Whether you have just begun a new sodium-restricted diet, are cooking for a family member with such issues, or are just tired of the same-old, same-old recipes, here are some suggestions. You'll find ideas for making your cooking chores easier, in ways that you can use year-round. Plus, sensible but delicious solutions to changing your favorite meal time traditions into healthier versions!
Tips for Buying and Preparing Low-Sodium Products
As with all foods, take time to read nutrition labels, even on frozen turkeys, comparing the sodium content. Always keep portion/serving sizes in mind when looking at sodium content. If you know that the person will eat more than the serving size on the nutrition label (or less) then plan accordingly and do the math. A serving size of turkey is generally 3 ounces (not including bones or skin), and that is generally the portion size used on nutrition labels.
Kosher turkeys tend to have the lowest salt content. Most of the turkeys from locally grown to Butterball, range from 270 to 390 mgs per 4oz serving, but the kosher brand was only 220 mgs. Watch out for indications that the bird has been "brined" or a saline solution has been added.
Vegetables like butternut squash, sweet potatoes, green beans, pearl onions, etc., can be prepared with unsalted butter, some Mrs. Dash® or other herbs, or spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
If you can make your own rolls or biscuits, that's good. Substitute no-sodium baking soda and baking powder but follow instructions on the package for the correct amounts. They do not translate as a 1:1 equivalent to regular soda or powder. As an alternative, see the recipes for holiday breads here: Low-Sodium Thanksgiving Breads.
Use unseasoned bread cubes for your stuffing, and low-sodium chicken broth for the liquid. Also use the low-sodium broth for your gravy. Don't buy canned or jar gravy - too much sodium. Make your own. It isn't hard and you can season it with poultry seasoning (the non-salted kind).
Low-Salt Turkey Gravy
- 2 cup Low-sodium Chicken Broth
- 2 T Flour
- 2 T Turkey drippings, including some of the "bits" from the bottom of the pan
In a wide bottomed skillet, blend drippings with the flour until a paste is formed. Add broth slowly, cook and stir until thickened. Season to taste with a bit of no-sodium poultry seasoning. Yield: 8 Servings; approx. 10 mg. sodium.
Low-Salt Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- 4-6 large Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes (1 per person)
- 1 1/2 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
- 1/2 cup Half-and Half or Milk
- 2 T Unsalted Butter
- 1/2 tsp Onion powder
- 1/4 tsp Garlic powder
- Black pepper to taste
Peel and quarter the potatoes, and boil until a knife slips easily into the center of a large piece. Drain, and transfer into a large bowl. Alternate adding the liquids while mashing the potatoes well. Season with the onion, garlic and pepper to taste – add more pepper if you like. A bit of chopped green onion tips or parsley can be added for garnish. Serves 4-6. Sodium content: approx. 102 mgs per serving. Slightly higher if you use low-sodium margarine instead of butter, or slightly less if you use whole milk instead of skim.
Glazed Carrots
- 2 cups Carrots,Sliced
- 2 T Unsalted Butter
- 2 T sugar
Wash and scrape carrots. Slice about 1/2 inch thick. Cook in boiling water until tender. Drain. Melt butter in saucepan. Add sugar. Add carrots. Cook until slightly browned and glazed. Yield: 4 Servings - 45 mgs sodium per serving. (Save time by using a 16 ounce can of no-salt carrots, if you can find them.)
Candied Yams
- 1 29 oz can Yams in syrup
- 4 T unsalted butter
- 1/2 c packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp each cinnamon and nutmeg
Pour yams and syrup into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add all the rest of the ingredients and stir a bit to blend. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer until the syrup has thickened. Don’t overcook as the syrup will turn to brittle! Yield – 6 servings. Sodium content: approx 35 mgs per ½ cup.
Green Bean Casserole [1]
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- 1 1/2 pound fresh, cleaned and cut, green beans or
- 2 16 oz cans no-salt green beans, drained
- 1 can low-sodium cream of mushroom soup (not "25% less sodium")
- 1/2 cup milk (2% or whole)
- 1 1/2 cups French-fried onions
- Pepper to taste
Mix ingredients with 2/3 cup onions, and pour into a casserole that has been sprayed with low-sodium, non-stick spray. Bake for 25 minutes, then add remaining onions around the top edge of the casserole dish and bake another 5 minutes. Yield: 6 servings, sodium content approx 350 mg per serving.
Source:
[1] adapted from Campbell's Green Bean Casserole
Finding More Recipes
These have been found in a variety of healthy-living websites and low-sodium cookbooks, and saved over the years. You might like MayoClinic.com and Cooking-for-Compliments.com.Also recommended: The No-Salt, Lowest-Sodium Cookbook, by Donald A. Gazzaniga, Thomas Dunne Books, 2001.
Switching to a Low-Sodium Diet
Barbara Bell - Suite101 has been my home away from home for over 12 years. I began as a writer covering antiques, collectibles and interior decorating, ...
