500 Low Sodium Recipes (24 page)

Yield:
6 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
98 g water; 324 calories (29% from fat, 28% from protein, 43% from carb); 22 g protein; 10 g total fat; 3 g saturated fat; 4 g monounsaturated fat; 2 g polyunsaturated fat; 34 g carb; 3 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 42 mg calcium; 3 mg iron;
73 mg sodium
; 444 mg potassium; 370 IU vitamin A; 1 mg vitamin C; 56 mg cholesterol

A nice crunchy coating without fat or sodium. Goes really well with oven-fried potatoes.

1 egg

2 tablespoons (28 ml) skim milk

½ cup (25 g) mashed potato flakes

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 pound (455 g) catfish fillets

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Mix egg and milk together. Stir together potato flakes and pepper. Dip fish in egg mixture, then potato flakes. Repeat. Place on baking sheet. Spray with nonstick vegetable oil spray until moistened. Bake at 325°F (170°C, gas mark 3) until fish flakes easily, about 15 minutes.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
106 g water; 191 calories (44% from fat, 44% from protein, 12% from carb); 20 g protein; 9 g total fat; 2 g saturated fat; 4 g monounsaturated fat; 2 g polyunsaturated fat; 5 g carb; 0 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 32 mg calcium; 1 mg iron;
99 mg sodium
; 472 mg potassium; 130 IU vitamin A; 6 mg vitamin C; 54 mg cholesterol

One item that I find particularly useful is balsamic vinegar. It has more flavor and is less sour than other vinegars. And it has zero sodium, which makes it a great choice for sauces and marinades. In this recipe the tartness of the balsamic vinegar is paired with maple syrup. This gives the salmon a nice change of pace flavor-wise. The maple syrup goes well with the natural sweetness of the fish and the sauce doesn’t add any sodium to the recipe.

¼ cup (60 ml) balsamic vinegar

¼ cup (60 ml) water

2 tablespoons (28 ml) olive oil

2 tablespoons (28 ml) maple syrup

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

8 ounces (225 g) salmon fillets

Heat all ingredients except salmon in a large skillet, stirring to combine. Add salmon fillets. Cover and cook until salmon is done, about 10 minutes, turning once.

Yield:
2 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
142 g water; 385 calories (60% from fat, 23% from protein, 16% from carb); 23 g protein; 26 g total fat; 4 g saturated fat; 14 g monounsaturated fat; 6 g polyunsaturated fat; 16 g carb; 0 g fiber; 14 g sugar; 30 mg calcium; 1 mg iron;
70 mg sodium
; 486 mg potassium; 57 IU vitamin A; 4 mg vitamin C; 67 mg cholesterol

Use a whole salmon fillet for this recipe. It makes an impressive display and also stays juicier than smaller pieces would be. A low sodium barbecue sauce that would be more common for pork or chicken gives the salmon just enough of a sweet crustiness to hold those juices in.

¼ cup (60 g) brown sugar

2 tablespoons (30 ml) cider vinegar

2 tablespoons (40 g) honey

¼ teaspoon liquid smoke

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 pounds (910 g) salmon fillets

Preheat barbecue. In a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except salmon. Mix well. Brush 1 side of the salmon with the basting sauce, then place the salmon (basted side down) on the grill. When the salmon is half finished cooking, baste the top portion of the salmon and carefully flip the fillet so the fresh basting sauce is on the grill. When the fish is almost finished cooking, apply the basting sauce and flip the salmon again. Baste and flip the salmon once more and serve. Be careful not to overcook the salmon as it will lose its juices and flavor if cooked too long.

Yield:
6 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
111 g water; 334 calories (45% from fat, 37% from protein, 19% from carb); 30 g protein; 16 g total fat; 3 g saturated fat; 6 g monounsaturated fat; 6 g polyunsaturated fat; 15 g carb; 0 g fiber; 15 g sugar; 28 mg calcium; 1 mg iron;
93 mg sodium
; 591 mg potassium; 76 IU vitamin A; 6 mg vitamin C; 89 mg cholesterol

On hot days, it’s sometimes a good idea to not use the stove at all. This recipe gives you meat and starch in one easy grilled packet.

1 cup (195 g) instant rice

1 cup (235 ml) low sodium chicken broth

½ cup (120 g) carrot, shredded

8 ounces (225 g) salmon fillets

¼ teaspoon black pepper

½ lemon, sliced

Heat grill to medium. Spray 2 large pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil with nonstick vegetable oil spray. In a small bowl, mix together rice and broth. Let stand until most of the broth is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Stir in the carrot. Place salmon fillet in center of each piece of foil. Sprinkle with pepper and place lemon slices on top. Place rice around fillet. Fold up foil and bring edges together. Fold over several times to seal. Fold in ends, allowing some room for rice expansion. Place on grill and grill until salmon is done, 10 to 15 minutes.

Yield:
2 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
240 g water; 414 calories (28% from fat, 28% from protein, 44% from carb); 28 g protein; 13 g total fat; 3 g saturated fat; 4 g monounsaturated fat; 5 g polyunsaturated fat; 45 g carb; 2 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 47 mg calcium; 3 mg iron;
140 mg sodium
; 647 mg potassium; 3912 IU vitamin A; 15 mg vitamin C; 67 mg cholesterol

An Italian-flavored bundle of seafood and vegetables, cooked on the grill. Serve over pasta.

8 ounces (225 g) shrimp

16 ounces (455 g) flounder fillets, cubed

2 cups (360 g) tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1 onion, coarsely chopped

1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped

8 ounces (225 g) mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic

1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning

¼ cup (60 ml) white wine

Combine all ingredients except wine. Divide between 4 pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil that have been sprayed with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Sprinkle a tablespoonful of wine over each. Fold foil up and seal on all sides. Grill over medium heat until fish is done, about 15 minutes.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
332 g water; 223 calories (12% from fat, 68% from protein, 20% from carb); 36 g protein; 3 g total fat; 1 g saturated fat; 0 g monounsaturated fat; 1 g polyunsaturated fat; 11 g carb; 3 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 79 mg calcium; 3 mg iron;
185 mg sodium
; 1002 mg potassium; 924 IU vitamin A; 46 mg vitamin C; 141 mg cholesterol

We made these for a birthday dinner for my wife’s mother when she turned 92.

½ pound (225 g) catfish fillets

½ pound (225 g) salmon fillets

½ cup (120 ml) olive oil

3 tablespoons (45 ml) lemon juice

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 tablespoon (0.4 g) dried parsley

1 teaspoon black pepper

½ pound (225 g) shrimp

½ pound (225 g) sea scallops

Cut catfish and salmon fillets into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes. Mix together oil, lemon juice, and spices. Marinate seafood in mixture 1 to 2 hours. Thread catfish, salmon, shrimp, and scallops on skewers and grill over medium coals until done, about 10 minutes.

Yield:
6 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
123 g water; 358 calories (66% from fat, 31% from protein, 3% from carb); 28 g protein; 26 g total fat; 4 g saturated fat; 16 g monounsaturated fat; 4 g polyunsaturated fat; 3 g carb; 0 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 49 mg calcium; 2 mg iron;
161 mg sodium
; 480 mg potassium; 244 IU vitamin A; 9 mg vitamin C; 110 mg cholesterol

The original island recipe calls for Scotch bonnet pepper, one of the hottest varieties around. I used jalapeños instead and it had good flavor and acceptable heat.

2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 ½ tablespoons (25 ml) lime juice

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and sliced

1 pound (455 g) cod fillets

½ teaspoon black pepper

Combine the olive oil with the garlic, lime juice, ginger, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Add the fish fillets and turn to coat them well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Heat grill and remove the fillets from the marinade and scrape off most of the garlic and ginger pieces. Season the fish with pepper and cook over grill until done.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
57 g water; 113 calories (58% from fat, 37% from protein, 5% from carb); 10 g protein; 7 g total fat; 1 g saturated fat; 5 g monounsaturated fat; 1 g polyunsaturated fat; 1 g carb; 0 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 13 mg calcium; 0 mg iron;
32 mg sodium
; 265 mg potassium; 55 IU vitamin A; 4 mg vitamin C; 25 mg cholesterol

Just looking for a little different way to cook fish, catfish fillets in this case, but you could use any whitefish. If you can’t locate no-salt-added stewed tomatoes, you can make your own by adding a little celery, onion, and green bell pepper to plain tomatoes.

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

1 pound (455 mg) catfish fillets

½ cup (60 g) no-salt-added bread crumbs

Place tomatoes in the bottom of a 9 × 13-inch (23 × 33-cm) baking pan sprayed with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Place the fish on top. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake at 350°F (180°C, gas mark 4) until fish flakes easily, about 10 to 15 minutes depending on thickness of fillets.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
199 g water; 229 calories (38% from fat, 36% from protein, 26% from carb); 21 g protein; 9 g total fat; 2 g saturated fat; 4 g monounsaturated fat; 2 g polyunsaturated fat; 15 g carb; 2 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 71 mg calcium; 2 mg iron;
77 mg sodium
; 638 mg potassium; 214 IU vitamin A; 18 mg vitamin C; 53 mg cholesterol

This soup is typical of Maryland crab soup in flavor. The only big difference is the lack of crabmeat, which is high in both sodium and cholesterol. In its place we have fish. I happened to have some flounder fillets available, but any whitefish would do. This is also one of our spicier recipes. You can vary the amount of extra pepper if you wish for a milder version.

1 pound (455 g) flounder

2 cups (475 ml) low sodium chicken broth

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

½ cup (65 g) frozen corn

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

1 ½ teaspoons New Bay Seasoning, (see recipe, page 30)

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Shred the fish (processing in a food processor with a little of the broth does this easily). Place all ingredients in a large saucepan and simmer until fish and vegetables are cooked.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
292 g water; 105 calories (7% from fat, 44% from protein, 49% from carb); 12 g protein; 1 g total fat; 0 g saturated fat; 0 g monounsaturated fat; 0 g polyunsaturated fat; 14 g carb; 3 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 60 mg calcium; 2 mg iron;
108 mg sodium
; 612 mg potassium; 733 IU vitamin A; 22 mg vitamin C; 20 mg cholesterol

This is a soup to warm you on a cold night. A slice of bread is all that’s needed to make it a meal.

4 ounces (115 g) orzo, or other small pasta

½ cup (80 g) onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fennel seed

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

2 cups (475 ml) low sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon (0.4 g) dried parsley

½ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon turmeric

12 ounces (340 g) fish, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. In a large nonstick saucepan sprayed with nonstick vegetable oil spray, cook onion, garlic, and fennel seed until onion is tender. Add tomatoes, broth, and spices. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add fish and simmer until fish is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Divide pasta among 4 bowls. Ladle soup over pasta.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
445 g water; 192 calories (7% from fat, 46% from protein, 47% from carb); 23 g protein; 2 g total fat; 0 g saturated fat; 0 g monounsaturated fat; 0 g polyunsaturated fat; 23 g carb; 3 g fiber; 8 g sugar; 115 mg calcium; 2 mg iron;
144 mg sodium
; 1020 mg potassium; 423 IU vitamin A; 39 mg vitamin C; 41 mg cholesterol

Ever have one of those nights where you can’t think of a thing for dinner and end up pawing randomly through cookbooks looking for something that sounds good and that you have the ingredients for? This was the result. And it actually worked out well. The top layer is a quiche-like custard.