to my fitness routine. I no longer run after various strains, sprains, pinched nerves and  a meniscus tear. I do walk and hike. Yoga remains  a consistent 5-7 days a week. As mentioned above I go to the acupuncturist. Same one as before (I highly recommend them)   http://www.acupuncturetogetheraustin.com/

It helps (me) with allergies, headaches, tight muscles and just about anything else I can think of. I've heard more people seek acupuncture for stress than for pains. 

I also go regularly to a chiropractor's office for "medical" massage. An absolutely awesome therapeutic massage that gets charged to my insurance. I had no idea this benefit existed till early 2013 and I've been going ever since. Check into your benefits and see if you are covered! 

I still eat 95% vegetarian, never going out of my way to cook or purchase meat but occasionally fish. I've been playing with raw food recipes. My latest appliance purchase was a dehydrator. I've been brewing my own kombucha for over a year and drink it every day. 

I'm not taking any maintenance prescription drugs. I continue to take high doses of calcium and vitamin D per Dr. P. On my own I have added curcumin and glucosamine to the daily regime.

And here I'd like to find some profound words to leave you but I'm not very witty at the moment. I'll blame that on the current state of Mercury in Retrograde (communications break-down) for the next 3 weeks! 

so a borrowed quote 

“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” ~ Henry Ford, American Industrialist

And a link to some music I love, Bach's  Cello suite No1. prelude 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCicM6i59_I

Namaste 

Cassandra

Almond Sauce

The house has shown 7 times this weekend!! I'm supposed to disappear when people come so I've been bopping in and out. I even sat at the neighbors once while people where here routing through my closest (you know they were!)  Not cooking much. Stinky things like kale are followed by and airing out and quick spray of citrus. 

on to the recipe
This has been a vegetarian/vegan secret sauce for a while now. Time for the rest of us to embrace it.  
There is a lot of gobbly gook out there on the net about sourcing your "raw" almonds. I encourage you to look into it and to find a source you are happy with. 

The FDA has taken it upon themselves to say that from around Sep 1 2007 all almonds in the USA, Mexico and Canada can no longer be raw. While they will still be labelled 'raw', they will be 'pasteurized'. Some will be pasteurized with steam but many will be treated with a carcinogen Propylene Oxide

 'Nuff said.
I have also sampled a fantastic creamy cashew sauce (heaven) and if you search the net you'll find a few other variations. 

Creamy Almond Sauce
1 C raw almonds
juice of 1-2 lemons 
1/4 tsp salt
2-3 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1-2 cups of reserved cooking liquid 

Fill a small saucepan half full of water and bring to a boil. Add the almonds and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain the almonds and reserve the cooking water.  Allow nuts to cool a few minutes then you squeeze the nuts to slip the skin off. (it's fun and sometimes they shoot across the room so watch out!)
Place the skinned nuts, garlic, salt, vinegar and lemon juice in a blender. 
While blending slowly add in the reserved cooking water to the desired consistency. 
Voila!

Serving suggestions
*on top of a baked potato (and you can skip the fat stuff like butter and sour cream) 
*thin into a sauce and serve over steamed collard greens, kale or spinach
*use thick as a dip for raw veggies
*on crackers
*as a  pasta sauce (add some brewers yeast for a cheesy taste..fake alfredo sauce) 
*go for a protein load and pour it over a bowl of quinoa with some chopped veg 

or just get a spoon and sit and eat it right out of the container. That's what I find myself doing. Maybe I can skip the garlic and bake it into a desert...hmmmm..

Beans and Greens

It's Saturday afternoon and my weekend cooking spree is in progress. 
I'm making the recipe from Wednesday night's class, some  cranberry orange scones (because fresh cranberries are now at the grocery store for $1.99 a bag) and if  the oven is going to be on  I'll throw in a batch of blondies or brownies. 
I've been stewing with the idea of a brownie cook-off. I have one fail-proof go-to brownie recipe that I've used for years in different ovens, different countries and a variety of small changes in ingredients but I continue to "collect" brownie recipes and stash them in my hard drive brownie folder. Before I commit to a huge purge I think I should cook a few of them and see how they compare. 

Here's the Beans and Greens recipe

1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno seeded and minced
1/2 lb ground chicken or turkey sausage
4 C cooked pinto beans (or canned beans drained and rinsed) 
1 bunch collard or turnip greens or kale, stemmed and roughly chopped
1 14oz can of diced tomatoes
1 1/2 Cups chicken broth
1 Tbs olive oil
5 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped

heat the oil in medium size stock pot. Saute the onion 3 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeno and saute until soft, another 5 minutes. 
Add sausage and cook until lightly browned. 
Add broth, beans, tomatoes and greens to the pan. Cook at a gentle simmer about 15 minutes until the flavors meld. 
Remove from heat and add Cilantro. 

I made mine vegetarian and shared  with the neighbors. Cooked some cornbread to go along side and added chopped fresh Serrano peppers to that. I think a can of spicy  rotel would be nice in this recipe. 

 De-stem the greens, roll the leaves and chop. It looks like a lot of greens but they cook down quickly

tricks with beans
Soak them first, it will cut down on cooking time
do not add salt or other spices while cooking
bring to a boil then drain and rinse, add fresh water and bring back to a boil to cook until done.

Speaking of beans and greens I have some lovely little green beans growing on my patio! 

Bonus recipe

Most of us think of crumble as a dessert. This one is sweet/savory and packed with protein. 
Lifted from a blog I love;  cannelle et vanille 
http://www.cannellevanille.com

Red kuri squash, apple and quinoa crumble

serves 4 to 6

Crumble topping

1/2 cup (70 g) superfine brown rice flour
1/2 cup (70 g) quinoa flour
1/2 cup (70 g) cold cooked quinoa
1/2 ounce (15 g) finely grated Idiazabal or Manchego cheese
3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 tablespoons (90 ml) olive oil

In a bowl, whisk together the first six ingredients. Add olive oil and stir until a sand-like crumble forms.

Chill the crumble while preparing the filling.

Filling

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium leek, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 medium red kuri or hokkaido squash, peeled and diced (about 3 cups diced)
1 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
3 sage leaves, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 medium Gala apples, peeled and diced
3/4 cup (185 ml) chicken stock
1 ounce (30 g) goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 400F (200C)

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leek and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes until tender, but not browned. Add the squash, parsley, sage, salt, pepper, and coriander. Increase heat to medium high and stir. Cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.

Add the chicken stock and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the apples and cook another 5 minutes until soft but not mushy.

Transfer the filling to a greased baking dish or individual over-proof bowls. Top with the crumble.

Bake the crumble until topping golden and filing bubbling, about 30 to 40 minutes for a larger dish and 20 minutes for individuals. Serve warm.

http://www.cannellevanille.com

Class Notes & a recipe

Tips:
Cinnamon  is  a natural appetite stimulant. 
Lemon juice stimulates digestive and liver function. 
Wash your fruit and veg in a vinegar and water solution (skip those expensive vegetable washes you find in the produce department at the store. Rinse you veggies at home in a sink or bowl full of water with a dash of white vinegar. Vinegar is antimicrobial. 

Wednesday night's class recipe. Seasonal fruit. For all of you in colder climes you might not want a cold dinner but it was 88 degrees here today. 

Waldorf Salad
3/4 Cup cooked wheatberries 
3 Cups apples diced
1 1/4 Cup celery thin sliced
1/4 C raisins
1/4 Cup walnuts, chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 TBS  mayonnaise
2 TBS non-fat sour cream

In a large bowl mix together the apples, celery, cooked wheat berries, raisins and walnuts. 
In a smaller bowl combine the lemon juice, sour cream, mayonnaise and cinnamon. Mix well
Add the mayo mix to the apple mix and toss
Cover and chill at least one hour before serving 

Notes:
wheat berries. Cook in simmering water about an hour ratio of berries to water 1:3. 
you can sub spelt berries or farro
other ideas for changes and substitutions: grapes, cranberries, dried cherries, pears, yogurt (for the mayo, sour cream or both) 


if you are unfamiliar with  wheat berries here is a link
http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Dictionary/W/Wheat-Berries-5586.aspx

Have you had a Bahn Mi? I'm hooked on the  vegetarian version at Tam Deli on North Lamar and I just found a recipe that looks feasible (I actually have all of the ingredients on hand except the buns). I'll give it a try soon and let you know the results. 
Happy Weekend.  Eat well and stay fit. 
I'll be walking the Austin Komen 5 K on Sunday morning. 

Tried and True

Always good to have a few tried and true recipes in your collection. I am a huge fan of the  vegetarian "patty". Any combo of grain and bean and veg bound together with a bit of egg or starch then baked or sauteed to store in the freezer. Never reach for a Boca Burger again. 

These are orange, perfect for Halloween.

Now that you've cooked some quinoa and sweet potatoes are in season and very inexpensive  try your hand at this. 

Sweet Potato Kale Patties

 8oz Kale leaves, well rinsed, de-stemmed and fine chopped

1 1/2tsp salt

¾ LB sweet potatoes cut in ¼” dice

2 cups of quinoa rinsed and drained

1 small onion fine diced

½ C fine grated parmesan cheese

2Tbs minced fresh dill

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

2 large eggs, beaten

In a large pot bring 4 cups of water to boil. Add the kale and salt. Cook 1 minute and remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl, allow to cool

Bring the water back to a boil and add the sweet potatoes. Simmer 3-8 minutes until tender. Remove potatoes with slotted spoon

Measure the water that remains in the pot  to 3 cups, bring it to a boil and add the quinoa. Simmer 15-20 minutes until all the water is absorbed.

While the quinoa cooks, squeeze out the excess water from the cooled cooked kale.

in a large bowl add the kale and all other ingredients. I like to smoosh most  of the potatoes. When the quinoa is ready add it to the bowl and lightly mix everything together.

Use a ½ cup measure to scoop and form patties. Cook in a large skillet over medium heat a few minutes on each side. Use olive oil if your pan is not non-stick. I like the flavor you get using a cast iron pan.   

 I’ve made versions of this one  a few times and here are my notes

*not in the (slower) mood to use one pan 3 times, zip though the prep by starting all 3cooked  items at once  in different pots

*I rarely measure, just use what I happen to have on hand.

 *This can easily go vegan by omitting the egg and cheese (although I do prefer the added flavor of  a good parmesan).

*Substitute a dash of  hot sauce in place of the cayenne.

*If you don’t have dill don’t go out of your way to find it.

*Use red onion, white onion, scallions or chives

*add some cooked and rinsed black beans or chick peas (garbanzo) to the mix

*allow cooked patties to cool then freeze in containers or freezer baggies with a sheet of freezer paper between each patty

*Cook in a pan on the stove top or spray a cookie sheet and bake them (not too long or they will dry out) 

And here; The Recipe!

As always, Make it then tweak it to your liking! Add and subtract the elements that you prefer. I added some kale  and toasted pumpkin seeds to mine. I think a diced red bell pepper would add some nice color and crunch. 
If you are new to Quinoa I urge you to buy a little...say 1 cup...cook it and add it to a few things you normally make (stores that have bulk bins often carry quinoa so you could get a small amount to try, it expands when cooked so it does not take much) 

Smokey Black Bean Quinoa Salad
2C water
1/2 tsp salt
1C quinoa (rinse and drain well before cooking) 
4 scallions or green onions sliced thin
2 C cooked black beans (or a can or two drained and rinsed)
3 Tbs olive oil
Juice of 1-2 small limes
1/2 C chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 Can chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (finely chop the pepper and use 1 tsp or more of the sauce.)
1/2 tsp cumin

In a saucepan bring the water to boil. Add the rinsed quinoa and salt. Lowe heat, cover and cook 15 minutes until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and allow to cool before adding to the salad. 
While the quinoa is cooking
In a small bowl combine the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, chipotle, adobo sauce and cumin. 
Whisk until combined. 
In a large bowl mix the beans, onions, and cilantro.
Add the cooled quinoa and the chipotle dressing and mix well. 
Serve chilled or at room temperature. 

You may remember my rants in lasts years posts about the horrible taste side effects of the meds. Cancer related recipes often focus on stimulating different areas of the tongue. Salt and citrus are good! 
Cruciferous veggies are other heavy hitters and all kinds of soups for the texture and palatability.  
A fantastic resource is  The Cancer Fighting Kitchen, a cookbook by Rebecca Katz. 

Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce  are a common item at any Texas Grocery store. not sure for you peeps in other states so here is a photo. They come in a small can; about 1/2 the size of a regular caned item.