raig daniels
Recipes written around the realities of FOLFIRI — low-fat where it counts, timed to the cycle, and tested against a GI tract that is actively being poisoned.
The nutrition page covers what to eat and when. This section covers how to actually make it.
The target is 120–130 g protein per day throughout the cycle to prevent lean mass loss and maintain albumin ≥4.0 g/dL for HIPEC candidacy. Each recipe lists its protein contribution so combinations can be planned by day.
Days 0–6 — Treatment & Diarrhea-Risk Window
Chemo-Friendly Bone Broth
Days 0–6
Gut Recovery
Hydration
Low-Fat
Days 0–6 · Prep 15 min · Cook 8–12 hours · ~3 g protein/cup · Pair with protein source
The base recipe for every cycle. Low-fat, skimmed, and built around gut recovery during the worst days of FOLFIRI. Low in complete protein — use it for gut support and hydration, not your protein target. Pair with whey, eggs, or Greek yogurt.
MoreWhey Isolate Shake
Days 0–13
High Protein
5 Minutes
Low-Fat
Days 0–13 · Prep 5 min · No cook · ~25 g protein per serving
The most reliable protein source across the entire cycle. Whey isolate is low-lactose, low-fat, and requires zero GI effort to digest. On Days 0–3 when nothing else is tolerable, this is how you hit protein without stressing the gut. Two shakes a day covers 50 g before food is even in the equation.
MoreSoft-Scrambled Eggs
Days 0–13
High Protein
10 Minutes
Gut-Friendly
Days 0–13 · Prep 2 min · Cook 5–8 min · ~18 g protein (3 eggs)
Three eggs, low heat, no oil beyond a small amount of butter or spray. The technique keeps them soft enough to eat on Days 1–2 when anything firmer is a problem. Complete protein, easily absorbed, and one of the few foods that works from infusion day through recovery.
MoreGreek Yogurt Bowl
Days 0–13
High Protein
No Cook
Probiotic
Days 0–13 · Prep 3 min · No cook · ~20 g protein per 200 g serving
Non-fat Greek yogurt is one of the most efficient protein sources in the cycle — 20 g per serving, cold, requires no cooking, and takes 2 minutes. The live cultures add probiotic value that matters for gut flora recovery. What you add to it changes by day: plain on Days 0–4, banana and honey from Day 5, berries from Day 7.
MoreChicken Congee
Days 1–6
High Protein
Batch Cook
Low-Fiber
Days 1–6 · Prep 10 min · Cook 45 min–1.5 hours · ~30 g protein per bowl
White rice broken down to a soft porridge with poached chicken breast pulled through it. The rice is low-fiber and easy on a compromised gut; the chicken adds 30 g of complete protein per bowl. Batch cook before the cycle — it keeps for 4 days refrigerated and reheats with a splash of broth. One of the few genuinely filling options during the diarrhea-risk window.
MoreDays 5–13 — Recovery & Reintroduction Window
Baked Salmon Fillet
Days 5–13
High Protein
Omega-3
30 Minutes
Days 5–13 · Prep 5 min · Cook 12–15 min · ~34 g protein per 150 g fillet
The highest-priority protein source once the gut has stabilised. Salmon delivers 34 g protein plus EPA and DHA — the omega-3s with documented anti-inflammatory effects relevant to colorectal cancer. Baked at low temperature, it stays moist enough to eat without saucing. Aim for two servings per week from Day 5 onward. Atlantic or sockeye; avoid smoked or cured during the cycle.
MorePoached Chicken Breast
Days 5–13
High Protein
Low-Fat
Batch Cook
Days 5–13 · Prep 5 min · Cook 18–20 min · ~40 g protein per 180 g breast
The highest single-serve protein count in this list. Poaching keeps it genuinely low-fat in a way pan-frying and roasting do not. Batch poach 3–4 breasts at once; slice, portion, and refrigerate. Eat cold over rice, shred into congee, or serve warm with steamed vegetables. Straightforward protein logistics.
MoreRed Lentil Soup
Days 6–13
Plant Protein
Batch Cook
Anti-Inflammatory
Days 6–13 · Prep 10 min · Cook 30 min · ~18 g protein per bowl
Red lentils (not green or brown — they are softer and lower-fiber when fully cooked) with turmeric, cumin, and garlic. 18 g plant protein per bowl, and the turmeric load is meaningful — culinary amounts are safe across the whole cycle. Not a substitute for animal protein on its own, but a strong complement on Days 6–13 when variety matters for adherence.
MoreLow-Fat Turkey Meatballs
Days 6–13
High Protein
Batch Cook
Freezer-Friendly
Days 6–13 · Prep 15 min · Cook 20 min · ~30 g protein per serving (4 meatballs)
Ground turkey breast (not regular ground turkey — the fat content is too high) baked, not fried. 30 g protein per serving and the most freezer-friendly recipe in this list. Make a double batch before a cycle, freeze in portions of four, and pull them out on Days 7–10 when appetite returns but cooking motivation does not. Pairs with white rice, mashed potato, or steamed courgette.
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