Chemo Cookies: YumYum-snaps (Good with LOTS of Flavour)

YumYum-snaps (Good with LOTS of Flavor)

These cookies are for those times when food has lost all its flavor. We all know that chemo can deaden taste. Sometimes kids don't eat because nothing has flavor. When that happens in our house I make a batch of these cookies.
 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In your mixer's bowl mix the following with a paddle:

• 1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1 egg
• 1¼ cups chopped ginger (6 ounces)

Optional: 1 teaspoon of Texas Pete or other hot sauce (I do this on the really bad weeks) 
In a bowl separate bowl (not your mixer's bowl) combine the following and fork together:

• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp. wheat germ
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• 1½ tsp. ground cloves
• ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp. ground ginger
• ¼ tsp. salt

Slowly mix in the dry ingredients and beat for an additional minute. Scoop dough and roll with hands into 1 1/2 inch balls, roll in granulated sugar, then flatten. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake until chestnut brown and tops are cracked about 12-15 min. Cool for a couple minutes before transferring to wire racks to finish cooling. Make it a holiday cookie with a dusting of  powered sugar.

Chemo Parents’ Corner: Learning about Education

Parents’ Corner: Learning about Education

Chemotherapy can lead to memory loss and troubles in school for months and years after treatment ends. If you have a school-aged child like I do, it is a good idea to talk to their school about setting up some special accommodation for her or him before they come back into an education setting. Many hospitals have staff that can help parents set up a meeting with the child's school to explain what Chemobrain is like and what educators can expect. The school nurse is also a great resource at this point.

In up coming I'll post about Special Ed. 504s and IEPs within the United States education system.

Susan's Damage Control Cookies

Damage Control Cookies
(When nothing is going well)
From: Susan

This was originally posted by a woman named Susan as her go to recipe for chemo-management. I've kept these cookies on hand when my child couldn't handle another jab/poke/stab and just needed something...NOW!

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F and prep
baking sheets with parchment paper.

1 cup butter melted, or oil as substitute
1 cup Agave syrup (I use use maple syrup or honey)
1 egg
3 cups oats (I use old fashion, I don't know it quick oats work)
2 cups whole wheat flour (I use cake flours)
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup cocoa
1 cup raisins
½ cup chocolate chips

What to do:
1) Mix wet ingredients until they reach the consistency of butterscotch sauce.
2) Mix dry ingredients and add to wet. Batter will be stiff.
3) Use soup spoon (bigger cookies) or teaspoon (smaller cookies) to drop batter onto baking sheet.
4) Bake for 10 minutes, or until raisins puff and tops of cookies look dry.

I have been known to stash them in my car's glove box, in my satchel, and jacket pockets.

Chemo Smoothy

Pumpkin Pie Smoothy


There are lots of times that our kids can keep food down. This is one of a number of smoothies that I think work well.

• 2oz heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup vanilla Greek yogurt (not probiotic)
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup ice
• 1 tablespoon of turmeric

Place in a blender and mix until smooth