Cancer-Fighting Cookbook (25 page)

1. In large bowl, combine water and yeast; let stand for 10 minutes until bubbly.
   

2. Add milk, honey, olive oil, and salt and mix well.
   

3. Stir in whole-wheat flour, cornmeal, and ½ cup bread flour; beat for 1 minute.
   

4. Stir in enough bread flour to make a firm dough. Turn onto floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. Place dough in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.
   

5. Turn dough onto floured work surface and let rest for 10 minutes.
   

6. Spray two 12″ round pizza pans with nonstick cooking spray and sprinkle with some cornmeal.
   

7. Divide dough in half and roll to 12″ circles. Place on pizza pans; press to edges if necessary. Let stand for 10 minutes.
   

8. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Bake crusts for 10 minutes or until set. Remove from oven, add toppings. Return to oven, and bake as the pizza recipe directs.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 200 | Fat: 3.5g | Sodium: 105mg | Carbohydrates: 36g | Fiber: 3g | Protein: 6g

Freezing Pizza Dough

To freeze pizza dough, bake it for 10 minutes, until the crust is set but not browned. Let cool completely, then place in heavy-duty food storage freezer bags. Seal, label, and freeze for up to 3 months. To use, you can top the crust right from the freezer and bake as recipe directs, adding 5–10 minutes to the baking time.

Because these muffins have very little fat, they'll want to stick to the papers or the muffin tin. Letting them cool before removing them will help prevent this. Be sure to grease your muffin tin well.

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
   

2. In a large bowl, combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
   

3. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the soy milk, applesauce, and vanilla until well mixed.
   

4. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, stirring just until mixed. Gently fold in half of the blueberries.
   

5. Spoon batter into lined or greased muffin tins, filling each muffin about 2/3 full. Sprinkle remaining blueberries on top.
   

6. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until lightly golden brown on top.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 150 | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 220mg | Carbohydrates: 33g | Fiber: 2g | Protein: 3g

Dates contain lots of soluble fiber and are naturally sweet. Keep some Medjool dates on hand for snacking.

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners and set aside.
   

2. In large bowl, combine flour, oats, oat bran, baking powder, baking soda, and brown sugar, and mix well.
   

3. In medium bowl, combine egg, canola oil, applesauce, and orange zest and beat to combine.
   

4. Add to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Fold in dates and hazelnuts.
   

5. Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake for 25–35 minutes, or until muffins are set and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from muffin cups to wire racks to cool.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 210 | Fat: 9g | Sodium: 170mg | Carbohydrates: 33g | Fiber: 3g | Protein: 4g

Serve these flavorful muffins with grilled fish or chicken, along with a spinach salad, for a nice dinner.

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners and set aside.
   

2. In small saucepan, combine olive oil, onion, and garlic; cook and stir until tender, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and place in large mixing bowl. Let cool for 30 minutes.
   

3. Stir in canola oil, buttermilk, eggs, and zucchini and mix well.
   

4. Add flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, chia seeds, rosemary, and parsley and mix until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in cheese and pepper.
   

5. Fill prepared muffin cups ¾ full. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until muffins are golden brown and set. Remove from cups and serve immediately.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 180 | Fat: 9g | Sodium: 160mg | Carbohydrates: 21g | Fiber: 3g | Protein: 6g

Vegetables in Breads

When using vegetables in breads, especially grated vegetables, be sure to drain them well before adding them to the batter. Some vegetables, especially zucchini and tomatoes, can add significant amounts of water to the batter and may throw off the proportion of flour to liquid. Follow the recipe carefully.

Rhubarb is one of the first fruits or vegetables to appear in the spring. It is a great source of vitamin C and dietary fiber, and provides a gentle laxative affect.

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick baking spray containing flour and set aside.
   

2. In a small bowl, combine rhubarb, ¼ cup sugar, and orange zest; let stand for 5 minutes.
   

3. In a large bowl, combine 6 tablespoons sugar, brown sugar, and all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and mix well.
   

4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add rhubarb mixture, eggs, buttermilk, orange juice, vanilla, and melted butter. Mix just until combined.
   

5. Fill prepared muffin cups ¾ full.
   

6. In a small bowl, combine remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle over each muffin.
   

7. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until muffins are golden brown and firm. Remove from muffin tin and cool on wire rack for 15 minutes before serving.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 210 | Fat: 4g | Sodium: 250mg | Carbohydrates: 39g | Fiber: 2g | Protein: 5g

This signature dessert is equally tangy and sweet, with a smooth fluffy texture. Serve it on chilled plates, garnished with more lime peel.

1. For crust, combine crushed graham crackers and melted butter in a small bowl. Press into bottom and up sides of a 9″ pie plate; place in freezer.
   

2. For filling, in medium saucepan, combine juice concentrate with gelatin; let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the sugar; place over low heat and cook, stirring frequently, until gelatin and sugar dissolve.
   

3. Pour into medium bowl and add lime zest, lime juice, and vanilla; stir well. Cover and chill until mixture is consistency of unbeaten egg whites, about 30 minutes.
   

4. Whip chilled mixture until fluffy. Add yogurts and beat again until smooth.
   

5. Pour into prepared pie crust, cover, and chill until firm, about 4–5 hours.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 190 | Fat: 7g | Sodium: 95mg | Carbohydrates: 30g | Fiber: <1g | Protein: 3g

Unflavored Gelatin

Don't confuse unflavored gelatin, which comes in small packets of about 1 tablespoon, with the preflavored kind containing sugar. Using unflavored gelatin lets you avoid artificial colors and flavors and lets you add the amount of sugar you want to your desserts. Follow the recipe instructions exactly for best results.

You must start this pie a day ahead of time so the yogurt has a chance to thicken. It's tart, smooth, and creamy.

1. The day before, line a strainer with cheesecloth or a coffee filter. Place the strainer in a large bowl and add the yogurt. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
   

2. The next day, place the thickened yogurt in a large bowl. Discard the liquid, or whey.
   

3. In medium bowl, combine gelatin and sugar.
   

4. Drain oranges, reserving juice. In small pan, heat reserved juice over high heat until it boils. Pour over gelatin mixture; stir until gelatin and sugar are dissolved. Add orange juice and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
   

5. Beat the thickened yogurt and gradually add orange-juice mixture, beating until smooth.
   

6. Add the drained oranges and fold in the whipped topping.
   

7. Pour into pie crust and top with coconut. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 260 | Fat: 9g | Sodium: 180mg | Carbohydrates: 41g | Fiber: <1g | Protein: 5g

Crème brûlée is simply creamy custard with a crunchy, caramelized top. You can omit the caramelizing and serve this recipe as plain custard, topped with berries or grated chocolate.

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Put 6 ramekins (4-ounce porcelain cups used for baking custards and soufflés) in a 2″ deep baking dish; set aside.
   

2. In a saucepan, heat the half-and-half, cream, and sugar to melt the sugar.
   

3. Stir in the vanilla. Remove from heat and slowly whisk the hot mixture into the egg yolks in a bowl. Strain the custard into a pitcher.
   

4. Pour the hot custard into the ramekins, dividing it evenly. Pour hot water into the baking dish around the ramekins to come halfway up the ramekins. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil.
   

5. Bake for 30 minutes, and then check to see if custard is set by carefully jiggling the pan. If the custard is not set, cover and bake for 10 more minutes. Check again; if necessary, cover pan again and bake another 10 minutes or so, until set. Remove from oven and uncover if necessary. When ramekins are cool enough to handle, remove them from the water to finish cooling. Refrigerate until completely chilled, about 4 hours.
   

6. To caramelize, sprinkle the top of each custard with about 1 tablespoon of sugar. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and use a propane torch to caramelize the sugar.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 450 | Fat: 38g | Sodium: 55mg | Carbohydrates: 21g | Fiber: 0g | Protein: 5g

Propane Torches and Caramelizing

Propane torches can be found in hardware stores, and special propane torches just for the purpose of caramelizing sugar can be found at cookware stores. Be careful not to touch or get splashed by molten sugar as you use the propane torch! Keep the flame close to the custard and move it around for an even color.

Top this luxurious classic with raspberries, mint leaves, or chocolate shavings. For a fancier presentation, put chilled mousse in a pastry bag with a star tip and pipe into martini glasses. Substitute white chocolate for the semisweet, and you will have white chocolate mousse.

1. Melt the chocolate in a metal or glass bowl set over simmering (not boiling) water. When chocolate is melted, remove the bowl from heat and set aside.
   

2. Whip egg whites to stiff peaks with a wire whisk or electric mixer; set aside.
   

3. Crack the whole eggs into the egg yolks; beat well to combine. Stir the yolk mixture into the melted chocolate.
   

4. Fold the whipped egg whites into the chocolate/yolk mixture with a rubber spatula.
   

5. Whip the heavy cream in a chilled bowl. Whisk half of the whipped cream into the chocolate/egg mixture to lighten it. Gently fold the remaining whipped cream in, just to incorporate. Chill at least 2 hours before serving.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 450 | Fat: 33g | Sodium: 85mg | Carbohydrates: 37g | Fiber: 3g | Protein: 9g

Dark Chocolate

There is evidence that dark chocolate may be good for you! Chocolate contains compounds called flavonoids, which may help prevent cancer and heart disease. The saturated fat in chocolate is stearic acid, a fatty acid which does not raise blood cholesterol levels; in fact, it contains a monounsaturated fat, oleic acid, which actually helps lower blood cholesterol levels.

Pear nectar is very mild, and it adds a nice bit of sweetness to this tart mousse.

1. In microwave-safe glass measuring cup, combine gelatin and cold water; let stand for 5 minutes to soften gelatin.
   

2. Stir in lemon juice, pear nectar, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Microwave on high for 1–2 minutes, stirring twice during cooking time, until sugar and gelatin completely dissolve.
   

3. Stir in lemon zest. Let cool for 30 minutes.
   

4. When gelatin mixture is cool to the touch, blend in the lemon yogurt.
   

5. In a medium bowl, combine egg whites with cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. Gradually stir in remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.
   

6. Fold gelatin mixture into egg whites until combined. Pour into serving glasses or goblets. Cover and chill until firm, about 4–6 hours.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 140 | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 530mg | Carbohydrates: 30g | Fiber: 0g | Protein: 5g

Pasteurized Egg Whites

You can find pasteurized eggs in any grocery store. Be sure to carefully abide by the sell-by and use-by dates that are stamped on the package and usually on each egg. Pasteurized egg whites take longer to whip to peaks than ordinary eggs; just keep beating them until the peaks form. Cream of tartar helps stabilize the foam.

Sabayon is a light, foamy custard sauce. It is traditionally made with Marsala wine, but this recipe replaces it with orange juice. You may also add a dash of Marsala.. Sabayon can be served chilled or warm. It can also be enriched and stabilized by folding whipped cream into the chilled version.

1. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a metal or glass bowl set over simmering water until the mixture is combined and warm.
   

2. Whip the orange juice into the yolk mixture ¼ cup at a time. It is important to keep beating so the yolks don't overcook and curdle.
   

3. When all of the juice has been incorporated, keep whisking until the mixture is very pale yellow and thick enough that if you run your finger through it the mark should remain. This is the ribbon stage. The mixture will have expanded a lot in volume. Remove from heat, and store the sabayon in the refrigerator until it cools completely.
   

4. Whisk occasionally while it is cooling to help retain the volume.
   

5. Divide berries evenly among 8 dessert cups and spoon the chilled sabayon on top. Garnish each serving with a sprig of mint and a shortbread cookie.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 210 | Fat: 8g | Sodium: 45mg | Carbohydrates: 32g | Fiber: 3g | Protein: 4g

Floating island refers to the poached egg-white mixture that “floats” on the lemon mousse. This is a low-fat version of lemon meringue pie. Yum!

1. Preheat oven to 275ºF. In large skillet, bring milk to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low.
   

2. Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine egg whites and lemon juice; beat until foamy.
   

3. Gradually add sugar and salt, beating until very stiff peaks form. Fold in 3 tablespoons of the crushed candies.
   

4. With a large spoon, scoop out about ¼ cup of the egg-white mixture and gently place in the simmering milk.
   

5. Poach for 2 minutes, then carefully turn each meringue and poach for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat, drain briefly on kitchen towel, and place on Silpat-lined cookie sheets. Repeat with remaining egg-white mixture.
   

6. Bake 12–16 minutes, or until they puff slightly and start to turn light golden brown. Remove and refrigerate, uncovered, for 1–2 hours before serving.
   

7. Prepare the Lemon Mousse and spoon into individual custard cups; chill until firm. Top each with a poached meringue, sprinkle with remaining 3 tablespoons crushed candies, and serve immediately.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 380 | Fat: 5g | Sodium: 710mg | Carbohydrates: 70g | Fiber: 0g | Protein: 15g

This can be made with many other fruits. Chopped strawberries, raspberries (fresh or frozen), and peaches would all be delicious.

1. In microwave-safe glass measuring cup, combine gelatin with water; let stand for 5 minutes to let gelatin soften.
   

2. Add orange juice and sugar. Microwave on high for 1–2 minutes, stirring twice during cooking time, until gelatin and sugar dissolve. Pour into blender or food processor.
   

3. Add berries; blend or process until smooth. Let stand until cool, about 20 minutes.
   

4. Add yogurt; process until smooth. Pour into medium bowl and fold in whipped topping.
   

5. Spoon into serving dishes. Cover and freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 200 | Fat: 4g | Sodium: 35mg | Carbohydrates: 38g | Fiber: <1g | Protein: 5g