What vegetarian dishes would most soothe and delight my friend and her husband after his cancer surgery?
July 18, 2010 12:06 PM Subscribe
What vegetarian dishes would most soothe and delight my friend and her husband after his cancer surgery?
A friend is having surgery this week to remove a cancerous tumor. He will be hospitalized for a week and then he and his wife are going to convalesce for another week in an apartment near the hospital. He will then undergo another course of chemo.
My friend has asked that I cook some meals for them and deliver them to their temporary home. Ideally, the meals could be frozen or would keep in the fridge for a few days. They are vegetarian. They do eat eggs, cheese, milk and butter. They have incorporated some fish back into his diet for the protein during his treatments, but they try to eat very little because of what they feel is the "inevitable" mercury content.
My issue is that I've been kind of blue this summer and am not inspired to cook the way I usually am. I also want to make sure they both get some properly nutritionally balanced, tasty meals that will appeal to them. Also, it's been pretty hot and humid of late so cooler dishes that don't require re-heating in the oven would be a great thing to have on hand. Casseroles, though, are welcome.
So....any thoughts or resources you all could share? Has anybody gone through chemo and surgery and have some insight into what a person would most like to eat afterward? Any thoughts on what foods really help keep a person's energy level up during this kind of ordeal? So far, they've just said they can't possibly eat any more pasta and red sauce, and he has not been explicitly told to avoid any certain foods.
Thanks.
A friend is having surgery this week to remove a cancerous tumor. He will be hospitalized for a week and then he and his wife are going to convalesce for another week in an apartment near the hospital. He will then undergo another course of chemo.
My friend has asked that I cook some meals for them and deliver them to their temporary home. Ideally, the meals could be frozen or would keep in the fridge for a few days. They are vegetarian. They do eat eggs, cheese, milk and butter. They have incorporated some fish back into his diet for the protein during his treatments, but they try to eat very little because of what they feel is the "inevitable" mercury content.
My issue is that I've been kind of blue this summer and am not inspired to cook the way I usually am. I also want to make sure they both get some properly nutritionally balanced, tasty meals that will appeal to them. Also, it's been pretty hot and humid of late so cooler dishes that don't require re-heating in the oven would be a great thing to have on hand. Casseroles, though, are welcome.
So....any thoughts or resources you all could share? Has anybody gone through chemo and surgery and have some insight into what a person would most like to eat afterward? Any thoughts on what foods really help keep a person's energy level up during this kind of ordeal? So far, they've just said they can't possibly eat any more pasta and red sauce, and he has not been explicitly told to avoid any certain foods.
Thanks.
I can't speak directly to the chemo angle, but veggie frittatas and quiches are nutritious, high-protein, and are good served cold (at least, I think so). I made this one for a dinner party once and liked it a lot, though I think I used feta instead of some of the cheddar and breadcrumbs instead of croutons.
Also, I feel a little silly suggesting this because it's so simple, but there's a very good chickpea salad recipe here, which is delicious served cold or warm. I sometimes like to add finely chopped cucumber and/or leafy greens to that one.
(I've never tried it but according to Google Answers quiche is supposed to freeze reasonably well, though they would need oven time to reheat.)
posted by en forme de poire at 12:27 PM on July 18, 2010
Also, I feel a little silly suggesting this because it's so simple, but there's a very good chickpea salad recipe here, which is delicious served cold or warm. I sometimes like to add finely chopped cucumber and/or leafy greens to that one.
(I've never tried it but according to Google Answers quiche is supposed to freeze reasonably well, though they would need oven time to reheat.)
posted by en forme de poire at 12:27 PM on July 18, 2010
Has anybody gone through chemo and surgery and have some insight into what a person would most like to eat afterward? Any thoughts on what foods really help keep a person's energy level up during this kind of ordeal?
I'm sorry to hear about your friend's husband, and I can't speak from experience here. But I'd definitely make some soups. Remember to use vegetable stock or water as the base, not chicken stock (any recipe that uses chicken stock will be fine with vegetable stock as a substitute).
Here's a recipe that's simple, cheap, comforting, and healthy: carrot-ginger soup. Saute chopped onions* and ginger in olive oil, then add plenty of carrots, coat with oil, and season to taste with salt and honey. Cook a few minutes more, then add enough water or vegetable stock to just cover the carrots, and cook for 20-ish minutes more. Let cool a few minutes; blend well in a blender in at least two batches; return to the pot and reheat. Sometimes I deliberately make the soup too thick so that I can make it creamy by adding milk or cream when reheating it. It's good with ground nutmeg added at the end, but this is optional. You can keep it in the fridge or freezer, and it's good hot or cold.
* Actually, you don't even need the onions. Mark Bittman's recipe doesn't use them.
posted by Jaltcoh at 12:29 PM on July 18, 2010 [2 favorites]
I'm sorry to hear about your friend's husband, and I can't speak from experience here. But I'd definitely make some soups. Remember to use vegetable stock or water as the base, not chicken stock (any recipe that uses chicken stock will be fine with vegetable stock as a substitute).
Here's a recipe that's simple, cheap, comforting, and healthy: carrot-ginger soup. Saute chopped onions* and ginger in olive oil, then add plenty of carrots, coat with oil, and season to taste with salt and honey. Cook a few minutes more, then add enough water or vegetable stock to just cover the carrots, and cook for 20-ish minutes more. Let cool a few minutes; blend well in a blender in at least two batches; return to the pot and reheat. Sometimes I deliberately make the soup too thick so that I can make it creamy by adding milk or cream when reheating it. It's good with ground nutmeg added at the end, but this is optional. You can keep it in the fridge or freezer, and it's good hot or cold.
* Actually, you don't even need the onions. Mark Bittman's recipe doesn't use them.
posted by Jaltcoh at 12:29 PM on July 18, 2010 [2 favorites]
I can't help much with the post-surgery aspect, but as a vegetarian who's also living in through a ridiculously hot and humid summer, I'd suggest:
posted by rebekah at 12:31 PM on July 18, 2010
- Roast a big pan of vegetables: carrots, beets, zucchini, squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, etc. Season them well with salt and pepper plus whatever flavors your friends might like (garlic, smoked paprika, curry, cumin, another spice blend, etc.). This will heat up your kitchen, but your friends can eat it cold or room temp later. You can throw in some chickpeas for protein and serve it over rice or couscous.
- Seconding quiche. Throw in spinach/other greens, corn, tomatoes, or whatever other veggies you have to make it healthful.
- I've also been eying this tomato gazpacho lately.
posted by rebekah at 12:31 PM on July 18, 2010
I am not speaking from any personal experience here, but I could imagine them relishing some comfort food, particularly if it's dressed up a bit. So, perhaps something like a fancy macaroni & cheese (no recipe to share, sorry), or a quiche of some sort*, or cheese spinach pie. All could be refrigerated, then warmed up in the microwave before serving.
* my favorite quiche recipe is crustless: The custard is 1 cup evaporated milk and 1 cup Eggbeaters (or 4 eggs). Bake at 425F for 15 minutes, then 30-35 minutes at 300F.
Oh, I almost forgot to include my recipe for Cheese Spinach Pie.
1 10-oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 16-oz carton small curd cottage cheese (lowfat is okay, fat free is not)
3 eggs
1 cup cheddar, in shreds or small cubes
3T flour
2T dried minced onion (or 1/4 cup fresh minced onion)
1/2t garlic powder
1/4c melted butter
Mix ingredients thoroughly and turn into a buttered 8x8 pan. Bake 75 minutes at 325F or until set.
posted by DrGail at 12:32 PM on July 18, 2010
* my favorite quiche recipe is crustless: The custard is 1 cup evaporated milk and 1 cup Eggbeaters (or 4 eggs). Bake at 425F for 15 minutes, then 30-35 minutes at 300F.
Oh, I almost forgot to include my recipe for Cheese Spinach Pie.
1 10-oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 16-oz carton small curd cottage cheese (lowfat is okay, fat free is not)
3 eggs
1 cup cheddar, in shreds or small cubes
3T flour
2T dried minced onion (or 1/4 cup fresh minced onion)
1/2t garlic powder
1/4c melted butter
Mix ingredients thoroughly and turn into a buttered 8x8 pan. Bake 75 minutes at 325F or until set.
posted by DrGail at 12:32 PM on July 18, 2010
This isn't a whole meal, but if your friend would like something nutritious and cold that isn't sweet, here's a recipe for green gazpacho:
3 fist-sized tomatoes (Green Zebras or any green-when-ripe variety are perfect)
1 medium cucumber
3-4 scallions
1 med. clove garlic
1 handful fresh parsley
juice of 2 limes (about 6 Tbs)
1 med avocado
2 C water
1 tsp salt
fresh black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp dried basil (or fresh equivalent)
2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp honey/sugar
Trim the ends off the scallions. Wash and cut the vegetables into chunks. Peel/seed the cucumber if that's how you like your cucumbers. Throw it all in the blender and puree on the "grate" setting. Chill until cold. Makes 3-4 servings.
Note: if you make it with red tomatoes, it will turn out to be a slightly unpleasant shade of brown, but what it lacks in visual appeal it more than makes up for in flavor.
(It might be too strong in flavor for a person recovering from surgery, but it might be just the thing.)
posted by corey flood at 12:33 PM on July 18, 2010
3 fist-sized tomatoes (Green Zebras or any green-when-ripe variety are perfect)
1 medium cucumber
3-4 scallions
1 med. clove garlic
1 handful fresh parsley
juice of 2 limes (about 6 Tbs)
1 med avocado
2 C water
1 tsp salt
fresh black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp dried basil (or fresh equivalent)
2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp honey/sugar
Trim the ends off the scallions. Wash and cut the vegetables into chunks. Peel/seed the cucumber if that's how you like your cucumbers. Throw it all in the blender and puree on the "grate" setting. Chill until cold. Makes 3-4 servings.
Note: if you make it with red tomatoes, it will turn out to be a slightly unpleasant shade of brown, but what it lacks in visual appeal it more than makes up for in flavor.
(It might be too strong in flavor for a person recovering from surgery, but it might be just the thing.)
posted by corey flood at 12:33 PM on July 18, 2010
Post-chemo seems to point towards cool foods rather than warm, and strong flavours rather than comfort food. Gazpacho with hot sauce or a bit of cayenne. Perhaps something like Bittman's vegetable torte with the majority of cooking done on a grill outside, with a bit of paprika thrown in. Asian salads with ginger-infused dressings, with stir-fried tofu for protein.
posted by holgate at 12:38 PM on July 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by holgate at 12:38 PM on July 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
What he's able to eat in the week after surgery may be different than what he can eat during and after chemo, as side effects from chemo can vary widely (nausea, diarrhea, constipation, pain or metallic taste in mouth, neutropenia, etc.). Do you happen to know which regimen he'll be on? If so, check out Chemocare to see which side effects that he might be more likely to encounter, so that you can take that into account. (There's also a section about food and nutrition.)
I went through chemoradiation in May and June, and picked up a used copy of Eating Well through Cancer on Amazon to help me plan meals. My own digestive upset from chemoradiation meant that there were a lot of foods that I couldn't actually eat, unfortunately, so I couldn't use most the recipes for full meals, but the book was still very useful for me for info about general foods that might agree with me, strategies for minimizing certain side effects, tips for getting extra protein, etc. (It's not a vegetarian cookbook, but there are definitely a number of non-meat recipes included.)
Personally, I found that the hardest thing for me to get enough of were savory, high protein foods, as was getting most of my calories from low-fiber carbs (mashed potatoes, rice, white bread etc.) and sweet or sweet-ish foods (peanut butter, jello, applesauce, sweet potatoes), though your friend's experience may differ as he may be able to tolerate a wider range of foods than I could.
As others have mentioned, egg dishes like quiche, frittatas, etc. were great on this score. I also found that congee (with fish for protein) was a BIG hit -- I could have eaten it every day. (Sorry I don't have a specific recipe; a coworker kept bringing it to me. But there are tons of recipes online.)
posted by scody at 12:42 PM on July 18, 2010
I went through chemoradiation in May and June, and picked up a used copy of Eating Well through Cancer on Amazon to help me plan meals. My own digestive upset from chemoradiation meant that there were a lot of foods that I couldn't actually eat, unfortunately, so I couldn't use most the recipes for full meals, but the book was still very useful for me for info about general foods that might agree with me, strategies for minimizing certain side effects, tips for getting extra protein, etc. (It's not a vegetarian cookbook, but there are definitely a number of non-meat recipes included.)
Personally, I found that the hardest thing for me to get enough of were savory, high protein foods, as was getting most of my calories from low-fiber carbs (mashed potatoes, rice, white bread etc.) and sweet or sweet-ish foods (peanut butter, jello, applesauce, sweet potatoes), though your friend's experience may differ as he may be able to tolerate a wider range of foods than I could.
As others have mentioned, egg dishes like quiche, frittatas, etc. were great on this score. I also found that congee (with fish for protein) was a BIG hit -- I could have eaten it every day. (Sorry I don't have a specific recipe; a coworker kept bringing it to me. But there are tons of recipes online.)
posted by scody at 12:42 PM on July 18, 2010
Response by poster: These are all great suggestions; thanks to all so far.
scody, are you saying that savory, high protein foods were just not palatable to you, or are you saying those foods made you physically ill?
posted by TryTheTilapia at 12:59 PM on July 18, 2010
scody, are you saying that savory, high protein foods were just not palatable to you, or are you saying those foods made you physically ill?
posted by TryTheTilapia at 12:59 PM on July 18, 2010
Response by poster: Also, for those who might use this thread as a reference, based on scody's recommendation, here's a link to a really delicious looking vegetarian congee.
posted by TryTheTilapia at 1:05 PM on July 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by TryTheTilapia at 1:05 PM on July 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
scody, are you saying that savory, high protein foods were just not palatable to you, or are you saying those foods made you physically ill?
Oh, they were very palatable to me -- I craved them! The issue was generally that things had to be prepared very plainly to avoid making me ill -- so (for example) I could eat a plain chicken breast that had been baked or broiled, with some plain mashed potatoes on the side, rather than the yummy chicken dijon with tarragon and sauteed mushrooms that I really wanted but which would have made me sick for days. Or I could eat the very soft, plain white fish in congee, but most other fish was no go, no matter how it was prepared. I also had to cut my dairy consumption by about 90% (I could have a little milk in my tea, or a couple of spoonfuls of yogurt, or a little butter on potatoes or toast, but any more than that made me ill), which was hard for me because I normally consume a lot of dairy and get a fair amount of my daily protein/calories from it. So I just had a really limited range of choices.
posted by scody at 1:16 PM on July 18, 2010
Oh, they were very palatable to me -- I craved them! The issue was generally that things had to be prepared very plainly to avoid making me ill -- so (for example) I could eat a plain chicken breast that had been baked or broiled, with some plain mashed potatoes on the side, rather than the yummy chicken dijon with tarragon and sauteed mushrooms that I really wanted but which would have made me sick for days. Or I could eat the very soft, plain white fish in congee, but most other fish was no go, no matter how it was prepared. I also had to cut my dairy consumption by about 90% (I could have a little milk in my tea, or a couple of spoonfuls of yogurt, or a little butter on potatoes or toast, but any more than that made me ill), which was hard for me because I normally consume a lot of dairy and get a fair amount of my daily protein/calories from it. So I just had a really limited range of choices.
posted by scody at 1:16 PM on July 18, 2010
Look for some recipes in this book that suggests yummy (and safe -- you have to pay special attention to food safety in this situation) recipes for people undergoing cancer treatment.
posted by Ouisch at 4:26 PM on July 18, 2010
posted by Ouisch at 4:26 PM on July 18, 2010
I don't have a lot of input on the surgery angle, though I've recovered from a major health issue and anything non-fiddly was a serious bonus. Most of the vegetarian cooking I do (I usually eat low-meat) comes out of Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. (He marks things that can be cooked ahead, so you might want to borrow a copy from somewhere.) Here are a few other recipes I had lying around, though:
Breakfast Casserole Recipe with Asparagus, Mushrooms, and Goat Cheese
Steamed Eggplants with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Mochi Tofu Nuggets (haven't tried, but might be nice as a source of mild protein that could be easily topped with sauces)
Vegetarian Kimchi Fried Rice; Version 2 (haven't made these versions; love kimchi fried rice--make sure you get kimchi made without shrimp for it to be really vegetarian. You might consider combining other versions with brown rice or crumbled firm tofu to make it a real powerhouse dish.)
Inarizushi are tasty and good cold, fun to pop when someone just feels like a little bite. Onigiri are similarily handy.
Many of JustBento.com's recipes in the vegetarian category, being intended for bento, are good cold and meant to keep safely.
JustHungry.com's vegetarian tag is good too, but not explicitly meant for that purpose.
If you get to cook "live" for them, this is amazing even though it's more of a spring dish: Linguini with Lemon-Roasted Asparagus and Goat Cheese
Best wishes to your friends, and a hat tip to you for trying to help.
posted by wintersweet at 5:22 PM on July 18, 2010
Breakfast Casserole Recipe with Asparagus, Mushrooms, and Goat Cheese
Steamed Eggplants with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Mochi Tofu Nuggets (haven't tried, but might be nice as a source of mild protein that could be easily topped with sauces)
Vegetarian Kimchi Fried Rice; Version 2 (haven't made these versions; love kimchi fried rice--make sure you get kimchi made without shrimp for it to be really vegetarian. You might consider combining other versions with brown rice or crumbled firm tofu to make it a real powerhouse dish.)
Inarizushi are tasty and good cold, fun to pop when someone just feels like a little bite. Onigiri are similarily handy.
Many of JustBento.com's recipes in the vegetarian category, being intended for bento, are good cold and meant to keep safely.
JustHungry.com's vegetarian tag is good too, but not explicitly meant for that purpose.
If you get to cook "live" for them, this is amazing even though it's more of a spring dish: Linguini with Lemon-Roasted Asparagus and Goat Cheese
Best wishes to your friends, and a hat tip to you for trying to help.
posted by wintersweet at 5:22 PM on July 18, 2010
Response by poster: Thank you all so much for the extremely helpful guidance, suggestions, and advice. I really do appreciate it, and I know my friends will benefit so much from the ideas expressed here. Inspiration!
scody, I wish you continued success with your own battle. Hugs.
posted by TryTheTilapia at 5:43 PM on July 18, 2010
scody, I wish you continued success with your own battle. Hugs.
posted by TryTheTilapia at 5:43 PM on July 18, 2010
This recipe for butternut squash pasta is really good. However, to make it easier I use a can of butternut squash (or pumpkin, or sweet potato) puree (rather than roasting a squash). It has the consistency and "comfort food" feeling of mac and cheese but is something a little different.
posted by ainsley at 6:25 PM on July 18, 2010
posted by ainsley at 6:25 PM on July 18, 2010
Kitcheree is reputed to be palatable and easy to digest. It also tastes good, is vegetarian, and is a complete protein.
posted by goblinbox at 7:42 PM on July 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by goblinbox at 7:42 PM on July 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
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