Tuesday, November 1, 2011

The 8 New Saltiest Foods in America

This is a great article and great examples of how much sodium is in restaurant food.

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/eatthis/8-saltiest-foods-america

Honey Pecan Pork Chops

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Flour
1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
1/4 tsp. Onion Powder
1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp. Paprika
4 Boneless pork Chops, 1/2in thick
2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
1/4 cup Pecans, chopped
1/4 cup Honey
3 Tbsp. Onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. Honey Dijon Mustard

How to:
In a shallow dish, add flour, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika.  Heat unsalted butter in a large skillet on medium-high heat.  Dip pork chops in flour mixture and shake off excess.  Place in skillet and brown on each side for 10-12 minutes.  In a medium bowl, add remaining ingredients.  Once pork chops are done remove from skillet, reduce heat, and add honey mixture.  Heat for 2-3 minutes and add pork chops back to skillet.  Spoon sauce over pork chops.

Nutrition Info: Cal  Tot Fat  Sat Fat  Cho  Potass  Carbs  Prot  Fiber  Sugar  Sodium
Per Serving     424
     22g       8g      75mg   482g    32g    23g      1g     18g     76mg

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Reduced Sodium Slow Cooker Chili

Ingredients:
2 lbs Extra Lean Ground Beef
or Ground Turkey
2-8 oz cans of No Salt Added Tomato Sauce
2-14.5 oz. cans Kidney Beans,  Drain and rinse. Sodium will vary by brand, look for reduced sodium
2-14.5 oz. cans Pinto Beans, Drain and rinse.  Sodium will vary by brand, look for reduced sodium
1 cup Onion, Chopped
1 4 oz. can Green Chilies, these also will vary by brand
1/2 cup Celery, chopped
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
2-14.5 oz cans No Salt Added Diced Tomatoes
2 1/2 tsp. Cumin
2-3 Tbsp. Chili Powder (to taste), sodium will vary brand
1 tsp. Black Pepper
1 tsp. Oregano
1 tsp. Paprika
1 tsp. Sugar

How to:
This is made in a big 6 qt slow cooker, half the recipe if you are using a smaller slow cooker.
Brown ground beef in a large skillet and drain.  Add remaining ingredients and meat in slow cooker. Stir every few hours.  Let cook 8-9 hours.

Yields: 8 servings (1serving= 1 cup)

Nutrition Info:
Per Serving    Cal  Tot Fat  Sat Fat  Chol  Potass  Carbs  Prot  Fiber  Sugar  Sodium
Beef               501    24g         10g     85mg   398mg  42g    32g    1g       8g     367mg
Turkey           360      8g           3g     80mg   102mg  42g    34g    1g       8g     377mg

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Very Low Sodium Ranch Dressing

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Skim Milk
1/2 Tbsp.Lemon Juice
1/2 cup Light Mayonnaise
1/2 cup Light Sour Cream
1/2 tsp. Vegetable Oil
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Dried Chives
1/2 tsp. Dried Parsley
1/2 tsp. Dill Weed
1/2 tsp. Onion Powder
pinch of Black Pepper

How to:
Combine Milk and Lemon Juice in a small bowl and let stand for 10 mins.  In another bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients and add milk/lemon mixture.  Refridgerate to store.

Yeilds: 12 servings ( 1 serving = 1 tbsp)

Nutrition Info: Cal  Tot Fat  Sat Fat  Chol  Potass  Carbs  Prot  Fiber  Sugar  Sodium
Per Serving      43       4g        1g       2mg     22g       2g     <1g    0g      <1g     51mg

Friday, October 14, 2011

Low Sodium Baked Beans

Ingredients:
2- 14.5oz cans of Pinto Beans, lowest sodium you can find, drain and rinse
1 Tbsp. Cornstarch
1/2 cup No-Salt Added Ketchup
1/3 cup White Wine Vinegar
1/3 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1/3 cup Onion, Chopped
3 Tbsp. Barbecue Sauce
1 tsp. Yellow Mustard
1/2 tsp. Liquid Smoke
1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder

How to:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Pour beans in 8"x8" casserole dish.  In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients and pour over beans.  Cover and place in oven.  Bake for 90 mins. stirring 2-3 times.

Yields: 8 servings (1 serving= 1/2 cup)

Nutrition Info: Cal  Tot Fat  Sat Fat  Chol  Potass  Carbs  Prot  Fiber  Sugar  Sodium
Per Serving    142g   <1g      0mg       0g     235mg     28g     4g    10g     17g   107mg

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Low Sodium Tartar Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Light Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. Onion, minced
1 Tbsp. Sweet Relish, look at the different brands, find the lowest
1/2 tsp. Lemon Juice
1 1/2 tsp. Sugar

How to:
Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate to store. Will last about a week.

Yields: Approx. 10 servings (1 serving= 1 Tbsp.)

Nutrition Info: Cal  Tot Fat  Sat Fat  Chol Potass  Carbs  Prot  Fiber  Sugar  Sodium
Per Serving      33      3g       <1g       0mg    4g         2g      0g     0g     <1g      58mg

Heart Transplant Doesn't Stop Runner

My first Half Marathon, finished 3:08.  14:25 min mile

http://www.14news.com/story/15652546/evansville-half-marathon-has-one-man-achieving-his-dream

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2011/oct/07/no-headline---ev_runner/

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Very Low Sodium Cocktail Sauce

Ingredients:
3/4 cup No-Salt Added Ketchup
2 Tbsp. Prepared Horseradish, (or to taste)
2 tsp. Brown Sugar, packed
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
1 tsp. Garlic Powder

How to:
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, Taste and adjust horseradish to your liking. Refrigerate to store. Good for about a week.

Yields: 16 (1 serving = 1 Tbsp)

Nutrition Info: Cal  Tot Fat  Sat Fat  Chol  Potass  Carbs  Prot  Fiber  Sugar  Sodium
Per Serving     23       0g         0mg    0mg    137g     6g     <1g   <1g       3g      10mg

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Low Sodium Margarita Chicken

Ingredients:
4-6oz. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
1- can of Frozen Margarita Mix
1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro
1/2 tsp. Cumin

How to:
Combine all ingredients in a small resealable bag.  Let marinate for 6-8 hrs.  Grill on low heat.  An internal temperature of 165 degrees is recommended.

Suggestion: Serve over rice

Yields: 4 servings (1 serving= 1-6oz Chicken Breast)

Nutrition Info: Cal  Tot Fat  Sat Fat  Chol  Potass  Carbs  Prot  Fiber  Sugar  Sodium
Per Serving     278     2g      <1mg     99mg  443g     25g   39g     0g     23g      111m

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Very Low Sodium Memphis Style BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 cup Onion, Chopped
5 Garlic Cloves, finley chopped
2 Cups No-Salt Added Ketchup
1/2 cup Cider Vinegar
1/2 cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
2 Tbsp. Honey
2 Tbsp. Dry Mustard Powder
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

How To:
In a medium sauce pan, combine oil, onion, and garlic.  Cook about 5 minutes until garlic and onion soften.  Add remaining ingredients, and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Strain out oinon and garlic before eating if desired.

Yields: 2 1/2 cups.  (30 Tbsp.) (1 serving = 1 Tbsp.)

Nutrition Info: Cal  Tot Fat  Sat Fat  Chol  Potass  Carbs  Prot  Fiber  Sugar  Sodium
Per Serving     73      <1g      0mg      0mg    289g     17g     0g      0g     5g       28mg

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Lower Sodium Chicken Burger Recipe

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. Ground Chicken
(or put equal amount of whole chicken breast in food processor)
1/3 cup Red Bell Pepper, finely chopped
1 Medium Carrot, shredded
1/3 cup Onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup Plain Panko Bread Crumbs
1 Large Egg
1 Garlic Clove, finely chopped
Peppercorn Medley, (few turns on medley grinder)
4 Hamburger Buns

How To:
Combine all ingredients except buns in a medium bowl.  Divide into equal parts
and form into patties.
Place on Grill,  Cook until an internal temperature of 165 degrees

Yields: 4 servings (1 serving= 1 burger)

Nutrition Info: Cal  Tot Fat  Sat Fat  Chol  Potass  Carbs  Prot  Fiber Sugar  Sodium
Per Serving    488    21g        5mg   196mg  188g     34g    39g    2g      5g     382mg


Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Thank you for visiting the new Breaking the Salt Habit Blog.  My goal here is to help you eat a low sodium diet by offering lower sodium recipes, tips, and helping you find new lower sodium products. I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure in 2006 and was told I needed a heart transplant to continue living.  Keeping my sodium intake below 2000mg was critical to making it to the transplant stage.  I know how overwhelming it can be to start a new diet, especially a low sodium diet.  With a lot of trial and error I started coming up with my own recipes, with easy to find ingredients, to help me accomplish this.  Please let me know what you think of the recipes I have posted from my cookbook and new recipes I will introduce.

Reduced Sodium Sloppy Joe Recipe

Ingredients:
1lb. Ground Beef or Ground Turkey
1/4 cup Onion, chopped
1/4 cup Green Pepper, chopped
1 cup No-Salt Added Ketchup
4 tsp. Brown Sugar
1 1/4 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
3/4 tsp. Mustard Powder
3/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
3/4 tsp. Chili Powder
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
1/2 tsp. Celery Seed
8 Hamburger Buns

How To:
Brown ground beef or turkey in a large skillet.  Drain, add onion and green pepper. 
In a small bowl, add ketchup, brown sugar, worcestershire sauce, mustard powder, garlic powder, chili powder,  black pepper, and celery seed.  Stir to combine.  Add to meat mixture and heat on low for 15-20 mins.

Yields: 8 servings (1 serving=1/2 cup serving with bun)
Nutrition Info:
Per Serving    Cal  Tot Fat  Sat Fat  Chol   Potass  Carbs  Prot  Fiber  Sugar  Sodium
Beef                 333    14g       5g      43mg   553mg     37g   14g    1g     11g      269mg
Turkey             263      6g       5g      40mg   405mg     37g   15g    1g     11g      263mg 

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Reduced Sodium Oven Fried Chicken

Ingredients:
1 Whole Chicken (3-4lbs)
cut into pieces, skin removed
1/2 cup Light Mayonnaise
1/4 cup Skim Milk
2 Cups Plain Panko Bread Crumbs
1/3 cup Fresh Parsley
3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Paprika
1/2 tsp. Onion Powder
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper (optional)

How To:
Place chicken in a large plastic storage bag.

Whisk together mayonnaise and milk in a medium bowl.  Pour into bag with chicken and toss to coat.  This can sit a few hours in the refrigerator before baking.

In another bowl combine bread crumbs, parsley, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper.

Take chicken pieces out of bag one at a time and dip into bread crumb mixture and place in a large greased baking dish.

Bake in a 425 degree oven for 45-55 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

Breast should reach a internal tempature of 165 degrees, thighs and drumsticks a internal tempature of 180 degrees.

Yields: 4 servings  (1 serving= 1 breast or 1 large quarter)

Nutrition Info: Cal  Tot Fat  Sat Fat  Chol  Potass  Carbs  Prot  Fiber  Sugar  Sodium
Per Serving     492    23g      4mg    120mg  545g    29g     42g    7g       3g     195mg

Low-Sodium French Dressing Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
3 Tbsp. White Wine Vinegar
1/4 cup Sugar
2 Tbsp. No-Salt Added Ketchup
1/2tsp. Worcestershire Sauce (Reduced Sodium if you can find it)
1/4 cup Onion, finely minced

How To: Combine all ingredients except oil in a small bowl.  Slowly whisk in
oil.  A small blender works well for this if you have one.

Yields: 6 servings (1 serving= 2 Tbsp.) 

Nutrition Info: Cal  Tot Fat  Sat Fat  Chol  Potass  Carbs Prot  Fiber  Sugar  Sodium
Per Serving     86      8g         2mg    2mg      44g      4g    <1g      0g    <1g     102mg

Low-Sodium Tomato Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 cup Onion, chopped
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
2-14.5oz cans No-Salt Added Diced Tomatoes
1-6oz can of No-Salt Added Tomato Paste
1 Tbsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Dried Baisil or 1 Tbsp. Fresh Basil
1/2 tsp. Dried Oregeno or 1/2 Tbsp. Fresh Oregeno
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
1 Bay Leaf

How To:
In a medium sauce pan, add olive oil, onion, and garlic. Cook until soft.
Add tomatoes and remaining ingredients to pan.  Simmer on low for about a hour,
stirring occasionally.

Yields: 8 servings (1 serving=1/2 cup)

Nutrition Info: Cal  Tot Fat  Sat Fat  Chol  Potass  Carbs  Prot.  Fiber  Sugar  Sodium
Per Serving      85     4g       <1mg     0mg   249g     12g      8g      3g      7g       95mg

Easy, Very Low-Sodium Fruit Dip Recipe

Ingredients:
1-8oz. container of Fat Free Whipped Topping
2-6oz containers of your favorite Yogurt (I prefer a low-fat strawberry)

How to:
Combine ingredients in a medium bowl.
Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to use. 

Yields: 9 servings (1 serving=2Tbsp.) 

Nutrition Info:  Cal  Tot Fat  Sat Fat  Chol  Potass   Carbs  Prot.  Fiber  Sugar   Sodium
 Per Serving      64       0            0     <1mg   56mg        12g    <1g      0g        3g        32mg