1. < Just Want to Talk

Recipes, Food Tips, Healthy Eating & More

Posted by Debbra Williams, Alumna Mentor @debbraw, Feb 22, 2019

Some of the members of the Gratitude Discussion Group were interested in having a place to share recipes and food ideas. I’m hoping that we can use this thread as a place to have that kind of discussion. I’d love to hear your ideas for quick meals, comfort food, healthy snacks, and more.

Personally, I’ve just been through a bad reaction to one of my medications that left me with a very queasy stomach. I would love to hear ideas – or recipes – that might be used when you need to get something on your stomach, but don’t want to overdo it.

Hopefully, this thread will even be a place where we can share recipes for special treats and yummy rewards. It doesn’t always have to be healthy!

I’d love to hear from members who have been part of other discussions AND from new members who have good ideas, recipes and food tips to share. I’m excited to see who might start us off here with an awesome food suggestion!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Just Want to Talk Support Group.

Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Aug 9, 2020
In reply to @weebiscuit "My husband is three months past his last chemo and radiation treatment and he STILL can't..." + (show)
@weebiscuit

My husband is three months past his last chemo and radiation treatment and he STILL can't stand the taste of any food. In fact,, it's gotten worse in the last three weeks! I'm at the end of my rope. I've tried every suggestion under the sun and can barely get anything into him. He drinks three Boost 20 gr protein drinks per day. I might have to push him up to four of them daily. They told us his taste would be messed up for about a month after treatment stopped. It's been three months and it's worse!

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@weebiscuit Welcome to Mayo Connect. As you can see, we are a chatty group here. What type of cancer was the chemo attacking, if i may ask? Did the chemo affect his mouth, esophagus, stomach? How is his sense of smell? Perhaps if you cook something that smells heavenly, that he likes, and present it in a beautiful fashion, his other senses will prompt him to try it? I had a friend who we helped in such a way. Have you checked back with his team for their thoughts? When a relative went through some surgery, I made up homemade shakes with ice cream or yoghurt, protein powder, berries and flavorings as a way to get nutrition down. As a last resort, ask your husband to eat, and not think about the taste, that you are so worried about his overall condition, almost like forcing him to eat.

I hope others might have some ideas, also. I saw that you posted on the cancer group with the same concerns, so between the two groups it may give you some ideas.
Ginger

REPLY
fiesty76 | @fiesty76 | Aug 9, 2020
In reply to @imallears "@fiesty76 I cook my one bone in chicken breast at 450 also...10 minutes each side after..." + (show)
@imallears

@fiesty76

I cook my one bone in chicken breast at 450 also...10 minutes each side after seasoning and using spray acacado oil.
You can brine it for a half hour or so before if you want. Either way this method results in juicy chicken... never overcooked. I found it best
to bring the chicken to room temp before cooking and letting it rest for several minutes after cooking.
I always check with a food thermometer when I take out but it’s never been underdone.
And there was a time when I used canned chicken too in a pinch. It’s really tasty but I would have to look at the ingredients now on the can. I also use Better than Bouillon on occasion. Great minds. Just gotta watch the sodium.
But, like you said....so easy and quick.

FL Mary who has a 20 minute chicken breast in the oven right now....used some s and p and creole seasoning and this time I had time to brine with salt and sugar.

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@imallears, Thanks for the brining tip which I've not tried but will! I also use thermometer to check for doneness but didn't want to get too complicated for our kitchen adverse buddy, @jakedduck1. Yes, I just add enough of the Better than Bouillion to flavor because I am conscious of salt in everything as well.

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1 reply
Mentor
Rosemary, Volunteer Mentor | @rosemarya | Aug 9, 2020
In reply to @weebiscuit "My husband is three months past his last chemo and radiation treatment and he STILL can't..." + (show)
@weebiscuit

My husband is three months past his last chemo and radiation treatment and he STILL can't stand the taste of any food. In fact,, it's gotten worse in the last three weeks! I'm at the end of my rope. I've tried every suggestion under the sun and can barely get anything into him. He drinks three Boost 20 gr protein drinks per day. I might have to push him up to four of them daily. They told us his taste would be messed up for about a month after treatment stopped. It's been three months and it's worse!

Jump to this post

@weebiscuit,
I have an article that might give you some ideas: Eating during cancer treatment: Tips to make food tastier
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/in-depth/cancer/art-20047536
What have the doctors said about his lack of taste after 3 months? Do they think he is getting enough nutrition?

REPLY
weebiscuit | @weebiscuit | Aug 9, 2020

Every time I've mentioned the disgust for food the doctors tell me "it will take some time." As far as his nutrition, they said four Boost 20 gr protein drinks a day are 100% nutrition. He eats a bit of applesauce at times, a bit of bran cereal in the morning, maybe a banana during the day, and drinks three Boosts. For his fourth Boost I blend it with a cup of Greek yogurt, a packet of Carnation Instant Breakfast, a cup of milk, and 1/3 cup of powered dry milk. That alone gives him 675 calories and 48 gr of protein. Add the other three Boosts he drinks during the day to that and he gets a total of 1,395 calories and 108 gr protein. Then whatever else he gets down during the day is a bonus, albeit small. When I explained to the Mayo dietician what he gets down him, she seemd to be fine with it.

REPLY
Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Aug 10, 2020

@weebiscuit- Good morning and I'd also like to welcome you to Mayo Clinic Connect. I had Cisplatin in the summer of 2007 for Lung Cancer. It did a job on my taste buds too. Cisplatin is known for this. All I tasted was the metal in the drug. It's a platinum-based drug, and extremely powerful. I couldn't taste much either or everything tasted like cardboard. I started to add more spices so that I could at least get some food down. Cottage cheese is pretty bland.

What spices did your husband like prior to chemo? This will disappear after he stops his treatments.

REPLY
Leonard | @jakedduck1 | Aug 22, 2020
In reply to @fiesty76 "@imallears, Thanks for the brining tip which I've not tried but will! I also use thermometer..." + (show)
@fiesty76

@imallears, Thanks for the brining tip which I've not tried but will! I also use thermometer to check for doneness but didn't want to get too complicated for our kitchen adverse buddy, @jakedduck1. Yes, I just add enough of the Better than Bouillion to flavor because I am conscious of salt in everything as well.

Jump to this post

@fiesty76
You sure are an Ornery cuss feisty. I understand why you chose that particular user name it fits you to a T. My kind of person. I know how to use a thermometer I used to make candy remember. In case you were never an accomplished candy maker like myself thermometers are used all the time althya different type. Stick with me kid I’ll teach you all the finer things of cooking. Feel free to ask me any questions whenever you need help. I am here to serve.
You guys won’t believe this in fact I hardly believe it myself but I was at the grocery store the other day what a dreary miserable day that was but I bought some regular candy Which brightened my day immensely. which brightened my day immensely.
I was standing at the checkout counter and just happened to glance over and see a display of dark chocolate and of course my first thought was yuck, And I saw some 50% dark chocolate with sea salt and I was wondering if I could gag that down so I bought it and surprisingly enough it wasn’t too terribly horrible. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying it was good by any stretch of the imagination. Do you by chance know if it comes in 20 30 40% dark chocolate?
REPLY
2 replies
imallears | @imallears | Aug 22, 2020

@jakedduck1
Bless your heart...sea salt is one of my favorites. You can get it from 70 to 100% cacao...organic chocolate has more. I have never seen dark chocolate as low as 50% If it’s that low it should not be labeled as dark chocolate. You would probably find 50% or less in semi sweet chocolate or milk chocolate.. Milk chocolate has more sugar, butter and milk. Dark chocolate is healthier and has more cacao and usually starts at 70% cacao. Semi sweet might be to your liking and has slightly lower calories than milk chocolate and is sweeter than dark chocolate.

Adjust your taste buds ...baby steps.

FL Mary

REPLY
marjou | @marjou | Aug 22, 2020
In reply to @jakedduck1 "@fiesty76 You sure are an Ornery cuss feisty. I understand why you chose that particular user..." + (show)
@jakedduck1

@fiesty76
You sure are an Ornery cuss feisty. I understand why you chose that particular user name it fits you to a T. My kind of person. I know how to use a thermometer I used to make candy remember. In case you were never an accomplished candy maker like myself thermometers are used all the time althya different type. Stick with me kid I’ll teach you all the finer things of cooking. Feel free to ask me any questions whenever you need help. I am here to serve.
You guys won’t believe this in fact I hardly believe it myself but I was at the grocery store the other day what a dreary miserable day that was but I bought some regular candy Which brightened my day immensely. which brightened my day immensely.
I was standing at the checkout counter and just happened to glance over and see a display of dark chocolate and of course my first thought was yuck, And I saw some 50% dark chocolate with sea salt and I was wondering if I could gag that down so I bought it and surprisingly enough it wasn’t too terribly horrible. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying it was good by any stretch of the imagination. Do you by chance know if it comes in 20 30 40% dark chocolate?

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@jakedduck1 Did somebody say candy?? I've tried dark chocolate with sea salt and bits of orange rind which wasn't too bad. My go to is Hershey chocolate with almonds!

REPLY
1 reply
Leonard | @jakedduck1 | Aug 23, 2020
In reply to @marjou "@jakedduck1 Did somebody say candy?? I've tried dark chocolate with sea salt and bits of orange..." + (show)
@marjou

@jakedduck1 Did somebody say candy?? I've tried dark chocolate with sea salt and bits of orange rind which wasn't too bad. My go to is Hershey chocolate with almonds!

Jump to this post

@marjou
Hi there,
Yes indeedy, candy, one of the 5 major food groups, candy, cake, cookies. pies & pastery.
A member says I have unsophisticated taste buds, I think one reason is because I like milk chocolate better than that hideous dark chocolate.
“I've tried dark chocolate with sea salt and bits of orange rind which wasn't too bad.” But it probably wasn’t something you like to have again, right?
Anyway it’s nice to know I have company. I love Hershey with almonds too. I have a 5 pound Hershey bar but it doesn’t have almonds in it. If you live in central California come on over and we can have a ball scarfing that sucker down. I have tons of candy that’s one thing I never run out of. When I tried the dark chocolate I made sure that I had a milk chocolate chaser!!

Milk vs dark chocolate consumption
MILK DARK
Teen 13-17 88% 12%
Adults 18-44 85% 15%
Adults 45+ 71% 29%

This chart is proof positive some people dont get any wiser as they age. I think the reason the 45+ age group went up a bit is because many of you oldies fall for all this health propaganda nonsense. Stick with me kids I’ll get you back on the right track!!!
Take care kids,
Jake

REPLY
2 replies
imallears | @imallears | Aug 23, 2020

@jakedduck1
Taste buds are different, not necessarily unsophisticated...but you still make me laugh....Did your cooking friend ever visit?
Someone should get you a face mask with Hershey bars all over it.....we know you would love that.

Stay safe and healthy everyone
FL Mary

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