The Low Sodium Cookbook (13 page)

BUDGET-FRIENDLY // COOKING FOR ONE // LOW-FAT

Sometimes you just need a little sweet treat in the middle of the day. These tasty little yogurt drops are the perfect thing. They are made with nonfat yogurt, berries, and just a touch of honey, so they are perfectly healthful, but they satisfy that midday sugar craving like nobody’s business. The recipe can be easily doubled, tripled, or quadrupled, and the drops can be stored in the freezer for up to three months, but it’s unlikely they’ll be around anywhere near that long.

½ cup frozen mixed berries

1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon honey

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (make sure the baking sheet will fit in your freezer).

2. In a food processor or blender, puree the berries. Add the yogurt and honey and process until smooth and well combined.

3. Drop the yogurt-berry mixture by ¼ teaspoonfuls onto the parchment paper, leaving space in between so that they don’t spread into one another.

4. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze until the drops are solid, at least 3 hours.

5. Serve immediately, or transfer the drops to a freezer-safe, sealable plastic bag and store until ready to eat.

Chocolate Cherry Granola Bars

MAKES 12 BARS

SODIUM //
11 MG
(PER BAR)

LOW-FAT // MAKE AHEAD

Dark chocolate and dried cherries are both super foods that are loaded with disease-fighting antioxidants. Flaxseed, too, adds extra fiber and nutrients as well as a nice nutty crunch.

Cooking spray

2 cups old-fashioned quick-cooking rolled oats

1 cup slivered almonds

¼ cup flaxseed

⅔ cup honey

¼ cup packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons coconut oil

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

½ cup chopped dried cherries

½ cup chopped dark chocolate

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Spray an an 8 by 12-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats and almonds and stir to mix well. Spread the mixture out on a large baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted.

4. Return the mixture to the large mixing bowl and stir in the flaxseed.

5. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F.

6. In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine the honey, brown sugar, and coconut oil and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, and then stir in the vanilla.

7. Add the honey mixture to the oat mixture mixture along with the cherries and stir well. Fold in the chocolate.

8. Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Press the mixture into an even layer in the pan. Bake the granola in the oven for 25 to 28 minutes, until the granola begins to brown.

9. Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a rack to cool to room temperature.

10. Cut the granola into 12 bars and serve at room temperature, or store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Condiments and Sauces

C
ondiments and sauces are often the downfall of even the best intentioned among us. These tasty sauces, spreads, dips, and dressings are often full of hidden sodium, not to mention saturated fat, sugar, and other undesirable ingredients. By making your own condiments at home, you can be sure that they contain only good-for-you ingredients—or at least only limited amounts of the naughty ones.

From ketchup to mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, pasta sauce, and even spicy Asian dipping sauces, this chapter provides simple recipes for do-it-yourself versions of the most popular condiments and sauces. Get out your spoon, knife, or baked French fry and get to spreading, saucing, and dipping to your heart’s content.

Double-Tomato Ketchup

MAKES 2 CUPS (1 TABLESPOON PER SERVING)

SODIUM //
46 MG
(PER TABLESPOON)

LOW-FAT // MAKE AHEAD // QUICK

This homemade version of that ubiquitous American condiment gets a double dose of rich tomato flavor from both tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes. You may not be able to claim a serving of ketchup as one of your five veggie servings for the day with a clean conscience, but you can rest assured that you’ll get a hefty boost of vitamins B6 and C as well as thiamine, niacin, phosphorous, and copper. Plus, homemade ketchup adds irresistible flavor to all kinds of healthful foods, like baked French fries or sweet potato fries, turkey burgers, and hash browns.

2 (6-ounce) cans tomato paste

⅔ cup water

¼ cup red wine vinegar

½ cup packed dark brown sugar

¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

½ teaspoon dry mustard

½ teaspoon cinnamon

⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

⅛ teaspoon allspice

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1. In a saucepan set over medium heat, whisk together all of the ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes.

2. Remove the mixture from the heat and puree it in a blender or food processor.

3. Allow it to cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate the ketchup overnight before serving. Ketchup can be refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.

Sweet-Spicy Red Pepper Relish

SERVES 20 (MAKES 2½ CUPS, 2 TABLESPOONS PER SERVING)

SODIUM //
59 MG
(PER 2 TABLESPOONS)