A Man's Whirled author Chris Peterson answers some important questions on eating during cancer treatment.

What inspired you to write this book?

I’m a single dad and taking care of my son as well as the hectic pace of life in general meant that I needed a way to make nutritious and tasty meals as quickly as possible. I had used the blender for some dishes, and found I could adapt many others to the blender. It proved to be a quick, easy and fun way to create tasty dishes.

What was the first meal you made from a blender?

Going back about 15 years, I started making gazpacho, as a cool, refreshing and healthy summer meal.

Why is the blender the "vice-grips of the kitchen?"

Blenders can be used for quick food prep, and can also be used to store food (such as making marinade, and then soaking the meat or chicken in the canister). They can be used to process a range of foods, from sauces and soups, to dips, and dry mixes for blending. Cleanup is a breeze, because the mess is contained to one canister. It’s an amazingly versatile kitchen tool.

What are your favorite dishes for family dining?

Quiche has to top the list. You can play with the ingredients to suit different tastes (I use Italian blend cheese, but my son also loves Swiss) and it takes about a minute to prepare and 45 minutes to bake. Great for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I also like to make soups, especially now that the cold weather is upon us. The book has a really nice roasted red pepper soup in it that really warms the stomach and the soul. But what both my son and I really love are the desserts. We are shamelessly addicted to crème brulee and I love the chocolate mousse—another dish that takes a couple of minutes to make, fuss-free.

What is your son's favorite blender fare?

Hands down, it’s crème brulee. He also likes the gazpacho in the summer, and “Gridiron Gaucamole.”

The book includes a recipe for meat loaf.  Have you also tried making hamburgers in a blender?

I haven’t, but you could certainly mix up a seasoning mix in there!

As an organization dedicated to cancer survivors, we like to focus on foods that are more desirable if served at room temperature to ease nausea.  Like the (stomach settler drink).  Are there any meals that are better at room temperature?

Although I’m not a medical authority, I think a really bland version of the quiche might be just the ticket. It retains it’s flavor at room temperature, and by using mozzarella or Monterey jack and omitting the spices, the quiche would be bland and still flavorful, with a nice mouth feel. I think if you made the hummus with only 1/4 of the garlic and served it at room temperature with soft, untoasted pita, it might be feeling without exacerbating nausea, diarrhea  or other treatment side effects. The Goat Cheese Timbales could also be served room temperature, and have a subtle taste and very little in them that would upset the stomach or digestive tract.

Do you have any dishes that include lemon, lime or grapefruit? Since tartness is a comforting flavor for cancer survivors, due to metallic taste commonly associated with chemotherapy.

There aren’t many with those flavors, but a few of the recipes can be adapted. For instance, the Melon-Y Granita can be made substituting ruby red grapefruit slices (or a combination of lime and grapefruit). The granita could be dropped on the tongue and would have a tart citrus flavor with a hint of sweetness. The Lip-Smacking Lemon Bars are a blend of sweet and tart lemon flavor, with a strong lemon aftertaste, that might help beat a metallic taste. Lastly, the Summer Sparkling Soup could be used substituting 2 medium red grapefruit and 1 orange for the cantaloupe and melon respectively.

What recipe would you suggest to make for a holiday or special occasion?

I hate to admit—because it’s not as festive as some meals—but my Home Team Chili has gotten the best response for gatherings. Everyone seems to love it, and I serve it with Popover Clouds and a little sour cream as a topping.

What is your favorite family dessert in the book?

The most special one, and the one I pull out for occasions where I want people to fall in love with what they eat, is an over-the-top chocolate cake I named Decadence Cake.

I read the section on building your pantry. Can you find your ingredients in a local market? 

All my recipes were developed and adapted to use common ingredients found at most any grocery store or large market.

Regarding the fresh items (meats, fresh vegetables, fresh herbs).  Would you suggest hitting the grocery store once or twice a week? 

Because I live in an urban area, it’s a short walk for me to go to a green market. But even if you live in the suburbs or in the country, I recommend not going more than 2-3 days without shopping for fresh perishables, such as vegetables. It’s not just a matter of taste, either. Time robs even refrigerated items of their nutritional value. I would also say that it’s especially important for people with compromised immune systems to purchase organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible. There are just so many chemicals used in production food, and I think limiting exposure to potentially harmful agents in food is a wise strategy for anyone recovering from a major illness.

Did it take you long to get comfortable using the blender?

Blender cooking is very forgiving of errors, and it also allows for experimentation. Once you understand how different speeds chop the foods, you can play around with the blender to get textures that provide the mouth feel that you prefer. For instance, I like a chunky gazpacho, and my son likes it nearly smooth. I pour my out and then blend the remaining soup to a consistency he prefers.

Has cooking become just another task like laundry and cleaning the bathroom? Or do you enjoy cooking now?

I’ve always enjoyed cooking because I think it’s just another way in life to be creative. I also think it’s one of the most profound activities we do, and we treat it too casually for the most part. I find cooking can be a stress-reliever and there is something really fulfilling about cooking for family and friends—like expressing your love for them in a tangible way. Unfortunately, I’ve never that way about cleaning my bathroom.

Lastly, Since there aren’t any pictures of the finished meal, one can’t screw up cause you can’t say it doesn’t look like the picture!  However, with any new cookbook, we’re bound to screw up on the first try.  Do you have any suggestions of ways to correct a blunder in your blender?

Blender cooking is not a precise art, and the margin for error is great. I wrote this book with a sense of fun, and I’d like people to enjoy this type of cooking as much as I do. They should experiment, and not be afraid of things coming out differently than I describe in the book, because “differently” does not necessarily mean bad. If a total meltdown occurs, take a breath, think about what really matters in life, empty the canister and start again.To learn more about Chris Peterson's book A Man's Whirled please visit ww.simonsays.com