The Galveston County Daily News

Texans have been proud of native son Lance Armstrong for many years. After first making his name as the world’s top cyclist with seven consecutive victories in the Tour de France, he made an even more indelible mark on the world by launching the LiveStrong Foundation to fight cancer the way Lance Armstrong tackles everything — with full effort, a team of experts and a comprehensive, detail-oriented approach.

Friday is LiveStrong Day, a day set aside for advocacy and education. But cancer prevention can be on the menu every day of the year, with hundreds of recipes developed by health professionals and nutritionists available from several organization dedicated to cancer prevention.

The American Institute for Cancer Research estimates that one third of the 1.4 million cancers that occur in the United States could be prevented through diet and nutrition. Those prevention tactics include maintaining a healthy weight, staying active and choosing to eat mostly plant foods, limiting red meat and avoiding processed meat.

The institute has such a strong focus on nutrition that it maintains a toll-free nutrition hot line staffed by registered dietitians who specialize in cancer prevention. Calling the hot line at 800-843-8114 is an option for anyone with questions about healthy foods and making healthier food choices.

While the hot line can answer specific questions about salt, soy products and other topics, the institute also has been a source for healthy recipes for decades.

Many of the recipes focus on the foods with the largest role in preventing cancer — beans, berries, tomatoes, cruciferous and dark leafy vegetables, and whole grains. Other recipes in the institute’s extensive publications offer healthy ways to enjoy other foods, including meat, in tasty recipes.

The American Cancer Society also develops and publishes recipes with a similar objective, though they tend to, well, sugarcoat the subject a bit.

The organization recently sponsored a cake-baking contest as part of its “More Birthdays” campaign to encourage people to eat healthier as a way to live longer and celebrate more birthdays.

The group’s official birthday cake, “New Red Velvet Cake,” has received mixed reviews, however. Although it achieves its red color with beets instead of food dye, the cake and frosting contain enough sugar to make some nutritionists argue that it’s not much improvement over an occasional small slice of regular birthday cake.

The Cancer Society has published better and healthier recipes in a series of cookbooks that provide simple solutions to the challenges of eating a healthy diet. The latest, “The Great American Eat-Right Cookbook,” offers 140 recipes and even more motivation and encouragement, along with tips on stocking the kitchen for healthy eating and advice on modifying family favorites.

Both the American Cancer Society and American Institute for Cancer Research advocate eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, so it’s not surprising that most of their recipes incorporate several varieties of produce.

What may be surprising, though, is how enthusiastic even meat-lovers may be about some of the veggie-laden dishes once they try them.

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Black Bean And Corn Salad

2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained 1 cup fresh, frozen, or canned no-salt-added corn, drained 1 tomato, chopped 1 red, yellow, or green bell pepper, seeded and chopped ½ small red onion, chopped 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon ground cumin Salt and freshly ground black pepper ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

In a bowl, combine black beans, corn, tomato, bell pepper, onion and jalapeño.

In a bowl, combine lime juice, oil, and cumin and drizzle over bean mixture.

Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with cilantro.

Makes eight servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 125 calories, 2.5 g total fat, 6 g protein

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Greek Chicken With Tomatoes, Peppers, Olives And Feta

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-sized pieces 1/4 cup flour 8 teaspoons Greek seasoning salt, divided 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 large onion, sliced lengthwise 1 green pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced lengthwise into strips 3 Roma tomatoes, cut into eighths, or 1 can tomatoes, drained 3 tablespoons Kalamata olives, chopped 3 tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled

Greek Seasoning Salt 2 teaspoons of garlic salt 2 teaspoons of lemon pepper 2 teaspoons of oregano 2 teaspoons of dried mint

Dredge chicken in flour mixed with 4 teaspoons of Greek seasoning.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add chicken, sautéing for 3 to 4 minutes until cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Add onion to skillet and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add bell pepper and cook another 2 minutes.

Return chicken to skillet and cook 1 to 2 minutes, sprinkling with remaining Greek seasoning. Mix in tomatoes.

Remove from heat, transfer to serving dish, and sprinkle with olives and feta cheese.

Serves eight.

Nutrition information per serving: 210 calories; 9.5 g fat

— Recipe from “Celebrate! Healthy Entertaining for Any Occasion,” published by the American Cancer Society

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Tomato And White Bean Soup

1/2 cup chopped onion 1 teaspoon olive oil 1/2 cup thinly sliced celery 1/2 cup thinly sliced carrot 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic 1 can (28-ounce) diced tomatoes in juice 21/2 cups water 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon dried cumin Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 can (15-ounce) cannellini or Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained 1 jarred roasted red bell pepper, rinsed, patted dry, coarsely chopped (about 1/2 cup) 1/2 cup cut green beans (optional)

In large saucepan, cook onion and olive oil over low heat until onion begins to color, about 5 minutes.

Add celery, carrot and garlic; cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, water, oregano, basil and cumin.

Cover and cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender, 5-10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add cannellini beans, red bell pepper, and green beans, if using.

Cover and cook 10 minutes or until greens beans are tender and flavors are blended. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Tip: For a thicker soup, purée the beans and stir them in.

Makes eight servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 74 calories, <1g total fat (0 g sa turated fat), 14 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 3 g dietary fiber, 423 mg sodium

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Turkey And Rice Stuffed Red Peppers

4 medium red bell peppers, tops, ribs and seeds removed 1/2 pound ground turkey breast 1 cup cooked brown rice 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 peeled garlic clove, minced 1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained 1/2 cup corn fresh, canned or defrosted 1/4 cup finely minced flat-leaf parsley 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs, preferably whole-grain

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Taking care not to make any holes, cut a very thin slice off the bottom of each bell pepper, just enough to help them stand straight and firmly. Set aside.

For the filling, in a large bowl, combine the turkey, rice, onion, garlic, corn, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. Add beans, mixing in lightly with a fork so beans aren’t mashed. Set aside.

Divide the filling into four portions, packing each pepper with the mixture, mounding any extra at the top. Place stuffed peppers in a baking dish just large enough to hold them. Pour in 1 cup of water.

Cover the dish with foil and bake it in the center of the oven for 40 minutes.

In the meantime, combine cheese with the breadcrumbs in a small bowl.

After 40 minutes of baking, uncover peppers. Sprinkle cheese mixture over top of each pepper.

Continue baking the peppers, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes or until the peppers are soft when pierced wit h a knife but not collapsing.

Cool just long enough to be able to eat, 10 to 20 minutes, and serve.

Makes four servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 249 calories, 5 g. total fat (2 g. saturated fat), 31 g. carbohydrate, 19 g. protein, 6 g. dietary fiber, 505 mg. sodium