500 Low Sodium Recipes (25 page)

2 cups (330 g) rice, cooked

4 eggs, beaten, divided

2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, melted

½ teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon minced onion

1 can (6 ounces, or 170 g) low sodium tuna

1 cup (235 ml) skim milk

4 ounces (115 g) Swiss cheese, shredded

Combine rice, 1 egg, the melted butter, the basil, and the onion. Press into the bottom of an 8 × 8-inch (20 × 20-cm) baking dish sprayed with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Spread tuna over top. Combine remaining eggs, milk, and cheese and pour over top. Bake at 350°F (180°C, gas mark 4) for 40 to 45 minutes until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
195 g water; 314 calories (36% from fat, 29% from protein, 35% from carb); 22 g protein; 12 g total fat; 6 g saturated fat; 4 g monounsaturated fat; 1 g polyunsaturated fat; 27 g carb; 1 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 147 mg calcium; 3 mg iron;
142 mg sodium
; 345 mg potassium; 616 IU vitamin A; 2 mg vitamin C; 274 mg cholesterol

A good meal for hot weather. The veggies can be varied to suit your taste. Feel free to use whatever you have on hand and/or usually use for pasta salad.

1 can (6 ounces, or 170 g) low sodium tuna

1 ½ cups (75 g) pasta, cooked, drained, and cooled

2 tablespoons zucchini, chopped

2 tablespoons (12.5 g) celery, chopped

2 tablespoons (15 g) carrot, shredded

2 tablespoons (15 g) green bell pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons (17 g) cucumber, chopped

¼ cup (60 g) low sodium mayonnaise

¼ cup (60 g) sour cream

½ teaspoon celery seed

½ teaspoon onion powder

4 tomatoes

Lettuce leaves

Mix together tuna, pasta, veggies, mayonnaise, sour cream, and spices. Remove stems and hard centers from tomatoes. Cut almost through in both directions, leaving 4 wedges. Place tomatoes on lettuce on a plate, spreading them out. Pile the salad in the middle.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
61 g water; 237 calories (57% from fat, 23% from protein, 21% from carb); 13 g protein; 15 g total fat; 4 g saturated fat; 4 g monounsaturated fat; 6 g polyunsaturated fat; 12 g carb; 1 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 38 mg calcium; 1 mg iron;
42 mg sodium
; 204 mg potassium; 682 IU vitamin A; 3 mg vitamin C; 40 mg cholesterol

During the winter, we have soup or chili at least twice a week. It’s the sort of thing that really warms you up on a cold day. But soup also works well in warmer weather. Most of these recipes can be made in a slow cooker, allowing you to cook without heating up the kitchen. A simple soup may turn out to be just the kind of light fare you are looking for during the summer. Add to this that soups in general are nutritionally rich and low in fat and they are the kind of thing that you may want to consider having more often.

This has been a family favorite for quite a while. It’s a low sodium adaptation of a recipe I found at busycooks.about.com. Unfortunately, my version doesn’t quite fit the 20 minutes to fix that theirs did because I can’t find quick-cooking barley here. It’s worth the wait, though (and I’ve also made it successfully just by dumping everything in the slow cooker).

1 pound (455 g) ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

8 ounces (225 g) mushroom, chopped

2 cups (475 ml) low sodium chicken broth

4 cups (940 ml) water

2 teaspoons (10 ml) low sodium beef bouillon

1 cup (184 g) barley

½ teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons (10 ml) Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 cup (120 g) carrot, shredded

Brown ground beef and onion in a large Dutch oven. When beef is almost done, add mushrooms and cook a few minutes more. Add remaining ingredients except carrot and cook until barley is done, about an hour, adding water as needed. Add carrots and cook until they are tender, about 5 minutes.

Yield:
6 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
344 g water; 307 calories (30% from fat, 27% from protein, 44% from carb); 21 g protein; 10 g total fat; 4 g saturated fat; 4 g monounsaturated fat; 1 g polyunsaturated fat; 34 g carb; 7 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 43 mg calcium; 3 mg iron;
129 mg sodium
; 581 mg potassium; 2594 IU vitamin A; 7 mg vitamin C; 46 mg cholesterol

Nothing fancy here, just a flavorful soup like your Grandma used to make and Campbell’s wishes they could put in a can.

1 ½ pounds (680 g) round steak, cut into 1/2-inch (1 1/4-cm) pieces

1 onion, coarsely chopped

½ cup (50 g) celery, sliced

4 potatoes, cubed

4 cups (940 ml) low sodium beef broth

1 cup (90 g) cabbage, coarsely chopped

4 cups (520 g) frozen mixed vegetables

2 cups (475 ml) no-salt-added tomatoes

Brown meat in a skillet and transfer to slow cooker. Add onion, celery, and potatoes. Pour broth over. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Add cabbage, mixed vegetables, and tomatoes. Turn to high and cook until vegetables are done, a half hour to an hour.

Yield:
8 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
443 g water; 390 calories (16% from fat, 36% from protein, 49% from carb); 35 g protein; 7 g total fat; 2 g saturated fat; 3 g monounsaturated fat; 0 g polyunsaturated fat; 47 g carb; 8 g fiber; 7 g sugar; 77 mg calcium; 5 mg iron;
144 mg sodium
; 1208 mg potassium; 128 IU vitamin A; 29 mg vitamin C; 82 mg cholesterol

A good cold-weather meal that makes use of the best late-fall and winter vegetables. Be aware that turnips have more natural sodium than most veggies, about 80 mg per small turnip, so you can save some by leaving them out.

1 ½ pounds (680g) beef chuck blade roast

6 cups (1410 ml) water

1 onion, chopped

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon No-Salt Seasoning (see recipe, page 26)

1 teaspoon dried basil

2 cups (360 g) tomatoes, chopped

3 potatoes, peeled and diced

2 turnips, peeled and diced

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

½ cup (50 g) celery, sliced

12 ounces (340 g) frozen mixed vegetables

2 cups (140 g) cabbage, shredded

Trim fat from beef and cut into ½-inch (1 ¼-cm) cubes. Place beef, water, onion, and spices in a large pot. Simmer until beef is tender. Add vegetables and continue cooking until vegetables are done.

Yield:
8 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
435 g water; 367 calories (43% from fat, 20% from protein, 37% from carb); 19 g protein; 17 g total fat; 7 g saturated fat; 8 g monounsaturated fat; 1 g polyunsaturated fat; 34 g carb; 6 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 65 mg calcium; 3 mg iron;
122 mg sodium
; 858 mg potassium; 84 IU vitamin A; 28 mg vitamin C; 61 mg cholesterol

A fairly traditional vegetarian version of the classic Italian soup. The vegetables can be varied to individual taste. The fresh herbs add to the flavor, but dried ones may be substituted.

2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil

1 onion, chopped

½ cup (65 g) carrot, peeled and chopped

½ cup (50 g) celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups (475 ml) no-salt-added tomatoes

5 cups (1175 ml) low sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon (2.5 g) fresh basil, or ½ teaspoon dried

1 tablespoon (4 g) fresh oregano, or ½ teaspoon dried

1 tablespoon (4 g) fresh parsley, or ½ teaspoon dried

¼ pound (115 g) fresh green beans, stemmed and cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) lengths

½ cup (100 g) great northern beans, cooked according to package directions

2 cups zucchini, quartered and chopped

1 cup (150 g) shell pasta, uncooked

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic and pepper and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, and herbs, bring to a boil, and turn down to a simmer. Add beans and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the zucchini and pasta and simmer for 10 minutes, or until all of the vegetables are tender and the pasta is al dente.

Yield:
8 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
282 g water; 138 calories (24% from fat, 18% from protein, 58% from carb); 6 g protein; 4 g total fat; 1 g saturated fat; 3 g monounsaturated fat; 1 g polyunsaturated fat; 21 g carb; 3 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 69 mg calcium; 2 mg iron;
83 mg sodium
; 529 mg potassium; 1325 IU vitamin A; 20 mg vitamin C; 0 mg cholesterol

This recipe comes from newsletter subscriber Sunshine, who started with our cream of tomato soup and created a really good veggie soup.

1 medium onion, chopped fine

½ green bell pepper, chopped fine

2 cloves garlic, chopped fine

1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil

1 cup (235 ml) low sodium chicken broth

3 ½ cups (825 ml) water, divided

1 cup (150 g) macaroni

1 teaspoon low sodium beef bouillon

2 cups (475 ml) no-salt-added tomatoes

½ cup (55 g) nonfat dry milk powder

¼ teaspoon No-Salt Seasoning (see recipe, page 26)

¼ teaspoon white pepper

½ cup (65 g) frozen corn

½ cup (65 g) no-salt-added frozen peas

½ jalapeño pepper, roasted and minced

Sauté onion, bell pepper, and garlic in oil until well cooked. Combine chicken broth with enough water (about 2 cups, or 475 ml) to cook the macaroni. Bring to a boil and add macaroni. Cook for 12 minutes. Drain and store broth for other uses. Puree the bouillon, tomatoes, dry milk, seasonings, the remaining 1 ½ cups (355 ml) water, and sautéed onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Combine pureed sauce, macaroni, corn, peas, and minced jalapeño and simmer for a half hour.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
361 g water; 162 calories (4% from fat, 21% from protein, 75% from carb); 9 g protein; 1 g total fat; 0 g saturated fat; 0 g monounsaturated fat; 0 g polyunsaturated fat; 32 g carb; 4 g fiber; 12 g sugar; 167 mg calcium; 2 mg iron;
109 mg sodium
; 648 mg potassium; 912 IU vitamin A; 39 mg vitamin C; 2 mg cholesterol

When the weather gets cooler, our slow cooker gets more use. This is a different variation on the traditional Italian soup, with fall or winter vegetables predominating.

1 cup (250 g) dried kidney beans

1 pound (455 g) ground beef

2 ½ cups (475 g) butternut squash, peeled and cubed

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 pounds (900 g) fennel bulbs, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces

1 onion, coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups (120 g) spinach, chopped

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

4 cups (940 ml) low sodium chicken broth

1 cup (235 ml) white wine

Cook beans according to package directions until almost done. In a skillet, brown beef, breaking up into coarse chunks. Drain. In a large slow cooker, place vegetables on the bottom. Sprinkle seasoning over top. Add beans and beef. Pour broth and wine over all. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

Yield:
8 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
404 g water; 381 calories (24% from fat, 27% from protein, 49% from carb); 25 g protein; 10 g total fat; 4 g saturated fat; 4 g monounsaturated fat; 1 g polyunsaturated fat; 45 g carb; 12 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 157 mg calcium; 6 mg iron;
171 mg sodium
; 1610 mg potassium; 1587 IU vitamin A; 35 mg vitamin C; 46 mg cholesterol

When you make a beef roast, this soup is an excellent way to use the leftover beef and broth. It provides a quick meal with almost no preparation.

1 pound (455 g) leftover roast beef, chopped

2 cups (475 ml) low sodium beef broth

2 cups (475 ml) no-salt-added tomatoes

1 pound (455 g) frozen mixed vegetables

1 cup (70 g) cabbage, shredded

½ cup (75 g) turnips, cubed

Combine all ingredients in a large Dutch oven. Simmer until vegetables are tender.

Yield:
6 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
257 g water; 213 calories (28% from fat, 50% from protein, 21% from carb); 26 g protein; 7 g total fat; 2 g saturated fat; 3 g monounsaturated fat; 0 g polyunsaturated fat; 11 g carb; 3 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 55 mg calcium; 3 mg iron;
110 mg sodium
; 697 mg potassium; 120 IU vitamin A; 21 mg vitamin C; 64 mg cholesterol

A flavorful Latin-style soup that’s low in fat. Use homemade salsa if you have it. If not, look for a brand like Enrico’s no salt added, which is just as low, or Newman’s Own, which has around 120 mg of sodium per serving. That will add about 30 mg per serving.

1 ½ cups (250 g) dried black beans

4 cups (940 ml) water

1 onion, finely chopped

½ green bell pepper, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup (130 g) carrot, finely chopped