Sure, we’re trying to stick to an anti-cancer diet, but we still have to enjoy ourselves, right? And that means eating in restaurants every so often, indulging in some Kaeng Red (Red Thai curry, pictured here), but hold the chicken, lots of broccoli, please.

Asian restaurants are easy. Steam the veggies, add some sauce, forego white starch, meat and MSG.

• Chinese: Steamed broccoli or rabe (Chinese broccoli) with black bean sauce
• Thai:  Coconut curries with steamed vegies, including ample bok choy
• Japanese:  Oshitashi  (spinach salad with sesame seeds) and oshinko roll (pickled radish), but only if they’ve got brown rice   

The key to eating out is to get creative, and don’t be shy to ask.  Focus on crucifers, onions, mushrooms and leafy greens, especially—here’s that word again– the cruciferous ones. Arugula and watercress have much more to offer than simple lettuce.    

In virtually every restaurant, you’ll find pasta and salads on which to improvise: Hold the pasta. Bring the vegies and tomato sauce on a bed of slightly wilted arugula instead.   

Oh, onions would be a great addition, sautéed in just a little oil, preferably olive.  

Well, could you saute some portobellos in olive oil and garlic and throw them on the greens? And bring some olive oil and lemon on the side– and a bowl, please? I’ll mix my own dressing.

Sure, eating out means opening your mouth and likely encountering some troublesome ingredients, but we can’t always be perfect, right? Close counts; the poison is in the dosing, the pattern.  You can always return to your strict anti-cancer ways tomorrow.