500 Low Sodium Recipes (15 page)

12 pound (5 kg) turkey

1 cup (235 ml) low sodium chicken broth or turkey broth

Preheat the oven to 500°F (250°C, gas mark 10). Using a hypodermic needle or baster-injector, inject the broth into the turkey. Let cook for 20 minutes or until the exterior is crisp, but not golden brown. Reduce heat to 375°F (190°C, gas mark 5). Let turkey roast until finished.

Yield:
24 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
112 g water; 177 calories (22% from fat, 78% from protein, 0% from carb); 33 g protein; 4 g total fat; 1 g saturated fat; 1 g monounsaturated fat; 1 g polyunsaturated fat; 0 g carb; 0 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 21 mg calcium; 2 mg iron;
110 mg sodium
; 457 mg potassium; 0 IU vitamin A; 0 mg vitamin C; 103 mg cholesterol

This recipe has been around a while. It makes a nice tender, juicy bird, either on the grill or in the oven. For a nonalcoholic chicken, substitute ginger ale. You should use the indirect method, which means that you set up your fire so that it is hottest away from the food. On a charcoal grill, arrange it in two piles at opposite sides of the grill. Place a foil drip pan in the center of the grill between the mounds of embers. On a gas grill, if it has two burners, light one side on high and cook the chicken on the other.

1 chicken, 4 to 6 pounds (1 ¾ to 2 ¾ kg)

3 tablespoons Memphis Rub (see recipe, page 32)

1 can(12 ounces) beer

3 cloves garlic

Remove and discard the fat from inside the body cavities of the chicken. Remove the package of giblets and set aside for another use. Rinse the chicken, inside and out, under cold running water; then drain and blot dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the rub inside the body and neck cavities; then rub the rest all over the skin of the bird. If you wish, rub another half-tablespoon of the mixture between the flesh and the skin. Cover and refrigerate the chicken while you preheat the grill.

Pop the tab on the beer can. Using a “church key” type of can opener, punch 6 or 7 holes in the top of the can. Pour out the top inch (2.5 cm) of beer; drop the peeled garlic cloves into the holes in the can. Holding the chicken upright (wings at top, legs at bottom) with the opening of the body cavity down, insert the beer can into the lower cavity. Oil the grill grate. Stand the chicken up in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan. Spread out the legs to form a sort of tripod, to support the bird. Cover the grill and cook the chicken until fall-off-the-bone tender, about an hour, depending on size. Use a thermometer to check for doneness. The internal temperature should be 180°F (82°C). Using tongs, lift the bird to a cutting board or platter, holding a metal spatula underneath the beer can for support.

Yield:
8 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
25 g water; 81 calories (66% from fat, 32% from protein, 2% from carb); 6 g protein; 6 g total fat; 2 g saturated fat; 2 g monounsaturated fat; 1 g polyunsaturated fat; 0 g carb; 0 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 6 mg calcium; 0 mg iron;
25 mg sodium
; 76 mg potassium; 48 IU vitamin A; 0 mg vitamin C; 27 mg cholesterol

This unusual recipe is a variation of one posted in the Busy Cooks forum on About.com. The spices give it a flavor similar to the carryout rotisserie chickens. The slow-cooking method leaves the meat very juicy and gives it time to absorb more of the flavor.

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon white pepper

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon chili powder

1 chicken, the larger the better

Combine the spices in a small bowl. Remove the giblets and neck from the chicken. Wash and dry the chicken inside and out. Rub the spices into the chicken inside and out, making sure to rub deep into the skin. Place the chicken in a sealed zip-top plastic bag and allow to sit in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to roast, remove the chicken from the bag and place in a roasting pan. Roast at 250°F (120°C, gas mark ½) for 5 hours. (Yes … that low, that long.) Ignore the pop-up timer if it has one. After the first hour, baste the chicken with the pan juices every half hour. At the end of roasting, remove the chicken from the oven and let stand 10 minutes before carving.

Yield:
8 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
19 g water; 34 calories (23% from fat, 66% from protein, 11% from carb); 5 g protein; 1 g total fat; 0 g saturated fat; 0 g monounsaturated fat; 0 g polyunsaturated fat; 1 g carb; 0 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 9 mg calcium; 1 mg iron;
20 mg sodium
; 71 mg potassium; 156 IU vitamin A; 1 mg vitamin C; 17 mg cholesterol

This is easier and quicker than the Sticky Chicken recipe but still gives you that little extra flavor that is reminiscent of the carryout rotisserie chicken. Be forewarned that the honey will give you a very brown skin. It is equally good cooked in the oven or in a rotisserie if you have one.

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon dried thyme

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ cup (85 g) honey

1 large roasting chicken (6 to 7 pounds, or 2 ½ to 3 ¼ kg)

Mix spices into honey. Brush onto chicken. Roast at 325°F (170°C, gas mark 3) until done, basting occasionally with pan juices.

Yield:
8 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
16 g water; 71 calories (18% from fat, 30% from protein, 51% from carb); 5 g protein; 1 g total fat; 0 g saturated fat; 1 g monounsaturated fat; 0 g polyunsaturated fat; 9 g carb; 0 g fiber; 9 g sugar; 7 mg calcium; 0 mg iron;
17 mg sodium
; 67 mg potassium; 163 IU vitamin A; 0 mg vitamin C; 16 mg cholesterol

This makes a nice hot-weather meal with a little potato salad and rolls.

½ cup (120 ml) apple juice

3 pounds (1 ¼ kg) turkey breast

Inject the apple juice into the breast. Smoke until done, 6 to 8 hours. Fruit wood chips preferred.

Yield:
12 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
93 g water; 131 calories (5% from fat, 91% from protein, 4% from carb); 28 g protein; 1 g total fat; 0 g saturated fat; 0 g monounsaturated fat; 0 g polyunsaturated fat; 1 g carb; 0 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 12 mg calcium; 1 mg iron;
56 mg sodium
; 345 mg potassium; 0 IU vitamin A; 0 mg vitamin C; 70 mg cholesterol

One of the best things about smoking a big roasting chicken is the leftovers. The other is how juicy and tender the meat is right out of the smoker.

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 large chicken, 4 to 6 pounds (1 ¾ to 2 ¾ kg)

Combine the spices and rub into the chicken skin. Smoke for 6 to 8 hours, according to smoker instructions.

Yield:
8 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
94 g water; 372 calories (47% from fat, 51% from protein, 2% from carb); 46 g protein; 19 g total fat; 5 g saturated fat; 8 g monounsaturated fat; 4 g polyunsaturated fat; 2 g carb; 0 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 24 mg calcium; 2 mg iron;
79 mg sodium
; 415 mg potassium; 132 IU vitamin A; 0 mg vitamin C; 137 mg cholesterol

This is a bit of an effort, which is probably a good thing, because it isn’t the healthiest thing you can eat, fat-wise. It also is not particularly cheap, no matter how good a sale the chicken is on, but it’s still a lot cheaper than a bucket from the local carryout, a whole lot more healthy, and to my mind much better tasting. It’s spicy, but not overly so. Don’t be afraid of the amount of cayenne in it; you end up throwing out a fair portion of both the marinade and the coating. Because of this, the nutritional analysis is going to show a bit higher figures than what you actually end up eating. An electric fryer or electric frying pan works best for this so you can easily control the temperature and get it crispy without burning. This recipe was developed from one on Epicurious.com. Most of the sodium is in the Dijon mustard and the buttermilk, so get the lowest-sodium variety you can or make your own mustard.

1 chicken, cut into pieces, 3 to 4 pounds (1 ½ to 1 ¾ kg)

For marinade:

2 cups (475 ml) buttermilk

¼ cup (60 g) Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon (9 g) onion powder

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon black pepper

For coating:

3 cups (330 g) all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon (14 g) sodium-free baking powder

1 tablespoon (9 g) garlic powder

1 tablespoon (9 g) onion powder

1 tablespoon (9 g) dry mustard

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 ½ teaspoons black pepper

Cut chicken into pieces. In a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag, combine marinade ingredients. Add chicken pieces. Seal bag and turn to coat chicken evenly. Refrigerate at least overnight and up to 2 days, turning occasionally. Whisk together coating ingredients in a 9 × 13-inch (23 × 33-cm) baking dish. Add chicken pieces to dish, allowing as much marinade to stay on the chicken as you can. Turn to coat evenly and thickly. Let stand in coating mix 1 to 2 hours, turning occasionally.
Chicken will continue to absorb flour. The idea is to get a thick coating completely covering the chicken to seal in the juices when it’s fried. Heat oil to a depth of at least 1 ½ inches (4 cm) in a deep fryer or heavy frying pan. Heat to 350°F (180°C, gas mark 4). Add 4 pieces of chicken. Reduce heat to 300°F (150°C, gas mark 2). Fry for 5 minutes. Turn carefully to avoid breaking coating. Fry until done through, about 15 minutes depending on size of pieces. Reheat oil to 350°F (180°C, gas mark 4) and fry the remaining 4 pieces the same way. Serve hot or cold.

Yield:
8 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
88 g water; 247 calories (8% from fat, 21% from protein, 70% from carb); 13 g protein; 2 g total fat; 1 g saturated fat; 1 g monounsaturated fat; 1 g polyunsaturated fat; 43 g carb; 2 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 182 mg calcium; 3 mg iron;
91 mg sodium
; 458 mg potassium; 412 IU vitamin A; 3 mg vitamin C; 20 mg cholesterol

A slightly tangy, not overly hot version of this Indian classic. If you like hotter food, you can add more cayenne. You can also use other chicken parts—thighs just happened to be what we had handy.

1 cup (230 g) plain low-fat yogurt

½ teaspoon cardamom

½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon turmeric

⅛
teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon bay leaf, crushed

½ teaspoon garlic powder

¾ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ cup (40 g) minced onion

¼ cup (60 ml) lime juice

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon coriander

8 chicken thighs

Combine yogurt with all other spices, mixing well. Prick chicken with a fork. In a plastic food bag or glass pan large enough to hold the chicken, cover the chicken with yogurt marinade, making sure all surfaces of the chicken are coated. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours, but overnight is best. Turn at least once while marinating. Grill over medium coals until done or place chicken in a greased roasting pan with marinade and cook at 375°F (190°C, gas mark 5) for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until chicken is tender.

Yield:
8 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
64 g water; 82 calories (24% from fat, 49% from protein, 28% from carb); 10 g protein; 2 g total fat; 1 g saturated fat; 1 g monounsaturated fat; 0 g polyunsaturated fat; 6 g carb; 1 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 75 mg calcium; 1 mg iron;
58 mg sodium
; 232 mg potassium; 70 IU vitamin A; 5 mg vitamin C; 36 mg cholesterol

I’ve always felt that one of the things I could do well was pick out recipes that my family and I would like. My daughter seems to have somehow learned this too. She was working on this one when we got home from work one night. The stir-frying and ingredients give it an Asian feel, although it doesn’t use the typical seasonings. It’s good over rice, and I would think it would go well with pasta too.

2 ½ tablespoons (35 ml) vegetable oil, divided

1 pound (455 g) sliced boneless chicken breast

1 egg

⅓
cup (43 g) cornstarch

2 onions, sliced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

6 ounces (170 g) snow peas

¼ cup (85 g) honey

2 tablespoons (16 g) sliced almonds

Heat 1 ½ (25 ml) tablespoons of the oil in a wok. Dip half the chicken in the egg and dust with cornstarch. Stir-fry until just cooked, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove and repeat with remaining chicken. Remove; add the rest of the oil to the wok. Stir-fry the onion until it begins to soften. Add the pepper and snow peas and stir-fry until crisp cooked, about 4 minutes. Add the honey and toss the vegetables in it until well coated. Add the chicken and toss until coated and heated through. Sprinkle the almonds over the top.