Cooking Well for the Unwell: More Than One Hundred Nutritious Recipes [Hardcover]

Eileen Behan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1996

Food is one of the most powerful components of healing, yet knowing what to feed a loved one who is ill is not always easy. This one-of-a-kind reference and cookbook explains the most important nutritional concerns that arise with illnesses--from the common cold to AIDS--and provides menus tailored to individual needs.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Reaching way beyond chicken soup, Behan, a dietitian and contributor to the Tufts University Diet and Nutrition Newsletter, does offer two fine recipes here for that traditional cure-all. To help caregivers plan meals for the ill or convalescent, Behan explains essential nutrients and lists recommended daily servings of six food groups: protein, calcium, vegetable, fruit, grain/starch and fat/oil. The special needs of those with AIDS, cancer and those on certain restricted diets are considered. But most of Behan's advice is general: make every bite count, and make sure the patient gets lots of calories and protein. This is no time to worry about cholesterol levels, she counsels. Thus, Banana Buttermilk Pancakes use whole eggs and butter; Creamy Chicken Soup is enhanced with pureed baby-food chicken, evaporated milk and eggs; and Baked Stuffed Sweet Potato contains real sour cream and eggs. Among the expected comfort foods?pastas, puddings and custards?are such surprises as Curried Chicken with Fruit to pique a waning appetite. Recipes are quite easy and all have nutritional analyses. Included are suggestions (but no recipes) for feeding a sick child, warnings about nontraditional diet therapies and possible food-drug interactions and a resource list of medical professional and interest-group organizations.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

These books recognize the value of nutrition in fighting disease and offer ways of applying diet to attain better health. What To Eat Now, developed by the Northwest cancer support organization Cancer Lifeline, is a combination cookbook and nutrition guide aimed at cancer patients and survivors. The authors stress easy-to-follow tips on choosing and preparing nutritious foods. They also include recipes, some contributed by chefs at popular Seattle restaurants. The meal-planning section, which relies on organization and make-ahead meals, may be of less value to those patients whose appetites require more flexibility in food presentation. Ways of coping with the nutritional side effects of cancer treatment are emphasized. Cooking Well takes a broader approach by including chronic and acute illnesses that have critical nutritional components, such as kidney, liver, and lung diseases. The preservation of nutrients through proper preparation is explained, as is cleaning, storing, and cooking food to avoid contamination. Each disease's specific nutritional therapy needs are defined, and preventing malnutrition, tempting the poor appetite, and preparing special fare such as a liquid or soft diet are addressed. Recipes are included in each section, and a special chapter on sick children and a list of resources with recommended readings round out the book. Of the two titles, Cooking Well is more comprehensive and inclusive, making it an excellent choice for health collections.
Janet M. Schneider, James A. Haley Veterans Hosp., Tampa, Fla.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 364 pages
• Publisher: Hearst Books; 1st edition (July 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688113729
• ISBN-13: 978-0688113728
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,648,694 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

If you care about food, nutrition and family join Eileen's For the Love of Food Campaign, go to www.fortheloveoffood.org or search For the Love of Food Project on-line -because the best place to teach nutrition is right at home!

Eileen Behan is a member of the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and a registered dietitian. She has over twenty-five years of experience working with individuals and families. Eileen trained as a dietitian at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. She has worked for the Veterans Administration in Boston, the Harvard School of Public Health and Core Physicians in Exeter, NH. Eileen has published eight books on family nutrition. She has written for the Washington Post, Newsweek, Parents Magazine, Parenting and Tufts University Nutrition Newsletter. She is the family nutrition expert at www.momtourage.com and the founder of the education program For the Love of Food project www.fortheloveoffood.org

Eileen has appeared on numerous television programs to discuss nutrition including CNN, CNBC and the Today Show. She lives in the New Hampshire seacoast with her husband, two children, her pet pug Heidi, two barn cats and an assortment of chickens.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A winning cookbook for the unwell., June 19, 2008

By 

Vera C. Karger (Connecticut) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cooking Well for the Unwell (Paperback)

This unique cookbook covers a wide variety of illnesses, the most nutritious way to feed a patient with a specific illness and why, and some good recipes. It includes recipes for people who require pureed, soft, or chopped food. I've given it to several patients.