Diet is back on track

I suppose calling it a "diet" is misleading.  I am by no means on a diet or any sort of eating restrictions (except the normal pregnancy "do not eat" list), but I am finally feeling well enough to start re-implementing some of those great anti-cancer foods.  The hubs is in DC for work this week so I am on my own for dinner.  Even though I am out of the woods in terms of the horrendous morning sickness I experienced in weeks 5-14, most days I still don't exactly want to eat anything like I want to be eating to give this baby good, healthy fuel for all that growing he/she has to do.  I may or may not have ordered pizza last night ...

Tonight, however, I was feeling extraordinarily motivated to eat healthy.  Since it's been entirely too long since I've been back in Albuquerque, I'm definitely missing me some New Mexican food.  These factors led me to green chile black bean enchiladas!

The green chile, the black beans, the tomato and avocado just hit the spot.  The best thing about this is that it's totally customizable depending on what you have on hand or what you're in the mood for.  And how cute is that personal dish??  It's always fun to get to use wedding gifts!

Green chile black bean enchiladas
Filling:

• 1 can black beans, drained
• handful of baby spinach
• 2 tbsp chopped green chile
• 4 grape tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 avocado, diced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• lime juice
• salt & pepper to taste

4 tortillas (whole wheat are best, but we only had the good old-fashioned kind)
Your favorite enchilada sauce
Shredded cheese

Combine filling in bowl.  Spread enough of the enchilada sauce to cover the bottom of the pan (I think 8x8 would work best).  Fill each tortilla with 1/4 of the filling and roll up.  Arrange rolled tortillas in pan and cover with more enchilada sauce (how much is up to you).  Cover with foil and bake in oven preheated to 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Remove foil and sprinkle with cheese.  Return to oven uncovered for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

I made only 2 enchiladas (I may be extra hungry these days, but not that hungry!).  I saved the remaining 1/2 of the filling for a yummy dinner tomorrow night :)  Isn't that one lonely looking tomato on top?

Like I said, this recipe is very flexible and you can put just about anything in there that you've got a hankering for: shredded chicken, butternut squash, zucchini, pinto beans ... the possibilities are almost endless. 

Perhaps this is the start of a beautiful, healthy preggers diet ...

Anti-cancer diet (for real this time)

Thus far my self-proclaimed anti-cancer diet has gotten off to a very wimpy start.  Some online research has made me realize that I've really developed some bad food habits -- I have a serious sugar addiction, I eat more fried food than I'd like to admit, I don't drink enough water, etc., etc.  I love eating fresh fruits and veggies, always have, but I've noticed that whatever we buy on the weekends lasts us to about Wednesday, and then our fruit/veggie intake seriously nosedives for the rest of the week. 

I've always thought that I could get away with a so-s diet because I work out and am within the healthy weight range for my height.  However, something caused me to get cancer.  Whatever that cause(s) may have been I'll probably never know.  What I can do, though, is take charge of what I feed my body going forward for 2 reasons: 1) to make sure I am as strong as possible to fight this cancer, and 2) to do what I can to make sure cancer doesn't rear its ugly head again.

That being said, I'm still me -- I will still eat candy, ice cream, french fries, and other "bad foods."  What I am trying to do now is incorporate as many "superfoods" into my diet and try to take a little bit better care of myself.  (Example -- I think I bought out half of the produce section at the grocery store yesterday!) 

Here are some of the major superfoods (and my dad will be pleased that meat is on the list!):

• Walnuts: rich in omega-3 fatty acids, walnuts have been studied for their action against many cancers, most specifically breast cancer. They also contain compounds that stop hardening of the arteries, a precursor to heart disease.

• Prunes: no longer your grandmother’s morning-starter, prunes are loaded with antioxidants concentrated by the drying process. And yes, they do promote digestion and detox, too.

• Pomegranate Juice:  it’s packed with antioxidants that mop up the free radicals that cause cancer. Recent studies have shown that pomegranate juice can lower bad LDL cholesterol and flush plaque from arteries, too.

• Tomatoes in soup, juice, sauce: no other food is as rich in lycopene, a phytochemical known to fight all types of cancer, but specifically prostate, breast, lung and colon cancer.

• Blueberries and Cranberries: All berries are packed with antioxidants, but blueberries are most potent of all, while cranberries have been found in studies to be particularly protective against ovarian cancer.  The anthocyanosides in blueberries are currently the most powerful antioxidants known to scientists and are beneficial in the prevention of all types of cancer.

• Broccoli and Other Cruciferous Vegetables (cauliflower, cabbage, kale): Those strong flavors are there for a reason; they come from sulphur compounds that have a strong cancer-protective action. One study found that men who ate brocolli four times a week stopped early prostate tumors from growing.

• Edamame: Soybeans contain a phytoestrogen called genistein that protects against hormone-dependent cancers. And edamame, the fresh form of soy, are easy to eat as a snack.

• Chicken: Lean chicken meat, served sparingly, packs a protein punch without the artery-blocking fats present in red meat. And if it’s organic and free-range, it means chickens haven’t been given feed that artificially stimulates growth with hormones. And they’ve been treated better, too.

• Garlic: Garlic contains a number of compounds believed to slow or stop the growth of tumors. One such compound, diallyl disulfide, appears to be especially potent in protecting against skin, colon, and lung cancer, though it is not known exactly how it functions.

• Beans: Beans contain a number of phytochemicals, which have been shown to prevent or slow genetic damage to cells. While this makes beans beneficial for helping to reduce your risk of many types of cancer, specific research has suggested they are especially potent in preventing prostate cancer. As an added bonus, the high fiber content of beans has been connected with a lower risk of digestive cancers.

• Grapes: Grapes and wine contain a chemical called resveratrol, which has been shown to be a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Resveratrol is thought to work by preventing cell damage before it begins. Red and purple grapes are the richest sources of resveratrol.  You know what that means -- red wine!

• Green Tea (decaf): Green tea is a rich source of a class of flavonoids known as catechins. Laboratory studies have shown that the catechins present in green tea are able to slow or prevent the development of cancer in colon, liver, breast, and prostate cells.

• Dark Green Leafy Vegetables: Leafy-green vegetables-like romaine lettuce, mustard greens, chicory, and Swiss chard-are rich sources of antioxidants called carotenoids. These compounds scavenge dangerous free radicals from the body before they can promote cancer growth. The vegetables are also rich in folate, a vitamin shown to reduce the risk of lung and breast cancer.

Keep an eye out for recipes utilizing lots of these peace-out-cancer-superfoods.

Irish Wisdom

I noticed a plaque with this good ol' Irish wisdom while we were out with our friends Mike and Carolyn at our favorite Irish pub, O'Shaughnessy's on Friday.  I tend to be a worrier, so I like it.

There are only two things to worry about:

either you are well or you are sick.

If you are well, then there is nothing to worry about.

If you are sick, there are two things to worry about:

either you will get well or you will die.

If you get well, then there is nothing to worry about.

If you die, then there are two things to worry about:

either you will go to heaven or you will go to hell.

If you go to heaven, then there is nothing to worry about.

But if you go to hell, you'll be so busy shaking hands with your friends,

you won't have time to worry.

This has nothing to do with anything Irish, and but I think it falls within the "wisdom" category -- I've decided to start an anti-cancer diet.  This is still a work in progress, but here is day one:

Red wine!  According to the Mayo Clinic, "Antioxidants in red wine called polyphenols may help protect the lining of blood vessels in your heart."  http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/red-wine/HB00089.  If the Mayo Clinic says it, you know it's good ... it may not be cancer-specific, but I'll take it.  I'll keep you posted on how my, and consequently Charlie's, anti-cancer diet is coming as I figure it out. 
Charlie also took me out for a fancy-schmancy dinner to celebrate my birthday a few days early.  It was a delightful evening: a nice long walk to and from dinner, good wine/food/company, and we crossed paths with friends from law school and their brand new baby, Stella, on our way back.  Couldn't have asked for a better night.

Mussels for me

Lamb burger for Charlie (you can see the steam from my mussels!)

I hope you had a great weekend :)