500 Low Sodium Recipes (41 page)

1 ½ pounds (680 g) pork, cubed

½ tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil

1 onion, coarsely chopped

2 carrots, sliced

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

½ cup (120 ml) water

2 tablespoons (12 g) curry powder

Brown pork and garlic in oil in a heavy skillet. Add vegetables, water, and curry powder. Cover and simmer until pork is tender, about 45 minutes.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
282 g water; 436 calories (58% from fat, 33% from protein, 10% from carb); 36 g protein; 28 g total fat; 9 g saturated fat; 12 g monounsaturated fat; 5 g polyunsaturated fat; 11 g carb; 3 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 69 mg calcium; 3 mg iron; 87 mg sodium; 1022 mg potassium; 199 IU vitamin A; 20 mg vitamin C; 102 mg cholesterol

A slow-cooker version of the classic Spanish chicken and rice dish. Serve with a green salad and hot crusty bread, and pass the hot pepper sauce for those who like heat. Turmeric can be used to convey the saffron color in a dish, but it will not provide the same flavor as the original.

1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil

3 pounds (1 ¼ kg) chicken pieces

2 onions, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 ½ cups (292 g) long grain rice

¼ teaspoon saffron, or 1 teaspoon turmeric

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

1 ½ cups (355 ml) low sodium chicken broth

½ cup (120 ml) white wine

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

1 cup (130 g) no-salt-added frozen peas, thawed

In a nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken, in batches, and brown lightly on all sides. Transfer to slow cooker. Reduce heat to medium. Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened. Add garlic and black pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add rice and stir until grains are well coated with mixture. Stir in saffron, tomatoes, and chicken broth. Transfer to slow cooker and stir to combine with chicken. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until juice runs clear when chicken is pierced with a fork. Stir in wine, bell pepper, and peas; cover and cook on high for 20 minutes, until vegetables are heated through.

Yield:
6 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
238 g water; 602 calories (40% from fat, 25% from protein, 35% from carb); 36 g protein; 26 g total fat; 7 g saturated fat; 10 g monounsaturated fat; 7 g polyunsaturated fat; 51 g carb; 4 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 82 mg calcium; 5 mg iron;
166 mg sodium
; 739 mg potassium; 1968 IU vitamin A; 42 mg vitamin C; 141 mg cholesterol

Many years ago I had a lunch in a little Cuban restaurant in a multiethnic neighborhood in Washington, DC. The main course was an absolutely marvelous roast pork, crispy on the outside, juicy inside, slightly sour and spicy. I’ve never forgotten it … and I’ve never had a recipe or even an idea of the name of the dish. This is as close as I’ve come so far, but my family knows I’ll keep trying.

½ cup (120 ml) vinegar

1 tablespoon (7 g) cumin

1 teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 pounds (910 g) pork loin

2 tablespoons (30 g) brown sugar

Combine vinegar, cumin, onion powder, and cayenne. Place in a resealable plastic bag with pork loin, turning to coat on all sides. Marinate overnight in refrigerator, turning occasionally. When ready to cook remove roast from marinade, discarding excess. Rub with brown sugar. Grill or roast at 350°F (180°C, gas mark 4) until done, about 1 hour.

Yield:
6 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
41 g water; 97 calories (45% from fat, 28% from protein, 26% from carb); 7 g protein; 5 g total fat; 2 g saturated fat; 2 g monounsaturated fat; 1 g polyunsaturated fat; 6 g carb; 0 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 18 mg calcium; 1 mg iron;
18 mg sodium
; 190 mg potassium; 76 IU vitamin A; 0 mg vitamin C; 20 mg cholesterol

Not as spicy as some jerk recipes, but a great combination of spices.

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped

3 tablespoons (45 ml) water

2 tablespoons (28 ml) lime juice

2 tablespoons (28 ml) lemon juice

1 tablespoon (15 g) Dijon mustard

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons (10 ml) low sodium chicken broth

½ teaspoon cumin

¼ teaspoon dried thyme

1 pound (455 g) boneless chicken breast

Combine all ingredients except the chicken and pour into a shallow baking dish or sealable plastic bag. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and place in refrigerator to marinate 4 hours to overnight. Preheat grill. Remove chicken from marinade and pour marinade into a saucepan. Bring marinade to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Place chicken on grill, cooking approximately 7 to 10 minutes per side (or until done), basting periodically with remaining marinade.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
81 g water; 129 calories (20% from fat, 71% from protein, 9% from carb); 22 g protein; 3 g total fat; 1 g saturated fat; 1 g monounsaturated fat; 1 g polyunsaturated fat; 3 g carb; 0 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 24 mg calcium; 1 mg iron;
59 mg sodium
; 229 mg potassium; 58 IU vitamin A; 8 mg vitamin C; 60 mg cholesterol

Spicy sauce, even using jalapeño peppers instead of the hotter Scotch bonnet ones that are used in Jamaica.

1 jalapeño pepper, halved and seeded

1 scallion, sliced into 2-inch (5-cm) lengths

¼ teaspoon garlic, minced

½ tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

¼ teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 tablespoon (15 ml) lime juice

2 tablespoons (30 g) low sodium ketchup

¼ cup (60 ml) pineapple juice

4 pounds (1 3/4 kg) pork roast

In the bowl of a food processor or in a blender, process the pepper, scallion, garlic, ginger, and thyme until finely ground. Add the allspice, lime juice, ketchup, and pineapple juice and puree the mixture for 30 seconds, until well combined. Make shallow cuts in the roast and rub in the sauce. Marinate overnight. Grill at lowest possible setting over a low fire until done.

Yield:
8 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
156 g water; 462 calories (41% from fat, 56% from protein, 2% from carb); 63 g protein; 20 g total fat; 8 g saturated fat; 9 g monounsaturated fat; 2 g polyunsaturated fat; 3 g carb; 0 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 62 mg calcium; 2 mg iron;
151 mg sodium
; 860 mg potassium; 73 IU vitamin A; 5 mg vitamin C; 179 mg cholesterol

This recipe gives you beans similar to the canned “Mexi-beans.” You can use it in recipes that call for them, as a starter for chili, or the way we had them for lunch, just spooned over rice with a little dollop of salsa on top.

8 ounces (225 g) kidney beans

6 cups (1410 ml) water

2 tablespoons (28 ml) vinegar

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 tablespoon (7.5 g) chili powder

Rinse the beans and place in a large pot with the water. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for an hour. Return to heat, add vinegar and spices, and simmer until beans are tender, 1 to 1 ½ hours. Add water or low sodium chicken broth if the beans get too dry.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
369 g water; 197 calories (2% from fat, 28% from protein, 70% from carb); 14 g protein; 0 g total fat; 0 g saturated fat; 0 g monounsaturated fat; 0 g polyunsaturated fat; 36 g carb; 15 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 126 mg calcium; 6 mg iron;
17 mg sodium
; 898 mg potassium; 560 IU vitamin A; 4 mg vitamin C; 0 mg cholesterol

This makes a big batch of refried beans. The use of the slow cooker makes it easy to prepare. They freeze very nicely, so you can pack some away for the next time. The flavor is fairly traditional (despite the rather untraditional coffee in the ingredients) and not too spicy at all.

1 pound (455 g) pinto beans

4 cups (940 ml) water

1 cup (235 ml) coffee

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, diced

1 tablespoon (7 g) cumin

2 teaspoons (5 g) chili powder

1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano

Rinse beans and place in a large bowl covered with water overnight. Drain and place in slow cooker along with remaining ingredients. Stir well, cover, and cook for 8 to 10 hours or until beans are tender. Use a potato masher or large spoon to mash the beans until desired consistency.

Yield:
12 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
113 g water; 112 calories (5% from fat, 24% from protein, 71% from carb); 7 g protein; 1 g total fat; 0 g saturated fat; 0 g monounsaturated fat; 0 g polyunsaturated fat; 20 g carb; 5 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 48 mg calcium; 2 mg iron;
9 mg sodium
; 505 mg potassium; 139 IU vitamin A; 3 mg vitamin C; 0 mg cholesterol

These are best served over rice. Feel free to increase the pepper sauce if you like things spicy … the lunch I had with the leftovers when I added more hot sauce and cumin was even better than the original meal.

1 cup (250 g) black beans

4 cups (940 ml) water

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil

1 tablespoon (10 g) minced garlic

1 red bell pepper, diced

¼ cup (60 ml) vinegar

⅛
teaspoon hot pepper sauce

¼ cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, chopped (or1 tablespoon (2 g) dried cilantro)

Soak beans in water overnight. Cook until tender and drain. In a large skillet, sauté the onion in the olive oil until tender. Add the garlic and pepper and sauté an additional 2 minutes. Add the drained beans, vinegar, hot pepper sauce, and cumin. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the cilantro. Serve over rice.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
322 g water; 224 calories (16% from fat, 19% from protein, 64% from carb); 11 g protein; 4 g total fat; 1 g saturated fat; 3 g monounsaturated fat; 1 g polyunsaturated fat; 37 g carb; 9 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 80 mg calcium; 3 mg iron;
12 mg sodium
; 880 mg potassium; 1346 IU vitamin A; 74 mg vitamin C; 0 mg cholesterol

This will give an authentic Mexican flavor to any dish you add it to, without adding a lot of sodium. I usually grind my own pork from boneless country-style ribs, which reduces the amount of fat too. You can store these either raw or cooked. I prefer to cook them in the oven and then freeze them as individual precooked patties so I can pull one out and heat it in the microwave for a minute and it’s ready to go.

1 pound (455 g) ground pork

¼ cup (60 ml) cider vinegar

½ teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons (14 g) cumin

½ teaspoon cilantro

⅛
teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Shape into 2-ounce (55-g) patties and cook or freeze for later use as desired.

Yield:
8 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
37 g water; 176 calories (63% from fat, 34% from protein, 3% from carb); 15 g protein; 12 g total fat; 4 g saturated fat; 5 g monounsaturated fat; 1 g polyunsaturated fat; 1 g carb; 0 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 27 mg calcium; 2 mg iron;
44 mg sodium
; 242 mg potassium; 38 IU vitamin A; 1 mg vitamin C; 53 mg cholesterol

Chinese and other Asian foods were among the things I missed the most when I started the low sodium diet. And it seemed like a problem with no solution. The lowest-sodium soy sauce I could find was almost 400 mg per teaspoon, so anything containing it was a rare treat. Then something happened to make things easier. A newsletter subscriber sent me a recipe for a soy sauce substitute made primarily from salt-free beef bouillon. It didn’t taste exactly like soy sauce, but in many recipes it was close enough. The funny thing is that it came from an old
Better Homes and Gardens
low salt cookbook. We got one of their cookbooks every month for years, finally canceling the subscription when we were getting mostly duplicates of ones we already had. Except we never got the low salt one. It may be the only one they did that we didn’t have. I experimented with the soy sauce substitute recipe for years, and the one in
Chapter 3
is the variation I like best and the thing that makes many of the recipes in this chapter possible. Since then, I’ve discovered one salt-free commercial soy sauce. It is called Shirakiku Saltless Shoyo, and the only source I’ve found for it is Murawa Distributors in San Francisco. You can currently buy it from their website at
www.maruwa.com.
It is a bit expensive, but the flavor is better than our homemade one, so you might want to check it out.

About as “real Chinese” as the chow mein you can buy on your grocer’s shelves or frozen food case, but it still tastes good. And I guarantee it’s lower in sodium.