Rebecca Katz - One Bite at a Time, Revised: Nourishing Recipes for Cancer Survivors and Their Friends

Copyright 2004, 2008 by Rebecca Katz
Food photography copyright 2004 by Scott Peterson, except as noted below

All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Celestial Arts, an imprint of
the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com
www.tenspeed.com

Celestial Arts and the Celestial Arts colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Katz, Rebecca.
One bite at a time: nourishing recipes for cancer survivors and their friends / Rebecca Katz with
Mat Edelson. 2nd ed.
p. cm.
Includes index.
Summary: A cookbook for cancer patients with more than 85 recipes, featuring full nutritional
analysis and anecdotes from cancer survivorsProvided by publisher.
1. CancerDiet therapyRecipes. I. Edelson, Mat. II. Title.

RC271.D52K38 2008
641.5631dc22

2008013427

eISBN: 978-1-58761-383-8

Cover design by Nancy Austin
Photographs within by Rebecca Katz
Photographs by Lori Eanes
Food styling by Karen Shinto
Food styling assistance by Katie Christ
Prop styling by Emma Star Jensen

v3.1

Dedication

For my parents

Sometimes a little blessing drops in your lap when you least expect it. When I was asked to look at the manuscript for this book, I have to admit to feeling paradoxically both grateful and ambivalent. Grateful because, as both a colorectal cancer survivor and a patient educator, the subject of eating well, and especially tastefully, while living with cancer is a topic most doctors do not address.

Overwhelmed patients do not think to ask about eating well. At the very least, I felt that a book such as this one would give medical professionals something to hand to patients. And yet, this was the source of my ambivalence as well, for the very few cookbooks aimed at cancer patients that have been published (many of which sit on my office shelf) just dont grab you by the taste buds. These books tend to take a utilitarian approach to eating, with taste weighing in as a secondary factor.

And then there is this little gem. A little voice kept going off in my head as I read through the recipes and the accompanying text. It kept saying yes, yes. Yes!!! That was the voice of the survivor in me speaking. In tone, content, and taste, it is clear that chef Rebecca Katz really is a kindred spirit who doesnt approach her work clinically, but rather from the heart. And yet (and I suppose this appeals to the educator in me) she approaches this book as a consummate professional.

If Rebecca were just an ordinary caring chef, that in itself would be appreciated. It is obvious that she delights in creating delicious recipes. However, it is abundantly apparent that Rebecca approaches this book with a depth of understanding for a survivors needs that, quite honestly, Ive never before seen in a chef.

Her recipes combine taste with powerful immune-building ingredients, which are always at the forefront of a survivors mind. I know that having had cancer once makes me statistically more vulnerable to a relapse, so I want to eat foods that are rich in cancer-fighting antioxidants and vitamins.

Perhaps most impressive is Rebeccas knowledge of how a survivors appetite changes while moving through the different phases of cancer diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and survivorship.

At every step, Rebecca is a true educator herself, informing survivors and their loved ones how to ride out the emotional and physiological roller coaster while staying tastefully nourished.

Speaking from personal experience, one of the most difficult aspects for a cancer patient is the unpredictability of ones appetite from one day to the next especially during cancer treatments. This book takes that frustration away. It does the explaining for you. If youre not up to cooking yourself, this book gently teaches friends and family how to prepare and bring over a wide variety of small meals that store well and are certain to offer options to fit varying appetites. Thats so important for everyones morale. Nothing makes my patients sadder during treatment than when their wonderful friends bring over foods they cannot (or should not) eat. Obviously this is no ones fault as everyone is just playing it by ear. No more. This book takes away the guesswork, which is why Im making sure each of my patients gets a copy. Now, when their caregivers ask is there something I can make for you? they can hand them this book and say anything in here would be great! Truthfully, I only wish Id had this book when I was sick.

Regardless of where you are on your cancer journey, youll find something incredibly useful and uplifting within these pages. In some ways this is far more than a cookbook. Its like sitting down with a compassionate friend.

Rebecca gets it.

Her down-to-earth tone is that of a close confidant, her words flavored with a savvy and wisdom that only come from personal experience. Im glad shes now a part of my life. After you read and use this book, Im sure youll feel the same way.

Eden Stotsky, MSEd
Director, Patient Education
Johns Hopkins Colon Cancer Center

This book was conceived and brought to life with the help of a wonderfully supportive community.

My thanks and gratitude go to the following people for help in creating the first edition of this book: Eden Stotsky, MSEd, cancer survivor and Director of Patient Education, Johns Hopkins Colon Cancer Center, for her lovely foreword and support of this project; Marsha Tomassi, for her tremendous contribution of time and energy; Chet Grycz, for opening the door to Celestial Arts; Linda Hawkins, recipe tester, and the only person who actually got me to use a measuring spoonyour patience and tenacity enhanced the recipes in this book; and to the community of volunteers who tested recipes for the first edition, and provided invaluable feedback. My thanks also go to the Ten Speed/Celestial Arts team who helped make the first edition a reality: Jo Ann Deck, who saw the possibility of what could beyou are the ultimate fairy godmother; Lorena Jones for her clarity and vision; Carrie Rodrigues, project editor; Lisa Regul for her publicity expertise; Leslie Harrington, Nancy Austin, and Chloe Rawlins for the sensitivity of the books design; and Scott Peterson and his teamJason Drescher, Karen Shinto, Katie Christ, and Emma Star Jensenfor the beautiful photography.

Thanks also go to Gary Bang; Shannon McGowan, her daughter Liz Behrens, son John Behrens, and sister Susan Dyer; Andrea Riesenfeld; Jennifer Omholt; Aliyah Stein and daughter Lailah Roberston, for their inspirational and courageous stories; Paula Bartholomy, co-founder and director of Hawthorn University; Sarah Bearden and Donna Shoemaker for freely sharing their expertise and enthusiasm in the area of nutrition; Daniel L. Junck, MD, friend and colleague, for the knowledge and humor that you brought to our Culinary Solutions for Health and Healing workshops; and Nathan Boone, for your guidance and advice on organic farming.