Brussel sprouts contain good amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid and dietary fiber. Moreover, they are believed to protect against colon cancer, due to their containing sinigrin. They contain three types of phyto's, all shown to have either protective qualities against cancer, or enzyme producing qualities that have been shown during research to fight cancer cells in different ways.

When boiling foods they tend to lose some of the vitamins and nutrients into the water. So here is a roasted brussel sprout recipe that is very easy to prepare and the brussel sprouts keep their natural nutty flavor.

Vicki's Roasted Brussel Sprouts
1 lb Brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 onion cut into thin slices
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss all the ingredients except for the onions in a large bowl to evenly coat the brussel sprouts. Pour brussel sprouts onto a baking tray and spread apart. Bake for 20 minutes then stir or flip and add the onions and bake for 20 minutes more.

Scientists have long believed that the carotenoids found in fruits and vegetables have a cancer preventive effect. In particular, epidemiological studies have found that as the consumption of tomato products increases, risk of certain types of cancer decreases.

Vicki's Tomato, Cauliflower, and Tempeh Salad.
1/2 head cauliflower
1 block tempeh crumbled and cooked crisp
2 medium tomatoes chopped
10 to 12 scallions sliced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper
Lettuce leaves for serving (optional)

Put the cauliflower through a food processor with the shredding disk or finely chop by hand. Put in boiling water, cover and reduce heat and let sit for 2 minutes then drain water and place cauliflower in large salad bowl.

Crumble the tempeh into a skillet on medium heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the chili powder and garlic powder and sautee for 7 minutes getting the tempeh crunchy. Add to the cauliflower along with the chopped tomatoes and sliced scallions.

Combine the mayonnaise and lemon juice to make dressing and pour over salad and toss. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve over a bed of lettuce leaves. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Studies show that diets high in fiber and low in fat can help prevent cancer. Like tofu, tempeh is made from soybeans, but tempeh is a whole soybean product with different nutritional characteristics and textural qualities. It has a higher content of protein, dietary fiber and vitamins compared to tofu. In the past five years tempeh has grown so much in popularity that it is now available in the refrigerated section of many supermarkets. Here is a simple way to prepare tempeh that both kids and adults love.

Vicki's Spicy Tempeh Soft Tacos
Serves 4

1 block tempeh crumbled
1/2 vegetable broth or water
1 red bell pepper chopped
1 onion chopped
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (can leave out if you don't want spicy)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup cooked black beans or pinto beans drained
1 tomato chopped
handful chopped lettuce
grated hard soy cheese if you want vegan or cheddar if vegetarian
8 whole wheat tortillas

Recipe directions

Saute the tempeh in the olive oil on medium low heat for about 3 minutes. Add red pepper and onion and continue to saute for about 5 minutes more. Add the spices, 1/2 cup broth or water and the beans and cook for about 5 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Serve in the tortillas with the chopped lettuce, tomato and cheese.

Green peas are bursting with nutrients. They provide very good amounts vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin B1 or thiamine, vitamin A vitamin B6, B3, and B2 and lots if dietary fiber, manganese, folate, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc and potassium. Green peas are that little food that is supercharged with nutritional and can supercharge your health.

Green peas are one of the important foods to include in your diet if you oftentimes feel fatigued and sluggish. That is because they provide nutrients that help support the energy-producing cells and systems of the body. They provide nutrients that are important for maintaining bone health. With its great source for iron green peas build normal blood cell formation and function. Low amounts of iron can result in anemia, fatigue, decreased immune function, and learning problems.

Vicki's Green Pea Salad
2 cups fresh green peas. (You can substitute with a 16 ounce package of frozen green peas. Rinse and thaw them for use in the salad.)
1 cup chopped fresh cauliflower ( make sure pieces are chopped about the same size as the peas.)
1 - 8 ounce can sliced water chestnuts (drain and rinse thoroughly and cut into strips)
1 - 8 ounce container sweet grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes sliced in half
1/2 onion minced
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon dry dill

Whisk together the lemon juice, dill, and mayonnaise.
In large bowl mix all of the vegetables. Pour in the mayo and dill dressing and toss.

The most healthy thing that I have added to my daily menu to fight cancer right now is this simple drink that helps give me energy and gives me antioxidants and vitamins. It helps boost the immune system. It detoxifies and cleanses the body. It gives a quota of daily veggies. It has a high alkalinity that helps balance acid PH levels in the body. It is simple and it tastes good too.

Vicki's Twice Daily Wheat Grass Cocktail
4 ounces of organic tangerine juice
4 ounces of organic carrot juice
1 organic banana
1 8 grams packet of Organic Wheat Grass (I prefer Amazing Grass brand)

Mix together well in a blender until smooth and pour into a large glass.

You can find Wheat Grass in your local health food store.

Canned pumpkin or cooked pumpkin is a super cancer food. One half cup of cooked pumpkin has over five times your quota for beta carotene vitamin A per day. According to research at Tufts University it may be used to protect against many cancers but especially colon cancer. Here is a fun way to eat pumpkin besides the traditional pumpkin pie and will start your morning off right.

Vicki's Pumpkin Pancakes
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp packed brown sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 large egg
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Combine first 6 Ingredients in a large bowl. Combine milk, pumpkin, egg and vegetable oil in a small bowl and mix well. Add the wet batter to flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Lumps in the batter are fine. Heat your griddle or skillet over medium heat and brush lightly with vegetable oil or spray with non stick oil. Pour 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle and cook until bubbles begin to burst. Turn and continue cooking 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.

Beets are so healthy for you. But did you know that beets beat cancer? Beets are not only rich in calcium, but recent research has shown that they are also extremely rich in cancer-fighting flavenoids. They are also high in magnesium, folate, potassium, fiber, vitamin C and iron. Here is one of my favorite ways to eat beets in a healthy salad. Arugula and pine nuts give this salad an extra nutty and peppery flavor and make it even more healthy.

Vicki's Arugula & Beet Salad
4 cups young arugula leaves, rinsed and dried
1 jar or can sweet pickled beets rinsed and drained
(reserve the beet juice in a bowl)
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 red onion thinly sliced
1 Bay leaf
2 cloves

In a medium saucepan, combine the reserved beet juice and bring to a boil. Add cloves, bay leaf, and onion, and return to a boil. Remove from heat, strain and chill for one hour. Be sure to take out the bay leaf so you don't eat it. Mix the cooked onions and beets together and stir. Divide arugula into four bowls and divide beet/onion mixture on top of each bowl. Divide pine nuts between the bowls.

Tofu is rich in high-quality protein. It is also a good source of B-vitamins and iron. When the curdling agent used to make tofu is calcium salt, the tofu is an excellent source of calcium. While 50% of the calories in tofu come from fat, a 4-ounce serving of tofu contains just 6 grams of fat. It is low in saturated fat and contains no cholesterol. Generally, the softer the tofu, the lower the fat. Many women fear soy foods if they have estrogen-receptor positive cancers. There is NO good research showing soy FOODS are bad for you if you have estrogen-receptor positive cancer. Soy FOODS seem to contain things that slow down cancer cells. Soy FOODS may even make cancer cells less aggressive. If you have estrogen-receptor positive cancer, DO NOT USE SOY SUPPLEMENTS.


Vicki's Vegan chocolate cheesecake
1 pound extra firm tofu
1 cup honey
1 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons liquid espresso or strong coffee
1 pre-made pie crust

Blend ingredients until smooth. Pour into crust. Bake
at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Chill for minimum 2 hours before slicing.

Couscous is that little pasta pellet that many people mistake for rice. It consists of grains made from semolina that are about 1 mm or 1/16th inch in diameter after cooking. It is quick and easy to prepare and can be eaten cold, warm, or hot. A multi grains diet aids in the prevention of colon cancer. Here is one of my favorite healthy ways to eat this little treasure. The added ingredients are known in the food world to aid in the prevention of cancer. Studies show falcarinol in carrots reduce cancer. Some studies show that basil is a cancer preventative herb. Green peas provide nutrients, including vitamin C, which are instrumental in helping to prevent the development of cancer. Lemon also adds to the vitamin C in this recipe. A high intake of vitamin C has been shown to reduce the risks for virtually all forms of cancer, including leukemia, lymphoma, and lung, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers as well as sex hormone-related cancers like breast, prostate, cervix, and ovarian cancers.

Vicki's Lemon Couscous
1 3/4 cups water
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons of lemon zest
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups couscous
1 cup sweet peas
1 cup minced carrots
1/4 cup fresh minced basil
2 tablespoons capers
2 tablespoons minced garlic

In a 1-quart saucepan, bring water, lemon juice, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons oil and garlic to a boil. Add carrots, peas, capers and couscous and stir. Cover and remove from heat and let stand for 15 minutes. Remove couscous into a large bowl by using a fork to fluff and separate the pieces. Add the minced basil and stir. You can eat this while it is hot as a great side dish or cold as a salad. Salt and pepper to taste.

Getting enough grains in your diet is very essential in the prevention of colon cancer. Switching from a white bread to a multi grain bread is an easy step. Adding ground up flax seed to the daily diet is another. And to me Risotto is to rice what wheat is to pasta. It is comfort food, satisfying, and can be fixed a hundred ways with or without meat, by adding various vegetables or just mixed with cheese, but the creamy texture is like no other. Here is one of my favorite personal risotto recipes that adds an unlikely candidate in the food world to the famous Italian food. Nappa cabbage, a cruciferous vegetable that aids in reducing carcinogens in the body and gives you lots of vitamins and nutrients. This is my Italian meets Asian recipe that makes this comfort food especially healthy in the fight against cancer.

Chef Vicki's Creamy Nappa Risotto

1/2 white onion chopped (medium onion in size)
1 celery stalk finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons butter (you can substitute olive oil)
5 nappa cabbage leaves chopped.
5 cups vegetable broth
1 cup arborio rice

Note: If you don't buy boxed or canned vegetable broth you can use 5 vegetable bouillon cubes with 5 cups of water to make the broth.

Remember this is a slow cooking recipe that requires a lot of stirring and love watching over the pot. It takes approximately 30 minutes to cook this dish but it is well worth the wait.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat and add onions, celery, and garlic. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add arborio rice and stir until it is all coated and the starch from the rice starts to release. Slowly start adding your vegetable broth one cup at a time and wait for it to be absorbed before adding the next. Continue stirring until you add the last cup of broth. Add the Nappa cabbage with the last cup of broth and continue stirring until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is creamy.