Doctor Approved Munchies
Do you sometimes get the munchies! The ones where no amount of chips, dips and cookies seem enough?
I’ve had a few of those over the past couple of weeks. Yes, bring on everything salty, crunchy, sweet and chocolaty! I want it all!
I’ve been trying to snack on some healthier things, but the truth is, I’ve been cranky and stressed and not feeling great, so carrots and apples did not always work. Sometimes a girl just needs her chips and chocolate!
And speaking of munchies of some other kind, when I was undergoing chemo treatments, munching, or just eating period, was not always a pleasant experience, nothing tasted good and looked appetizing. Except on certain occasions. Medical marijuana is still a highly debatable issue, but working in a medical field, I’ve witnessed quite wonderful improvement of symptoms such as pain, nausea and anorexia in patients with advance diseases such as cancer or AIDS. Of course, those patients obtained the marijuana illegally, but sometimes even doctors have to turn away and agree that patients have a right to alleviate their suffering by any means possible. And if you ask my personal opinion, I’m all for legalizing and thus over-seeing and controlling medical marijuana just like any other narcotic medicines. It’ll bring more good than harm I think. Plus pharmacology and produced side effects of some psychiatric and other brain-affecting drugs are no better, and in some instances, worse than marijuana. Yet, they are all on a market.
And while several states are debating if medical marijuana could be legalized, Marinol, which is a synthetic cannabinoid in a pill form is widely available (though insanely expensive and not always covered by medical insurance). Marinol was my savior during the most intense post-chemo days, I couldn’t take a lot of it (a bit too strong for a chemo-weakened body:) ), besides the point that I had to pay over $100 for every few pills, but it was enough to survive the most-horrible post-chemo days.
Oh, and I did have the munchies! 🙂 They were doctor-prescribed!
What’s Cooking This Week
Dealing with snacking is never easy, you often succumb to the munchies and then feel guilty for not exercising more restrain or at least choosing some healthier options. This recipe I think is a perfect compromise between “what the soul desires” and “what the body needs”. So snack away!
Pink Series; Recipe #6
Roasted Vegetables Cashew Dip
1 cup of raw unsalted cashews
1 small beet
1 medium carrot
2 Tbspoons of mayo
1 tspoon of garlic powder
1 tspoon of seasoning (I used Herbamare)
The night before, soak cashews in water for at least 8-10 hours (make sure all are completely submerged in water). Wash but not peel a beet and a carrot, wrap them individually in foil and roast at 425 degrees until the knife runs through (the carrot will probably be ready in about 15 minutes, while the beet may take 25-30 minutes, depending on a size). Take them out of the oven, let them cool off and then peel both.
After that, drain the cashews, add together with mayo and blend or process in a food processor until the mixture is smooth. Cut the beet and carrot and add the pieces to the cashew mixture, process again until everything is blended, then add the seasoning and mix again (adjust the amount and seasonings as desired).
The dip is creamy and smooth yet completely healthy and tastes great with just about anything, corn chips, baby carrots, or whatever else you like. And the best thing, you won’t feel guilty having an extra serving.
Enjoy!