Food and Cancer: recipes

Nourishing drinks

Nourishing drinks are high in protein and energy (calories). Milk is a common base for nourishing drinks as it is high in protein and energy. Full-cream milk is preferable because it has more energy than low-fat milk. Milk can be enriched with other ingredients to make it more nourishing.

High-protein milk

• 600ml (2 large cups) milk
• 9 tablespoons (3/4 cup) skim milk powder

Sprinkle powder on milk and whisk until dissolved. Make enough high-protein milk to last the day. Use high-protein milk in place of regular milk, on cereal, in tea, coffee, Ovaltine, Milo, Horlicks, for making milkshakes or custards, in mashed potato, creamy soups and savoury sauces or in the recipes below. If you have an intolerance to lactose, try the above recipe using low-lactose milk or soy milk whisked with soy milk powder.

The following recipes make one drink -- multiply the recipes to make more than one, if you wish, and store in the fridge to drink during the day.

High-energy milkshake

• 1 cup high-protein milk
• 1 scoop ice-cream
• milkshake flavouring, Milo, Ovaltine, coffee, malt, ice-cream toppings

Whisk together and serve chilled.

Creamy soda

• 1 cup soft drink, such as creaming soda, cola, lemonade, orange, ginger beer, or soda water with your favourite flavouring
• 1 heaped tablespoon milk powder
• 1 scoop of ice-cream or 1 tablespoon cream

Dissolve milk powder in a little soft drink. Top with remaining soft drink, add ice-cream or cream. Serve immediately.

Strawberry smoothie

• 1/2 cup strawberries (or other fruit)
• 1/2 cup high-protein milk
• few drops vanilla essence
• pinch cinnamon

Blend fruit thoroughly. Add all other ingredients to fruit and blend again. Serve chilled.
Add sugar if you like a sweeter drink.

Fruit cup

• 3/4 cup fruit juice or fruit nectar
• 2 tablespoons pureed fruit
• 2 tablespoons cream

Blend thoroughly and serve.

Fruit juice sip

• 1/2 cup fruit juice or fruit nectar
• 1/2 carton (100g) natural or flavoured yoghurt

Blend and serve.

High-energy orange drink

• 1/2 cup orange juice (or other fruit juice)
• 1/2 cup glucose powder
• 1/2 cup hot water

Mix glucose powder with water to dissolve, then mix with juice. Chill before serving. Add extra juice if you like a stronger flavoured drink.

Vanilla custard

• 11/2 cups high-protein milk
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1 ½-2 tablespoons custard powder
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• few drops vanilla essence

Bring high-protein milk to boil. Mix custard powder to a smooth paste with water and add slowly to boiling milk, stirring continuously until thickened. Stir in sugar and cream. Remove from heat. Can be served warm or cold.

Makes 2 serves.

Soup

High-protein soup

• 1 cup of homemade, canned or packet soup

If it is clear soup, add extra pureed meat, fish, chicken and a well-beaten egg.
If it is creamy soup, make it with high-protein milk, add extra cream, grated cheese or a well-beaten egg.

Potato soup

• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 stalks chopped celery
• 1 small onion, peeled
• 1 tablespoon margarine
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 2 cups milk
• 2 eggs, hard boiled, peeled, and chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the potatoes in chicken stock with celery and onion until the potatoes are tender. Blend the mixture in a blender or food processor. In a heavy saucepan over low heat, melt the margarine and stir in flour to make a paste. Slowly add the milk, stirring or whisking continuously until the mixture is thoroughly blended and heated through. Add the pureed potato mixture. Add chopped eggs that have been pushed through a sieve. Mix well and season with salt and pepper as desired. Serve hot or cold. (This soup thickens when chilled and may need to be thinned with additional chicken stock or milk). Makes 4 servings.

Vegetable soup

• 1 tablespoon margarine
• 3 cups of diced vegetables
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 chicken stock cubes
• 3 cups water
• 1 300g can butter beans
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup cream
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 cup rice

Melt margarine and sauté vegetables for 5 minutes. Add flour and stir. Add crumbled stock cubes, water, tomato paste and butter beans. Simmer until vegetables are tender. Blend the mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth. Stir in milk and cream. Add in rice and heat for 15-20 minutes until rice is cooked. Makes 4-6 servings.

Marinades

Marinating helps to tenderise, add flavour or change the taste of meats, chicken or tofu. The following marinades are enough for four servings of beef, pork, chicken, lamb or tofu.

Asian marinade

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon sherry
• 1 tablespoon honey

Honey mint marinade

• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2-1 teaspoon minced chilli
• 1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves
• 2 teaspoons honey

Red wine marinade

• 1/4 cup red wine
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Handy hints

• For best results, marinate in the fridge for at least two hours, overnight if possible.
• Drain off the marinades before cooking to prevent stewing and splattering.
• When using a marinade that contains honey or sugar, cook the meat on a lower heat than usual to stop the marinade charring.