Low sodium recipes WANTED

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mwcontois
mwcontois Posts: 44 Member
in Recipes
So many of the recipes on here are so attractive but then when I punch in all the info I see astronomical levels of sodium. I'm watching my sodium intake as much as my calories as high blood pressure and renal failure run in my family. So...if you have a great recipe that is low on both calories and sodium per serving...I would like to see it! Crockpot recipes are especially attractive where I can let it cook while I'm at work and not spend prep time when I get home. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!
Mike
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  • ChrisinGA
    ChrisinGA Posts: 116 Member
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    Good luck, as someone with hypertension already I have really been watching my sodium intake per day.. I guess I have done better then i was but its hard.
  • hananah89
    hananah89 Posts: 692 Member
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    If you like crock pot recipes, I made this tonight:
    http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/02/slow-cooker-creamy-ranch-pork-chops-and.html

    I liked it because she gave a recipe for both the seasoning and the cream of chicken soup. So I made those myself to save on sodium. The cream of chicken homemade had 270 and the pork with ranch dressing mix was just over 300 sodium (6 servings). I'm not sure if thats low enough for what you are looking for, but just making your own seasonings and cream of ____ soups can help cut down a lot when doing crock pot recipes
  • dklibert
    dklibert Posts: 1,196 Member
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    One of my family members was just put on a no/low sodium diet. I have been helping them find recipes. I have been posting them on my blog. Here is a soup I made recently.

    http://soupspiceeverythingnice.blogspot.com/p/low-sodium-recipes.html

    Asian Style Vegetable Soup
    Serves 12; generous 1 cup serving

    Ingredients

    14 dried shiitake mushrooms (or substitute fresh shiitake mushrooms)
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    1” ginger, peeled and minced
    6 green onions, divided and sliced
    1 carrot, peeled and diced
    1 cup frozen corn, thawed
    6 cups Napa or Savoy cabbage, chopped
    8 cups unsalted vegetable stock
    1/4 tsp white pepper, or to taste
    1/8 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
    2 cups baby spinach leaves
    2 tsp. sesame oil
    1 Tbsp. Sherry vinegar

    Optional garnishes:
    Sriracha

    Directions

    If using dried mushrooms, soak them in warm water for 15 minutes. Squeeze out the excess water and reserve soaking liquid. Cut or discard the stems from the shiitake mushrooms. Thinly slice the mushroom caps and add to a soup pot. Add garlic, ginger, 4 green onions, carrots, corn and cabbage. Cover vegetables with vegetable stock and mushroom soaking liquid. Be careful not to add the sediment at the bottom of the mushroom liquid. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, and simmer covered for 10 minutes. Turn off heat add spinach, sesame oil and sherry vinegar. Serve garnished with remaining green onion.
  • dklibert
    dklibert Posts: 1,196 Member
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    Verde Turkey Burgers
    Makes 4 servings
    Ingredients

    1 poblano pepper
    1 Hatch or Anaheim (California) chili
    20 oz. ground turkey (93% lean)
    Zest of 1 lime
    1 Tbsp. cilantro, finely chopped
    1 Tbsp. red onion, finely chopped
    1 tsp. light mayonnaise
    Black and red pepper, to taste
    Olive oil
    4 slices of pepper jack cheese
    4 Hamburger Buns
    1/2 cup Guacamole (recipe on blog I just omit salt)

    Directions

    Pre-heat grill to medium-high heat for 10 minutes.

    To grill the chilies: Place chilies on the grill. Grill for five minutes on each side on medium high heat. Remove chilies and cover with plastic wrap. When chilies are cool enough to touch, peel off the skin of the chilies. Cut chilies in half from stem to tip, remove seeds, stem and veins. Chop into small dice.

    For burgers: Combine turkey, lime zest, cilantro, onion, mayo and peppers gently. Shape mixture into four patties, making the patties thinner in the middle then the edge. Coat hands in a little olive oil and rub on the outside of each patty.

    Grill, covered with grill lid, 6 minutes. Flip burger and grill covered for another 4 minutes. Top each burger with 1 slice of cheese. Continue to cook 2 minutes until cooked through and cheese is melted. Place hamburger buns on the top rack of the grill to toast while cheese is melting. Assemble burgers in this order; bottom bun, chilies, burger, guacamole and top bun.
  • dklibert
    dklibert Posts: 1,196 Member
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    I find that adding citrus juice/zest or vinegar to recipes brightens the flavor like salt would.
  • dklibert
    dklibert Posts: 1,196 Member
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    Low Sodium Chili
    http://soupspiceeverythingnice.blogspot.com/2014/09/low-sodium-chili.html
    Serves 4

    Ingredients

    2 Hatch or Anaheim (California) green chilies
    1 lb. 93% lean ground beef
    1 small onion, diced
    1 rib celery, chopped
    15 oz. can no salt added diced tomatoes (liquid included)
    15 oz. can no salt added red kidney beans (liquid drained)
    15 oz. can no salt added pinto beans (liquid drained)
    8 oz. can no salt added tomato sauce
    1 cup water
    2 Tbsp. chili powder
    1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin
    1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
    1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
    1/4 tsp. garlic powder

    Directions

    Pre-heat grill to medium-high heat for 10 minutes.

    To grill the chilies: Place chilies on the grill. Grill for five minutes on each side on medium high heat. Remove chilies and cover with plastic wrap. When chilies are cool enough to touch, peel off the skin of the chilies. Cut chilies in half from stem to tip, remove seeds, stem and veins. Chop into small dice.

    Heat a Dutch oven to medium high heat. Brown beef over medium heat breaking into small pieces with a spoon. When beef is brown, add the remaining ingredients stirring to combine thoroughly. Over medium heat, bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, and continue simmering covered 50−60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve and enjoy!
  • RoninsMom5
    RoninsMom5 Posts: 65
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    I cook at recipes as they are and just leave out the salt, and add more flavors with spices, herbs, and marinates
    spaghetti, tacos, hamburgers, etc just omit salt
  • kyregi
    kyregi Posts: 55 Member
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    The question for me is, what kind of recipes did you use so far or which recipes did you type into myfitnesspal? I'm on a low sodium diet and I started by switching all ingredients to the lowest sodium version I could get. So Chili will be made with no salt added kidney beans, any chicken recipe has now the Kroger simple truth chicken as a base as that has not any "solution added". I have not yet done many crockpot recipes, just starting that now as it starts getting a little cooler here and crockpot time starts, but overall I manage to get most days in with below 1500 and still eat many yummy dishes. My best advice is to start with the low sodium ingredients. That made a huge difference in the intake.
  • dklibert
    dklibert Posts: 1,196 Member
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    My next experiment is making this soup with no salt added tomatoes and homemade Italian sausage. http://soupspiceeverythingnice.blogspot.com/2014/08/low-sodium-italian-sausage.html

    Italian Sausage Soup

    8 ounces hot or sweet turkey Italian sausage (I will make my own)
    2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth (I will use unsalted)
    1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano (I will use no salt added)
    1/2 cup uncooked small shell pasta
    2 cups bagged baby spinach leaves
    2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan or Romano cheese
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil


    Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove casings from sausage. Add sausage to pan, and cook about 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain; return to pan.

    Add broth, tomatoes, and pasta to pan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until pasta is done. Remove from heat; stir in spinach until wilted. Sprinkle each serving with cheese and basil.

    Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups soup, 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese, and 1 1/2 teaspoons basil)
  • dklibert
    dklibert Posts: 1,196 Member
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    This was amazing! My dear sister a salt shaker even loved it. The blogger and the blog is a wealth of information.

    http://lowsodiumblog.com/2012/07/sues-greek-roast-lemon-chicken-kota-lemonato/
  • roanokejoe49
    roanokejoe49 Posts: 820 Member
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    Check out www.davita.com. It is a site for people dealing with kidney problems. It has tons of recipes that are low in sodium.
  • mwcontois
    mwcontois Posts: 44 Member
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    THANK YOU ALL. In general, I have been doing very well with minimizing sodium intake, but it is when I find low calorie recipes, specifically on this site and others, that do not provide the sodium amount and when I punch the whole recipe into this MFP site, the sodium is way out of limits, I want to scream. I find that importing recipes to this site could and should be a lot easier (I'm in IT, I know), and when the sodium is something like 4100 mg per serving (Creamy Reuben Soup on MFP), it is very frustrating. Hey, I just spent 15 minutes transferring in a recipe that I can't eat. I already do things like purchase low sodium versions of beans, V8 juice, etc. I am just frustrated with low calorie recipes that seem to think high sodium amounts is OK.

    Thanks again for the recipes, links and advice.
    Mike
  • mwcontois
    mwcontois Posts: 44 Member
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    Ironically Davita is where my Dad goes for dialysis. They treat people like cattle in there...just move em in and move em out, like cows on milking machines. I'm waiting for a disaster to happen where they didn't clean the machines well enough. Anyway, dialysis is not for me. If I follow dad's footsteps I will not be doing that treatment but will succumb. That is why monitoring my BP and sodium is so critical.

    Thanks.
    Mike
  • 1013LMH
    1013LMH Posts: 1 Member
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    My family has a history of HBP, so I have been eating a low-sodium diet since I was a kid. Rather than give you recipes, let me make a few suggestions so you can adjust the recipes you already make at home.
    *Beans: Cook from dried. Don't add salt until they are mixed in with your recipe and you can adjust the seasoning at that point. Add a couple bay leaves to add a nice flavor, but won't overpower your recipe. This is cheaper, lower in sodium, and the taste is so much better!
    *Low Sodium: If you have a choice, choose low sodium. For example: canned tomatoes come in traditional and low sodium, soy sauce has a low sodium option.
    *Omit the Salt: If you are using canned tomatoes, beans, soy sauce, sauces in general, just omit the salt that is in the recipe (often as listed "salt to taste.")
    *Make your own: I make my own A-1 sauce (freeze in ice cube trays), salad dressings (healthier and cheaper), chicken broth (use the leftover bones from another meal) and vegetable broth (add scraps to a ziploc bag, adding throughout the week until it's full) and don't add extra salt. Freeze in small containers to use in recipes.
    *Use Fresh and/or frozen: Substitute fresh when possible. Try frozen, they have less salt. I always have frozen peas in the freezer to add to fried rice, spanish rice and soups. Recipe call for a can of tomatoes? Try cutting up fresh tomatoes as a substitute. Like canned corn in your cornbread? Cook up a few ears of corn when in season, shave the kernels off and use that instead (freeze the rest). You'll be amazed at the difference of flavor!
    *Herbs and Spices: Start using more herbs and spices. This adds flavor without the added sodium. Experiment with Mrs. Dash or try Penzey's spice mixes.
    *Lemon and lime juice: If your recipe calls for citrus, add a bit more for added flavor. I often add up up to twice the recommended amount--but be careful, always add a small amount, taste, then add more if needed.
    *Table salt: Don't use it. Keep it off the table at home. Taste your food first before you add the salt from the shaker.
    *Adjust your taste buds: Let's face it--salt makes food taste better! Learn to like food with less salt. It takes time. After awhile you'll find you are able to really distinguish flavors and enjoy your food more with less salt!
  • alska
    alska Posts: 295 Member
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    This is what I do.... I just cook without salt. A lot of things already have salt in them, why add more? I don't even add salt to my pasta when I boil it and I never ever did. When I think of it I buy low sodium things ...

    Now when I eat other peoples stuff or I go out to eat I find things are salty.

    I cook at recipes as they are and just leave out the salt, and add more flavors with spices, herbs, and marinates
    spaghetti, tacos, hamburgers, etc just omit salt
  • knra_grl
    knra_grl Posts: 1,568 Member
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    Read labels and buy low sodium options - most basic ingredients have a low sodium alternative. Don't add salt use herbs or spice blends like Mrs. Dash.
  • Joannah700
    Joannah700 Posts: 2,665 Member
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    My ex was on a low-sodium diet for awhile and it took time to find food and recipes that worked.

    I really liked a Betty Crocker Heart Healthy cookbook I owned - and I still use the recipe for filet mignon and apricot chicken for myself.

    The apricot chicken is delicious - marinate a chicken breast in 1 tsp spicy brown mustard, 1/4 c. orange juice and 1 tbs. apricot preserves. Pour some of the marinade over the chicken and bake for 10 minutes, then flip. Not much sodium in there at all, just what is naturally in the apricot preserves and chicken. You can mess with the measurements (this was just on the top of my head). If you want to be fancy you can also add some fresh thyme to the marinade.

    Pair it with cous cous, and you have a delicious meal.

    The filet mignon (and the filet is supposed to be the best cut for your health - no idea why) I marinade 1/4 c. A1 and 1 tbs. brown sugar per steak. (Again, measurements are from memory so you can mess with it to suit your tastes.) Broil and eat. SO good.

    On another note, subbing vinegar or citrus to get that 'sharp' flavor makes it an easier during the transition. Balsamic vinegar is your friend. So is lime.
  • helpimfalling
    helpimfalling Posts: 53
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    I use Mrs Dash's marinades with my meat whenever possible, since it's sodium-free. The Garlic and Herb variety is good with chicken!

    Also, I used to buy pre-packaged cous cous that already had seasonings and it's high in sodium, so I found some plain and season it with sodium-free seasonings.
  • dklibert
    dklibert Posts: 1,196 Member
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    I second the Mrs. Dash products. I used the extra spicy seasoning instead of Cajun seasoning. Great substitute!
  • lore11a
    lore11a Posts: 166 Member
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