Mesothelioma Diet:

Snacks & Sweets Recipes

Blueberries with Ricotta

Sometimes, when a patient in cancer treatment gets hungry, a quick snack is the best way to take advantage of their appetite, which could disappear all too soon. This is a quick snack that’s loaded with protein and antioxidants to help keep patients strong during treatment.

Ingredients:

½ cup frozen or fresh blueberries

¼ cup ricotta cheese

2 tbsp whipped cream or whipped topping

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp chopped nuts

Wash or defrost blueberries. Blend cheese, whipped cream, and cinnamon together. Stir in blueberries and top with nuts.

Jazzed Up Cantaloupe

When cancer patients have trouble eating, a new twist on an old favorite may help pique their appetites. This is a very simple way to prepare cantaloupe that packs in the vitamins and nutrients to help keep patients energized for treatment.

Ingredients:

¼ small cantaloupe

½ cup cottage cheese

1 tbsp flax seeds, ground

Cut cantaloupe into manageable, bite-sized pieces. Mix into cottage cheese. Top with flax seeds.

Delicious Peanut Butter Spread

When a person is going through cancer treatment it is often difficult to eat much, making it hard to get sufficient calories and protein that help the body stay strong. This is a quick and easy recipe for a spread that is rich in protein and calories. Delicious when spread on crackers or bread, or try forming into small balls and refrigerating for a candy-like snack.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. nonfat instant dry milk

1 tbsp. natural honey

1 tsp. water

5 tbsp. smooth peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Stir dry milk, water, and vanilla until moistened. Add honey and peanut butter, stirring slowly until combined. Store spread in the refrigerator, taking the mixture out to soften for easy spreading a few minutes before you plan to eat it.

Lactose-Free Chocolate Pudding

Some forms of radiation, along with other mesothelioma treatments, may bring on lactose intolerance in patients. When a person is lactose intolerant, that person’s body cannot digest or absorb a milk sugar called lactose. This can cause moderate to severe digestive issuesand may make getting proper nutrition during mesothelioma treatment a challenge. Here is a recipe for a delicious chocolate pudding that even lactose intolerant patients can enjoy.

Ingredients:

2 squares (1 oz. each) baking chocolate

1 cup nondairy creamer or lactose-free milk (such as rice or soy milk)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Melt the chocolate in a small pan. In a separate pan, mix cornstarch and sugar. Add part of the liquid to this mixture and stir until cornstarch dissolves. Add the rest of the liquid. Cook cornstarch mixture over medium heat until warm. Stir in chocolate until mixture is thick. Bring to a boil, stirring regularly. Blend in vanilla extract and allow pudding to cool.

Dairy-Free Butterscotch Sauce

This delicious sauce is great for lactose-intolerant patients. Pour over ice cream, cakes, or any favorite dessert.

Ingredients:

½ c. packed brown sugar

2 tsp. cornstarch

¼ c. non-dairy creamer

¼ c. water

1 tbsp. honey

1 tbsp. dairy-free margarine

½ tsp. vanilla

Mix sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Add creamer and water slowly, stirring until cornstarch is dissolved and there are no lumps. Add honey and margarine. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until sauce becomes thick and begins to boil. Remove from heat, then add vanilla. Serve and enjoy!

Apple Prune Sauce

Many mesothelioma patients in chemotherapy and radiation treatment encounter constipation at some point. Here is a very simple and cost-effective recipe designed to relieve cancer constipation.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup unprocessed bran

1/3 cup applesauce

1/3 cup mashed stewed prunes

Blend all ingredients and store in the refrigerator. Swallow 1-2 tablespoons of the sauce followed by a glass of water just before bedtime. It is important to drink the water for this treatment to take effect.

Creamy Rice Pudding

Many chemotherapy patients are on a soft food only diet, which can get very dull. Here is a tasty and filling recipe for Creamy Rice Pudding that is sure to please the palate as a special, soft treat.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp cornstarch

1-1/2 tbsp granulated sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 cup whole milk

½ cup well-cooked rice

½ tsp vanilla

Blend first three ingredients in a saucepan until smooth. Add milk slowly, stirring to mix well. Add rice. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened and comes to a boil. Remove from heat, add vanilla and cool. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg, if desired.

Strawberry Mousse

Vitamin C is important for mesothelioma patients, and this delicious desert comes packed with it. Just eight strawberries boast roughly 130% of the recommended daily allowance for Vitamin C.

Ingredients:

3 cups quartered and hulled strawberries

¼ cup sugar

¾ cup sour cream

2 cups frozen whipped topping

Combine strawberries and sugar in blender and process until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Add sour cream and mix well with a whisk. Fold in whipped topping. Spoon into 8 small bowls or cups. Freeze at least 4 hours before serving.

Oven-Free Cookies

Once a very popular snack, granola has gotten a bad rap in recent years because it is relatively high in fat and calories. Still, for mesothelioma patients who are in treatment, a little extra fat is a good thing. These quick and easy cookies are packed with fiber and a good treat to help mesothelioma patients get essential nutrients so they stay strong for the fight. Note: you can omit the raisins if they upset the patient’s stomach.

Ingredients:

½ cup smooth peanut butter

½ cup honey

½ cup granola

½ cup crispy rice cereal

½ cup raisins

½ cup crushed graham crackers

Heat peanut butter and honey on low heat, stirring until creamy. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl to cool. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Drop into tablespoon-sized balls on waxed paper. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

Cottage Cheese with Banana Sauce

This is a very simple recipe. Sometimes, there is a very short window of time when a cancer patient has the appetite or ability to eat. In cases like that, quick, easy, and wholesome recipes like this are perfect.

Ingredients:

½ banana

3 tablespoons plain yogurt

Sugar to taste

½ cup cottage cheese

Squeeze cottage cheese to remove excess moisture. Combine the other ingredients and pour over the cheese. That’s it!

Chocolate Cheesecake with Berry Garnish

If you are in mesothelioma treatment, you know how difficult it can be to get enough calories on any given day. This smooth and creamy cheesecake is a real treat with Kahlua for an adult twist. Not only is it delicious, it’s also soothing for patients who encounter mouth sores as a treatment side effect. The strawberries aren’t just a beautiful garnish: they come packed with Vitamin C.

Ingredients:

1 cup plain yogurt

4 ounces cream cheese

¼ cup part-skim ricotta cheese

¼ cup maple syrup

3 tbsp cocoa powder

2 egg whites

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp Kahlua

Strawberries for garnish

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8×8 pan with cooking spray. In a blender, puree all ingredients but the strawberries. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 50 minutes or until done. Garnish with strawberries once cooled.

Mocha Cheesecake

This creamy cheesecake is rich and delicious—sure to spark the appetite of a patient in mesothelioma treatment. The smooth texture makes this dish easy to eat when a patient has mouth sores. For a different flavor, try adding amaretto liquor or fresh strawberries as a garnish.

Ingredients:

1 cup plain yogurt

4 ounces cream cheese

¼ cup ricotta cheese

¼ cup maple syrup

2 large egg whites

3 tbsp cocoa powder

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp brewed coffee

Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8 x 8-inch pan with cooking spray. Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth. Pour into pan. Bake for 50 minutes or until set. Cool, then garnish as desired.

Banana Cream

Here’s another dish that is soothing for painful mouth sores some patients experience during mesothelioma treatment. This is quick and easy to whip up, which is helpful when your patient has a fleeting appetite.

Ingredients:

Whipping cream

3 ripe bananas

2 tbsp raw sugar

Juice and grated rind of 1 lemon

Whisk cream until thick. Mash the bananas with sugar, lemon juice, and rind. Mix the banana mixture with the cream. Chill before serving.

Ice Cream with Toffee Sauce

This sweet treat is sure to perk up the appetite of a patient in mesothelioma treatment. It’s soothing to eat when chewing is difficult or when a patient has mouth sores as a result of treatment, and a good choice for patients who have lost significant weight.

Ingredients:

4 Mars bars

2 tbsp milk

4 tbsp cream

4 scoops of ice cream

Melt chocolate bars and milk over low heat. Stir in cream. Pour toffee and chocolate mixture over ice cream and serve immediately.

Chocolate Chip Mini Coffee Cakes

These little cakes aren’t too intimidating for a mesothelioma patient who is struggling to maintain a healthy appetite, and they are a delightful treat for everybody else in the house, too. These are delicious when garnished with fresh whipped cream or cream cheese and strawberries or raspberries.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup room temperature butter

½ cup sugar

1 egg

½ cup sour cream

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

¾ tsp baking soda

¼ cup mini chocolate chips

2 tsp cinnamon sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees and lightly coat two mini-muffin tins with cooking spray. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Add egg, sour cream, and vanilla, beating until well blended. Add flour and baking soda, mixing until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Spoon heaping teaspoons into muffin cups and top with cinnamon sugar. Bake 8-12 minutes, or until tops bounce back when touched. Cool in pan for 5 minutes.

World's Easiest Peanut Butter Cookies

If you are caring for a patient in mesothelioma treatment, you know that sometimes a sweet treat is the only thing that appeals to them. This is a super easy and quick recipe for peanut butter cookies that can be whipped up in a flash and are sure to appeal to everybody.

Ingredients:

1 cup peanut butter (smooth or chunky)

1 cup sugar

1 egg

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together. Form dough into 1-inch balls, placing them 1 inch apart on a baking sheet. Using the tines of a fork, make a criss-cross pattern to flatten each cookie. Bake 8-10 minutes until done.

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

These are really more like a cross between a muffin and a cookie and they are a quick, easy treat that can help patients in mesothelioma treatment keep the weight on. By using banana instead of sugar and omitting any oil, these are a healthy snack you can feel good about sharing.

Ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup oat flour

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt (we like sea salt best)

½ tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1 cup pureed ripe banana (about 2 large bananas)

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp chocolate chips or raisins

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix oats, flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add banana, vanilla, and chips or raisins. Place roughly 2 tbsp of mixture in mounds on baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake 14 to 15 minutes, or until set and golden brown. Cool on pan for one minute, then transfer to rack to complete cooling.

Spice Bread with Apples

This bread is quick, easy, and it smells absolutely delicious while it’s baking—sure to pique the appetite of a patient who finds it difficult to eat because of mesothelioma treatment side effects which often accompany chemotherapy and radiation. For a fast and easy treat anytime, freeze individual pieces of the cake.

Ingredients:

2 medium Granny Smith apples

3 tbsp lemon juice

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 ½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp allspice

¼ tsp salt

¾ cup light brown sugar, packed

3 tbsp canola oil

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 350 degrees and coat a 9-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Peel and grate apples, tossing with lemon juice to prevent browning. Combine flours, baking powder, spices, and salt in a large bowl, making a well in the center.

In another bowl, combine apples, brown sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, mixing until just blended. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out nearly clean.