Things look a little different for everyone these days. Cancer patients especially have to take extra precaution when it comes to venturing outside of the home. As appealing as eating out at a restaurant may sound, sometimes it’s just not the wisest decision.
Now what to cook? Our Illinois CancerCare dietitians recommend the below recipes for a healthy twist on summer cuisine!
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Watermelon Feta Salad
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
- 8 cups watermelon, 3/4-inch cubes
- 2 cups blueberries
- 1 cup low fat, crumbled feta
- 16 fresh, chopped mint leaves
- 16 fresh, chopped basil leaves
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp honey
Directions:
- Combine lime juice, olive oil and honey to make the dressing.
- In a separate bowl, combine cubed watermelon, blueberries, mint, basil, and 3/4 cup feta.
- Toss with the dressing, top with the remaining feta, and garnish with more mint and basil.
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Baked Parmesan Zucchini
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- 2 zucchini
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425°F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut zucchini lengthwise into quarters and mix in a bowl with olive oil and garlic.
- Place zucchini, skin side down, on prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with pepper, parmesan cheese, and oregano.
- Bake for 15 minutes on the top rack of the oven.
- Switch the oven to broil and bake for 4 minutes or until golden brown.
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Grilled Asparagus
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 lb asparagus, trimmed
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 Tbsp parsley, chopped
Directions:
- Preheat grill to medium heat.
- Coat 4 large squares of foil with cooking spray and divide the asparagus between foil squares.
- Sprinkle Italian seasoning and pepper over the asparagus stalks and place 1/4 Tbsp butter in each asparagus packet.
- Fold the foil over the asparagus and seal completely on all sides.
- Grill the asparagus packs for 15 minutes flipping once halfway through.
- Open the foil packets and stir to coat asparagus with butter and seasonings.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
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Chicken Breast Skewers
Servings: Makes 4 skewers
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 zucchini
- 1 bell pepper
- 8 mushrooms, whole
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or 4 tsp liquid aminos
- 2 Tbsp pineapple juice
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1/2 Tbsp honey
- 1/4 tsp minced garlic
Directions:
- Cut chicken breasts into 1½-inch cubes.
- Combine soy sauce, pineapple juice, oil, honey, and minced garlic. Reserve 2 Tbsp of mixture to baste skewers on the grill.
- Seal remaining soy sauce mixture and chicken breast cubes in a Ziploc bag and marinate in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat grill to medium heat.
- Cut zucchini into ½-inch slices and bell pepper into 1½-inch slices. Destem mushrooms.
- Place 4 chicken breast cubes, 2 zucchini slices, 2 pepper slices, and 2 mushrooms on each skewer, alternating to make a pattern.
- Cook for 5-7 minutes, flip skewers, and baste with the reserved marinade. Cook for another 5-7 minutes or until chicken reaches 165°F.
Recipes adapted from Melanie Cooks, Comfy in the Kitchen and Dinner at the Zoo.