I love pasta but I would usually feel bloated and uncomfortable after eating it anyway due to the gluten in the wheat, so it’s not a huge sacrifice to switch to gluten free pasta made from a whole grain. I’ve tried so many different GF pastas, fancy ones, cheap ones, and I keep returning back to the only one I like — Trader Joe’s organic brown rice penne. Here is a foolproof way to cook gluten free pasta.

I used to love crab cakes and salmon cakes but since I went through treatment for cancer I’ve transitioned into a mainly vegan and gluten-free anti-inflammatory diet. I’m always looking for ways to get a lot of vegan protein in my foods without a lot of fat. Chickpeas/garbanzo beans (I use these terms interchangeably) are always a good choice for me. They have about 14.5 grams of protein in one cup (cooked) and 268 calories, plus they are high in fiber, at 12.5 grams dietary fiber per cup. I love their versatility, their creaminess when pureed. These veggie cakes feature mashed garbanzo beans and peas and are stuffed with more grated veggies. They’re nutrient dense and delicious.

Now we suddenly find ourselves, across the globe, together in our isolation as we hide out from the latest enemy - the pandemic. Nothing in my lifetime has caused such a devastating upheaval as this — cancer didn’t even come close. At least cancer treatment had a finite ending and I was pretty sure I wouldn’t die. Afterwards, I thought rehabilitation and recovery would be my biggest obstacle to returning back to my “normal” life in a timely manner. But not long after I finished cancer treatments, my “normal” life was turned upside down, along with most everyone else’s.

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.

You don’t have to wait for the holidays to make these super yum nutrient rich KETO PUMPKIN NUT MUFFINS. They are grain free and sugar free but nobody notices or cares because they’re so good! I added low FODMAP and paleo hacks too! Needless to say I will be making these a lot in the next few months as part of my anti-inflammatory anti-cancer diet.

This grain-free sugar-free persimmon bread is a good fit in my anti-inflammatory anti-cancer diet. It’s also gluten-free. My 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.