"Hilarie's Cancer Kickin' Salad In A Jar" Recipe

Green Is The New Pink

It's Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Of course you already know that.  Pink is EVERYWHERE these days.  Even the NFL has their football players wearing pink socks.  You can't turn on the T.V. or walk into the grocery store without seeing something pink.

Sometimes I feel that the pink campaigns are a little misguided.  Take this advertisement for a pink ribbon donut from a local pizza company.

Complete with frosting and pink sprinkles, this donut reinforces an unhealthy diet full of sugar, fat and carbs.  Since obesity is a risk factor for breast cancer, and sugar feeds cancer and makes it grow faster, I equate this donut with the ludicrous idea of selling packs of cigarettes to raise awareness and donations for the American Lung Association.

Don't get me wrong, I like pink ribbons and I appreciate the outpouring of support for Breast Cancer during the month of October.  I just want it to get real.  

I want you to forget pink for a little while and let me challenge you to think green instead and switch to buying at least some of your produce from the organic section of your grocery store.  Think of that as your contribution to the "Pink" cause this year.

In this post, I will explain why, and then leave you with a quick make-ahead recipe for "Hilarie's Cancer Kickin' Salad In A Jar" recipe.  Make a week's worth of these jars and you will be set for quick grab and go lunches.  I encourage you to use organic ingredients, of course.   

Why I've Become Passionate About Organic

Eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise are both things that women can do to help reduce the risk of getting breast cancer.  But unfortunately, there are many environmental factors that have been scientifically linked to cancer that are beyond our individual control.

I'm focusing today on just one of those factors, the chemical glyphosate, which is the main ingredient in the herbicide RoundUp, the most commonly used herbicide in the United States.   

Many countries, including Germany, Brazil, the Netherlands, and Argentina, have banned the use of glyphosate.  Many other countries, including France and Russia, have banned the use of GMOs, which includes crops that have been genetically modified to withstand the use of RoundUp.  The World Health Organization issued a statement earlier this year that glyphosate is a probable carcinogen. Nevertheless, the U.S. government Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to ignore reputable scientific studies linking glyphosate to cancer.

If you start researching, as I have, it isn't hard to find these studies.  One example is a 2013 NIH study http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23756170 which linked the chemical glyphosate to inducing human breast cancer cells to grow more rapidly.

So, as a breast cancer survivor,  I am asking you to please join me in the fight to rid our food supply of glyphosate.  Why would we use this substance on our food supply if it is even suspected of contributing to cancer?

Change requires grassroots movements and governmental action.  We can all help bring about change one step at a time.  Every time I buy an organic item in the grocery store, I think of it as a political statement and a financial contribution to a cause that I think is worth supporting.

Now Go Eat Something Green--

Hilarie's Cancer Kickin' Salad In A Jar!

Hilarie, a dear friend of mine from my college days, visited me last spring while I was undergoing chemo treatments.  Before she left, she bought some Mason Jars and whipped up a week's supply of these awesome salads for me.  They will stay fresh in your refrigerator for up to five days and are great for quick and easy weekday lunches, at home, work or on the go.

Ingredients:  (Listed in the order they will be added to each jar)

• 3 TBLS Salad Dressing Per Jar (Homemade or Store Bought) 
• (Optional) Garbanzo Beans (I use canned--drained and rinsed)
• Assorted Fresh Vegetables (e.g., red onion, chopped carrots, cucumber, broccoli, bell peppers)
• Whole Grape Tomatoes
• Baby Spinach or other salad greens--Enough to fill the rest of the Jar (NOTE:  The greens should be dry)
• (Optional) Nuts or Sunflower seeds)

Containers:  Quart Size Mason Jars

Layering is the key.  The secret is to not have your spinach or other greens touch the dressing, otherwise it will get soggy.  Also, pack your ingredients in tightly and they will stay fresher longer.

Directions:

1. Pour salad dressing in the bottom of the mason jar.
2. Next add garbanzo beans (if using), fresh chopped vegetables and grape tomatoes. Note:  If you are using onion, put it in first so it will be sitting in the dressing).  
3. Add spinach or other salad greens on top of the veggies. 
4. Add nuts or sunflower seeds on top.  
5.  Screw on Mason jar lid and refrigerate for up to 5 days.  
6. When ready to eat, simply turn the jar upside down into a bowl or plate, and toss!  

NOTE:  If you'd like to add chicken or feta cheese, simply add that to the top of the jar the morning you plan to eat it.