Category: CLL Recipes

CLL Book…Taking Topics

My four grandkids. It doesn’t get better than this!

It’s been a while since I’ve posted about writing a CLL book. I still want to! (I still haven’t.) I have compiled a list of important topics to be covered. I will list below. I’m taking suggestions. What would you like in a book like this (that isn’t included in the topics below)? I can’t promise that I’ll be able to write about any of your questions, but I have to say that when I read your comments, I always find myself learning more than I did when I first wrote the original post.

Here are my proposed topics:
(Keep in mind that a “topic” might turn into a whole chapter, or perhaps a small part of a chapter. It all depends.)

Living with CLL – It Doesn’t Have to be a Cure! (this might be the title)

Diagnosed with CLL: What to do? When to tell?

Doctors – Hematologists, Alternative Doctors, Alternative Practitioners/How to Find/ How to Choose

Blood Tests – what matters on a blood  test. Using DirectLabs.com

Supplements – What I (Denise) take and why. How to evaluate what to take yourself.

Alternative Treatments – Ultraviolet Blood Irradiation-Accupuncture- Vit C IV – Laetrile IV

Managing the Fear of a CLL Diagnosis

CT Scans and Other Tests

Cooking Low and Slow for CLL – Why? How? Basic Recipe?

Eating Organic Foods

Do I have to be Vegan or Vegetarian? Food Options: Veg/Fruit/Meat/Poultry/Fish/Nuts/Seeds/Dairy and ratios

Bone Broth Soup – benefits and instructions

Fermented Veggies – benefits and instructions

Eating Out/Plan Ahead or Plan to Fail

CLL and Living a Non-Toxic Life/pesticides/lawns/EMFs/house cleaning/personal care products/EWG.org/clothing/sheets/etc.

My Macrobiotic Experience and How it Helped (even though I’m no longer macrobiotic!)

Either You’re Committed or You’re Not/doctor has 15 minutes and you have  a lifetime/drugs/radiation/chemo/
(My husband and I disagree on this one. For the record, I think it’s fine to have conventional treatment if your life is immediately on the line. However, if you’re going to get well as a DIY project, if you’ve had conventional treatment or not, you have to live this lifestyle every day. EVERY. DAY. Hubby thinks it’s okay to do some things, that it’s better than nothing. I say, if you want results, get committed!)

Never Stop Learning

This is my list to this point. I am more than open to suggestion! Please comment. As always, wishing you all the very best of health! – Denise

 

 

 

Carob-Coconut Oil Bars for CLL

CarobBarsCLL
Carob Bars for CLL

I’ve been asked by a few of my CLL buddies to share some of the recipes I use in my daily life—in my quest for optimal health. One of the items I make at least each week, and eat nearly every single day are Carob-Coconut Bars. Coconut oil is a natural for anyone trying to improve their immune system. It fights nearly all pathogens (germs), including viruses, bacteria, and protozoa. There is documentation on youtube.com about its ability to improve Alzheimer disease, and perhaps prevent it.

The problem is that coconut oil is kind of tough to eat on its own. Personally, I’m not that fond of the coconut taste. But the good news is that the taste of carob is a bit stronger than the coconut flavor, and carob has its own natural sweetness, so no need to add any natural sweetener to make it palatable.  (I first tried making this with powdered chocolate, and found it was awful without sweetener.)

Ingredients for coconut oil carob bars.
Ingredients:

The ingredients are:

Coconut Oil (I buy organic from Costco)

Carob Powder (I buy from my local health food store)

Olive Oil (organic, cold-pressed from Trader Joe’s)

 

 

 

 

olive oil on lasagna pan
Olive Oil on lasagna pan.

Pour a tablespoon or so of the organic olive oil into a lasagna pan. This is so that the carob bars will be easier to remove from the pan when done.  I wasn’t specific about the quantity of each of the ingredients. This is because all you need to do is use equal amounts of coconut oil and carob powder. I buy carob in plastic containers at one of our local health-food markets. I wash them when empty and use them to measure the amount of coconut oil to use the next time. So, think 2 cups coconut oil to 2 cups carob powder. Simple!!!

 

 

 

 

A tricky thing, though, is that coconut oil is a solid, unless it’s hot out and you don’t use air conditioning. 🙂   Because of this, you need to measure out the amount of coconut oil you need for your batch (figure 2 cups), and heat it on a low flame in a saucepan. It will melt quickly.

coconut oil in saucepan

 

When the mixture is totally blended, pour into your greased lasagna pan.

carob in lasagna pan
pour into lasagna pan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Put into the refrigerator to cool. (Its’ right in front of the milk.) (Notice all the veggies and fruit in my refrigerator.)

carob bars in refrigerator
Carob bar pan in refrigerator.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carob Bars
Warming up a bit from the refrigerator.

 

 

 

After at least an hour, remove from refrigerator and let return to closer to room temperature before cutting into squares.

 

 

 

 

 

Carob squares
Cutting into squares.
Remove the square with a metal spatula.
Metal spatula removes squares.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I prefer to eat my carob bars cold, directly from the refrigerator. When I take them to work, I pack a freezer pack with it. It doesn’t taste as good warm…and the coconut oil gets mushy at room temperature.  That said, I’ve had regular civilians (company who are NOT into natural health!) enjoy these bars when served cold along with walnuts or almonds.

Options:
You could make them with chopped nuts inside. You could eat them frozen. (But be careful, I nearly chipped a tooth trying that; hubby has stronger teeth–no problem for him.)

Conclusion: These are a tasty, delicious dessert for those who have been dessert deprived (like me). I love them!!! I eat six to eight 1-inch bars each day. (They are about a quarter-inch thick. Sorry, I don’t know metrics, so please convert if you’re not from the US.) If you decide to give this a try, let me know what you think.

Wishing you healthy thoughts and life! – Denise