Low Sodium Adventures in Cooking

Low Sodium Grilled Corn

2011-03-27T21:15:00.000-04:00

Ed and I prefer the flavor of grilled corn over boiled corn. It is our preferred summer side dish, as long as we have room on the grill!

INGREDIANTS
corn, in husk
water
unsalted butter

DIRECTIONS
1. Soak the corn in water for at least 30 minutes
2. Place corn on grill, turn frequently, cook until done, about 15 minutes
3. Once the corn is cool enough to handle, remove husk
4. Butter corn, and enjoy!

Low Sodium Chicken and Apples

2011-03-27T20:50:00.001-04:00

I made this awhile back, and never got around to posting.

INGREDIANTS
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbl olive oil
1 firm apple (suchas a braeburn), cored, cut into 1/2in slices
1 cup apple cider
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbl minced garlic
1/2 teas dried thyme leaves
1/2 teas all purpose seasoning
2 Tbl dijon mustard

DIRECTIONS
1. Place each chicken-breast half between wax paper and pound with a meat mallet until about 3/4in thick
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute chicken until golden (about 3 min per side). Add apple slices, apple juice, onion, garlic, thyme, and seasoning. Cover and simmer 6 to 8 minutes, or until the chicken is fork-tender
3. Remove chicken and apple slices
4. Bring sauce to a boil for about 5 minutes, or until slightly reduced. Whisk in the mustard. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve

Adapted from: Real Simple

Low Sodium Roasted Vegetables

2011-03-27T20:33:00.003-04:00

I had a hankering for some roasted veggies the other night., and so I made this.

INGREDIANTS
3 parsnips, cut into thin strips
3 carrots, cut into thin strips
1/4 vidalia onion, cut into thin strips
1/2 teas. dried thyme
1 teas dried rosemary
1/8 cup olive oil
1 Tbl. balsamic vinegar
freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 475 F
2. In large bowl combine the vegetables
3. In a small bowl, stir together the spices, oil, and balsamic vinegar
4. Toss spice mixture with the vegetables until they are coated, and spread evenly on a large roasting pan
5. Roast for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked through and browned.

Adapted from: Saundra

Low Sodium BBQ Chicken

2011-03-27T19:53:00.001-04:00

This is an oh so easy, but incredibly tasty BBQ chicken recipe.

INGREDIANTS
Chicken
McCormick Roasted Garlic and Bell Pepper Seasoning (not salt free, but only 75mg of sodium per 1/4 teaspoon)
Apple BBQ Sauce

DIRECTIONS
sprinkle seasoning an both sides of the chicken. Grill until almost cooked through, brush on apple BBQ sauce, finish cooking until chicken is cooked through.

Low Sodium Apple Glazed and Stuffed Pork Chops

2011-02-05T17:38:00.001-05:00

One of favorite dishes, even though I haven't made it in awhile.

INGREDIANTS

4 pork chops

Stuffing:
1 1/2 teas chopped onion
2 Tbl olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 Tbl chopped celery
1 teas chopped celery leaves
pepper to taste

Glaze/Marinade:
4 granny smith apples, cored and chopped
1 (8oz) can crushed pineapple
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1/4 cup water
2Tbl honey
2 teas garlic, chopped
1 teas onion powder
1 teas cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place all glaze ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the apples are tender, about 15 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, then puree in a blender until smooth. Place the pork chops into a resealable plastic bag, and pour the apple puree overtop. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

3. In a large skillet saute onion in olive oil until tender. Remove from heat. Add the bread crumbs, apples, and celery. Mix all together. Cut a large pocket in the side of each pork chop. Spoon apple mixture loosely into pockets

4. In non-stick skillet (or cast iron skillet), heat oil to medium high and brown chops on both sides. Place browned chops in an ungreased 9x13 inch baking dish (or leave in cast iron skillet). Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake for 30 minutes longer or until juices run clear.

Low Sodium Crunchy Pork Chops

2011-01-25T19:09:00.002-05:00

I made this for the first time several years ago, and the recipe got buried in a pile of old printed out recipes. I rediscovered it and decided to give it a try in the low sodium way. We also had some left over finely chopped pecans, so I decided to toss some in for a little extra flavor.

INGREDIENTS
2 pork chops
1 egg
1/2 teas dijon mustard
1/4 teas dried oregano
ground black pepper
1 cup italian bread crumbs
optional: 1/4 cup finely chopped nuts (ie pecans/walnuts)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat broiler on high, spray broiler pan lightly with cooking spray (if you don't have a broiler pan, place a cooling rack into a baking sheet)
1) Trim excess fat off the pork chops
2) Beat egg in a shallow wide bowl, mix in the mustard, oregano, and pepper
3) Place bread crumbs on a large plate, add nuts if desired
4) Press each of the chops into the egg mixture, coating both sides
5) Dip egg coated chops into bread crumbs, covering them evenly
6) Bake for 10 mins, then flip, and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes or until cooked through

Adapted from: Nigella Lawson

Low Sodium Brown Sugar Crusted Pork Loin

2011-01-19T21:01:00.001-05:00

I searched online for a new pork recipe, and happened upon this. Ed loves sweet things, so I figured it would be right up his alley, and boy was I right. He took one bite and said "this tops the list!" I served it with the maple pecan green beans, and they were the perfect compliment.

INGREDIANTS

1 boneless pork loin roast, 4 to 6 pounds

1/2 teas minced garlic
ground black pepper
salt-free savory all-purpose seasoning
1 1/3 cups brown sugar, divided
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
4 apples, sliced

DIRECTIONS
1) Sprinkle roast with savory seasoning and pepper, then prick the roast all over with a fork or skewer.

2) In a cup or bowl, combine 1 cup of the brown sugar, the mustard, and vinegar. Rub all over the roast.
3) Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours.
4) Combine the remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar with cinnamon; Spread the mixture over the top of the roast. Top with sliced apples
5) Cover and continue cooking on LOW for 1 hour longer
6) If desired, pour off the remaining liquid and make into gravy

Adapted from: Diana Rattray

Low Sodium Beef Stirfry

2011-01-19T07:55:00.001-05:00

While looking for another interesting meal, and to use up stuff in our cupboard/freezer (due to a big snow storm), I combined a few recipes together to get this stirfry. The sauce is slightly gravy-ish, but a little extra soy sauce (low sodium of course) added at the table kicks the flavor up a bit more.

INGREDIENTS
Sauce:
2Tbl cornstarch
1 Tbl olive oil
2 teas brown sugar
6 tbl low sodium soy sauce
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup white wine
2 teas minced garlic
1/4 teas black pepper
1 teas ginger

Stirfry:
2Tbl olive oil
1 lb beef, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 vidalia onion, sliced
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 red pepper, chopped
2 cups broccoli

Rice cooked according to package directions

DIRECTIONS
1) place beef, and all of the sauce ingrediants (except for cornstarch) into a 1 gallon ziploc bag, marinate for 10 to 20 minutes (can be done while you chop and prepare the vegetables)
2) heat oil in large skillet or chef's pan (or wok if you have one), add beef (reserving the marinade), carrots, onions, and pepper and cook until vegetables are cooked halfway
3) add brocoli and cook through
4) mix cornstarch into reserved marinade, and add to skillet, heat until sauce is at desired consistency
5) serve over rice

Low Sodium Beef Daube

2011-01-18T17:16:00.001-05:00

I got bored of our usual rotation of dinners, and after diving through several of my cookbooks, I came across this recipe. I had never made anything with cajun spices so I was a little concerned...but it was AMAZING!

INGREDIANTS
2 Tbl olive oil
1 vidalia onion, cut into wedges
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 lb lean braising steak, cubed (I used stew meat)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, seasoned with 1 tsp all purpose salt free seasoning, and 1/4 teas ground black pepper
2 1/2 cups water
2 tbl minced garlic
2/3 cup red wine
2 Tbl red wine vinegar
2 Tbl low-sodium tomato paste
1/2 tsp McIlhenny's Tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp salt free cajun spice mixture

DIRECTIONS

Stove Top:
Heat oven to 350 degrees
1) Heat oil in a large oven proof pan add celery, onion, bell pepper, cook until softened, remove and set aside

2) coat the meat in the seasoned flour, then brown meat in the pan
3) Add stock, water, wine, vinegar, tomato paste, tabasco, and thyme, heat till simmering
4) Return onions, celery, and peppers to the pan, tuck in the bay leaves and sprinkle with the cajun seasoning
5) bring to a boil, transfer to the oven and cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the meat and vegetables are tender
Crockpot
1) Heat oil in a large oven proof pan add celery, onion, bell pepper, cook until softened, remove and add to crockpot
2) coat the meat in the seasoned flour, then brown meat in the pan, add meat to the crockpot
3) Add stock, water, wine, vinegar, tomato paste, tabasco, thyme, and bay leaves to the crockpot
4) Sprinkle with the cajun seasoning
5) Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours, or on low for 8 to 10 hours until the meat and vegetables are tender

Low Sodium Spinach Artichoke Dip

2010-12-11T23:24:00.000-05:00

Delicious, relatively healthy, easy and impressive dip for the holidays! I modified for a bit less salt and to reduce the fat. Yet another thing that I like and Ed doesn't. I served with Tositoes Natural chips because they are more like the fresh tortilla chips you get in a good Mexican restaurant.

INGREDIENTS

1 10-ounce box frozen cut or chopped spinach, thawed

1 12-ounce jar artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
1/2 cup whipped low-fat cream cheese
3/4 cup no-fat sour cream
1 cup grated reduced fat Cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 400° F.

Squeeze the spinach between paper towels to remove excess moisture.
In a medium bowl, combine the spinach, artichokes, cream cheese, sour cream, and Cheddar
Season with the pepper.
Scrape the mixture into a small oven-safe baking dish. Bake until lightly golden and heated through, about 15 minutes
Serve warm

NUTRIENTS
haven't figured out yet

Adapted from: Real Simple

Low Sodium Ham & Bean Soup

2010-12-11T23:17:00.000-05:00

Another dish that I love that Ed doesn't... at least I can make it for myself when he's not home.

INGREDIENTS
1lb turkey ham (Jennie-O has pretty low sodium, plus it is lower fat)
1 pkg of dry beans for bean soup (I used the 15 bean soup)
1 15oz can low sodium diced tomatoes
2 cups sliced celery
1.5 cups onion, chopped
2 cups sliced carrots
1/4 teas pepper
1 teas thyme
2 bay leaves
Water to fill crockpot

DIRECTIONS
Follow package directions for how to prepare the dry beans (normally you soak overnight in water, then drain)
Put all ingredients into the crockpot, cook on low for 8-10hrs.

Low-Sodium Chili

2010-12-11T23:11:00.000-05:00

I love chili, but Ed doesn't. So this recipe is mostly for me, but I kept it low sodium out of principle.

INGREDIENTS
1 onion, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 lb ground beef (low fat)
1 Tbl minced garlic
1 beer
2 14.5oz can low sodium diced tomatoes
1 8oz can low sodium tomato sauce
1/8 teas cayenne
1/8 teas paprika
1 teas oregano
1 teas all-purpose salt free seasoning
2 Tbl chili powder
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed (to remove some of the sodium)
1 cup corn, fresh/frozen

DIRECTIONS
Stove: Saute the onion, red pepper, meat, and garlic. Add remaining ingrediants, heat to boiling, and simmer for 1 hr.

Crockpot: Saute the onion, red pepper, meat, and garlic. Add remaining ingrediants, cook on low 8-10hrs or on high 4hrs

NUTRIENTS
haven't figured out yet

National Kidney Foundation Western Massachusetts Walk: June 2011

2010-11-16T21:40:00.000-05:00

Ed and I have registered to walk in the NKF Western Massachusetts Walk next summer. Last year we had a blast, and I reached all-star status by raising $1,000. We hoping to get a few others on our team, and for both of us to become all stars by each raising $1,000. We have several ideas brewing for additional fundraising to reach our goal.

We'd love any support!

Our team fundraising page

Low Sodium Rosemary Chicken

2010-11-06T19:38:00.000-04:00

I actually made this using 2 chicken breasts because it was all we had in the freezer, but it is intended for a whole chicken. You can add more veggies if you need them for the number of people you are serving. I choose enough veggies to feed Ed and I. You can also choose different veggies if you'd like. I choose aromatic vegetables to help add more flavor to the chicken.

INGREDIANTS
1 roasting chicken (or equivalent in parts)
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup white whine
1 stalk celery, chopped roughly
1 carrot, chopped roughly
4 small parsnips, chopped roughly

DIRECTIONS
Place chopped veggies in the bottom of the crockpot, place chicken on top, pour wine over chicken and veggies, sprinkle with garlic and rosemary.
Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high 3 to 4 hours

NUTRITION

Number of servings: 4

Calories: 147
Protein: 3.25g
Fat: 2g
Carbohydrates: 16g
Fiber: 4g
Potassium: 412mg
Sodium: 42mg
Cholesterol: 7mg

Adapted from: 3KillerBs

Low Sodium Sugar and Spice Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

2010-11-01T21:48:00.001-04:00

After carving our pumpkins on sunday, and knowing I like pumpkin seeds. Ed asked me "do you think we could roast the seeds with cinnamon or something like that?" It sounded plausible to me, so I did a quick search and found a simple low-sodium recipe, with no modifications required! To make it healthier I used vegetable oil, and not butter.

Sugar and Spice Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

NUTRITION
Number of servings: 8

Calories: 107.5
Protein: 4.42g
Fat: 9g
Carbohydrates: 4g
Fiber: 1g
Potassium: 118mg
Sodium: 3mg
Cholesterol: 0mg

Low Sodium Beef Lasagna

2010-10-30T19:48:00.002-04:00

I made this for our Murder Mystery party and has been raving about it everytime he eats a leftover. The red pepper gives it a little kick, but not too spicy.

INGREDIENTS
1lb extra-lean ground beef
2 tbl minced garlic
1 26 ounce pasta sauce (I used Newman's own)
1 14.5 oz can no salt added diced tomatoes
1 tbl balsamic vinegar
4 tbl fresh shredded basil
1 15oz container low-fat ricotta
2 cups shredded low sodium mozzerella cheese
1 egg
1/2 teas crushed red pepper flakes
12 cooked lasagna noodles
1/3 cup fresh grated parmesan

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350F
Brown the beef in a large saucepan, breaking into small pieces until no pink remains. Add the garlic and saute for about 1 minute. Add the pasta sauce, tomatoes, vinegar, and 2 tbl of the basil. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

In meantime, in a small bowl combine the ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, 2 tbl of basil, egg, and crushed red pepper.

Place 3/4 cup of sauce mixture in bottom of 13X9in baking pan (glass or porcelin is preferred over metal for more even cooking). Top with 3 cooked noodles, then spread 1/3 of ricotta mixture evenly over the noodles, top with 3/4 cup pasta-sauce, then sprinkle with 1/3 of mozzarella cheese.

Repeat the layers, ending with the final 3 noodles. Spread remaining sauce on top and sprinkle with parmesan, and cover with foil.

Bake for 30min; uncover and bake for 15mins or until bubbly. Remove from oven and let stand 15min before serving.

NUTRITION

Number of servings: 12
Calories: 296
Protein: 20.5g
Fat: 13g
Carbohydrates: 24.3g
Fiber: 2g
Potassium: 421mg
Sodium: 471mg
Cholesterol: 46mg

Adapted from: Real Simple

Low Sodium Beef and Noodles

2010-10-18T21:01:00.003-04:00

One of my favorite meals growing up. We always used to eat it over potatoes but it is just as tasty by itself.

INGREDIENTS

2lb Chuck Roast
1 cup chopped Celery
1 small onion
1lb bag Egg Noodles
black pepper
salt-free all purpose seasoning
flour
DIRECTIONS
Coat the chuck roast lightly in flour.

For stove top:
Brown the roast on both all sides in a large dutch oven with a small amount of oil. Add water to cover the roast adding the onion and chopped celery. Bring to a slow boil and cook for about 3 hours until tender.

For crock pot:
Brown the roast on both all sides in a large nonstick skillet. Add water to cover the roast adding the onion and chopped celery. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 4 hours, or until tender.

For both methods:
When roast is tender to the point of falling apart, remove the roast and cut into pieces. Replace roast into broth (turn crock pot on high) and add the noodles and cook until the noodles are done. Add all-purpose seasoning and pepper to taste.

NUTRITION
Number of servings: 10
Calories: 270
Protein: 24.7g
Fat: 12g
Carbohydrates: 114g
Fiber: 1g
Potassium: 412mg
Sodium: 77mg
Cholesterol: 74mg

Low Sodium Scalloped Corn

2010-08-25T20:10:00.011-04:00

I was searching for a different corn side dish, and found this in my old school Betty Crocker cook book and altered to be low sodium

INGREDIENTS
2 cups corn (if using frozen, thaw first)
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup red pepper, chopped
2 T olive oil
2 T flour
1 teas salt-free all-purpose seasoning
1/2 teas paprika
1/4 teas dry mustard
dash pepper
3/4 cup skim milk
1 egg slightly beaten
1/3 cup "Hint of salt" ritz crackers

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350F
Saute onion and red pepper in olive oil until onion is tender; remove from heat
Stir in flour and seasoning, cook over low heat, stirr until mixture is bubbly, remove from heat
Gradually stir in milk, heat to boiling, stirring constantly for 1 minute
Stir in corn and egg, pour into ungreased 1-quart casserole, cover evenly with cracker crumbs
Back uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes

NUTRITION

Number of servings: 4

Calories: 111
Protein: 3g
Fat: 4g
Carbohydrates: 15g
Fiber: 1g
Potassium: 148mg
Sodium: 28mg
Cholesterol: 1mg

Low-Sodium Mexican-Style Meatloaf

2010-08-25T19:53:00.000-04:00

I've been on a southwestern kick since visiting Tucson last week. Tonight I decided to make mexican meatloaf, something Ed and I had talked about since the diaster of trying to use tortilla crumbs in Italian meatballs. I made it up based on an old meatloaf recipe and my taco meat recipe. It turned out pretty tasty... I think next time I'll kick up the spices.

INGREDIANTS
1.5 lb lean ground beef
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup tortilla crumbs
1 egg
1/4 vidalia onion, chopped
1/4 red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup salsa
2 T minced garlic
1 teas salt-free all purpose spice
3/4 teas cilantro
3/4 teas cumin
1 teas pepper
cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS
preheat oven to 350F
combine all ingrediants except cheddar cheese in a large bowl using your hands.
Place meat into a loaf pan and shape into a loaf
Cook in oven for 60 min to 90 min, or until internal temperature reaches 160F
Sprinkle top with cheddar cheese, and continue cooking till cheese melts
Serve with salsa and sour cream

NUTRIENTS
USDA database is down so I can't post nutrition yet

The Importance of Reading Labels

2010-08-22T21:14:00.000-04:00

A recent article on "Please, don't pass the salt" I decided it was pertinent to post an article on the importance of reading labels. For those with kidney disease, lowering sodium intake to help control blood pressure is only half the battle... because of decreased kidney function, other electrolytes can get out of balance. For example, my husband has to limit his potassium intake. For those of you facing the challenge of adjusting to a low sodium diet know how tough it is. Also having a potassium limitation adds an additional level of challenge since potassium choloride is a common substitute for table salt in many commercial foods that claim to have "no salt added." For example, Heinz's "No Salt Tomato Ketchup" lists potassium chloride as one of its ingrediants, and the nutritional facts do NOT list how much potassium is in each serving. To me, it's very scary to know that potassium has been added, but not to know how much is in each serving. It took several weeks when my husband was first diagnosed to read the label of every brand whose brand says "no salt" or "low sodium" to figure out those that have not added potassium chloride to replace the sodium.

Green Beans With Pecans and Maple Vinaigrette

2010-07-31T15:55:00.002-04:00

I made these awhile ago and just kept forgetting to post the recipe!

INGREDIANTS

3/4 cup pecans
1/4teas black pepper
1/2teas all-purpose salt-free seasoning
2lbs green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup olive oil
2 T red wine vinegar
2 T dijon mustard
1 T pure maple syrup

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 400º F. Spread the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, tossing once, until toasted, 6 to 8 minutes. Let cool, then roughly chop.

Meanwhile, place green beans in a microwave safe dish, add 1T of water, and microwave on high until at desired doneness, about 3-5 minutes. Then add the pecans to the dish

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, all purpose seasoning, and teaspoon pepper. Pour over the green beans and pecans and toss to combine.

NUTRITION

Number of servings: 8

Calories: 200
Protein: 3.8 g
Fat: 16.5 g
Carbohydrates: 10.6 g
Fiber: 5 g
Potassium: 431 mg
Sodium: 16.6 mg
Cholesterol: 0 mg

Adapted from: Real Simple

Low Sodium Grilled Pizza

2010-07-29T22:48:00.001-04:00

That's right, grilled pizza! I had heard about and never done it, till last night. In the summer I avoid baking anything because I feel like it warms up the house too much, yet... I love pizza. I was inspired to finally try grilling pizza by the Good Eats episode.. however, Alton Brown uses a ton of salt, so I had to combine his recipe with another recipe for low sodium pizza from "Please, DON'T pass the salt!" The entire time while eating his pizza Ed kept saying "this is really good!" Tip to others trying this... if you decide to make 2 pizzas (like I did) make sure you time when you put the dough on the grill to allow you enough time to put the toppings on before you have to flip the second pizza... I didn't and ended up with a slightly burnt crust.

I used some no-salt added tomato sauce (15mg sodium per 1/4cup), sprinkled it with pepper and italian seasoning and then topped with minced garlic, onions, red pepper, Sargento low sodium mozzarella (140mg sodium per 1/4 cup) and boars head pepperoni (490 mg sodium per 16 slices). So with the dough, I think it came out to be about 1200 mg of sodium in an entire pizza.

INGREDIANTS

16 ounces all-purpose flour (measured by weight, not volume)
1 envelop instant or rapid rise yeast
1/2 tsp salt
10 ounces warm water (measured by volume... I usually use water that feels slightly warm on my wrist)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tsp sugar (Alton Brown uses 1 Tablespoon of malted barley syrup, but I couldn't find any and had run out of molasses... when I get some and try it again I'll fill you in on whether its bettter)

DIRECTIONS

Combine the flour and yeast in the work bowl of a stand mixer. Add the salt, water, olive oil, and sugar. Start the mixer on low, using the hook attachment, and mix until the dough comes together. Then increase the mixer speed to medium and knead for 15 minutes. Or, you can combine the ingrediants in a bread machine and use the knead function. If you dough is looking too sticky you can add more flour so it forms a soft ball of dough that doesn't stick to your hands. (if you need directions on how to tell if your dough is done kneading, see Alton Brown's recipe)

When dough is finished kneading, form it into a smooth ball. Lightly oil a bowl, and roll the dough in the bowl to coat with oil. Cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise at room temperature until it doubles in size (approx 1 hour).

Split the dough into 3 equal parts, and flatten each piece into a disk on the countertop. Form each piece into a ball. cover the balls with a tea towel and rest for 45 minutes.

(during the time that your dough is resting you should prep your pizza toppings)

Heat a gas grill to high and make sure the grill grates are clean and free of debris (allow to heat for at least 15 minutes)

Lightly flour your work surface and flatten 1 of the doughballs. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 16" round. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured pizza peel, or a flat cookie sheet (re-shape if needed). Do NOT add the toppings yet.

Oil the grill grates and decrease the heat to medium. Brush the dough with 1 to 2 tsp of olive oil and flip onto the grill. Close the lid and cook until the bottom of the crust is golden brown (about 1 to 2 minutes). Brush the raw side of the dough with 1 to 2 tsp of olive oil then flip. Top with your choice of toppings. Close the lid and cook until the bottom of the crust is golden brown and the cheese has melted (about 1 to 2 minutes). Remove the pizza to a cooling rack and let rest for 3 minutes before slicing.

NUTRIENTS
This is for the dough only, any toppings that you add will change the nutrition content.
Number Servings: 6

Calories: 324
Protein: 8.3 g
Fat: 5.33 g
Carbohydrates: 60 g
Fiber: 2.35 g
Potassium: 92 mg
Sodium: 196 mg
Cholesterol: 0 mg

Adapted from: Alton Brown and Shambo

Low Sodium Low Potassium Pasta Salad with Vinaigrette Dressing

2010-07-05T14:06:00.002-04:00

In the summer I love to eat pasta salad. I'll make a large batch and eat it for days. It's great as a meal or a side dish and helps keep the temperature down in the house. Sometimes I add chicken into the recipe to turn it from side dish into main meal

INGREDIENTS

Dressing:
1/3 cup cider-vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 T water
2 T olive oil
1 T plus 1 1/2 teas dijon mustard
2 1/2 teas sugar
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 teas pepper
1 teas dried basil
1 teas dried oregano

Salad:
1 lb cooked pasta of your choice, I personally use rigatoni
chopped vegetables of your choice, personally I use the following:
1 large tomato
1 cucumber
1/4 vidalia onion
1 carrots (chopped or shredded)
1 stalks celery

DIRECTIONS

Combine the dressing together in a bottle and shake well to combine. I normally make it first and let it sit and the flavors combine while I cook the pasta and chop veggies.
Combine all the salad ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour about half of the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Add more dressing to you taste.

NUTRITION
Number Servings: 8

Calories: 230.75
Protein: 7.68 g
Fat: 1.38 g
Carbohydrates: 46 g
Fiber: 3.11 g
Potassium: 200 mg
Sodium: 25.38 mg
Cholesterol: 0 mg

Low Sodium Key West Chicken

2010-06-28T20:24:00.001-04:00

We had this tonight with grilled squash as a side. It was really good, slightly heavy on the soy sauce flavor. We only marinated for 30mins, though, if you marinate for longer it may bring out more lime.

INGRDIENTS

3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

DIRECTIONS

1. In a gallon zip lock bag, blend soy sauce, honey, olive oil, lime juice, and garlic. Place chicken breast halves into the mixture, squeeze air out of bag and massage marinade to coat meat. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes.

2. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.

3. Discard marinade, and grill chicken 6 to 8 minutes on each side, until juices run clear.

NUTRIENTS
Number Servings: 4

Calories: 324.53
Protein: 50.79 g
Fat: 9.5 g
Carbohydrates: 5.68 g
Fiber: 0.125 g
Potassium: 901.75 mg
Sodium: 674 mg
Cholesterol: 151 mg

Adapted from: Tina B

Low Sodium Grilled Squash Medly

2010-06-28T20:02:00.003-04:00

We had this for dinner tonight with our Key West chicken. I thought it was really good, and Ed even said is good (he's not a big veggie eater).

INGREDIENTS

2 yellow squash, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges (optional)
4 oz sliced portabella mushrooms (optional)
1/2 vidalia onion, sliced and separated into rings
1 tsp minced garlic
2 T olive oil
2 T red wine vinegar
1 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp salt-free all purpose seasoning
1 T italian seasoning

DIRECTIONS

1.Preheat an outdoor grill to medium heat. Cut two sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil, each approximately 18 inches long.

2.Place the yellow squash, zucchini, tomatoes, mushroom, onion, and garlic in the center of one sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar; season with pepper, italian, and all purpose seasoning. Place second sheet of foil on top of vegetables. Fold edges together tightly to seal packet.

3.Place packet on the top rack of the preheated grill. Cook for 15 minutes. Turn packet over and continue to cook until vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

NUTRIENTS
Number Servings: 6

Calories: 77.83
Protein: 1.89 g
Fat: 4.91 g
Carbohydrates: 7.9 g
Fiber: 2.2 g
Potassium: 385.17 mg
Sodium: 8.5 mg
Cholesterol: 0 mg

Adapted from: Bud

Low Sodium Roasted Asparagus with Mustard Vinaigrette

2010-06-24T19:47:00.000-04:00

I love asparagus and this is the perfect pairing with the pork tenderloin recipe I just posted. Ed said the asparagus was "ok" but that's just because he hasn't learned to like asparagus yet.

INGREDIENTS
1lb asparagus, with tough ends cut off
3 shallots, cut in wedges
1 T olive oil
1/4 teas pepper
1/4 teas all-purpose salt-free seasoning

sauce:
2T cider vinegar
1T dijon mustard
1/3 cup olive oil

DIRECTIONS
toss ingredients together (except those for the sauce) to evenly coat. Whisk together sauce ingredients.

For grill: create a tin foil "pan" and place asparagus and shallots in a single layer, occassionly turning during cooking. Cook on medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes

For oven: heat oven to 400F, place asparagus and shallots in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, roast tossing once for 12 to 15 minutes

Serve warm with sauce drizzled on top

NUTRIENTS
Number Servings: 4

Calories: 209.5
Protein: 2.6g
Fat: 20.4g
Carbohydrates: 4.9g
Fiber: 2.4g
Potassium: 249.5mg
Sodium: 40.75mg
Cholesterol: 0mg

Adapted from: RealSimple.com

Low Sodium Pork Tenderloin

2010-06-24T19:11:00.004-04:00

It's been awhile since we've tried a new recipe. What more appropriate way to start the summer than to start GRILLIN'! I found this recipe on realsimple.com and just had to try it (after reducing the sodium). This recipe is sooo easy, and turns out sooo good! We had it with roasted asparagus.

INGREDIANTS
2lbs Pork Tenderloin
Salt-free spice mix (I used McCormick's Garlic and Herb)

DIRECTIONS

Coat the outside of the tenderloin with the salt-free spice.

Grill directions: heat grill to 400F (on our grill that was on low). Place tenderloin on grill, turning occasionally. Cook until well done (took us about 1.5hrs).

Oven directions: Heat oven to 400F. Heat 1T of olive oil in cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook turning, until browned (5 to 6 min). Transfer skillet to oven and roast until well done (25 to 30min).

Crockpot: Brown meat (as in oven directions), then cook on low 8 to 10 hrs

NUTRIENTS

Number Servings: 4

Calories: 437
Protein: 71.1g
Fat: 14.8g
Carbohydrates: 0g
Fiber: 0g
Potassium: 1054mg
Sodium: 152mg
Cholesterol: 220mg

Adapted from: RealSimple.com

Low Sodium Summery Stuffed Shells in Wine Sauce

2010-05-19T18:08:00.001-04:00

I made up this recipe by combining bits and pieces of several recipes to achieve what I wanted, a light stuffed shells recipe perfect for summer! Even though it is composed mainly of things that Ed won't eat by themselves (summer squash/zuccini, tomatoes, etc) it is an Ed approved recipe.

INGREDIENTS

1 box of large shells, cooked according to package directions

mozzarella cheese

For Stuffing:
5 T Olive Oil
1/2 vidalia onion
1lb chicken, diced (if you cut while still slightly frozen it is much easier)
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 lb zucchini/summer squash, diced
2T minced garlic
1teas dried thyme
1/4 teas black pepper

For Sauce:
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 cup unsalted butter (cut approx into tablespoons)
5 scallions, finely sliced (white and light green parts)
2T capers (Ed wasn't such a fan of the capers, will probably cut in half next time)
4 large tomatoes, diced

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil, then saute chicken, onion, and red pepper till cooked through. Add zucchini, garlic, pepper, and thyme, cook until zucchini is almost cooked through.
Arranged cooked shells in a glass rectangular baking pan, then fill with the stuffing. Top with desired amount of mozzarella cheese. If you want the shells to stay together better, put mozzarella inside each shell instead of just sprinkled on top.
In a medium sauce pan, add wine and lemon juice, cook on high until sauce reduces by half. Reduce heat and stir in butter 1-2 pieces at a time, adding the next piece when the others are almost melted. Add the scallions, capers, and tomato, cook till heated through and season with black pepper. Pour sauce evenly over the shells.
Place in oven and bake for 30mins.

Low Sodium Lemon Pepper Chicken

2010-05-14T15:29:00.000-04:00

I found this recipe tonight and didn't need to modify it very much at all to make it low sodium. It is definately full of flavor!

INGREDIENTS
2 Tbl McCormick no-salt added lemon pepper
1 1/2 teas dry mustard
1 1/2 teas dried rosemary
1 teas minced garlic
2 Tbl fresh lemon juice
1 cup dry sherry
2 breasts of chicken

DIRECTIONS
In a large zip lock bag combine all ingrediants and massage to mix all ingredients and completely coat chicken. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 min to 1 hour (if you soak too long it will take up too much of the lemon flavor and you will have very tart chicken). Cook on the grill until no longer pink in the center.

NUTRIENTS
working on figuring it out

Adapted from: BBQ Brian

Reduced Sodium Cheeses and reduced sodium recipes by Sargento!

2010-05-03T15:56:00.000-04:00

I'm wicked excited! We discovered that Sargento makes reduced sodium cheeses, and... our local grocery store carries them! It was a very pleasant surprise as we were shopping yesterday. Normally I don't give Sargento cheeses a second glance b/c I buy store brand cheeses. However, this week we had a coupon for Sargento and as we were comparing the prices, I noticed the reduced sodium cheeses. We haven't tried them yet, so I'll have to update you on whether they are worth the money.

Also, on their website they have a recipe brochure. I'm excited to give a few of their recipes a try!

Low Sodium Pulled Pork

2010-04-07T22:55:00.000-04:00

After looking around for a good pulled pork recipe and disappointed by all the recipes that said "add a bottle of BBQ sauce" I just made this up. I didn't measure anything, below is approximately the amounts that I used. Feel free to adjust as needed for how you like your BBQ sauce.

INGREDIANTS
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup molasses
2 Tbl yellow mustard
2 Tbl brown sugar
1/2 teas smoke flavoring
1/2 vidalia onion chopped
1 pork shoulder

DIRECTIONS
Place pork shoulder in crock pot, put onion and BBQ sauce on top of it. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or low 8-10 hours. When done remove shoulder from crockpot and shred using a fork, return pork to the pot and mix in with the BBQ sauce.

Low Sodium Bruchetta

2010-03-29T21:05:00.001-04:00

I had a girls night over the weekend and I brought bruchetta (made the low sodium way because, well, it is now my habit). Instead of messing with cutting and toasting bread, etc, I bought bagel chips (again, this was for a crowd not on a low sodium diet). Anyways, below is the recipe for the bruchetta topping I made. Using a food processor makes the prep wicked easy!

INGREDIANTS
6 roma (plum) tomatoes
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes (in oil)
1/4 cup fresh basil
3 cloves garlic (or 3teas minced garlic)
1/4 cup olive oil
2T balsamic vinegar
1/4 teas ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
Cut tomatoes into quarters and place into food processor, add the remainder of the ingrediants. Pulse until desired texture (about the look of salsa). Serve over toasted baguette slices, bagel chips, etc.

NUTRIENTS (topping only, not including bread/bagel chip/etc)
Number Servings: 16

Calories: 44
Protein: 0.45g
Fat: 3.9g
Carbohydrates: 2.3g
Fiber: .5g
Potassium: 116mg
Sodium: 11mg
Cholesterol: 0mg

Fresh (ie low sodium) Pork Products

2010-03-26T13:15:00.000-04:00

I am sooooo excited! I found a farm a few towns over from us that sells "fresh" pork products! Which means, it is uncured, and therefore the lowest sodium we can get! Ed will get to have ham for easter and not feel bad about it!

Thank you Open Meadow Farm!

Low-Sodium Chicken Parmiagna

2010-03-21T19:27:00.003-04:00

Last week Ed and I had veal parmiagna at his parents house, and since then I've been thinking about making chicken parmiagna, and I finally got around to it.

INGREDIENTS
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning
2 eggs
1 tablespoon water
1 cup homemade bread crumbs
1/2 cup reduced fat parmesan cheese
2 teaspoon garlic powder
8 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 cup reduced fat Mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS
Pre-heat oven to 400 degree F
Place chicken between 2 sheets of wax paper and beat with a meat mallet until about half the original thickness.
In a shallow dish, beat eggs with water.
In a second shallow dish, mix flour with pepper and all-purpose seasoning
In a third shallow dish, combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic, and parsley.
Dredge chicken in flour mixture, then egg, then bread crumb mixture, and place in a lightly greased glass baking dish.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked throughly and crust is brown.
Top with mozzarella cheese and bake for another 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted.
Place on a bed of pasta, top with spaghetti sauce, and enjoy!

NUTRIENTS
Number Servings: 4

Calories: 384
Protein: 62g
Fat: 7.6g
Carbohydrates: 13g
Fiber: .9g
Potassium: 519mg
Sodium: 345mg
Cholesterol: 154mg

Low-sodium Home-made bread crumbs

2010-03-21T16:40:00.000-04:00

I've been avoiding making anything that requires bread crumbs because I couldn't find anyplace that should any such thing. I finally decided to figure out how to make them myself.

INGREDIANTS
Low sodium bread (either the lowest sodium kind you can find at the grocery store, or bake some yourself from one of the low-sodium cookbooks)

DIRECTIONS
Place slices of bread on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a 300 degree F oven for 10 to 15 minutes until bread is dried. Let bread cool. Break bread into chunks and process in a food processor until they are the desired size.

You can use right away, or store in the freezer in a freezer bag until you are ready to use.

NUTRITION
The same as whatever kind of bread you used.

Our Staple Brands

2010-03-16T23:13:00.002-04:00

Knowing how hard it is to find brands that don't use salt (or use low amounts) but also don't replace salt with potassium, I decided to go through my cupboards and put up a list of brands that I keep in my cupboard.

Newman's Own: Not only are they some of the tastiest foods, they are also natural and don't use MSG which keeps their sodium levels low. Newman's Own even makes a pizza that uses uncured pepperoni, which I allow my husband to splurge and eat when he has a pizza craving. Of the few pre-made things we buy, I would say that 90% of them are Newman's Own.

Old London: Just the other day I discovered that Old London makes an unsalted Melba Toast that has NO sodium!

Pepperidge Farm: Pepperidge farm makes many "heart healthy" breads in which they have reduced the amount of sodium that they use. We pretty much exclusively buy pepperidge farm breads now.

Campbell's soup: I know, I know, all canned soups have loads of sodium, however, you just have to keep a few cans around. We buy the healthy request campbell soups, mainly for Ed's Nana's Chicken casserole as well as a few cans of chicken noodle soup for the few times he gets sick (which seems to happen a lot when I don't have time to make soup from scratch).

Ritz: Ritz now makes a "hint of salt" cracker. We normally have 1 box on hand.

McIllenny's Tabasco: Tabasco brand pepper sauce is the lowest sodium tabasco sauce that I've found.

Store brand: Our local grocery store, Stop & Shop, has some good things in their store brand. Their "no salt added" canned tomatos don't have any sodium or potassium added (they instead use calcium salt). They also have several all natural store brands that tend to be lower in sodium than the competitors.

Low Sodium Quick Hungarian Goulash (aka American Chop Suey)

2010-03-02T17:09:00.002-05:00

I haven't made this in awhile and decided to whip up a batch (with a few modifications of course). I've grown up referring to the dish as Goulash, but others may know it as American Chop Suey.

INGREDIANTS

1 lb ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

1 stalk celery chopped

1/2 red pepper chopped

1 T minced garlic

1 8oz can tomato sauce (no salt added)

1 16 oz can diced tomatoes (no salt added)

3 T Worcestershire sauce

2 T red wine vinegar

2 T brown sugar

2 teas paprika

1/2 teas dry mustard

1 teas basil
1/4 ground black pepper

dash of cayenne red pepper

1/2 box elbow macaroni

water

DIRECTIONS

Saute beef, onion, celery, red pepper, and garlic in a chef's pan until meat is brown. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, worcestershire sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, paprika, dry mustard basil, and cayenne red pepper. Fill pan half way with water, and heat on high till boiling. Add macaroni, and cook till pasta is soft.

Low Sodium Roast Chicken

2010-02-14T22:09:00.001-05:00

I made this a few days ago, and it turned out wonderfully... let's see if I can remember what I did... That night we then converted it to chicken noodle soup

INGREDIANTS
4 parsnips peeled and chopped
4 carrots peeled and chopped
1 vidalia onion, peeled and cut into wedges
1 roasting chicken
McCormick salt-free all-purpose
poultry seasoning
ground pepper
2 T minced garlic

DIRECTIONS
1) Prepare the chicken by removing giblets from inside and wash the chicken
2) Place the vegetables in the bottom of the crockpot, save a few wedges of the onion
3) Place wedges of onion inside the chicken cavity, with garlic, and a little bit of poultry seasoning
4) Season outside of the chicken with all-purpose seasoning, poultry seasoning, and ground pepper, place inside the crock pot
5) Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours

Low Sodium Apple Chicken Stew

2010-01-23T21:35:00.004-05:00

This is now one of Ed's favorite meals.

INGREDIANTS
4 parsnips, cut into 1/4-inch slices or 4 medium potatoes, cubed
4 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 medium red onion, halved and sliced
2 celery ribs (including leaves), thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 tablespoons olive
1 large tart apple, peeled and cubed
2 1/4 cups apple cider or apple juice
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 bay leaf

DIRECTIONS
1.In a slow cooker, layer parsnips/potatoes, carrots, onion and celery. Combine thyme, pepper and caraway; sprinkle half over vegetables. In a skillet, saute chicken in oil until browned; transfer to slow cooker. Top with apple. Combine apple cider and vinegar; pour over chicken and apple. Sprinkle with remaining spices. Top with bay leaves.

2.Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8-10 hours or until vegetables are tender and chicken juices run clear. Discard bay leaves. Stir before serving.

Adapted from: Carol Mathias

Low Sodium Meatloaf

2010-01-23T21:25:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite comfort meals!

INGREDIANTS
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
2 slices of darkly toasted low sodium bread, crumbled
1/2 vidalia onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
3/4 lb ground turkey
3/4 lb ground beef
2 T Worcestershire sauce
1 T McCormick Salt-free Garlic and herb spices
1/2 teas pepper
BBQ sauce of your choice

DIRECTIONS
In large bowl, combine all the ingrediants (except BBQ sauce) with your hands. Add more garlic and herb spices until it smells how you want it to taste.

For crock pot: Place mixture into the crockpot and shape into a loaf. Cook on low 5 to 6 hours. Spoon BBQ sauce onto meat loaf and cook 15 minutes longer

For oven: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place mixture into a large loaf pan, cover with BBQ sauce. Bake, uncovered, for 50 minutes. Remove from oven, let sit 10 minutes before slicing.

Portobello Chicken and Pasta

2010-01-19T21:02:00.001-05:00

Surprisingly tasty and super easy crockpot meal. Next time I may add a little sherry and cut down on the vinegar.

INGREDIANTS
4 frozen bone-in chicken breast halves
8 oz baby bella mushrooms
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juics
3 T water
2T olive oil
1T plus 1 1/2 teas dijon mustard
2 1/2 teas sugar
1 teas minced garlic
1/2 teas pepper
1 teas dried basil
1 teas dried oregano
1 package of pasta of your choice

DIRECTIONS

1.Place the frozen chicken breasts into a slow cooker, and arrange the mushroom caps on top of the chicken so that about half the mushrooms are facing up. Mix remaining ingrediants (except pasta) together in a small bowl to make dressing. Drizzle the dressing over the chicken and mushroom caps.

2.Place the lid on the slow cooker, turn it to the Low setting, and cook until the chicken breasts are no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 6 hours.

3.A few minutes before serving cook pasta according to package directions.

4.Divide the hot, cooked pasta among four plates, top each plate with a chicken breast and mushroom caps, and drizzle sauce over the top.

Chicken Enchiladas

2010-01-18T12:09:00.002-05:00

Below is a recipe for a really good chicken filling for my Basic Enchiladas

INGREDIANTS
aprox 2 cups cubed skinless chicken breasts, cooked unseasoned
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 teas minced garlic
1/2 teas ground cumin
1/4 teas chili powder

DIRECTIONS
mix all ingrediants together in a bowl. Follow instructions for Basic Enchiladas, using this as a filling in the enchiladas along with a handful of shredded cheese

Lemon Walnut Green Beans

2010-01-17T19:07:00.001-05:00

Very tasty all season side dish, and even better, quick and easy!

INGREDIANTS
1/2 lb green beans (1/2 bag of frozen)
1T olive oil
1/4 cup walnuts
2T lemon juice
1/4 teas dried thyme
pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Steam green beans in microwave until cooked (approx 3 min on high). Heat oil on medium high heat, add remaining ingrediants, cook till excess liquid is gone, stirring frequently (approx 3 min).

Low Sodium French Onion Chip Dip

2010-01-09T21:39:00.002-05:00

Ok, I realize the chips you will be dipping won't be low sodium (unless you buy the lightly salted kind, but still... not really low sodium), but, sometimes you just have to cheat.

INGREDIANTS

8 oz low fat sour cream
1 T onion flakes
1/2 teas minced garlic
1 teas worchestershire sauce
1 teas onion powder
1 teas garlic powder

DIRECTIONS

Mix all ingrediants together in a small bowl. Let sit at least 3 hours before serving (overnight is best to get all the flavors blended together).

NUTRITION

Serving Size: 1 tablespoon

Calories: 29

Protein: 1.07g

Fat: 2g

Carbohydrates: 1.7g

Fiber: .08g

Potassium: 43mg

Sodium: 10mg

Cholesterol: 5mg

Low Sodium Honey BBQ Sauce

2010-01-09T21:32:00.011-05:00

INGREDIANTS

1 cups ketchup (I make my own using the recipe in the AHA Low-Salt Cookbook)
5 teas minced garlic
1 cup water
1/2 cup honey
3 T molasses
3 T brown sugar
1 teas worcestershire sauce
1 teas low sodium soy sauce
1 pinch paprika
1 pinch ground white pepper
1 pinch ground black pepper
1/4 cup unsalted butter

DIRECTIONS
Put all the ingrediants into a medium sauce pan. Heat over medium low heat, and simmer until thick (approx 30 min to 1 hour)
NUTRITION
Servings per recipe: 28
Amount per serving
Calories: 51
Fat: 1.8 g
Cholesterol: 4.3 mg
Sodium: 14.7 mg
Potassium: 92 mg
Total Carbs: 9.4 g
Dietary fiber: 0.3 g
Protein: 0.37 g

Low Sodium Vegetable Dip

2010-01-09T21:26:00.016-05:00

My mom has been making this as long as I can remember. I made just a few changes to lower the sodium. Don't be afraid of the hot sauce, it is not a spicy dip at all.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup low fat sour cream
1/3 cup light miracle whip (unlike mayonnaise, miracle whip doesn't have dairy and so has lower potassium)
1 T onion flakes
1 T parsley
1 teas dill weed
1/4 teas garlic powder
2 to 3 drops tobasco sauce ( McIlhenny's has the least amount of sodium)
1/2 teas onion powder
1/2 teas celery seed

DIRECTIONS
In a small bowl, mix together all of the ingrediants. Let set at least 3 hours before serving, overnight is best (to give plenty of time for all the flavors to meld together).

NUTRIENTS:
Number of servings: 16

Calories: 35
Protein: 0.6g
Fat: 3g
Carbohydrates: 1.8g
Fiber: .09g
Potassium: 33mg
Sodium: 51mg
Cholesterol: 7mg

Low Sodium Memphis-Style BBQ Rub

2010-01-02T14:48:00.004-05:00

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup paprika

2 T packed brown sugar

1 teas black pepper

1 t chili powder (I made my own using recipe from the AHA Low-Salt Cookbook )

1 teas dry mustard

1 teas garlic powder

1 teas onion powder

DIRECTIONS

Combine all ingredients in a small container (with lid). Put lid on container and shake to combine. Store until needed. Keeps in a cool, dry place for 6 months.

Adapted from: Divine Dinner Party

Low Sodium Memphis-Style BBQ Sauce

2010-01-02T14:39:00.005-05:00

Nice sweet and tangy BBQ sauce. I'm going to play with this one and see if I can re-create the Blues City Cafe BBQ sauce that we love from Memphis.

INGREDIANTS

1 T unsalted butter

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1 1/2 cup ketchup (I made my own using recipe from the AHA Low-Salt Cookbook )

1/8 cup hot chili sauce

4 T brown sugar

4 T molasses

2 T prepared yellow mustard

1 T lemon juice

1 T low sodium Worcestershire sauce

1 T liquid hickory smoke flavoring

2 teas minced garlic

1/2 teas black pepper

1 t chili powder (I made my own using recipe from the AHA Low-Salt Cookbook )

DIRECTIONS

In a saucepan, slowly saute the chopped onion in butter until soft and just beginning to turn yellow. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Adapted from: Diane Rattray

Low Sodium Memphis Ribs

2010-01-02T14:32:00.004-05:00

Since our honeymoon we have craving Memphis BBQ again. We have almost used up our bottle of Blues City Cafe BBQ, so I decided to try my hand at making something similar myself.

INGREDIANTS

Rack of ribs

Memphis BBQ sauce

Memphis Rub

DIRECTIONS

Clean and trim fat from the ribs. Season the rib racks with the Memphis Rub. Rub the seasoning into the ribs then wrap or place in air tight container overnight in the refrigerator.

Smoker/Grill: Preheat to 225 to 300 degrees F and fill woodbox with hickory wood. Cook ribs slowly for about 4 hrs or until almost falling off the bone

Oven: Preheat to 225 to 300 degrees F. Cook ribs slowly for about 4 hrs or until almost falling off the bone

Serve with Memphis BBQ Sauce

Pralines

2010-01-01T18:31:00.004-05:00

My father in-law and I had a friendly competition for the best pralines. I won, courtesy of Paula Deen's Praline Recipe (with a few modifications).

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons dark corn syrup
1 cup evaporated milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups pecan halves

Directions

Put the sugars, corn syrup, milk, and butter in a heavy 2-qt saucepan. Over medium heat, stir mixture constantly with a wooden spoon until sugars have dissolved and mixture comes to a boil. Continue to cook to a soft ball stage, approximately 236 degrees F on a candy thermometer. (If you do a cold water test, drizzle a drop of candy into a glass of cold water, the ball of candy will flatten between your fingers when you take it out of the water.) Remove from heat and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.

Add the vanilla and nuts, and beat with a spoon by hand for approximately 2 minutes or until candy is slightly thick and begins to lose its gloss. Quickly drop heaping tablespoons onto waxed paper. If the candy becomes stiff, add a few drops of hot water.

Tigress' can jam

2009-12-06T19:13:00.001-05:00

I re-discovered the joy of canning when I had a few extra bags of apples, so I decided to join the Tigress' can jam and see what new recipes I can find, and to challenge my cooking creativity a bit more.

Chicken Stufffed Shells

2009-12-06T18:27:00.004-05:00

Off the box of our store brand jumbo shells, very tasty! Not sure how low sodium they truly are b/c of the cheese

INGREDIENTS

1 pkg of jumbo shells

2 cups finely chopped cooked chicken

1 small onion, chopped

1 T garlic minced

6T cream

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2T Basil

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4 t ground nutmeg

black pepper to taste

1 (32oz) jar spaghetti sauce (we use newman's own)

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350F

1. Cook jumbo shells according to package directions

2. In a large bowl, combine chicken, onion, garlic, cream, eggs, basil, parmesan cheese, nutmeg, black pepper, and mozzarella cheese (save some to sprinkle over the top)

3. Pour 1/3 of spaghetti sauce in bottom of a 9X13" glass baking dish

4. Fill shells equally with chicken mixture and place in baking dish on sauce

5. Pour remain sauce over shells, cover

6. Bake for 40 min

7. Uncover and spoon sauce over shells, sprinkle balance of cheese over shells

8. Bake an additional 10 minutes

Serves 9 to 10

NUTRIENTS

need to figure out

Low-Sodium Nana's Chicken Casserol

2009-12-06T18:00:00.003-05:00

Surprisingly, only about 400 mg of sodium per serving, and very very tasty, especially the next day. This is a recipe that was passed down from Ed's Nana (and I modified to be low sodium).

INGREDIENTS

4 to 6 breasts of chicken

1 can of low-sodium condensed cream of chicken soup (or heart healthy)

1 can of low-sodium condensed cream of mushroom soup (or heart healthy)

8 oz of sour cream (I use low fat or fat free)

1 to 2 sleeves of "hint of salt" Ritz crackers

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325F

1. Boil chicken till cooked through, shred or cut into small pieces

2. Spread chicken evenly over an ungreased 9"X13" glass baking dish

3. In a medium mixing bowl combine soups and sour cream; spread evenly over the chicken

4. Crush Ritz crackers into crumbs; spread evenly over the casserole

5. Bake in oven for 30 minutes or until top browns

NUTRIENTS

need to figure out

Low Sodium Rice Pilaf

2009-12-06T17:35:00.005-05:00

A very versatile dish that goes with pretty much anything. Here is my basic rice pilaf recipe, you can vary it in a variety of ways to go with your main dish, such as, add some chopped mushrooms, and almonds to go with a chicken dish; add some mushrooms, teriyaki sauce, and beer to go with beer teriyaki beef.

INGREDIENTS

1 stalk celery chopped finely

1 carrot chopped finely

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1T garlic, minced

2T olive oil

2 cups water

1/4 cup sherry

1 cup rice

pepper (to taste)

1T basil

1T oregano

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small sauce pan, saute celery, carrot, onion, and garlic in olive oil, until they just start to brown

2. Add water, rice, and seasoning, heat to boil, turn heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes

Low Sodium Cinnamon Pecan Rolls

2009-12-06T16:44:00.005-05:00

Very very tasty breakfast! This is based on the refrigerator rolls recipe. You can make 1/2 a batch of rolls for dinner, and use the rest of the dough for cinnamon pecan rolls for breakfast! Rolls can be prepared the night before and raised for about 1/2 the time (they will raise a bit more in the fridge), then put in the refrigerator till the morning.

INGREDIANTS

See refrigerator rolls recipe

1 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup softened margarine or unsalted butter

2T light corn syrup

1/4 cup pecan (or nut of your choice)

2T melted unsalted butter

1/4 cup sugar

1 t cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 375 F (if cooking right away, if cooking the next morning, skip)

1. Prepare refrigerator rolls recipe (this uses 1/2 of a batch).

2. Grease a 13"X9" pan

3. In small bowl, combine brown sugar, softened margarine/butter, corn syrup; drop by spoonfuls into the prepared pan; spread evenly. Sprinkle with pecans (or other nuts)

4. In another small bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar

5. Using 1/2 of the refrigerator roll dough, roll out dough into a 20"X12" rectangle; spread with melted butter, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar

6. Starting with the long side, roll up the dough like a jelly roll (or a cinnamon roll); pinch the edges to seal seams.

7. Cut roll into twenty 1" pieces, place cut side down in the prepared pan, cover and let rise in a warm place until light and doubled in size 30 to 60 minutes (or raise till 1.5 times in size, and store in refridgerator over night).

8. Bake for 25 to 30minutes in preheated oven or until deep golden brown

9. Cool in pan 1 minute, then invert on a large cookie sheet, and enjoy!

NUTRITION

need to figure out.

Low Sodium Refrigerator Rolls (Crescent Rolls or Clover Leaf Rolls)

2009-12-06T16:26:00.007-05:00

This has become a staple at my family's get togethers. My cousin's even won a few ribbons at the fair with it. Very simple, and very adaptable.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups of warm water (just hot enough so it feels warm against your wrist)

2 packages of yeast

1/2 cup sugar

2 t of salt (essential to aid in the yeast process)

1/4 cup shortening

1 egg (if you halve the recipe, still use 1 egg)

6-7 cups flour

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix together water and yeast

2. Add sugar, salt, egg, shortening, and 3 cups flour, mix well

3. Add another 3 1/2 to 4 cups of flour and mix until no longer sticky

4. If not making rolls right away (or if you only want to bake part of the batch and store the rest), you can grease the top of the dough, cover with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator for a few days

5. About 2 hrs before baking, shape dough into rolls (see below)

Crescent Rolls:

1. Using about 1/2 of the recipe, roll out the dough into a circle about 1/4" thick.

2. Spread dough with melted butter and sprinkle with flavor of your choice (celery or poppy seeds, garlic powder, or use your imagination)

3. Cut the circle into slices (like a pizza; easiest if you use a pizza cutter); roll into a crescent shape

4. Place on greased baking sheet in a warm place, cover, and allow to raise until double (about 1 1/2 to 2 hours).

5. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown

Cloverleaf Rolls:

1. Roll dough into 1" balls

2. Grease a muffin tin(s), and place 3 balls of dough side by side in each cup

3. Place in a warm place, cover, and allow to raise until double (about 1 1/2 to 2 hours)

4. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown

NUTRIENTS

Serving Size: 1 roll

Calories: 57
Protein: 1.36g
Fat: 0.9g
Carbohydrates: 10.6g
Fiber: .37g
Potassium: 15.6mg
Sodium: 74mg
Cholesterol: 0mg

Basic Enchiladas

2009-12-06T16:11:00.006-05:00

This is probably not very low sodium at all because of all the cheese, but this is by far the best enchilada recipe. My mom got it from her friend's mom who is mexican.

INGREDIENTS

2 packages of tortillas

1 lb of colby cheese (or jalapeño cheese for more spiciness)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 large can of tomato sauce (no salt-added)

1 lb cooked beef or chicken, and other fillings if you desire (see my Chicken Enchilada recipe for a good chicken based filling)

water

chili powder

1T flour

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 350 degrees

1. Mix together:

3/4 cup of tomato sauce

1/4 cup water

1 1/4 t chili powder

2. Heat tortillas on the griddle, dip tortillas in the tomato mixture, fill with onion, cheese (reserve 1/4 cup onion, and some cheese for gravy), and otherfillings (if desired) place in baking dish

3. Prepare gravy: brown 1/4 cup onion in olive oil, mix in 1T flour (making a rue), quickly mix in 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup tomato sauce, 1/2 t chili powder; add remaining cheese

4. Pour gravy over tortillas (in the baking dish)

5. Bake till heated through and sauce is bubbling

NUTRITION

haven't figured out yet

Beef Guinness Stew

2009-12-06T15:59:00.004-05:00

Although I don't like drinking Guinness, it makes a very yummy stew

INGREDIANTS

2 lbs boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 T all-purpose flour

1 t McCormick Salt-free all-purpose seasoning

1/2 t black pepper
2 t olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 T minced garlic
3 T water
1 1/2 T tomato paste (preferably no salt added)
1 cup water or low sodium beef broth
1 cup Guinness or other Irish stout
1 T homemade Worcestershire sauce
2 t drained brined green peppercorns, coarsely chopped (rinse throughly to remove excess brine) or dried green peppercorns (rehydrate in water for approx 1 hour)
2 t dried thyme

STOVE/OVEN DIRECTIONS

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Pat beef dry. Stir together flour, all-purpose seasoning, and pepper in a shallow dish. Add beef, turning to coat, then shake off excess and transfer to a plate. Heat oil in a wide 5- to 6-quart ovenproof heavy pot over moderately high heat until just smoking, then brown meat in 3 batches, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes per batch, transferring to a bowl.

Add onion, garlic, and 3 T water to pot and cook, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pot and stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in beef with any juices accumulated in bowl, water/broth, beer, Worcestershire sauce, peppercorns, and thyme and bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to oven. Braise until beef is very tender and sauce is thickened, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.

CROCKPOT DIRECTIONS

Pat beef dry. Stir together flour, all-purpose seasoning, and pepper in a shallow dish. Add beef, turning to coat, then shake off excess and transfer to a plate. Heat oil in large skillet over moderately high heat until just smoking, then brown meat in 3 batches, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes per batch, transferring to crockpot. Add 3T of water and scrap any brown bits from bottom of skillet and transfer to crockpot.

Add remaining ingredients to crockpot. Cook on low 8-10hrs or on high 4hrs.

Low Sodium Beef Stroganoff

2009-12-06T15:02:00.007-05:00

One of my most favorite dish in the world, probably because it has sour cream....

INGREDIENTS

1 lb beef tenderloin or sirloin steak

2T olive oil

1 medium onion, minced

1T minced garlic

1/2 lb sliced mushrooms

1 cup water (or low sodium beef broth)

3t flour

2T ketchup

1T basil/oregano

black pepper to taste
1/4 cup red wine or sherry

1 cup sour cream (1 small container, or half of a regular sized container)

1 package of egg noodles

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook noodles according to package directions, while they are cooking perform the following steps

2. Cut meat into 1/2 in strips about 1 1/2 in long

3. In large skillet, cook meat, onions and garlic in olive oil until onions are tender and meat is browned

4. Sprinkle flour over mixture in skillet, quickly mix together until meat is coated and grease is soaked up (forming a rue). Stir in water/broth right away.

5. Add mushrooms, basil, and black pepper. Stir mixture until gravy thickens (add more flour if needed).

6. Stir in ketchup, wine, and sour cream heat till warmed through.

7. Serve over noodles.

NUTRITION

need to figure out

Low Sodium Chicken and Dumplings (or Low Sodium Chicken Noodle Soup)

2009-12-06T14:26:00.010-05:00

A very delicious comfort food. If you cut back a bit on the veggies (but not the carrots or celery, they add essential flavor for the broth), omit the dumplings, and add some noodles, the recipe easily converts to chicken noodle soup.

INGREDIENTS

For soup:

1 (4 lb) whole chicken (or 4lbs of chicken pieces with the bone)

6 cups water

1 t poultry seasoning

1 t dried thyme

1 t dried sage

1/2 t rosemary

1/4 t black pepper

1 T minced garlic

1 onion chopped

1 1/2 cups chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped green beans (or other veggie of your choice)

1 cup broccoli (or other veggie of your choice)

For dumplings:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 t baking powder

3 T shortening or unsalted butter

3/4 cup milk

for extra flavor: add 3T fresh chopped parsley or chives; or 1/2 t dried herbs (sage, celery seed, or thyme)

STOVE DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot over medium high heat, combine the chicken (with the bones in), water, seasonings, onion, celery, and carrots. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer for 1 to 3 hours (the longer it boils the more flavor will come out of the chicken bones and hence the more flavor your broth will have)

2. After the soup has cooked for the desired time. Remove chicken, take off skin, and debone. Chop the chicken meat and return to pot

3. Add the green beans and broccoli (if you substitute other vegetables add them at the correct time based on how long they take to cook)

4. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and herbs (if desired). Cut in shortening thouroughly, until the mixture looks like meal (using a fork or a pastry tool). Stir in milk.

5. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto the simmering soup.

6. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Cover; cook about 10 minutes longer or until dumplings are fluffy.

CROCKPOT DIRECTIONS

1. Put all the ingredients for the soup into your crockpot.

2. Cook on low for 8 or more hours, or on high for 4 or more hours

3. Turn crock pot on high

4. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and herbs (if desired). Cut in shortening thouroughly, until the mixture looks like meal (using a fork or a pastry tool). Stir in milk.

5. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto the soup.

6. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Cover; cook about 15 minutes longer or until dumplings are fluffy.

NUTRITION

haven't figured it out yet

Low Sodium and Potassium Beef Stew

2009-10-28T09:05:00.010-04:00

Stew is one of my favorite meals, but because of the high amount of potassium in potatoes I decided to substitute turnips. Turnips have a slight cabbage like taste, and so work very well in stew. If you don't have to watch potassium, you can use 1.25lbs of potatoes instead.

INGREDIENTS
2.5lbs stewing beef 1 vidalia onion, cut into 8ths
2T minced garlic
1T tomato paste
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 celery heart (or 6 sprigs parsley, or 1t dried parsley)
1t dried thyme
2 bay leaves
2 turnips, cut into 1-inch pieces (can be soaked overnight to remove more potassium)
4 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 large cans of whole/diced tomatoes
5 cups water or low-sodium broth
3 t red wine vinegar or 1/4 cup red wine

CROCKPOT DIRECTIONS
Brown beef in a large non-stick skillet (may be done in batches), transfer to crockpot.
Deglaze the pan using enough water or red wine to cover the bottom of the skillet, approx 1/4 cup; transfer into the crockpot along with as much of the brown crumbles as you can
Add remaining ingredients (except for vinegar)
Cook on low for 6-10 hours (may be cooked longer if needed)
Remove bay leaves
Add red wine vinegar (if you deglazed the pan using red wine, you don't need to add vinegar)
Serve!

STOVE DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
Brown beef in a large non-stick skillet (may be done in batches);
Deglaze the pan using enough water or red wine to cover the bottom of the skillet, approx 1/4 cup; transfer this into the dutch oven with the water/broth, make sure you get as many of the brown crumbles as you can
In Dutch Oven, saute onion until lightly browned in olive oil (about 5 minutes)
Add garlic and saute until fragrant (about 1 minute)
Add tomato paste and cook, stirring until lightly browned (about 1 minute)
Add beef and scatter flour over the mixture, and cook stirring until lightly toasted
Add water/broth and bring to simmer
Add celery heart/parsley, thyme, and bay leaves
Cover and transfer to oven
Cook until meat is tender (about 1.5hours); can also be done on the stove at a low simmer

Remove pot from oven, skim fat from top.
Add potatoes, carrots, celery, and tomatoes, bring to simmer on stove top
Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the liquid thickens and the vegetables are tender (about 1 hour)
Remove bay leaves
Add vinegar (if you used red wine to deglaze the bottom of the pan you don't need to add the vinegar), and season with pepper to taste
Serve!

NUTRITION

Servings per recipe: 8

Amount per serving (need to figure it out)

Low Sodium Chicken Summer Pasta

2009-09-21T19:52:00.006-04:00

INGREDIANTS
1/4 cup olive oil
2 T dried basil
2 T minced garlic
1 teas dried oregano
1/2 teas sage
1/2 teas thyme
1 lb chicken cut in 1" cubes
1/2 lb finely chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 summer (yellow) squash cut into bites size pieces
1 lb spaghetti cooked

DIRECTIONS

Saute chicken and seasonings in the olive oil until cooked. Add mushrooms, squash, and sherry, simmer for 5 min. Then toss with spaghetti.

NUTRITION

Servings per recipe: 4

Amount per serving (need to figure it out)

Low Sodium Beer Teriyaki Beef

2009-07-26T11:44:00.008-04:00

I also served these as kabobs last night, they were also really really tasty!

INGREDIENTS

2 (16 ounce) beef sirloin steaks
1/4 cup dark beer (I used Sam Adam's Honey Porter)
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt-free seasoning (I used McCormick's Salt-free table blend)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 teaspoon minced garlic

DIRECTIONS

1. Use a fork to poke holes all over the surface of the steaks, and place steaks in a freezer bag
2. In a bowl, mix together beer, teriyaki sauce, salt-free seasoning, pepper, garlic and brown sugar. Pour sauce over steaks in the bag. Massage the bag a bit to ensure that the marinade has covered all of the steak. Marinade for at least 30 min, but can marinade over night in the fridge
3. Remove steaks from marinade. Pour marinade into a small saucepan, bring to a boil, and cook for several minutes
4.Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill steaks for 7 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. During the last few minutes of grilling, baste steaks with boiled marinade to enhance the flavor and ensure juiciness

NUTRITION

Servings per recipe: 4

Amount per serving

Calories: 530
Fat: 32 g
Cholesterol: 118 mg
Sodium: 266 mg
Potassium: 747 mg
Total Carbs: 9.7 gD
Dietary fiber: 0.1 g
Protein: 46 g

Low Sodium Tequila Lime Chicken

2009-07-26T11:10:00.006-04:00

I made this last night as kebobs, it is very very tasty! You can also use for fajitas, or just to eat whole.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup tequila
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/8 cup dry cilantro
3/4 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

DIRECTIONS

1) Mix together all ingredients, except the chicken, in a mixing bowl.

2) Pour the mixture into a plastic freezer bag (thinner ones will be too flimsy) containing the chicken breasts.

3) Marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour before grilling, or keep chilled up to 3 hours, if desired.

4) Remove from refrigerator (if chilled) and allow 30 to 45 minutes to come to room temperature prior to grilling.

5) Prepare the barbeque.

6) Grill chicken until cooked through, turning about every four minutes. Be careful not to overcook the chicken, or it will be tough.

Optional: For an exceptional taste, each time you turn the chicken, return each breast into the plastic bag to recoat with marinade.

7) Remove the chicken from the grill and wrap them in foil (they can be grouped two-to-three together depending on size); let stand at least five minutes prior to serving or slicing (this ensures uniform temperature and tenderness).

For fajitas: cut onions and peppers into strips and place in foil packet with marinated chicken with the reserved marinade and grill until cooked through

NUTRITION

Servings per recipe: 6

Amount per serving

Calories: 305
Fat: 19 g
Cholesterol: 93 mg
Sodium: 106 mg
Potassium: 406 mg
Total Carbs: 3.7 gD
Dietary fiber: 0.5 g
Protein: 31 g

Low Sodium Maple Ribs

2009-07-24T22:17:00.006-04:00

This was the second thing I made in my slow cooker. These aren't BBQ or saucy ribs, but they are wicked good! Putting them on the grill or under the broiler for a few minutes adds some brown color.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 pounds country style pork ribs
1 tablespoon real maple syrup
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1/2 onion, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 dash ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Combine ribs, maple syrup, soy sauce, onion, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, garlic and pepper in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for 7 to 9 hours.

NUTRITION

Servings per recipe: 4

Amount per serving

Calories: 346
Fat: 20 g
Cholesterol: 126 mg
Sodium: 241 mg
Potassium: 590 mg
Total Carbs: 6.0 gD
Dietary fiber: 0.4 g
Protein: 33 g

Low Sodium Pot Roast (slow cooker recipe)

2009-07-17T22:13:00.009-04:00

I got a crock pot for my bridal shower this weekend, soo... I will be experimenting with crock pot recipes now!

My crock is 6QTs, but you should be able to halve the recipe for a smaller crock and use the same cooking times. Instead of using potatoes, I used parnsips, not too bad, they kind of have a carrot taste. Parsnips are a "medium" potassium food, to remove more potassium let them soak in water over night. You could also use turnips.

INGREDIENTS

3 to 5 lb beef pot roast
salt-free spice mix of your choice (I used McCormick salt-free garlic and herb)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup water
1 vidala onion cut into approx 1" chunks (or 2 yellow onions quartered)
3 to 4 stalks celery, cut into 1" pieces
3 to 4 carrots cut into 1" pieces
4 parsnips or turnips cut into 1" pieces

DIRECTIONS

Season all sides of roast with the salt-free seasoning.
Add oil to saute pan, and brown roast on all sides over medium-high-heat
Place vegetables in the crock
Place roast on top of vegetables
Add water to crock
Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 hours, LOW for 10 hours, or until internal temperature measures at least 160 F
Cooking on low will result in more tender meat

NUTRITION (based on a 3lb pot roast)

Servings per recipe: 6 (8 oz of meat/serving)

Amount per serving

Calories: 474
Fat: 20 g
Cholesterol: 202 mg
Sodium: 129 mg
Potassium: 727 mg (not sure what this is with the parsnips or turnips)
Total Carbs: 6.2 gD
Dietary fiber: 2 g
Protein: 63 g

Low Sodium Beef Tacos

2009-06-24T10:08:00.006-04:00

This is one of Ed's favorite dishes. Corn tortillas have far less sodium than the flour version. I've found that Newman's Own salsa has the least amount of sodium. Obviously, the amount of toppings you put in the tacos will change the amount of sodium/potassium the recipe has. Below is the recipe I made up for the taco meat.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb lean hamburger

1/2 sweet onion chopped

2T minced garlic

1/2t pepper

1/2t cilantro

1/2t cumin

DIRECTIONS
Place hamburger, onion, garlic, and pepper in a nonstick skillet, cook until onions are soft and hamburger is browned. Drain grease. Add cilantro and cumin and serve.

NUTRITION
Servings per recipe: 8 (2 oz/serving)
Amount per serving
Calories: 548
Fat: 31 g
Cholesterol: 78 mg
Sodium: 51 mg
Potassium: 310 mg
Total Carbs: 48 g
Dietary fiber: 1 g
Protein: 19 g

Low-sodium Baking

2009-05-28T21:38:00.002-04:00

Both baking soda and baking powder are made using sodium carbonate, which adds sodium to your diet. For those of use who love baked goods, I have some good news. ENER-G produces a no sodium, no potassium, alternative to both the traditional baking soda and powder which uses calcium carbonate instead. You can get Ener-G baking powder/soda at Healthy Heart Market.

When you use Ener-G baking soda, you need to use about double of the regular baking soda in all of your recipes.

When using Ener-G baking powder, you need to use a little less than double what your recipe calls for and get into the oven a little quicker.

One thing to note, it does change the taste of food a bit. Personally, since Ed's blood pressure is under control, I've decided to just use regular baking soda/powder, and just omit the salt from most recipes.

For instructions on making low-sodium breads, I recommend purchasing a bread machine, and a low-sodium cookbook. The salt in normal bread recipes slows the fermentation of yeast, and so if you remove the salt the yeast also needs to be reduced. Therefore, unless you are feeling very adventurous, I recommend buying a low-sodium cookbook that includes bread recipes since they have already adjusted for the lack of salt

Alicia's Low Sodium Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-05-28T21:27:00.008-04:00

I created these chocolate chip cookies when I was in middle school I believe (altered from the Tollhouse recipe). Here I've altered them to be low sodium. You can get Ener-G baking soda at Healthy Heart Market

INGREDIENTS

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 t regular baking soda (2.5 t ENER-G baking soda)
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 t almond extract
2 large eggs
12-oz package of chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375° F.

Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla& almond extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in flour and baking soda. Stir in chocolate chips by hand. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

NUTRITION
(these are estimates, the brands of ingredients you use may change the nutrition facts)
Servings per recipe: 30
Amount per serving
Calories: 188
Fat: 10 g
Cholesterol: 8 mg
Sodium: 40 mg (7 mg with Ener-G)
Potassium: 64 mg
Total Carbs: 24.7 g
Dietary fiber: 0.9 g
Protein: 1.7 g

No-salt spices

2009-05-25T13:08:00.006-04:00

There are 2 brands of no-salt spices that I've discovered. One is Mrs. Dash, however, most Mrs. Dash products do use potassium salt, so if you have a potassium restriction you should be careful with them. Recently, I discovered that McCormick also has no-salt spice mixes, and they don't use ANY salt subsitutes so they should be safe for everone. The McCormick mixes have most of the same flavors as the Mrs. Dash mixes.

The American Heart Association's Low Salt Cookbook . contains recipes for making your own salt-free spice mixes including chili powder (yes, chili powder contains salt).

Low-sodium Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir-fry Recipe

2009-05-25T12:19:00.005-04:00

My mom has been making this for our family for years. It is one of my favorite dishes. However, due to the pineapple, this is not really low in potassium.

INGREDIENTS
Gravy:
Pineapple juice from can of pineapple
2 T Corn Starch
3 T of apple vinegar
1 t ginger
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 t hot sauce

Stir fry:
1 boneless chicken breast cut up in 1" pieces
1 T minced garlic
pepper to taste
1 med onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 bag of stir fry vegetables
1 can of pineapple chunks

DIRECTIONS
Combine gravy ingrediants in a 2 cup measuring cup and set aside.
Put olive oil in pan on high heat, add chicken breast and sprinkle with pepper stir until about 1/2 cooked.
Add the onion, and celery, stir until they are 1/2 cooked.
Add the frozen stir fry vegetables and stir until almost done
Add pineapple chunks and gravy mixture and stir until it thickens.
Remove from heat and serve on cooked rice

NUTRITION
I haven't figured it out yet.

Low-sodium Fresh Pickles Recipe

2009-05-25T11:29:00.007-04:00

My family makes these every summer just to munch on for a snack, or as a side.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup water
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
pepper to taste
vidalia onion
cucumber

DIRECTIONS
Choose a container big enough so that the liquid fills it about half way. Mix together water, vinegar, sugar and pepper. Fill container with sliced onion and cucumber.

NUTRITION
I haven't figured this out yet.

Low-sodium Cornbread Recipe

2009-05-25T11:23:00.008-04:00

One of our favorite side dishes. You can get Ener-G baking powder/soda at Healthy Heart Market

INGREDIENTS
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 T baking powder (2 T Ener-G baking powder)
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup cooked corn

DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 400F
Mix ingredients until well blended. Spread in a 9in pan (I like using cast iron or a glass baking pan) and bake for 20 to 25 min.
NUTRITION
I haven' t figured this out yet

Low-sodium Pancake Recipe

2009-05-25T11:08:00.009-04:00

Who doesn't like pancakes? You can get Ener-G baking powder/soda at Healthy Heart Market

INGREDIENTS

1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
2 T vegetable oil
1 cup flour
1 t baking powder (2 t Ener-G baking powder)
1/2 t baking soda (1 t Ener-G baking soda)
1 T sugar
1 tsp vanilla

DIRECTIONS
Combine all the ingrediants, mix with whisk until smooth (be careful not to overmix). Ladle onto a hot griddle. Flip when pancake is bubbly, remove from griddle when brown. Serve with maple syrup.

NUTRITION
I haven't figured this out yet

Low Sodium Worchestershire Sauce Recipe

2009-05-25T11:01:00.008-04:00

When my mom first figured out she was allergic to MSG we spent a lot of time in the kitchen figuring out how to make many things at home. This one of the least enjoyable of them, since I was the guinea pig and had to taste store bought worchester sauce and compare it to our own concoction

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup molasses
4 1/2 t minced garlic

1/2 t red pepper
1/4 to 1/2 t wood smoke
2 T brown sugar
1 t onion powder

DIRECTIONS

Mix well then heat in microwave until it bubbles (approx 1 minute), then mix again and let cool.

NUTRITION
Serving Size: 1 teaspoon
Calories: 13
Protein: .02g
Fat: .01g
Carbohydrates: 3g
Fiber: .02g
Potassium: 56mg
Sodium: 1.2mg
Cholesterol: 0mg

Cookbooks to live by

2009-05-25T10:22:00.003-04:00

The first low-sodium cookbook that I bought (the day after Ed was released from the hospital) was the The No-Salt, Lowest-Sodium Cookbook. We both love it. Not only are the recipes all delicious and full of flavor, but it is also full of tips for those who are just adapting to a low-sodium diet. Additionally, the nutrition facts for each recipe (including potassium) is listed as well as the sodium content of the ingrediants (so if you have to substitute ingrediants you can calculate how it affects the sodium content).

I just recently picked up the American Heart Association's Low Salt Cookbook . It is amazing. It is chockfull of ways to make the everyday things that Ed has been missing, including, breakfast sausage! This opens a whole new chapter in our cooking.

Low Sodium Apple BBQ Sauce Recipe

2009-05-25T09:02:00.008-04:00

This is a sweet BBQ sauce that is excellent on both pork and chicken.

INGREDIENTS1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup ketchup (I make my own using AHA Low-Salt Cookbook)
2 cups unpacked brown sugar
6 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
In a saucepan over medium heat, mix applesauce, ketchup, brown sugar, lemon juice, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and cinnamon. Bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat, and cool completely. Use to baste the meat of your choice.

NUTRITION
(these are estimates, the brands of ingredients you use may change the nutrition facts)
Servings per recipe: 28
Amount per serving
Calories: 74
Fat: 0.06 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 10 mg
Potassium: 72 mg
Total Carbs: 19.2 g
Dietary fiber: 0 g
Protein: 0.22 g

Acknowledgement: Adapted from a recipe posted by YULANDA_US on allrecipes.com