Cooking with cancer

In 2003, Vestavia Hills oncologist Dr. Luis Pineda made an observation about cancer research. He noticed that while technology was advancing rapidly across the field, the treatment of weight loss, lack of appetite and malnutrition related to the cancer process was an area that could be vastly improved.

He looked through many cancer cookbooks available and found the usual casserole and meat recipes for cancer patients to be uninspiring and unoriginal.

“I was tired of seeing all these generic nutrition bottles and cans,” Pineda said.

Pineda, originally from Guatemala and a graduate of the UAB School of Medicine, decided to combine his knowledge of medicine with the art of cooking. He enrolled in the Culinary Institute of Virginia College and began experimenting with the different ways food affects the mouth and nasal cavities during the stages of cancer.

Nonprofit organization Cooking with Cancer, located on Laurel Road, will receive the Citizen of the Year Award in March. Pineda researches and develops beneficial recipes for cancer patients as well as their families, friends and caregivers. He has compiled well-researched recipes into a Cooking with Cancer cookbook with a goal to give a free copy to every cancer patient who wants one. So far, 25,000 cookbooks have been distributed worldwide.

“These are not just your grandmother’s recipes,” Pineda said. “These are recipes designed specially for side effects. Our goal is to create awareness of patients’ poor quality of life due to neglected nutrition from lack of enjoyment in eating.”

Pineda helps patients with side effects such as loss of ability to taste, mouth ulcers and an upset stomach.

His unique recipes include Jalapeño Ice Cream with Pickled Ice, Mango Folds with Coffee Sauce and Plantain Croquettes. Each recipe in his cookbook has a description of how it affects the mouth or digestion process and is put together with the families, caregivers and friends of the cancer patient in mind.

 “We don’t claim to be the solution to the problem,” Pineda said. “We just want to make a difference. Quality of care and quality of food is our main goal. We want people to enjoy life again.”

Visit cookingwithcancer.org.