Booking a ticket to the other side of the world present so many options. Too many! I’ve gone down the rabbit hole of piecing together tickets to get to Bali — finally deciding on a combination through Tokyo & Singapore. I’ve survived cancer; I can survive a little crazy travel schedule!

Zucchini banana bread made with coconut flour and almond flour and sweetened with erythritol. It is gluten-free and paleo friendly, plus it's fairly anti-inflammatory and nutrient dense so it's an excellent choice for cancer patients and survivors.

I’ve finished all my cancer treatments but instead of feeling elated, I feel slightly sad and uneasy about what’s next. Apparently cancer survivor depression is a common thing. As the Mayo Clinic explains, ‘Recovering from cancer treatment isn't just about your body — it's also about healing your mind.”

I’m pondering the start of the Chinese lunar new year. It is the year of the rat, and the new moon is in Aquarius, out of the eclipse cycle. I read a fascinating horoscope from Chani Nicholas and I want to include a quote here because it really solidified where I’m at at this moment in my life, nearly ending the period of cancer treatment and thinking about what lies next for me.

Red cabbage is the new kale! Raw, it’s a gorgeous color, crunchy, slightly peppery. When cooked it becomes sweeter and hearty. It is nutrient-rich, has anti-inflammatory properties, and helps promote healthy gut and bones.

Green beans are in season pretty much all year round in Southern California and it’s easy to find high quality organic green beans. I started using this recipe when I was following a vegan diet. This recipe has an Indian influence but it’s extremely versatile. It can be a scrumptious side dish to accompany a roasted chicken, kebabs, fried rice or a curry. Buy fresh organic dried coconut flakes, unsweetened, and raw organic cashews.

life force - qi in Traditional Chinese Medicine and prana in sanskrit. How to cultivate strong life force? I found out I’ve been doing it unintentionally and it has eased my cancer journey.

Lentils are nutrient dense, packed with polyphenols, iron and protein, folic acid and magnesium. I eat them a lot as part of a vegan diet. Beluga (or black) lentils, are named because of their similarity in looks to caviar. Their earthy flavor means they stand up well to strong flavors like fresh herbs and dijon mustard.

This beluga lentil salad recipe is nutrient dense, and an excellent part of an anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer diet.

Minestrone is a thick vegetable soup of Italian origin, usually with beans and pasta. My version is vegetable dense and omits the pasta and the parmesan rind traditionally used to add umami. Instead, I add fresh basil pistou (like pesto but thinner and without cheese) to bump up the flavor. It’s vegan but the flavors and texture are hearty and you won’t feel you’re missing anything.

I was given a bag of organic persimmons by a friend, who’d picked them on her family’s property. I experimented with a recipe to come up with a grain-free sugar-free persimmon bread that would be a good fit in my anti-inflammatory anti-cancer diet. It was so delicious I asked for more fruit and baked them as holiday gifts. This persimmon bread recipe is moist and has a good tooth. Most people who tried it didn’t even know it wasn’t made with wheat flour or sugar.

Persimmons are in season in Southern California in Fall. This bread works well as a dessert , snack or as a breakfast treat. Be sure the persimmons are ripe and organic.

2019 will be remembered as the year of cancer but also the year of discovery. As much as I tried to prepare myself for how it was going to be, the treatments, the awful side effects, the endless medical appointments and poking and prodding and medications and poison going into my body, I prepared for the worst only to find it wasn't as bad as I expected. I had to give up trying to control my experience and rather, accept and surrender to it.

I don’t normally eat mac ‘n cheese but many people told me it was the only thing they could eat after chemotherapy treatments. So when I started chemo for my breast cancer I decided to come up with at least a healthier version of mac ‘n cheese. This would be considered an occasional treat as part of an anti-cancer diet. My version uses gluten free pasta and grass-fed organic cheese and milk.