500 Low Sodium Recipes (22 page)

2 pounds (910 g) pork spareribs

¼ cup (85 g) honey

2 tablespoons (14 g) paprika

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Combine honey and spices. Brush on ribs. Smoke or cook slowly until done.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
69 g water; 401 calories (60% from fat, 20% from protein, 20% from carb); 20 g protein; 27 g total fat; 10 g saturated fat; 12 g monounsaturated fat; 3 g polyunsaturated fat; 20 g carb; 1 g fiber; 18 g sugar; 45 mg calcium; 2 mg iron;
89 mg sodium
; 396 mg potassium; 1877 IU vitamin A; 3 mg vitamin C; 88 mg cholesterol

“Ranch” in a way you may not have expected. When my son and daughter took over cooking one Sunday evening, they were looking for something a little different as a sauce for country-style ribs. The answer? Ranch dressing. And it was better than you can imagine.

2 pounds (910 g) country-style ribs

½ cup (115 g) Peppercorn Ranch Dressing (see recipe, page 248)

Grill ribs over medium coals until done, about an hour. Baste with dressing the last 15 minutes.

Yield:
6 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
108 g water; 416 calories (72% from fat, 25% from protein, 2% from carb); 26 g protein; 33 g total fat; 10 g saturated fat; 13 g monounsaturated fat; 3 g polyunsaturated fat; 2 g carb; 0 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 46 mg calcium; 1 mg iron;
108 mg sodium
; 483 mg potassium; 20 IU vitamin A; 1 mg vitamin C; 110 mg cholesterol

I found this recipe in a Betty Crocker cookbook and reworked it to reduce the sodium, lowering it from the 570 mg they had listed to 94 mg. Why would you want something sweet to be salty anyway?

2 pounds (910 g) country-style ribs

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 onion, sliced

½ cup (125 g) apple butter

2 tablespoons (30 g) brown sugar

1 tablespoon (15 ml) liquid smoke

2 cloves garlic, minced

Place ribs in slow cooker. Sprinkle with pepper. Cover with onion slices. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

Yield:
6 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
128 g water; 433 calories (60% from fat, 24% from protein, 16% from carb); 26 g protein; 28 g total fat; 10 g saturated fat; 13 g monounsaturated fat; 3 g polyunsaturated fat; 17 g carb; 1 g fiber; 14 g sugar; 55 mg calcium; 2 mg iron;
94 mg sodium
; 529 mg potassium; 15 IU vitamin A; 3 mg vitamin C; 104 mg cholesterol

Somehow I’d never really thought about roast pork as a sub filling. Here at the northern edge of the southern United States we have a lot barbecue carryouts and sliced, smoked pork is a favorite. That is the way I’ve usually made it, smoking a pork roast and slicing it for sandwiches with barbecue sauce. But on a trip to New York City I discovered Italian roast pork subs. This version cooks in the slow cooker while you are out. Slice it thinly and pile it on a homemade sub roll with a slice of low sodium Swiss cheese and a few sautéed onions and you have dinner.

1 pound (455 g) pork loin

1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup (235 ml) low sodium chicken broth

Place meat in slow cooker. Stir seasonings into broth and pour over. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
133 g water; 245 calories (60% from fat, 39% from protein, 1% from carb); 23 g protein; 16 g total fat; 6 g saturated fat; 7 g monounsaturated fat; 2 g polyunsaturated fat; 1 g carb; 0 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 17 mg calcium; 1 mg iron;
71 mg sodium
; 495 mg potassium; 33 IU vitamin A; 1 mg vitamin C; 68 mg cholesterol

You can easily vary the flavor of these chops by changing the seasonings. I was looking for a sort of Southern flavor, but you could just as easily make them Italian, Mexican, barbecue, or whatever you want.

4 pork chops

½ cup (60 g) low sodium bread crumbs

1 tablespoon (0.4 g) dried parsley

½ teaspoon dried sage

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon dried basil

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Moisten chops with water. Combine bread crumbs and spices in a resealable plastic bag. Add chops and shake until evenly covered. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Place the chops on the sheet and spray the tops with more of the vegetable oil spray. Bake at 350°F (180°C, gas mark 4) until done, 20 to 30 minutes depending on thickness of chops.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
43 g water; 315 calories (60% from fat, 26% from protein, 14% from carb); 20 g protein; 21 g total fat; 8 g saturated fat; 9 g monounsaturated fat; 2 g polyunsaturated fat; 11 g carb; 1 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 60 mg calcium; 2 mg iron;
62 mg sodium;
323 mg potassium; 157 IU vitamin A; 2 mg vitamin C; 69 mg cholesterol

These are good either as an Asian-style meal with stir-fried vegetables and rice or in a more American-type setting with pasta or potatoes.

4 pork loin chops

1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¼ cup (60 ml) orange juice

Brown chops in oil on both sides. Sprinkle with spices and pour orange juice over. Cover and cook until done, 10 to 15 minutes.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
89 g water; 278 calories (64% from fat, 33% from protein, 3% from carb); 23 g protein; 19 g total fat; 6 g saturated fat; 8 g monounsaturated fat; 4 g polyunsaturated fat; 2 g carb; 0 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 8 mg calcium; 1 mg iron;
48 mg sodium
; 473 mg potassium; 20 IU vitamin A; 6 mg vitamin C; 68 mg cholesterol

This recipe comes from subscriber Margaret. We tried it and it is truly delicious. It’s just spicy enough to satisfy even those people who aren’t on a low sodium diet.

½ cup (80 g) onion, chopped

2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil

3 pork chops

2 tablespoons (12.5 g) fresh ginger, thinly sliced

1 apple, peeled and thinly sliced

½ cup (120 ml) water

Lightly brown the chopped onion in the olive oil; using medium heat in a nonstick skillet, 2 to 4 minutes. Push the onion pieces to one side and brown the chops on each side. Spoon the onion pieces on top of each chop, dividing evenly. Peel and slice the ginger and apple while the chops are
browning. Then layer each chop with a topping of sliced ginger and apple. Add the water to the skillet and cover tightly. Cook over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the thickness of the pork chops. Serve with the ginger-apple topping.

Yield:
3 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
145 g water; 370 calories (71% from fat, 20% from protein, 10% from carb); 18 g protein; 29 g total fat; 9 g saturated fat; 15 g monounsaturated fat; 3 g polyunsaturated fat; 9 g carb; 1 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 33 mg calcium; 1 mg iron;
58 mg sodium
; 369 mg potassium; 23 IU vitamin A; 4 mg vitamin C; 69 mg cholesterol

A quick and easy grill recipe.

2 tablespoons (40 g) honey

¼ cup (60 ml) Worcestershire sauce

¼ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

4 boneless pork chops

In a shallow glass dish or bowl, mix together honey, Worcestershire sauce, and spices. Add pork chops and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for no more than 4 hours to marinate. Lightly oil grill and preheat to medium. Remove pork chops from marinade. Grill until cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes, turning often.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
69 g water; 179 calories (29% from fat, 44% from protein, 26% from carb); 20 g protein; 6 g total fat; 2 g saturated fat; 3 g monounsaturated fat; 1 g polyunsaturated fat; 12 g carb; 0 g fiber; 9 g sugar; 6 mg calcium; 2 mg iron;
100 mg sodium
; 500 mg potassium; 23 IU vitamin A; 27 mg vitamin C; 48 mg cholesterol

A quick and easy sort of meal for those nights when you don’t want to stand around in the kitchen for an hour. Toss it together, stick it in the oven, and return when it’s ready to eat.

4 pork chops

1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

½ cup (50 g) celery, chopped

1 apple, peeled, cored, and chopped

2 cups (475 ml) low sodium chicken broth

¼ cup (60 ml) skim milk

4 cups cubed low sodium bread

In a large skillet, brown pork chops on both sides in oil. Remove chops. Add onion and celery and cook until tender. Add apple and cook another minute. Stir in broth and milk. Heat to almost boiling. Stir in bread cubes. Place mixture in 13 × 9-inch (33 × 23-cm) baking dish. Place chops on top. Cover with foil and bake at 375°F (190°C, gas mark 5) for 30 to 40 minutes or until chops are cooked through.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
258 g water; 451 calories (50% from fat, 22% from protein, 28% from carb); 24 g protein; 25 g total fat; 8 g saturated fat; 10 g monounsaturated fat; 4 g polyunsaturated fat; 31 g carb; 2 g fiber; 7 g sugar; 118 mg calcium; 3 mg iron;
138 mg sodium
; 570 mg potassium; 118 IU vitamin A; 5 mg vitamin C; 70 mg cholesterol

Who says sweet-and-sour red cabbage has to be high in sodium? Those who have looked longingly at the sodium figures on the jars may want to do what we did after trying this recipe: make another double recipe of just the cabbage and freeze it for later use.

4 cups (280 g) red cabbage, shredded

1 onion, chopped

1 apple, peeled and chopped

½ cup (115 g) brown sugar

½ cup (120 ml) cider vinegar

4 boneless pork chops

Place vegetables and apple in a slow cooker. Combine sugar and vinegar, pour over vegetables, and stir to mix. Place pork chops on top of mixture. Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
227 g water; 297 calories (17% from fat, 27% from protein, 55% from carb); 21 g protein; 6 g total fat; 2 g saturated fat; 3 g monounsaturated fat; 1 g polyunsaturated fat; 42 g carb; 3 g fiber; 36 g sugar; 78 mg calcium; 2 mg iron;
76 mg sodium
; 785 mg potassium; 1012 IU vitamin A; 54 mg vitamin C; 48 mg cholesterol

Okay, so this one came out of one of those desires to use up something in the cupboard, in this case a bag of dried apples. But it turned out really well and was easy to fix. It’s the kind of meal that you can put together in a half hour when you get home from work and let everyone think it was as difficult as it looks.

4 pork chops

4 medium sweet potatoes

½ cup (87 g) dried apples

½ cup (120 ml) apple cider

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ cup (60 g) brown sugar

Brown the pork chops on both sides in a skillet with a tight-fitting lid. Peel and cut up the sweet potatoes. Add the sweet potatoes and apples to the skillet. Stir together the cider, cinnamon, and sugar. Pour over the the mixture in skillet. Cover and simmer until potatoes and chops are done, about 20 minutes.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Analysis

Each with:
202 g water; 445 calories (41% from fat, 18% from protein, 41% from carb); 20 g protein; 20 g total fat; 8 g saturated fat; 9 g monounsaturated fat; 2 g polyunsaturated fat; 46 g carb; 4 g fiber; 27 g sugar; 82 mg calcium; 2 mg iron;
103 mg sodium
; 721 mg potassium; 13 IU vitamin A; 21 mg vitamin C; 69 mg cholesterol

Even though beef is more traditional for stroganoff, this works well too. At least around here, you can buy a boneless pork loin for less than ground beef, or any other beef cut for that matter.

1 ½ pounds (680 g) pork loin, cut in 3/4-inch (2-cm) cubes

1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil

½ cup (80 g) onion, chopped

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup (235 ml) water

8 ounces (225 g) mushrooms, sliced

1 tablespoon (15 ml) low sodium beef bouillon

1 teaspoon dill weed

⅛
teaspoon black pepper