500 Low Sodium Recipes (43 page)

2 tablespoons (28 ml) vegetable oil, divided

1 cup (130 g) carrot, sliced

½ onion, chopped

4 ounces (115 g) mushrooms, sliced

1 cup bok choy, chopped

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon black pepper

2 boneless chicken breasts, sliced thinly

1 tablespoon (15 ml) sherry

1 tablespoon (15 ml) Chili Sauce (see recipe, page 47)

1 cup (235 ml) low sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon (8 g) cornstarch

In a wok, heat half the oil. Add the carrot and onion and half the spices and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and bok choy and stir-fry 1 additional minute. Remove vegetables. Add the remaining oil and heat. Add chicken and remaining spices and stir-fry until chicken is no longer pink. Return the vegetables to the wok. Stir together the sherry, chili sauce, broth, and cornstarch. Add to wok and heat until mixture thickens and begins to bubble.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
173 g water; 157 calories (46% from fat, 27% from protein, 27% from carb); 11 g protein; 8 g total fat; 1 g saturated fat; 2 g monounsaturated fat; 4 g polyunsaturated fat; 10 g carb; 2 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 33 mg calcium; 1 mg iron;
92 mg sodium
; 361 mg potassium; 3887 IU vitamin A; 5 mg vitamin C; 22 mg cholesterol

A fairly traditional version of pepper steak, but without the traditional sodium content. Hint: You can add other vegetables that you happen to have on hand.

¼ cup (60 ml) Soy Sauce Substitute (see recipe, page 53)

2 tablespoons (28 ml) sherry

1 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons (3 g) cornstarch

¼ cup (60 ml) water

1 pound (455 g) round steak

¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil, divided

2 cloves garlic

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ cup (25 g) scallions, sliced

1 onion, sliced

2 green bell peppers, sliced

Combine first 5 ingredients and place in resealable plastic bag. Add steak and marinate for 15 minutes or more. Add 2 tablespoons (28 ml) of oil to hot wok. Swirl and stir-fry garlic, ginger, and scallions for 30 seconds. With slotted spoon, reserving the marinade, add half the steak, and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Remove and set aside. Repeat with remaining steak. Add remaining oil and stir-fry onion and bell peppers for 2 minutes. Push vegetables to sides of wok. Add marinade to center of wok and stir until thickened and bubbly. Blend in vegetables, add steak, and heat thoroughly.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
189 g water; 404 calories (51% from fat, 38% from protein, 11% from carb); 37 g protein; 22 g total fat; 5 g saturated fat; 7 g monounsaturated fat; 8 g polyunsaturated fat; 11 g carb; 2 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 28 mg calcium; 4 mg iron;
63 mg sodium
; 556 mg potassium; 339 IU vitamin A; 63 mg vitamin C; 109 mg cholesterol

In the pre-diet days, I used to get lunch at a place with a Chinese meatball entrée that I was quite fond of. These aren’t quite the same, but they come close. You can use them in place of chicken or pork in many Chinese dishes (I find them particularly good in the sauce for the Cantonese Chicken, page 385). You could also use them as appetizers with a little different twist.

1 pound (455 g) ground beef

1 tablespoon (15 ml) sodium-free beef bouillon

¼ teaspoon gingerroot, grated

⅛
teaspoon garlic powder

⅛
teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon (15 ml) sherry

1 egg

Combine all ingredients. Shape into 1-inch (2.5-cm) balls. Place in roasting pan that has been well sprayed with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Roast at 350°F (180°C, gas mark 4) until done, 30 to 40 minutes, turning once.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
79 g water; 325 calories (58% from fat, 39% from protein, 3% from carb); 30 g protein; 20 g total fat; 8 g saturated fat; 9 g monounsaturated fat; 1 g polyunsaturated fat; 2 g carb; 0 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 20 mg calcium; 3 mg iron;
121 mg sodium
; 385 mg potassium; 81 IU vitamin A; 0 mg vitamin C; 153 mg cholesterol

Donna sent us this great recipe for Sesame Beef. It’s one that those of you who love Chinese food will want to try.

3 tablespoons (45 ml) vegetable oil, divided

2 tablespoons (26 g) sugar

2 tablespoons (28 ml) Soy Sauce Substitute (see recipe, page 53)

2 cloves garlic

¼ cup (40 g) green onions, chopped

Black pepper to taste

1 pound (455 g) round steak, cut into strips

1 tablespoon (8 g) sesame seeds, toasted

Mix 2 tablespoons (28 ml) of the oil, the sugar, soy sauce substitute, garlic, green onions, and pepper. Marinate the meat in this mixture for at least 30 minutes. Heat the remaining oil in a skillet or wok. Add the meat and marinade and stir-fry. Serve over rice and top with sesame seeds.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
72 g water; 319 calories (45% from fat, 46% from protein, 9% from carb); 36 g protein; 15 g total fat; 4 g saturated fat; 5 g monounsaturated fat; 4 g polyunsaturated fat; 7 g carb; 0 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 13 mg calcium; 4 mg iron;
59 mg sodium
; 372 mg potassium; 62 IU vitamin A; 2 mg vitamin C; 109 mg cholesterol

We made this using some leftover beef brisket that we had grilled. Although it doesn’t actually contain any soy sauce, the flavor is definitely Asian.

4 ounces (115 g) leftover roast beef

½ pound (225 g) lettuce, shredded

4 ounces (115 g) snow peas

½ cup (65 g) carrot, sliced

1 cup (70 g) cabbage, shredded

4 ounces (115 g) mushrooms, sliced

½ cup (60 g) red bell pepper, sliced

4 ounces (115 g) mung bean sprouts

For marinade/dressing:

¼ cup (60 ml) balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons (28 ml) sesame oil

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon (13 g) sugar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 ounce (28 g) sesame seeds

Combine marinade ingredients. Slice beef and place in a resealable plastic bag with marinade for 1 to 2 hours. Drain, reserving liquid. Toss salad ingredients and top with beef slices. Spoon remaining dressing over.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
202 g water; 220 calories (51% from fat, 23% from protein, 26% from carb); 13 g protein; 13 g total fat; 2 g saturated fat; 5 g monounsaturated fat; 5 g polyunsaturated fat; 15 g carb; 4 g fiber; 9 g sugar; 116 mg calcium; 3 mg iron;
42 mg sodium
; 561 mg potassium; 2734 IU vitamin A; 51 mg vitamin C; 24 mg cholesterol

When you are looking for something a little different, how about an Asian-flavored meal from your slow cooker? This has a mild flavor but is distinctly Chinese in style.

2 pounds (910 g) beef chuck roast

1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil

1½ cups (355 ml) water

2 teaspoons (10 ml) low sodium beef bouillon

1 tablespoon (13 g) sugar

½ cup (120 ml) Soy Sauce Substitute (see recipe, page 53)

2 tablespoons (28 ml) sherry

½ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

½ onion, sliced into strips

1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips

½ pound (225 g) green beans

3 tablespoons (24 g) cornstarch

3 tablespoons (45 ml) cold water

Trim excess fat from roast. In a skillet, brown beef on all sides in oil. Mix together water, bouillon, sugar, soy sauce substitute, sherry, and spices. Place vegetables in bottom of slow cooker. Place meat on top. Pour sauce over. Cook on low 8 to 10 hours or on high 5 to 6 hours. Remove meat and vegetables. Turn heat to high. Stir cornstarch into water. Add to slow cooker. Cook until sauce is slightly thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Separate meat into serving-size pieces. Serve meat and vegetables over rice. Spoon sauce over.

Yield:
6 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
225 g water; 396 calories (33% from fat, 54% from protein, 13% from carb); 51 g protein; 14 g total fat; 5 g saturated fat; 5 g monounsaturated fat; 2 g polyunsaturated fat; 12 g carb; 2 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 35 mg calcium; 6 mg iron;
114 mg sodium
; 593 mg potassium; 1043 IU vitamin A; 54 mg vitamin C; 153 mg cholesterol

I created this recipe one night when I was looking for something different for dinner. It gives you great Asian flavor without using any of the usual high sodium Asian sauces.

8 ounces linguine

2 teaspoons (10 ml) sesame oil

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

½ pound (225 g) large shrimp, peeled and deveined

½ pound (35 g) mushrooms, sliced

1½ cups (195 g) sugar snap peas, frozen

For sesame noodle sauce:

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

¼ cup (60 ml) rice vinegar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated, or ¼ teaspoon dry ginger

2 teaspoons (6.5 g) honey

2 teaspoons (3 g) cornstarch

1 tablespoon (8 g) sesame seeds

Mix together all ingredients for sauce: crushed red pepper, parsley flakes, rice vinegar, sesame oil, grated fresh ginger, honey, and cornstarch. Set aside. Cook linguine according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, spray a skillet with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Over medium heat, sauté sesame oil and minced garlic for 30 seconds, add shrimp, and sauté shrimp until they are pink, about 6 minutes. When pasta is 3 minutes from being finished, add mushrooms and sugar snap peas to the pasta pot. Bring water back to a boil and finish cooking the pasta. Add the sauce to the shrimp and heat until thickened. Drain pasta, mushrooms, and peas. Combine pasta and shrimp sauce. Top with sesame seeds before serving.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
169 g water; 383 calories (19% from fat, 25% from protein, 56% from carb); 24 g protein; 8 g total fat; 1 g saturated fat; 3 g monounsaturated fat; 3 g polyunsaturated fat; 54 g carb; 4 g fiber; 8 g sugar; 110 mg calcium; 5 mg iron;
102 mg sodium
; 582 mg potassium; 938 IU vitamin A; 16 mg vitamin C; 140 mg cholesterol

Who would have thought that you could make a healthy version of this Chinese classic? This can also be made meatless or as we did, with some leftover chicken

6 eggs

2 cups (500 g) Chinese mixed vegetables

1 cup (110 g) cooked chicken, diced

2 tablespoons (28 ml) vegetable oil

For sauce:

2 tablespoons (28 ml) Soy Sauce Substitute (see recipe, page 53)

½ cup (120 ml) low sodium chicken broth

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Shake together the sauce ingredients until cornstarch is dissolved. Heat until just boiling. Simmer 5 minutes. Set aside. Mix the eggs, veggies, and meat. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet. Spoon the egg mixture into the skillet to form small patties. Turn, browning both sides. Serve with sauce.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
194 g water; 323 calories (52% from fat, 30% from protein, 18% from carb); 24 g protein; 18 g total fat; 4 g saturated fat; 6 g monounsaturated fat; 6 g polyunsaturated fat; 14 g carb; 4 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 77 mg calcium; 3 mg iron;
196 mg sodium
; 382 mg potassium; 442 IU vitamin A; 3 mg vitamin C; 399 mg cholesterol

This was sent in by Elizabeth. She was looking for Chinese dishes and with a little experimentation came up with this recipe for moo goo gai pan.

1 pound (455 g) boneless chicken breast, cubed

2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch, divided

1 egg white

1 tablespoon (15 ml) sherry

½ teaspoon white pepper

8 ounces (225 g) mushrooms, sliced

1 ½ cups (355 ml) low sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon (6 g) gingerroot, sliced

2 tablespoons (28 ml) water, cold

5 tablespoons (75 ml) vegetable oil

¼ cup (25 g) scallions

¼ cup (25 g) celery, chopped

4 ounces (115 g) snow peas

8 water chestnuts

1 cup (90 g) napa cabbage, chopped

In a bowl, combine the chicken, 1 tablespoon (8 g) of the cornstarch, the egg white, sherry, and pepper. Marinate at least 15 minutes. Simmer the mushrooms in the broth for 15 minutes. Drain and reserve liquid. Simmer the gingerroot in broth until ready to use. Mix remaining cornstarch with water. Shake well to thoroughly dissolve. Heat oil in wok or skillet. Add chicken and cook, stirring, just until pieces separate and chicken is no longer pink. Drain into a sieve over a bowl. Return 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil. Add scallion, celery, snow peas, mushrooms, chestnuts, and cabbage and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Remove ginger pieces from chicken broth. Add broth to mixture. Bring to a boil. Return chicken to pan. Add water-cornstarch mixture. Cook, stirring until thickened. Serve over steamed white rice.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
250 g water; 252 calories (62% from fat, 15% from protein, 23% from carb); 10 g protein; 18 g total fat; 2 g saturated fat; 4 g monounsaturated fat; 10 g polyunsaturated fat; 15 g carb; 2 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 43 mg calcium; 2 mg iron;
78 mg sodium
; 546 mg potassium; 479 IU vitamin A; 22 mg vitamin C; 10 mg cholesterol