Borani Variation

This is a detoxifying variation on Iranian "Borani" (yogurt spinach dip) with a byproduct Kale Broth.

Ingredients:

1. Kale
2. Non-fat Yogurt
3. Onion
4. Olive oil
5. Sea Salt

Borani Instructions:

1. Boil a bunch of Kale with very little water.
2. Once completely cooked, separate Kale broth from the greens.
3. Chop up Kale and let it cool down to room temperature.
4. Saute diced onion in olive oil on high heat.
5. Once golden, turn heat off, put lid on and let it steam/cook on its own. Toss once or twice. Leave it to cool down to room temperature.
   
6. Mix chopped up Kale with sauteed onions and add yogurt and sea salt to your liking.
7. Serve as a snack, bread spread or a side dish.

Kale broth instructions (Thanks to Beth Chapman's website):

1. Add a few drops of Ume Plum Vinegar (I added rice vinegar with sugar and sea salt) to your taste.
2. Drink at room temperature as a detoxifying agent for liver.
   

Non-acidic low-roughage salad

Use for those days when the stomach cannot handle a lot of roughage.

Ingredients:

1. Endive (Three)
   
2. Red Bell pepper (1/4 )
   
3. Soy sauce
4. Sesame oil

Instructions:

1. Cut three endives and a quarter of a red bell pepper and mix.
2. Add a teaspoonful of soy sauce and a few drops of sesame oil.
3. Toss and serve.
   

Non-acidic green Salad

Ingredients:

1. Romaine or iceberg lettuce.
2. Endive.
3. Anise / Fennel.
4. Bell Pepper.
5. Dill cucumber.
6. Carrots.

Instructions:

1. Simply slice / dice / grate any combination of ingredients.
2. Add olive oil and sea salt as a dressing or use non-acidic salad dressing.

Non-acidic salad dressing

Ingredients:

1. Soy-based sandwich spread (replacing Mayo).
2. Fat free yogurt.
   
3. Olive oil.
4. French mustard.
5. Sea salt.

Instructions:

1. Mix yogurt and sandwich spread.
2. Add olive oil and salt to your liking.
3. Add a hint of French mustard to change the colour and give it a tangy taste.
4. Use as a dressing on your green salads.
   

Turmeric chicken

Ingredients:

1. Onions
2. chicken fillet, breast or thigh.
3. Turmeric and sea salt.

Instructions:

1. Saute diced onions.
2. Once golden, lower heat, sprinkle turmeric and saute for a minute.
   
3. Increase heat and add small pieces of chicken.
4. Flip pieces over quickly to trap juice inside.
5. Lower heat and let it cook fully.
6. Serve with bread and salad.
   

Non-acidic pasta sauce

Ingredients:

1. All kinds of Bell peppers and mushrooms (shitake, portobello).
2. Onions
3. Ground beef or turkey.
4. chicken broth.
5. Feta cheese.

Instructions:

1. Saute onions. Once done mix ground beef or turkey into it.
2. Fry ground beef or turkey, add salt but not too much. Feta cheese is salty, too.
3. Increase heat, add sliced vegetables.
4. Once done, add feta cheese and mix/melt it into the mix.
5. Lower heat, add a bit of chicken broth.
6. Let it simmer to your desirable consistency.
7. Prepare your pasta (e.g. whole wheat or buck wheat).
8. Serve sauce with pasta and a small glass of red wine if tolerated by the chemo patient.
   

KooKoo (quiche) variation

This is a more nutritious version of Iranian Kookoo (quiche).

Ingredients (all organic):

1. Green and yellow baby zucchini (two of each).
2. Italian eggplant (two baby eggplants).
3. One average size white onion.
   
4. Shitake or Portobello mushrooms.
   
5. Two eggs or egg whites.
6. Salt, Turmeric.

Instructions:

1. Grate Onions, zucchinis and peeled eggplants into a bowl.
2. Saute soaked shitake mushrooms with sesame oil (for more flavour) or grape seed oil (neutral).
3. Mix sauteed shitake with grated onions, zucchinis and eggplants.
4. Add salt, turmeric and eggs / egg whites to the mix.
5. Whip with a fork until fluffy.
6. Preheat a skillet with grape seed oil.
7. Pour the mix evenly in the skillet.
8. Put a lid on the skillet and let it fry on one side.
   
9. Once fried on one side, slice like a pizza and flip over. Take the lid off.
10. Once fully cooked, serve with your favourite bread and salad, yogurt, etc.
    

Juree (Jam and Puree)

Ingredients:

Organic everything.
- Peeled and shredded apples
- Honey or maple syrup

Instructions:
- Place shredded apples in a pot on low heat.
- Let it cook into puree.
- Add honey or maple syrup and let it cool down.

Can be used in place of jam for breakfast.

GLT (Ginger Lentil Tofu meal)

Ingredients:

1. Beef or chicken broth
2. Garlic
3. Sea salt
4. Lentil
5. Ginger
6. Tofu
7. Coriander (Cilantro)
   

(I am using organic everything).

Instructions:

1. Cook lentils in broth with garlic.
2. Add Tofu cubes and shredded ginger and cook some more.
3. Sprinkle with coriander (make sure they are thoroughly washed and bacteria free).
   
4. Serve cold or warm (chemo patients should not eat or drink anything hot), as is or as a puree.

Why?

Since this blog is not private, I should explain a few things:

Seven weeks ago, I would not have thought of setting up a recipe book for patients undergoing chemotherapy in my wildest dream. Life is full of surprises and this time it was not a pleasant one. Nasrin, my wife, has been diagnosed with breast cancer and she will start her chemotherapy next week.

While educating ourselves about potential side effects of chemotherapy, we realized that her diet should change drastically as chemo patients may lose the lining of their stomach and intestines. They cannot have food that is sour/acidic, spicy, greasy, etc. So I decided to create new recipes or alter existing recipes to accommodate a chemo patient, while keeping in mind that food should always be tasty and exciting.

I will post and modify recipes during the next six months as they happen and will only keep the ones that Nasrin would consider edible, as she will be the ultimate tester.

Since this blog is public, I should also note: "In no case should any recipe be interpreted or construed as clinical or medical advice, and under no circumstances can I or any other contributor be held liable for the outcome or result of any action taken based on the recipes contained on this blog. In simple words: Try at your own risk!"