100 Perks of Having Cancer: Plus 100 Health Tips for Surviving It (64 page)

Perk #65

. . . And to Adopt

Some Good Habits

M
y son, Donovan, walked

into the kitchen one morn-

ing and asked, “Mom, why

does it smell like someone just

mowed the lawn in here?”

“Well, son, that’s my break-

fast,” I replied.

Yes, my friends, I was doing

grass—wheatgrass, that is. In case

you are wondering, it tastes every

bit as good as it sounds (if you

are a cow). However, along with

kicking some old bad habits,

cancer motivated me to adopt some new, healthy ones. Juicing wheatgrass

was one of them.

I’d read a lot of good things about wheatgrass juice. I am no medical

expert, but taking living grass, squeezing the green “blood” from it, and then

drinking it has to be good for you. The fact that it ranks right up there with

broccoli and raw cabbage in taste tests is further proof to me that it is healthy.

Therefore, while it takes a lot of work to produce just one ounce of the juice

I figured this new health kick was worth a try! While I have not kept up with

juicing on a daily basis, I still do it from time to time. (My newest health

kick is sprouting!)

Be open to trying new foods

for their health benefits.

I 266 J

Perk #65: . . . And to Adopt Some Good Habits

267

HEALTH TIP #65

Get Keen on Keen-Wah (Spelled Q-U-I-N-O-A)

I
f you are trying to follow the most recent health recommendations and

limit your animal product intake, you really should get to know quinoa

(say KEEN-wah). Quinoa is cool and hip, and you can really tell that you’re

“in touch” with the health scene if you smugly smile as someone asks you,

“Have you ever heard of Kwin-oh-a?”

“You mean
KEEN-wah
?”

“Oh yeah, I guess so. You are so cool.”

(You nod in agreement.)

Quinoa is not new. It was considered the “mother of all grains” by the

Incas thousands of years ago. But they were wrong. It isn’t a grain at all. It’s

a seed. So it’s perfect for those looking for plant-based proteins as well as

those who need to eat gluten-free.

The United Nations has deemed 2013 as the International Year

Step out of your

of Quinoa. Not sure what that means, but you’ll be in step with

comfort zone to

the times if you include it in your diet no matter what the year.

try things that you

And that’s very easy to do. Quinoa can be used in place of rice in

haven’t. Quinoa

most dishes or thrown into soups or salads. It can be ground into

is a healthy and

flour or flakes for use in baked foods and hot cereal. Quinoa has

easy way to start.

a natural coating consisting of saponins, a part of the seed that is

bitter tasting, but most quinoa found in supermarkets has been

rinsed to remove it. It’s a good idea to rinse any quinoa in a fine strainer

or cheesecloth under cold water for several minutes anyway and this will

remove the saponins if they are present.

Quinoa has remarkable nutritional value. 1 cup of cooked quinoa has:

●
222 calories

●
4 grams of fat

●
8 grams of
complete protein,
which is the type of protein that has all the

building blocks needed for cell growth and function. Quinoa is one of

the two plant-based sources of complete protein. (The other is soybeans.)

●
0 cholesterol (Only animal products have cholesterol.)

268

100 Perks of Having Cancer

●
5 grams of fiber (20% of the recommended daily allowance or RDA)

●
15% of the RDA for iron (for healthy blood)

●
58% of the RDA for manganese (important for strong bones)

●
30% of the RDA for magnesium (important for strong bones)

●
28% of the RDA for phosphorus (important for strong bones)

●
19% of the RDA for folate (an important B vitamin)

The following is my own personal response to my family wanting Sloppy

Joe’s and me wanting them to eat healthier. Since I don’t bring red meat

into the house anymore, I had to come up with an alternative that was not

only “mother approved” but also tasted good. Quinoa to the rescue! I used

the red quinoa to give them the whole visual “Sloppy Joe” experience, but

the light color would work as well and taste the same.

HEALTHY JOE’S

YIELD: 8 (1/2 CUP) SERVINGS

1 cup uncooked red or light quinoa

1 acorn or buttercup squash

2 tablespoons extra-virgin organic olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 red or green pepper, diced

3 cloves fresh garlic crushed (let it rest 10 minutes before you crush it)

1 tomato, diced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried basil or 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh basil (fresh is always better)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 (6-ounce) can or jar of tomato paste

1/3 cup water

1 to 2 teaspoons chili powder

11/2 teaspoons sea salt

Perk #65: . . . And to Adopt Some Good Habits

269

Directions:

1. Prepare quinoa: rinse quinoa in fine strainer. Com-

bine 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of water in a saucepan.

Heat to boiling. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15

minutes until water is absorbed. Set aside.

2. Bake whole green acorn or buttercup squash on foil

in a baking dish or baking sheet in 350°F oven for

1 hour. Allow to cool so you can handle. Cut open and remove seeds. Scoop

out of skin, discard seeds, and place flesh in a bowl. (This can be done ahead

and refrigerated for 2 days.)

3. Heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepot over medium-high heat.

Add onion, chopped red or green pepper, and crushed garlic and sauté for

about 7 minutes until onions are translucent. Stir often to avoid browning.

4. Add chopped tomato, oregano, basil, and pepper and heat well, 1 to 2 min-

utes, stirring. Add 6-ounce can of tomato paste and 1/3 cup water and heat

well, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat.

5. Add cooked squash, 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, 1 to 2 teaspoons chili powder,

and quinoa and mix well. (Add sea salt or chili powder to taste. Some like

it hot!)

This recipe makes about 4 cups. If you have some left over, it is great over

brown rice, in a wrap with other veggies, or just by itself as a side dish.

Enjoy!

NUTRITION:

Calories: 139; Fat: 3.5 grams; Fiber: 5.3 grams; Protein: 5 grams; Carbs: 22 grams;

Iron: 15% of the RDA; Vitamin A: 18% of the RDA; Vitamin C: 42% of the RDA

There are entire books dedicated to cooking quinoa. Explore recipes or

substitute quinoa for rice in your boring rice recipes.