While Catherine’s Away: Healthy Recipes Help the Healing Process

Hi everyone, Donna Saliter here, Catherine’s webmaster for Cuisinicity.com. Catherine is taking a temporary leave of absence from her Cuisinicity blogging to concentrate on her family during a difficult time. She asked me if  I could write to you all on her behalf to let you know why she has been silent lately, and also to make sure you know how much you mean to her!

For those of you who live in Texas, Catherine and David will be the keynote speakers at the Viva Fresh conference in Austin on April 21 (click here and here for more info).  If you can make it, she’d love to see you there and please come by for a great big hug….she could use one!!

To learn more, read what her husband, Dr. David L. Katz, MD, has to say in this Huffington Post article on the standard of care in preventive medicine. He outlines 5 levels to defend against the deficiencies of an overwhelmed acute care medical system. The first level is “familial vigilance,” advocating relentlessly for family members when they are patients in the medical system.

Reading Dr. Katz’s article made me think about healthy diets. It’s true that healthy recipes help the healing process. Now I’m no doctor. And eating healthy doesn’t necessarily prevent acute medical problems and issues. But when the body has been attacked by outside influences and is weakened and compromised, experts like Dr. Katz tell us that one of the body’s most necessary defenses is the nourishment we give it to help heal. Sometimes family caregivers are responsible for this nourishment as a part of “familial vigilance.”

Healthy Recipes Help the Healing Process

I was the primary care giver for my elderly father for three years before he passed away. Boy did he have a bad diet! One day, he had a fall and ended up in the hospital. I took the opportunity to make him some delicious and nutrient-filled recipes from my go-to healthy recipe website, Cuisinicity. Of course, I checked with his doctor first since Dad was on a prescribed diet in the hospital.

I’d like to share those recipes with you because he loved them. He smiled as he ate the dishes I brought him and raved how delicious they were. They were easy to eat for my dad, who at the age of 83 also had dental issues. I think he smiled also because he didn’t really believe I could cook. Actually, he was correct. I’m not big on cooking. But Cuisinicity recipes are so easy to make! And they are healthy recipes that I believe really helped my dad regain his strength. He was able to come home again, a stronger and healthier man.

If you have a loved one in the hospital, or convalescing from an illness, try some of these recipes. Of course, check with the doctor first. These healthy recipes sure did please my dad’s somewhat junk-food palate, and I know they helped his body heal. Best of all, they were easy and fast for me, the caregiver, to make and bring to him.

Simply Cinnamon Apples

This has to be one of the easiest recipes on Cuisinicity. Even with dental issues, my dad was able to eat them with the skin on. All you need is an apple corer and a skillet. It takes about 30 seconds to prepare, and around 15 minutes to simmer. You can then let the apples sit until ready to eat, which is very convenient when bringing them to someone in the hospital.

Almond French Toast

Catherine’s recipe makes the perfect amount – just two slices – which is easy peasy to make and transport. No fuss, no mess, and again, the ingredients contain yummy nutrients – a wholegrain bread (Dad loved his bread and the wholegrain adds the nutrients he needed), almond milk and an egg for protein to start the day out strong. I like to serve it with the Simply Cinnamon Apples for a complete breakfast.

Pan-Seared Tilapia

The lemon and capers add a zesty taste, and the fish is nice and mild and offers a wonderful source of protein. This is a great meal to prepare as a full noon-time dinner. Dad loved to eat Catherine’s Simply Brussels Sprouts with the tilapia for a filling, heart-healthy dinner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Power Chocolate Banana Milk Shake

Who doesn’t love a chocolate milk shake?! My dad absolutely loved chocolate. He would amaze me with the amount of chocolate he could eat, even when his appetite was down. The best thing about this milk shake is the other, “silent,” incredibly nutritious ingredients: lentils, rolled oats and almond butter. Dad could choose to drink his milk shake all at once, or slowly during the course of the afternoon, and it kept filling his body with yummy nutrients to help him regain his strength. Actually, all of Catherine’s smoothies are fantastic and delicious nutritional supplements. If dairy is an issue or if your loved one is lactose intolerant but LOVES Chocolate, she even has a vegan Cocoa Almond Oat Shake that’s absolutely delicious and creamy!

Sweet Pea and Spinach Soup

Let’s face it, soups aren’t always easy to make. This soup is relatively easy. The hardest part is chopping the onions. It’s filled with vegetable nutrition too. I don’t know about you, but when I’m not feeling well, the last thing I want to eat is vegetables. This creamy comfort soup is a great and easy way to get power veggies into the belly of our infirm loved one.

Two Favorites of Catherine’s Mom

When Catherine visits her mom in France, she naturally takes to the kitchen. Here are two recipes Catherine made for her mom that turned out to be delectable favorites. Catherine says her mom couldn’t believe she could devour them with such joy!

Grilled Orange Herb Chicken

Catherine’s orange grilled chicken is so tender, juicy and easy to chew, it’s really amazing for anyone who needs to chew gently. The key is a delicious, tangy marinade made from the juices of two oranges and special herbes de Provence that seep into the chicken that she first pokes with a fork, so that it becomes perfectly tender. It has become a favorite for her Mom and she wanted to make sure I shared it with you!

Crème au Chocolat (Vegan)

We end this blog post with a little more chocolate. No wonder this crème au chocolat is one of Catherine’s mom’s favorites: it is so creamy and rich, it’s just like “petits Pots de crème au chocolat” that Catherine remembers from her childhood. Don’t tell Catherine’s mom that Catherine has substituted the heavy cream, egg yolks and sugar for Cuisinicity-style healthy ingredients!

There are more Cuisinicity recipes that my dad came to love, and I’ll bet Catherine’s mom loves many more too. I loved that they were easy to prepare. Catherine has many easy recipes to make (not all are easy! but many are), and they are all nutritious. Healthy recipes help the healing process, and Cuisinicity is THE best place for healthy recipes that help the caregiver too!

Catherine will be reposting some of her favorite blog posts for a while, while she takes care of her loved one, and, of course since she is cooking all the time for her family, you can catch her mini video clips on instagram @Cuisinicity whenever she captures the moment on her cell phone! I love those!

Are you taking care of a loved one in need? Feel free to try Catherine’s recipes and continue to comment on them. I am sure it will make her happy to know that you are still enjoying her delicious, nutritious dishes. Let us know which your favorites are!