500 Low Sodium Recipes (18 page)

A white lasagna using chicken and Swiss cheese. This one is a bit more work, but great for people who’ve been missing lasagna. This just barely misses the 140-mg cutoff for the low sodium designation.

8 ounces (225 g) lasagna noodles

1 cup (160 g) onion, sliced

½ cup (60 g) green bell pepper, sliced

3 tablespoons (45 g) unsalted butter

2 cups (220 g) cooked chicken, diced

2 cups (475 ml) skim milk

¼ cup (28 g) all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons (10 ml) low sodium chicken bouillon

2 cups (220 g) Swiss cheese, shredded

Cook the noodles until tender, drain, and set aside. In a large skillet, cook the onion and bell pepper in butter until tender. Stir in the chicken. Combine the remaining ingredients except the cheese. Add to skillet; cook and stir until thickened. In a well-greased baking dish, make alternate layers of noodles, chicken mixture, and cheese, starting with noodles and ending with cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes at 350°F (180°C, gas mark 4).

Yield:
6 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
152 g water; 507 calories (40% from fat, 26% from protein, 34% from carb); 33 g protein; 22 g total fat; 13 g saturated fat; 6 g monounsaturated fat; 2 g polyunsaturated fat; 43 g carb; 2 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 489 mg calcium; 3 mg iron;
144 mg sodium
; 422 mg potassium; 13 mg vitamin C; 92 mg cholesterol

The glacé gives this a nice sweet-tart taste. The turkey is milder in flavor than beef, as well as being lower in fat.

1 ¼ pounds (570 g) ground turkey

1 cup zucchini, grated

½ cup (60 g) low sodium bread crumbs

1 egg

1 tablespoon (0.4 g) dried parsley

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

¼ cup (80 g) peach preserves

2 teaspoons (10 g) Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, gas mark 4). Combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Shape mixture into a loaf on a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes. Stir the preserves and the mustard together. Spread on top of the loaf. Return to oven until internal temperature is 165°F, about 20 minutes.

Yield:
8 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
71 g water; 191 calories (23% from fat, 49% from protein, 28% from carb); 23 g protein; 5 g total fat; 1 g saturated fat; 1 g monounsaturated fat; 1 g polyunsaturated fat; 13 g carb; 1 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 42 mg calcium; 2 mg iron;
68 mg sodium
; 293 mg potassium; 108 IU vitamin A; 4 mg vitamin C; 85 mg cholesterol

Here’s a good use for leftover smoked chicken. You could also use pork or beef. Try it with the onion rolls and a scoop of coleslaw on it and you won’t even miss the expensive sandwiches at your favorite barbecue restaurant.

2 cups (220 g) smoked chicken, shredded

For sauce:

8 ounces (230 g) no-salt-added tomato sauce

¼ cup (60 ml) vinegar

¼ cup (85 g) molasses

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon dry mustard

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Mix together sauce ingredients. Combine with chicken or spoon over chicken on the roll as desired.

Yield:
6 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
76 g water; 147 calories (22% from fat, 39% from protein, 39% from carb); 14 g protein; 4 g total fat; 1 g saturated fat; 1 g monounsaturated fat; 1 g polyunsaturated fat; 14 g carb; 1 g fiber; 10 g sugar; 43 mg calcium; 2 mg iron;
50 mg sodium
; 479 mg potassium; 249 IU vitamin A; 5 mg vitamin C; 42 mg cholesterol

This is an easy-to-make and low sodium version of the classic Greek sandwich. Many markets carry unsalted pita bread, or you can find it online at
SaltWatcher.com.

2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch (1 1/4-cm) strips

2 tablespoons (30 g) low sodium ketchup

2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil

1 ½ teaspoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 ½ teaspoons curry powder

4 pita breads, cut in half

1 ½ cups (30 g) lettuce, shredded

½ cup (90 g) tomato, chopped

1 cup (230 g) plain low-fat yogurt

Place the chicken strips side by side in a glass baking dish. Stir together the ketchup, olive oil, white wine vinegar, oregano, mustard, and curry powder. Pour over the chicken in the dish. Allow the chicken to marinate while you preheat the oven’s broiler. Broil uncovered for 15 minutes with the meat about 6 inches (15 cm) from the heat. Cook just until the chicken is cooked through, but not browned. Place hot chicken into pita pockets and spoon some of the juices from the pan over it. Top with lettuce, tomato, and yogurt.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
133 g water; 325 calories (27% from fat, 21% from protein, 52% from carb); 17 g protein; 10 g total fat; 2 g saturated fat; 6 g monounsaturated fat; 42 g carb; 2 g Fiber;184 mg calcium; 3 mg iron;
93 mg sodium
; 415 mg potassium; 341 IU vitamin A; 6 mg vitamin C; 26 mg cholesterol

This makes great sandwiches, and the food processor makes it easy. A few seconds will give you a perfectly ground and mixed salad.

1 cup (110 g) chicken, cooked

¼ cup (25 g) celery, chopped

2 tablespoons (28 g) low sodium mayonnaise

2 tablespoons (30 g) sour cream

½ teaspoon onion powder

Place chicken and celery in food processor and process until finely ground. Add remaining ingredients and process until well mixed.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
36 g water; 133 calories (65% from fat, 32% from protein, 3% from carb); 11 g protein; 10 g total fat; 2 g saturated fat; 3 g monounsaturated fat; 3 g polyunsaturated fat; 1 g carb; 0 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 19 mg calcium; 0 mg iron;
42 mg sodium
; 120 mg potassium; 118 IU vitamin A; 0 mg vitamin C; 38 mg cholesterol

Naming this one in fewer than ten words is a bit of a challenging. this would be perfect for the next get-together that requires bringing food. The flavor is great, although I’d have never thought of mixing Italian dressing and curry powder. It is wonderfully colorful, slightly yellow tinged overall from the curry, with the bright red, yellow, and green of the pepper, corn, and onion. Plus the meat is two colored, the part cooked with the black beans taking on an interesting purple/black tone. And best of all, it’s flavor will never give away the fact that it’s low sodium and it contains all sorts of good nutrients without much fat.

¾ cup (188 g) dried black beans

¾ cup (188 g) dried black-eyed peas

1 onion, chopped

2 cups (220 g) smoked turkey, chopped

1 cup (235 ml) Italian Dressing (see recipe, page 246)

¼ cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, chopped

2 teaspoons (4 g) curry powder

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 cup (160 g) green onions, chopped

1
⅓
cups (170 g) red bell pepper, chopped

1 ¼ cups (163 g) frozen corn, thawed

Place dried beans and peas in separate saucepans. Cover with water. Add half of onion to each. Bring to a boil and boil 1 minute. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour. Add additional water to saucepans if needed. Divide turkey between pans. Simmer 1 hour or until tender. Drain. Combine beans, peas, and turkey in a large bowl. Combine Italian dressing, cilantro, curry powder and, red pepper flakes. Pour over turkey and bean mixture while hot. Add green onion, pepper, and corn. Toss to mix. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Yield:
8 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
109 g water; 253 calories (35% from fat, 25% from protein, 40% from carb); 16 g protein; 10 g total fat; 2 g saturated fat; 2 g monounsaturated fat; 4 g polyunsaturated fat; 26 g carb; 5 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 66 mg calcium; 2 mg iron; 88 mg sodium;
603 mg potassium
; 715 IU vitamin A; 29 mg vitamin C; 24 mg cholesterol

“Beef … It’s what’s for dinner.” At least that’s what the beef producers’ ads tell you. And I have to admit that it is often true for us. We probably eat more red meat than is ideal. If you are like that, you probably want to make sure that you are careful with portion sizes. You’ll notice that we often opt for the leaner cuts like round steak over chuck and other fattier cuts. The ground beef is 90 to 93 percent lean. If you buy less lean cuts than this, be aware that it will add to the fat and the calories in the recipes. This chapter contains a variety of beef recipes, from burgers to steaks, with a good assortment of oven-roasted and slow-cooker recipes mixed in.

Now I happen to be one of those people who usually feel a little pepper is the only thing a good steak needs. Steak sauce is one thing I never missed because I never used it. But I have to admit that a steak done up this way is maybe even better than a plain one. Give it a try and see if you agree.

1 ½ pounds (680 g) beefsteak

1 clove garlic, cut in half

2 teaspoons (3.4 g) black peppercorns, crushed

¼ cup (55 g) unsalted butter

1 tablespoon (15 g) Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons (10 ml) Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon lime juice

Trim fat on beefsteak to ¼-inch (0.64-cm) thickness. Rub garlic on beef. Press peppercorns into beef. Mix together the butter, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and lime juice. Heat coals or gas grill. Apply sauce to steak; cover, and grill beef 4 to 5 inches (10 to 13 cm) from medium heat. Turn steaks and apply sauce again; cook until desired doneness.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
115 g water; 437 calories (52% from fat, 46% from protein, 2% from carb); 50 g protein; 25 g total fat; 12 g saturated fat; 8 g monounsaturated fat; 1 g polyunsaturated fat; 2 g carb; 0 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 40 mg calcium; 4 mg iron;
114 mg sodium
; 652 mg potassium; 366 IU vitamin A; 5 mg vitamin C; 161 mg cholesterol

I cooked this on the grill rather than in the oven, using a bottom round roast since briskets that haven’t been made into corned beef are kind of hard to find here. The flavor was great and it was falling-apart tender. The next day I had leftover beef on a leftover sesame seed bun for lunch.

3 pounds (1 ¼ kg) beef brisket

For sauce:

1 ½ cups (240 g) onion, chopped

2 tablespoons (30 g) honey mustard

2 tablespoons (30 g) brown sugar

1 tablespoon (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon chili powder

¼ cup (60 ml) red wine

¼ cup (61 g) no-salt-added tomato sauce

2 tablespoons (40 g) molasses

Preheat the oven to 325°F (170°C, gas mark 3). Place a 24-inch (60-cm) length of heavy-duty aluminum foil in a 13 × 9-inch (33 × 23-cm) baking pan. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl. Place the brisket in the center of the foil. Pour the sauce over the meat. Bring the ends of the foil together; fold over and continue folding down to the top of meat. Fold the sides up to make a neatly sealed package. Bake for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Remove from the oven. Trim any excess fat and thinly slice the meat across the grain. Skim the fat from the sauce with a spoon or fat separator. Serve the defatted gravy over the meat.

Yield:
10 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
116 g water; 420 calories (67% from fat, 24% from protein, 9% from carb); 25 g protein; 30 g total fat; 12 g saturated fat; 13 g monounsaturated fat; 1 g polyunsaturated fat; 9 g carb; 1 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 43 mg calcium; 3 mg iron;
92 mg sodium
; 532 mg potassium; 102 IU vitamin A; 5 mg vitamin C; 110 mg cholesterol

I came across this sauce and had it in my “curiosity” file for months. When I finally tried it, I was sorry I’d waited so long. I’m not sure what style you’d call it—it’s tomatoey, but neither sweet nor very spicy. It appears that you basically add a little from every jar on your spice shelf, but it does work. I made a larger batch of the sauce and we used the extra with chicken about a week later. The flavor is actually better the longer it sits, so it’s worth the effort.

3 ounces (90 ml) beer

½ teaspoon brown sugar

3 tablespoons (45 ml) vinegar

2 tablespoons (32 g) no-salt-added tomato paste

¼ cup (61 g) no-salt-added tomato sauce