Bake it Happen: Paleo Pumpkin Brownies

Yes, the look decent but read on...

Last night, I was on my way home from work tired and hungry. I’ve had a couple travel days and as a result my office days are packed which isn’t a problem until the end of the day. I knew the boys would be getting home from hockey and they’d need dinner and I also had brownies to bake. My friend Shari started a campaign called Bake it Happen where you bake one of her mother’s recipes and in the process raise money for breast cancer research. One of the recipes is Judy’s pumpkin brownies.I had the tired thought “do I have to do this tonight?” and quickly reminded myself of Shari’s work and Judy’s battle. I was going to bake.

 I would’ve had an easier time if I stuck to Judy’s recipe but no, I insisted on making a gluten free/paleo version. I expressed to Shari my conflict with unhealthy (Minute Made pink lemonade on my recent Delta flight) in the name of disease research. Shari explained she wasn’t looking at things through the lens of healthy she just got such pleasure knowing everyone was making her mom’s recipes. Duh- of course.

Last year I somehow had an easy time Foodtrainers-ifying the banana bread recipe. Things were different this year. On Monday, I gathered a bunch of healthy pumpkin brownie recipes. The boys were off from school and we gave one a whirl. Pumpkin and cocoa and coconut flour, how could it be bad, right? When the consistency and flavor isn’t right, that’s how. The boys gave me the “they’re ok”. So last night was make it or break it. I didn’t have time to experiment so I used this recipe from the jaybird blog. 

The photos looked beautiful, the comments were positive and I liked the idea of the pumpkin and chocolate being separate.  As I prepared to bake the cocoa powder was on the tippy top shelf on top of a jar of almond flour. Rather than getting the stepladder, I attempted to pull down the almond flour with the cocoa tin on it. Of course there was a massive cocoa spill.  Half laughing, half crying I cleaned the cocoa mess and the cocoa out of the grout of every tile. When I finally got to work I thought about Shari saying no matter what Judy cooked every night. 

Ugly photo, messy counter I didn't have time to food style

I measured and I whisked. I followed the instructions or so I thought. 

When it came time to assemble the 2 batters something was off. I was to layer the chocolate and the pumpkin and “repeat” but I only had enough batter for 1 layer of each.

 I swirled the top with a chopstick (as directed) and felt pretty fancy.

When the brownies came out of the oven the pumpkin layer seemed a little moist. 

Ugh. I let them cool on the drying rack and cut them up. The boys were now asleep but my husband came in from hockey (yes everyone plays) and grabbed a brownie. I asked for his review and received “well I’d eat them”. He’d eat anything. I can’t even blame the recipe because clearly I am the only one who messed it up. Maybe my baking powder (which I never use) is old? Was I not meticulous enough with my measurements? I’m not sure.

You can try these (and let me know) or try Judy’s delicious version. It almost felt like Judy was trying to tell me something. I didn’t know her well but “just stick to my tried and true version” entered my mind.

Any idea where my brownies went wrong? Do you bake? Do you do gluten free or paleo baking?

On another note, earlier this week I saw a friend with advanced cancer and talked about breast cancer awareness month. Her concern was the percentage of funds that actually go to research, toward a cure not just awareness. She told me of an organization called METavivor that focuses on metastatic breast cancer. This is what Judy had and this is what my beautiful friend has as well. Please check out their site and Bake it Happen.

Bananas For Boobies

A few years ago, we had my friend Shari and her family staying with us in Vermont. As I prepared breakfast she looked at me and said “I can’t believe you’re making waffles from scratch”. I was confused “Shar, I’m not- I’m using mix I said pushing the Arrowhead Mills bag in her direction.” “Well still, you’re actually making them”

I wish I had really had the chance to know and cook with Judy

Later that day, Shari told me about her plans to start a blog. Shari had recently lost her beautiful mother Judy to breast cancer. After Judy’s funeral, I recall Shari was so touched with strangers approaching her with tales of Judy’s kindness. Some of this kindness was expressed through food. Shari tells of a home-cooked meal on the table every night. There was always an invitation and place setting for whomever would drop by. Shari knew she and others could benefit from Judy’s recipes and approach even if Judy wasn’t here to do the teaching.

Fast forward a few years, Shari can cook. Her blog is a huge hit (as ventures from the heart often are) and Shari and her sister Stacy decide to launch another venture. Enter Bananas for Boobies. I chuckled too but here’s the deal. You bake Judy’s Banana Chocolate Chip Loaf or as the campaign says “bake it happen” post your finished loaf to their FB page, you’re entered to win an iPad and money, via an anonymous corporate donor, goes to breast cancer research.

I love the idea of using cooking and community to make a difference. However, my nutritionist hat is always on (and my crazy desire to tweak I talked about Monday).

So I checked with Shari and she said I could make my own version. I wanted a loaf that was gluten free and sugar free (cancer cells can use sugar as fuel), I also wanted to add some of my “screw yourself breast cancer” ingredients green tea (in this case matcha) and turmeric (don’t be scared). My only problem was that as much as I cook, I don’t bake. At first I found a handful of interesting recipes and combined them- I ended up with a loaf that was wet in the middle and the conclusion that cacao nibs aren’t that enjoyable in banana bread. I then focused on Slim Palate’s version adding my own twist. The result? Green and delicious, the whole family enjoyed it. I just hope Judy wouldn’t be mad at me.

½ cup coconut flour (used Nutiva)

½ cup almond flour (used Bobs Red Mill)

1-cup ripe bananas (works fine even if they are not black)

½ cup coconut oil, if not already liquid melt it,  (used jungle Products) plus additional to grease

1 Tbs matcha (powdered green tea)

½ tsp. cinnamon

Dash of turmeric

¾ teaspoon baking soda

¼ tsp. liquid stevia (used NuNaturals)

4 omega 3 eggs

½ tsp. organic vanilla extract

Pinch of Himalayan salt

Preheat oven to 350

1. Use coconut oil to grease small 8.5 x 4.5 loaf and cut a piece of parchment to fit in the bottom on the pan

2. In a large bowl combine flours, matcha, cinnamon, turmeric baking soda and salt mix with a fork.

3. In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, extract, and stevia. Then add bananas to this mixture and whisk again.

4. Pour the egg/banana concoction into the flour/dry ingredient bowl. Use a wooden spoon to mix. 

5. Add the melted coconut oil and mix again.

6. Pour into the pan, making the top respectable and smooth.

7. Bake for 45 minutes and do the toothpick test.

8. Run a knife around the edges and flip the loaf out. Let it cool on a wire rack.

Nutrition (based on 1/8 of loaf) 260 calories, 4g sugar, 6g fiber, 7g protein per slice

Please go to the Bananas for Boobies site for Judy’s Chocolate Chip Loaf (the real deal).

Have you heard of Bananas for Boobies or Shari's blog? Do you bake? Ever tweak recipes to make them healthier?

Not Everyone Supported Angelina's Message, Important Points From Someone Who Knows

When it comes to medical choices it’s impossible to know how we’ll react until we’re face to face with a diagnosis. I learned this first hand when my father was sick. When an infection found its way into a stent the doctor said (surgeons can be so eloquent) “it’s his life or his leg.” To complicate matters further, we had to make this decision for him. He was unconscious. We choose life (life!) but felt there was a good chance that when my handsome, somewhat vain dad woke up he’d feel differently. When he came to and was informed of his amputation he looked at the surgeon and instantly said “thank you doctor for saving my life.”

Last week, Angelina Jolie shared with the world, via The New York Times, that she had made her own harrowing medical decision. Having lost her mother to ovarian cancer and testing positive for a mutated BRCA1 gene she underwent a preventive double mastectomy. She was heralded a hero by many people; however, I received an email from someone who saw things differently. This someone, my friend Erin, has faced her own bleak medical news. I'm so grateful she was open to this Q/A.

Are you comfortable sharing a bit about you, your story?

Sure, last spring I noticed a lump in my breast. I mentioned it to my doctor at my ob-gyn visit. She brushed it off because of my age and lack of family history saying it was likely a cyst. I was told to let her know if it got bigger. Waiting was my one mistake. In August I called her back to say I had no idea if it was growing but it was still there and I wanted an ultrasound. I should have demanded an ultrasound to begin with to confirm or reject her assumption of a cyst.

I went for an ultrasound and what I thought would be peace of mind.  I waited. I was told I needed a mammogram. I waited. I was told I needed a needle biopsy because the mass was “suspicious”. I was scared but more annoyed that they would do all three tests to confirm it was a cyst.  The doctor told me that he would call with the results in 2 days. On August 14, 2012, at the age of 29, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I couldn’t breathe. My boyfriend, at the time, raced home and my parents and sisters came over. I cried and cried for a day or two and then began to focus on finding the best doctors and putting a plan together.

Were you presented with a choice to have surgery or was it strongly recommended?

I was told to have a unilateral as things had spread to my lymph nodes and it was strongly recommended that I have a bilateral. When I asked my surgeon “If your daughter was sitting in my chair, what would you suggest?” She said bilateral. I felt like I was strong enough to go through this only once (anyone is – you go into survival mode). Even though tests showed that I do not have any genetic mutations I had a bilateral mastectomy in mid September, 8 chemo treatments from October to January, reconstructive surgery in February and 25 radiation treatments starting in March. I  finished April 16!

You reached out with objections to Angelina's Op Ed Piece, can you share your thoughts?  Were there any things you agreed with or related to?

I struggled with her references to “Pink Lotus Breast Center” it made it feel like a PR blitz versus a personal message. And the statement “I acknowledge that there are many wonderful holistic doctors working on alternatives to surgery.” I’m all for a paraben-free life but the insinuation that you can always skirt genetics (or breast cancer) with “alternatives” is irresponsible because of her influence.  Maybe Suzanne Sommers wrote the article for her.

What I wished that she included is that cancer can happen to ANYONE even if you don’t have the faulty gene (most women with breast cancer do not). While it’s important to know your history/risk, it’s absolutely critical to know your body. Women usually start mammograms at 40. Cancer can happen before 40, regardless of family history or genetics. I am proof.

There were other things I related to. I loved “On a personal note, I do not feel any less of a woman. I feel empowered that I made a strong choice that in no way diminishes my femininity.” She is the epitome of femininity and so for her to be so confident, after surgery, means a lot to women like me. 

Is the recovery as easy peasy as she mentioned? She also didn't have treatment so many women do/did. It wasn’t easy; you can’t use your arms for 6 weeks (think about getting up in the morning without using your arms to help). But the emotional issues that come along with the surgery were equally difficult. Things moved so quickly – diagnosis to surgery was less than a month.

What good do you think can come out of this conversation? I know it's not the same but I believe we need to talk about our bodies when they are healthy or not. Whether it's heart disease, constipation/colonoscopies/hormones or surgery, do you agree? The conversation is so important because it removes the stigma for women (and men!). Most things, when caught early, are treatable.

I know you've made some lifestyle and nutrition changes. What, from your experience, do women need to know?I became obsessive over what I was putting in and on my body (it was the one piece of control I had).

• I switched over all of my cosmetics, shampoo, body wash, deodorant to paraben-free, SLS-free all thanks to guidance from you and trial and error. 
•  I eat organic in my house and look for restaurants with organic options.
• I don’t eat anything burnt because of the carcinogens.
• I limit my soy intake to edamame once in a blue moon.
• I juice – during my treatments we had juicing parties with friends. We’d get a ton of fruits and veggies and vote on whose combo was best. I will never forget those nights because they were filled with laughter and I was completely distracted. 

I don’t sweat the small stuff. I thought I didn’t before but now I really don’t. When I was first diagnosed, I looked completely normal but was going through the worst days of my life. You really have no idea what people are going through. 

I knew Erin was beautiful, kind and smart before any of this. She was the person who traveled hours to  watch my boys, so that I could attend my sister’s best friend’s funeral (she had colon cancer). I never knew she was so strong; she says anyone would be but that’s not true. I put on my game face when I saw Erin but wept in the middle of Yellowstone Park when her sister first emailed me the news. I am so grateful that both Erin and Angelina's choices and strength will keep them alive and healthy. We must get the medical information but also know our own bodies and in the meantime make all those lifestyle changes before getting diagnosed.

Personally, I found the Brad Pitt inclusion the oddest part of Angelina's article. But that “then boyfriend” Erin mentioned? He’s her “now” fiancé. Let’s see if she beats Angelina to the altar.

What did you think of Angelina's announcement and decision? Had you thought about the BRCA 1 or 2 genes before? Is there any doctor's appointment or lifestyle changes can you make today? Or where can you sweat the small stuff less?

Best Soy, Worst Soy, Should You Eat Soy?

Um, not the most appetizing selection of foods, would you agree?

I could write about my friends coming over to cook Friday. We made delicious red lentil soup and I learned the most efficient way to cut cauliflower. I also could write about the NYC marathon yesterday (congrats to our Foodtrainers' clients who completed the race). There are many easier topics to write about than soy but I’ve postponed this doozy long enough. One of my closest friends from the past sent me a note asking “soy -is it good or bad? How much is ok? Is the amount different for men and women? What about little girls?”

To let the “soy” cat out of the bag, I don’t think soy is the wonder substance or cure-all it has been made out to be. The way we eat soy in this country bastardizes how soy was traditionally eaten. This is a blog post and not a research paper so I will tell you my soy questions started in graduate school. One of our teachers, a vegetarian, explained how she had been nicknamed Ms. Tofu (I think that was it) for her love of all things soy. She changed her view after a breast cancer diagnosis and did suspect soy played a role in the development of her disease. This was someone who ate soy immoderately (admittedly) and there is no way to prove the truth of her hypothesis but it definitely made me reevaluate soy and how I eat it and how I suggest others eat it. The isoflavones in soy, genistein and diadzein, are similar to human estrogen and may fuel certain cancer growth in cells with estrogen receptors. 

For starters, there are some forms of soy you should avoid. TVP, which stands for textured vegetable protein, soy protein isolates and soy protein concentrates are shoddy, inferior examples of soy. Read your labels and skip foods with these in it. Additionally, do a pantry, fridge and freezer check (Boca Burger or Luna bar anyone?) and toss foods with these ingredients. Soy protein powder, protein bars and faux meats commonly use soy isolates and TVP. These ingredients are also common in fast food and school lunch programs. For those of you who purchased the Skinny Bitch book these items figured prominently in that food plan. 

To make soy protein isolates or TVP takes heavy machinery, potent chemicals and leaves behind the fiber and many nutrients found in the original soybean. Additionally there are worrisome levels of certain substances, such as aluminum, left with the soy protein. Think of bathing in toxic bath oil, even once you dry yourself off, some residue remains. Want to eat that residue? Speaking of drying, the spray drying method used for soy forms nitrites. According to the Cornucopia Institute many processed soy foods, including some “made from organic soybeans” utilize hexane a pollutant and neurotoxin. The cancer connection for processed soy foods is stronger than for traditional whole soy. Processed, mangled estrogen, carcinogens, neurotoxins? Not for my family. 

Fermented soy products are probably the best soy foods to consume. Examples of these are miso (delicious), tempeh, natto and soy sauce. Fermentation increases the digestibility of soy and adds “good” bacteria and reduces the plant estrogen content in soy foods. When we look at Asian diets in Japan about half of soy consumption is from fermented soy and the other half tofu and dried soybeans. In China, soy consumption originated when it was discovered how to ferment soy. 

In terms of children, I was interested to hear the Israeli health ministry issued an advisory saying babies should not get soy formula and children under 18 should limit soy in their diets. Other countries such as the UK and Australia have soy warnings as well. As with food dyes and many other questionable ingredients, the U.S. says these foods are safe. As far as men, they unknowingly consume soy in many bars, shakes and “muscle building” products. These are concentrated sources of processed soy. Very high soy consumption can affect testosterone, estrogen and thyroid hormone levels as well as iron absorption. For this reason, anyone with a thyroid condition or trying to conceive should, in my opinion, skip soy that is unfermented. Women with breast cancer or at high risk for breast cancer should skip unfermented soy as well. 

As far as actionable steps:

• First, take stock of soy’s role in your diet. Look at everything from your bread to your snacks.
• Next, dabble in fermented soy. Natto is not a big part of my diet but I’ll glaze fish or vegetables with miso and my kids love miso soup.
• If you do buy tofu or edamame, look for organic or non GMO (organic assures it’s non GMO) though in some cases it’s hard to know if these are “organic” Chinese soybeans or US organic where standards are actually enforced.
• I’m not convinced you should add tofu or edamame to your diet if it isn’t there already. You want a rule I’d go with eating these foods once a week (max).
• And finally, for new moms reading this, do try to avoid soy formulas.

There are so many angles in the soy discussion that I was forced to simplify things. Let’s see where your questions lie and perhaps we can revisit this topic. In the mean time:
How often do you eat soy? Have you tried miso or tempeh? Do your kids have soy? Would you have rather read about cutting cauliflower? 
NYC readers- I’m giving a fun talk at the YinOva Center the evening of Thursday, 11/17, 7pm
Eat, Drink and Be Healthy: The Savvy Girls' Guide to the Holidays 
Call 212-533-2255 to register, bring a "savvy" friend and all your holiday food questions.