500 Low Sodium Recipes (27 page)

This was a suggestion from my daughter, who recently made her annual pilgrimage to Maryland’s Renaissance Festival but missed out on her usual walk-about meal of beef stew in a bread bowl (yes, this same explanation accompanies the bread bowls recipe in
Chapter 20
). This makes a big batch, but you could halve the quantities if desired.

2 cups (475 ml) low sodium beef broth

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

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon (0.4 g) dried parsley

2 pounds (910 g) beef chuck, trimmed and cubed

2 ½ cups (295 g) carrots, peeled and sliced

1 onion, quartered

1 pound (455 g) pasta

Mix broth, tomatoes, and spices. Place beef and veggies in large roasting pan. Pour broth mixture over. Roast, covered, at 325°F (170°C, gas mark 3) until meat is very tender, 2 to 2 ½ hours. Serve over pasta.

Yield:
8 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
180 g water; 533 calories (42% from fat, 22% from protein, 37% from carb); 29 g protein; 25 g total fat; 9 g saturated fat; 10 g monounsaturated fat; 2 g polyunsaturated fat; 49 g carb; 4 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 65 mg calcium; 4 mg iron;
123 mg sodium
; 732 mg potassium; 4968 IU vitamin A; 13 mg vitamin C; 134 mg cholesterol

I came across this recipe while looking for slow cooker recipes in an old
Better Homes and Gardens
cookbook. I recall making it and liking it many years ago, before I was ever on a low sodium diet. However, the sodium level was much too high, so I went to work removing and substituting high-sodium ingredients until there’s nothing in here that doesn’t work well for someone watching his or her sodium.

2 pounds (910 g) beef stew meat, cubed

2 tablespoons (28 ml) vegetable oil

3 tablespoons (24 g) all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon dried thyme

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 cup (130 g) carrot, sliced

3 medium potatoes, chopped

2 onions, sliced

¼ cup (25 g) celery, sliced

1 apple, chopped

1 tablespoon (15 ml) vinegar

2 cups (475 ml) apple cider

2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch

½ cup (120 ml) cold water

In a skillet, brown half the meat at a time in a tablespoon of oil. Combine flour, thyme, and pepper. Toss with browned meat to coat. Place vegetables and apple in slow cooker. Place meat on top. Mix together vinegar and cider. Pour over meat and vegetables. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours. Turn heat to high. Stir cornstarch into water. Add to slow cooker. Cook until sauce is thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. This works well served over rice or noodles

Yield:
8 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
277 g water; 520 calories (40% from fat, 28% from protein, 32% from carb); 36 g protein; 23 g total fat; 8 g saturated fat; 9 g monounsaturated fat; 3 g polyunsaturated fat; 41 g carb; 3 g fiber; 12 g sugar; 41 mg calcium; 5 mg iron;
93 mg sodium
; 866 mg potassium; 1955 IU vitamin A; 13 mg vitamin C; 113 mg cholesterol

This makes a nice thick, moderately spicy chili. The preparation isn’t difficult, but like most chili it’s best if it’s simmered for a while.

2 pounds (910 g) ground beef

1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup (120 g) red bell pepper, chopped

½ teaspoon garlic, minced

½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 ounce (28 g) dried chipotle pepper, ground

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon (7.5 g) chili powder

3 cups (705 ml) water

6 ounces (170 g) no-salt-added tomato paste

4 cups (940 ml) no-salt-added tomatoes

4 cups (900 g) no-salt-added kidney beans

Brown beef in 2 batches in thick-bottomed soup kettle. Drain off fat and set browned beef aside. Heat oil in kettle over medium-high heat, adding onion when hot. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often. Add bell pepper and garlic, continuing to cook for 2 to 3 more minutes. Add black pepper, ground cumin, chipotle, and cayenne to taste plus chili powder. Stir continually until spices begin to stick to bottom of kettle and brown. Quickly add the water. Add tomato paste and tomatoes with the juice they were packed in. Add the kidney beans. Add the beef, but try not to include any fat that may have accumulated. Stir. When chili begins to boil, reduce heat to low and cover. Ideally chili should be simmered for 3 hours to let all the flavors blend together. Stir about every 15 minutes, while checking to make sure the heat is not too high, causing the chili to stick to the bottom of the kettle. If you don’t have 3 hours to cook the chili, use less chipotle and cayenne or else they will overpower the other flavors.

Yield:
8 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
364 g water; 478 calories (39% from fat, 32% from protein, 28% from carb); 39 g protein; 21 g total fat; 8 g saturated fat; 10 g monounsaturated fat; 1 g polyunsaturated fat; 34 g carb; 12 g fiber; 7 g sugar; 124 mg calcium; 7 mg iron;
122 mg sodium
; 1369 mg potassium; 1871 IU vitamin A; 42 mg vitamin C; 92 mg cholesterol

This makes a rather mild chili, but you can easily add more chili powder or some red pepper flakes to spice it up if that’s the way you like your chili.

1 pound (455 g) turkey, ground

1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil

½ onion, chopped

½ green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups (900 g) no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained

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

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

1 cup (235 ml) dark beer or low sodium beef broth

1 tablespoon (7.5 g) chili powder

1 tablespoon (7 g) ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

Heat large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven to medium high. Brown the meat until cooked through. Drain meat and set aside. In the skillet, add the oil and bring to medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic, and cook until vegetables are tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Return meat to pan. Add remaining ingredients. Bring chili to a boil; then reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Taste to adjust seasonings.

Yield:
6 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
259 g water; 350 calories (18% from fat, 40% from protein, 42% from carb); 35 g protein; 7 g total fat; 2 g saturated fat; 3 g monounsaturated fat; 2 g polyunsaturated fat; 36 g carb; 14 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 126 mg calcium; 5 mg iron;
71 mg sodium
; 962 mg potassium; 552 IU vitamin A; 24 mg vitamin C; 58 mg cholesterol

Okay, it’s not like any chili you’ve had before. But the flavor is fantastic, one of those dishes that no one will even recognize as being low sodium. The idea comes from the back of a box of Quaker barley. The low sodium level comes from experimentation, reduced to about 10 percent of what it was. If you can’t find the quick-cooking variety, as I often can’t, you’ll have to use the long-cooking kind and precook it.

1 cup (160 g) onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil

2 cups (475 ml) water

¾ cup (138 g) barley, quick cooking

4 cups (940 ml) no-salt-added tomatoes

2 cups (475 ml) low sodium chicken broth

6 ounces (170 g) frozen corn

1 can (4 ounces, or 115 g) jalapeños, chopped

1 tablespoon (7.5 g) chili powder

½ tablespoon cumin

3 cups (330 g) chicken, cooked and cubed

In a Dutch oven, cook the onion and garlic in the oil until the onion is tender. Add all the remaining ingredients except the chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken and continue simmering an additional 5 to 10 minutes until the chicken is heated through and barley is tender.

Yield:
9 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
269 g water; 202 calories (23% from fat, 31% from protein, 46% from carb); 16 g protein; 5 g total fat; 1 g saturated fat; 2 g monounsaturated fat; 2 g polyunsaturated fat; 24 g carb; 5 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 56 mg calcium; 2 mg iron;
74 mg sodium
; 540 mg potassium; 463 IU vitamin A; 19 mg vitamin C; 35 mg cholesterol

Cincinnati, Ohio, claims to be the chili capital of the United States, with more than 180 chili parlors. Cincinnati-style chili is quite different from its more familiar Texas cousin. The chili is thinner and contains an unusual blend of spices that includes cinnamon, chocolate or cocoa, allspice, and Worcestershire. In fact, if you believe the local story, chili started in Cincinnati as a variation of a Greek meat sauce served over spaghetti. And that is the way

it is still served, topped optionally with cheddar cheese, onions, and kidney beans.

1 onion, chopped

1 pound (455 g) lean ground beef

¼ teaspoon garlic, minced

1 tablespoon (7.5 g) chili powder

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 ½ tablespoons (12 g) unsweetened cocoa powder

15 ounces (425 g) no-salt-added tomato sauce

1 tablespoon (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon (15 ml) cider vinegar

½ cup (120 ml) water

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, sauté onion, ground beef, garlic, and chili powder until ground beef is slightly cooked. Add allspice, cinnamon, cumin, cayenne pepper, unsweetened cocoa, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, and water. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 1 ½ hours.

Yield:
6 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
136 g water; 193 calories (45% from fat, 32% from protein, 23% from carb); 16 g protein; 10 g total fat; 4 g saturated fat; 4 g monounsaturated fat; 1 g polyunsaturated fat; 11 g carb; 3 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 37 mg calcium; 4 mg iron;
57 mg sodium
; 599 mg potassium; 804 IU vitamin A; 15 mg vitamin C; 47 mg cholesterol

Snow means chili … at least to me. This recipe was developed from one posted on the
Kopykat.com
site that was a copy of the chili from James Coney Island in Texas. I thought Coney Island was in New York, but then I used to get hot dogs from the Coney Island Grill in Hanover, Pennsylvania, when I was a kid, so why not Texas too? This is a beanless chili that would be good as a topping, but I like it in a bowl so you get more of it. You can add beans if you are so inclined.

2 pounds (910 g) beef chuck, finely diced

½ onion, finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

2 tablespoons (28 ml) olive oil

4 cups (940 ml) low sodium beef broth

3 cups (705 ml) water

4 cups (940 ml) no-salt-added tomatoes

1 tablespoon (7 g) paprika

5 teaspoons (13 g) chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

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

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon cumin

For thickening:

1 cup (235 ml) water

¼ cup (35 g) masa harina (corn flour) or cornmeal

Brown meat, onion, and pepper in oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Add broth and water and simmer until meat is tender, about an hour. Puree tomatoes in blender or food processor. Add tomatoes and spices to soup pot and simmer for 45 minutes. Mix masa hanna (corn meal) with water and slowly pour into chili, stirring constantly, until chili has reached desired thickness.

Yield:
6 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
434 g water; 490 calories (63% from fat, 23% from protein, 13% from carb); 29 g protein; 35 g total fat; 13 g saturated fat; 16 g monounsaturated fat; 2 g polyunsaturated fat; 16 g carb; 4 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 84 mg calcium; 5 mg iron;
128 mg sodium
; 923 mg potassium; 1573 IU vitamin A; 46 mg vitamin C; 107 mg cholesterol

I found this one in a cookbook and adapted it to a lower-sodium version. It’s a good use for leftover turkey.

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 teaspoons (5 g) cumin

⅛
teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cups (450 g) no-salt-added great northern beans

2 cups (450 g) no-salt-added kidney beans

4 cups (940 ml) low sodium beef broth

1 pound (455 g) turkey, cooked

2 tablespoons (16 g) all-purpose flour

¼ cup (60 ml) water