Raw Foods Against Cancer

Hey all! While it is literally the last day of October (Happy Halloween!), I didn’t want to let the month fully get away without sharing with you some pretty cool info and recipes from a recent raw foods class I attended at the Healthy Home Market. Many of you know how I feel about raw vegan living, and while I never did commit 100% to the lifestyle, I am still quite the raw vegan enthusiast! With October having been National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the class was dedicated to recipes utilizing ingredients that have been said to prevent or reverse the growth of cancerous cells. They were all quite delicious too, so get ready! But first, a quick disclaimer:

*I cannot confirm the validity of the cancer-fighting claims made for the ingredients and recipes herein. I am simply sharing with you what has been shared with me. To learn more about cancer prevention and/or cancer fighting agents, please consult a medical professional.

Ok, so now that we got that out of the way, here’s the scoop on some of the ingredients used below: Cancer needs an oxygen-deprived, acidic environment, so veggies are said to be great cancer-fighters, since they promote good oxygen flow and alkalinity. In particular, cruciferous veggies (such as kale, cabbage, and broccoli, to name a few) are said to be anti-carcinogenic. In fact, some studies have made the claim that eating just 3 or more servings of cruciferous veggies per week, has been proven to decrease prostate cancer in men by over 40%. Vitamin D is also found in some of the ingredients below, which is said to curb the growth of cancerous cells, and folate rich foods (like oranges, leafy greens and sunflower seeds) are also said to fight cell mutations.

Tip: Folic acid is said to actually be cancer-inducing, so you want to get folate as much as possible, limiting your intake of its synthetic form, folic acid.

Fun fact: Did you know the average person doesn’t get the full benefits of eating leafy green vegetables because we don’t chew and break down our food enough? You’ll find that all of the recipes below call for blending greens for this very reason—to get the full benefits!

Veggie & Pesto Collard Wrap

Ingredients:

• 3-4 collard leaves
• 2 bunches of parsley
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2-1/2 pinches of pink Himalayan crystal salt
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 1 cup of pumpkin seeds
• 2 cups of macadamia nuts
• 1/2 jar of sundried tomatoes
• 1/2 cup of basil
• 1/2 bag of spinach
• 1-1/2 cups of cherry tomatoes
• optional: additional veggies

Directions:

Place collard leaves in a bowl of warm salt water to tenderize, then set aside. Next, roll up baby spinach and chop finely (or pulse in a food processor) and place in a bowl, then cut cherry tomatoes into quarters and place into a different dish. Set both aside. Next, make pesto by blending the parsley in a blender or food processor. Once blended, add garlic, Himalayan salt, olive oil, pumpkin seeds, macadamia nuts and blend again until mixed. Finally, add sundried tomatoes and basil and blend once more. Next remove collard leaf from water and rinse to remove salt. Lay the collard leaf flat, spread with pesto, add tomatoes, spinach, and any other desired veggies (suggestions: sprouts, carrots, mushrooms). Fold and enjoy!

Cucumber Watercress Soup

Ingredients:

• 3-1/2 pickled cucumbers, chopped
• 1/3 cup of fresh lemon juice
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 2 tsp of sea salt
• 1/2 bunch of fresh watercress (tip: add last so the flavor is not overpowering)

Directions:

In a high-speed blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.

Curry Cauliflower Rice Sushi

Ingredients:

• 3-4 heads of cauliflower
• 1 pack of untoasted dried seaweed (ex. Emerald Cove)
• 1/2 of a red onion, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 cup of shredded carrots
• 1 small bag of sweet peas
• 1/2 cup broccoli, finely chopped into florets
• 1/3 cup of Raw Coconut Aminos Soy-free Sauce
• 2 tbsp curry powder (learn more about the cancer-fighting benefits of tumeric here)
• 1/3 cup of sesame oil
• 1 red bell pepper sliced
• 1/2 cup kale, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup spinach, finely chopped
• 1 pack of alfalfa sprouts

Directions:

To make curry cauliflower rice: Chop cauliflower into florets, wash and blend in food processor until it is the consistency of rice. Place in a bowl. Next add red onions, ginger, garlic, carrots,  peas, broccoli, Raw Coconut Aminos sauce, curry powder, and sesame oil, toss all together and set aside. Next, chop red bell peppers, spinach, and kale. Then lay seaweed flat, and filling only about 1/4 of the sheet, add cauliflower rice mixture, then top with bell peppers, kale, spinach, and sprouts. Next, slide a knife under the seaweed sheet and roll forward. Once the end of the sheet is reached, dip your finger in water and lightly wet the top of sheet to seal. Cut the roll into 6-8 pieces and enjoy.

I never realized how easy it is to make seaweed rolls! I may start experimenting with this!

And lastly, before I left the class, I picked up this bottle of red wine, also said to be a cancer fighter, that I heard a woman in the class raving about. It’s organic and vegan and pretty good! (Is there a wine that isn’t vegan??? ) 

 

I sincerely hope someone out there finds this info and the recipes helpful, or at the very least, enjoys eating them as much as I did. If you try any of these out, or create your own recipe using some of these key ingredients, of course, be sure to let me know!