Cancer-Fighting Cookbook (13 page)

1. Rinse scallops and pat dry between layers of paper towels. If necessary, slice scallops so they're uniform size. Set aside.
   

2. Add oil to heated nonstick deep skillet or wok; sauté ginger, garlic, and scallions 1–2 minutes, being careful ginger doesn't burn. Add vinegar, soy sauce, and stock; bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
   

3. Place broccoli in large, covered microwave-safe dish; pour chicken broth mixture over top. Microwave on high 3–5 minutes, depending on preference. (Keep in mind that vegetables will continue to steam for a minute or so if cover remains on dish.)
   

4. Heat skillet or wok over medium-high temperature. Add scallops; sauté 1 minute on each side. (Do scallops in batches if necessary; be careful not to overcook.) Remove scallops from pan when done; set aside.
   

5. Drain (but do not discard) liquid from broccoli; return liquid to bowl and transfer broccoli to heated skillet or wok. Stir-fry to bring up to serving temperature.
   

6. Meanwhile, in small cup or bowl, add enough water to arrowroot to make a slurry or roux. Whisk slurry into reserved broccoli liquid; microwave on high 1 minute. Add toasted sesame oil; whisk again.
   

7. Pour thickened broth mixture over broccoli; toss to mix. Add scallops back to broccoli mixture; stir-fry over medium heat to return scallops to serving temperature. Serve over rice or pasta.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 150 | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 410mg | Carbohydrates: 8g | Fiber: 2g | Protein: 22g

The beans in this recipe add an extra punch of protein to the fish.

1. In nonstick saucepan, sauté onion and garlic in 1 teaspoon of oil over moderately low heat, for about 5 minutes until onion is soft.
   

2. Add wine; simmer until wine is reduced by ½.
   

3. Add parsley, basil, 1/3 cup of beans, and chicken stock; simmer, stirring constantly, 1 minute.
   

4. Transfer bean mixture to blender or food processor; purée. Pour purée back into saucepan; add remaining beans. Simmer 2 minutes.
   

5. In nonstick skillet, heat remaining 1 teaspoon of oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking. Sauté shrimp 2 minutes on each side, or until cooked through.
   

6. Using slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to plate; cover to keep warm.
   

7. Add scallops to skillet; sauté 1 minute on each side, or until cooked through. To serve, divide bean sauce between 4 shallow bowls and arrange shellfish over top.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 230 | Fat: 4.5g | Sodium: 380mg | Carbohydrates: 17g | Fiber: 4g | Protein: 25g

Adding lots of vegetables to seafood not only enhances the flavor, it increases the nutrition of a dish and lowers the fat and cholesterol content.

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.
   

2. Add curry powder and cinnamon; cook and stir for 1 minute longer.
   

3. Add water, carrots, and potatoes; bring to a simmer.
   

   Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 8–10 minutes or until carrots are crisp-tender.
   

4. Add zucchini, tomatoes, and shrimp; cover and simmer for 5–8 minutes or until shrimp are pink.
   

5. Spoon rice onto individual plates and top with shrimp and vegetables. Serve immediately.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 350 | Fat: 5g | Sodium: 160mg | Carbohydrates: 54g | Fiber: 7g | Protein: 22g

Cooking with Curry

The flavors in curry powder are enhanced when they are heated, which is why the powder is often cooked in the first step of many Indian recipes, but it's still good when uncooked. You can buy curry powder in many blends, from hot to mild. Curry powder is a blend of spices, and each blend is usually unique to a particular area of India.

This dish goes great when served over steamed broccoli. The term “festive” comes from the colorful and flavorful combination of ingredients.

1. Coat a deep skillet with nonstick spray. Add all ingredients except scallops. Cook on medium-high for 5–8 minutes, stirring often.
   

2. Add scallops to skillet, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 180 | Fat: 2g | Sodium: 490mg | Carbohydrates: 15g | Fiber: 2g | Protein: 22g

To clean shrimp, remove the legs and carefully peel off the shell. Then make a shallow cut into the curled back of the shrimp and rinse to remove the vein. If you are serving the shrimp in a dish like this, remove the tails, too.

1. Heat oil in wok or large nonstick skillet. Stir fry garlic, gingerroot, and shrimp over high heat until shrimp begins to turn pink, about 2 minutes.
   

2. Add white wine and asparagus; stir fry an additional 3–5 minutes.
   

3. Add pasta, sesame seeds, scallions, and sesame oil; toss lightly and serve.
   

PER SERVING
| Calories: 257 | Fat: 6g | Sodium: 173mg | Carbohydrates: 23g | Fiber: 3g | Protein: 28g

Also known as stuffed cabbage, depending upon where you come from, high-fiber cabbage is stuffed with lean meat, with more fiber in the whole grains and brown rice.

1. Blanch the cabbage leaves in boiling water for 4 minutes. Remove and lay flat on a tray. Chill in the refrigerator.
   

2. Combine the cooked brown rice, currants, hazelnuts, onion, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add ground pork and beef and mix well.
   

3. Remove cabbage leaves from the refrigerator and blot with paper towels. Place about ¼ cup meat mixture on each cabbage leaf. Fold in sides and then roll up leaf to completely enclose filling.
   

4. Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the tomato sauce, garlic, and brown agave syrup and stir to combine.
   

5. Place the cabbage rolls in the tomato sauce, seam sides down. Spoon some of the sauce over the rolls, cover.
   

6. Cook over medium-low heat for 60 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer for an additional 20 minutes, adding a little water if needed. Serve hot.
   

PER SERVING
| Calories: 460 | Fat: 24g | Carbohydrates: 39g | Fiber: 7g | Protein: 28g

Vegetarian Cabbage Rolls

For a meatless version, substitute chopped mushrooms for the ground beef and pork. You will also have to double the quantity of rice, add extra currants, and perhaps toss in some chopped celery and nuts. You can also up the amount of onions in this recipe for a vegetarian version. Heighten the protein by adding an egg or two to the filling.

Marinating steaks adds to their flavor and helps tenderize the meat by breaking down fibers with acidic ingredients.

1. In large zip-top, heavy-duty food storage bag, combine all ingredients except steaks; seal and knead to blend. Add steaks and turn to coat. Place bag in glass bowl; refrigerate 3–4 hours.
   

2. When ready to eat, prepare and preheat grill.
   

3. Remove steaks from marinade; discard marinade. Grill steaks 6″ from medium coals 4–8 minutes on each side, until food thermometer registers at least 145ºF, turning once.
   

4. Remove steaks from grill and cover with foil. Let stand 5–10 minutes before serving.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 280 | Fat: 14g | Sodium: 260mg | Carbohydrates: 4g | Fiber: 0g | Protein: 31g

Cook Once, Eat Twice

When you're cooking steaks on the grill, make two or three extra and refrigerate them. Then you can use them in recipes from Grilled Steak Salad (Chapter 11) to Mustard Steak Wraps (Chapter 7). The steaks will keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Slice the meat thinly against the grain for best taste and texture.

Most canned tomatoes are packed in juice or puréed tomato. When you open a can, save juices and add to recipes when liquids are called for. In this recipe, tomato juice from the can could substitute some water used to cook the peppers in.

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
   

2. Remove tops of red peppers and remove seeds. Set aside.
   

3. Mix kasha and egg white together in small bowl.
   

4. In a large nonstick saucepan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, add kasha; cook over high heat 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until kasha kernels are separated.
   

5. Add beef stock slowly. Reduce heat; cover and cook 7–10 minutes, until kasha kernels are tender. Transfer to large bowl.
   

6. Brown beef in small nonstick skillet. Add onions; cook 2–3 minutes, until slightly softened.
   

7. Add beef mixture and chopped spinach to cooked kasha; mix well. Stir in feta cheese, diced tomato, oregano, and crushed red pepper.
   

8. Divide mixture equally; stuff each red pepper. Place peppers in 9″ × 9″ baking dish. Pour water around peppers.
   

9. Cover with foil; bake 60–75 minutes, or until peppers are cooked.
   

PER SERVING
| Calories: 350 | Fat: 8g | Sodium: 340mg | Carbohydrates: 54g | Fiber: 11g | Protein: 20g

Mustard is a natural partner to steak. Combine that with some fresh vegetables, and you have a wonderful, easy-to-make sandwich.

1. If steaks are cold, let stand at room temperature 30 minutes, no longer. Then slice thinly across the grain.
   

2. Combine bell peppers in medium bowl with steak, onion, and tomatoes; toss to mix.
   

3. Place tortillas on work surface. In small bowl, combine mustard and cream cheese and spread onto tortillas.
   

4. Top with lettuce leaves, then steak mixture. Roll up. Serve immediately.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 360 | Fat: 17g | Sodium: 500mg | Carbohydrates: 31g | Fiber: 5g | Protein: 22g

This is a wonderful dish for entertaining. The roasted vegetables are tender and sweet, and the meat is juicy.

1. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
   

2. Place carrots, onions, and potatoes in large roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil; toss to coat. Spread in an even layer. Roast for 15 minutes, remove from oven.
   

3. Top vegetables with filet mignon; sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper. Pour wine over meat and vegetables. Return to oven; roast for 20–30 minutes longer, until beef registers 150ºF for medium.
   

4. Remove from oven, tent with foil, and let stand for 5 minutes. Carve to serve.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 250 | Fat: 8g | Sodium: 500mg | Carbohydrates: 21g | Fiber: 3g | Protein: 24g

Cooking meatballs in a sauce keeps them moist and tender. Serve this with hot cooked pasta or brown rice.

1. In small saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onion; cook and stir until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and place in large mixing bowl.
   

2. Add egg whites, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, fennel, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and pepper flakes and mix well. Add sirloin; mix gently but thoroughly until combined. Form into 12 meatballs.
   

3. In a large nonstick saucepan, bring spaghetti sauce to simmer. Carefully add meatballs; return to simmer. Partially cover and simmer for 15–25 minutes, or until meatballs are thoroughly cooked.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 310 | Fat: 12g | Sodium: 530mg | Carbohydrates: 27g | Fiber: 6g | Protein: 23g

Baking Meatballs

You can also bake these meatballs and freeze them plain to use in other recipes. Place meatballs on a cookie sheet. Bake at 375ºF for 15–25 minutes, or until meatballs are browned and cooked through. Cool for 30 minutes, then chill until cold. Freeze individually, then pack into freezer bags. To thaw, let stand in refrigerator overnight.

You can use any leftover cooked rice dish in this simple recipe. Just add some chopped cooked roast beef from the deli, an egg, and some cheese.

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9″ square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
   

2. In medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender, about 5 minutes.
   

3. Remove from heat and stir in risotto, egg, egg white, and tomato and mix well. Add bread crumbs.
   

4. Cut off the pepper tops and remove membranes and seeds. Stuff with risotto mixture. Place in prepared baking dish.
   

5. In small bowl, combine Spaghetti Sauce and water; pour over and around peppers.
   

6. Cover with foil and bake for 45–55 minutes, or until peppers are tender. Serve immediately.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 330 | Fat: 13g | Sodium: 250mg | Carbohydrates: 40g | Fiber: 6g | Protein: 14g

Peppers for Stuffing

For stuffing, choose bell peppers that are short and wide, preferably those that will stand upright unaided. Reserve the tops; after stuffing the peppers, you can put the tops back on. For a nice presentation, think about using four different colors of peppers in this dish; choose red, green, yellow, and orange.

This elegant recipe is perfect for a spring dinner. It is a last-minute recipe, so don't start it until after your guests have arrived.

1. In medium saucepan, combine water and broth. Heat over low heat until warm; keep on heat.
   

2. In large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add beef; cook and stir until browned. Remove from pan with slotted spoon and set aside.
   

3. Add onion and garlic to pan; cook and stir until crisptender, about 4 minutes.
   

4. Add rice; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add the broth mixture 1 cup at a time, stirring until the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
   

5. When there is 1 cup broth remaining, return the beef to the pot and add the steak sauce, pepper, and asparagus.
   

6. Cook and stir until rice is tender, beef is cooked, and asparagus is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in Parmesan and butter and serve immediately.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 250 | Fat: 11g | Sodium: 180mg | Carbohydrates: 26g | Fiber: 3g | Protein: 13g |

This is a casserole to serve a crowd! Make it ahead of time and store it, unbaked, in the fridge, then add 10–15 minutes to the baking time.