The Low Sodium Cookbook (30 page)

1¼ cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced

½ pound cremini or button mushrooms, sliced

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

¼ cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and add the quinoa. Cook, covered, for about 15 minutes, until the quinoa is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Remove it from the heat.

2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low if the onions seem to be cooking too quickly. You can also add a bit of water to keep the onions from burning or sticking to the pan.

3. Add the mushrooms and pepper and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes more.

4. Stir the cooked quinoa into the onion mixture and cook, stirring, just until heated through. Serve immediately, garnished with the parsley.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Fish and Seafood Entrées

I
f you are concerned about your risk of heart disease, fish and seafood should make frequent appearances on your menu. In fact, adding one to two servings of fish a week could significantly reduce your risk of dying of a heart attack, thanks to the high levels of omega-3 fatty acids that make fish so healthful.

Because fish and seafood tend to have delicate flavors of their own, it doesn’t take much to spice them up and turn them into delectable meals. This chapter includes recipes for both fish and shellfish, which are low in fat and sodium but full of delicious flavor.

Grilled Halibut with Mango Salsa

SERVES 4

SODIUM //
123 MG

LOW-FAT // QUICK

Halibut is a meaty and flavorful fish that is loaded with protein and magnesium, vitamins B
₆
and B
₁₂
, and omega-3 fatty acids. It’s also well suited to grilling, which is a great healthful cooking method. This recipe is full of tropical flavors, and it is perfect for a barbecue on a warm summer evening. A fish grilling basket is a wise investment. This inexpensive gadget will keep your fish from falling through the slats of the grill and make it easy to flip.

For the salsa:

2 medium mangos, pitted, peeled, and diced

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced

2 green onions, thinly sliced

2 jalapeños, seeded and diced

1 garlic clove, minced

Juice of 2 limes

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

For the fish:

Cooking spray

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon paprika

1 garlic clove, minced

4 (6-ounce) skinless halibut fillets

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

To make the salsa:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients. Stir well.

To make the fish:

1. Preheat a barbecue or gas grill to medium-high heat.

2. Spray a fish grilling basket with cooking spray.

3. In a small bowl, stir together the lemon juice, oil, paprika, and garlic. Place the fish in a baking dish and pour the sauce over it. Turn the fish to coat it on all sides. Cover and let the fish marinate for about 15 minutes.

4. Take the fish out of the marinade and discard the marinade. Sprinkle the fish with the pepper, and grill in the fish grilling basket on the barbecue or grill for about 3 minutes per side, until it is cooked through and flakes easily.

5. Serve the fish topped with the mango salsa.

Seared Salmon with Cilantro-Lime Pesto

SERVES 4

SODIUM //
205 MG

QUICK

It’s common knowledge that salmon is one of the healthiest proteins around, providing more than half of the recommended daily allowance of omega-3 fatty acids in just one 6-ounce serving. It’s also one of the most delicious and easy-to-prepare fishes, due to its meaty flesh and relatively high fat content. Here the pretty pink fish is paired with a bright green sauce that’s loaded with the flavors of cilantro, lime, and Parmesan cheese. Serve it alongside sautéed snap peas (try the
Lemony Snap Peas with Radishes
) for a beautiful spring meal.

For the pesto:

2 garlic cloves

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

⅓ cup (1½ ounces) grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon lime zest

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

For the fish:

Cooking spray

4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, with skin

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

To make the pesto:

1. Place the garlic in a food processor and pulse to mince. Add the cilantro, cheese, lime zest, and lime juice and pulse until finely chopped.

2. With the processor running, drizzle in the oil until well combined.

To make the fish:

1. Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat it over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the salmon with pepper and place it in the pan skin side down. Cook the salmon until the skin begins to brown, 5 to 6 minutes.

2. Turn the fish over and cook the other side until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, about 6 minutes more.

3. Serve immediately with a dollop of the pesto on top.

Pecan-Crusted Honey-Dijon Salmon

SERVES 6