Arroz con Pollo

I love a casserole, some kind of wonderful starch, be it rice or noodles, embraced by a luscious 'Cream of...' soup, with hidden nuggets of meat. All melding together to form a comfort food rest stop on the highway of life. Those days have mostly disappeared from my life with the new diet, but I keep looking for some sort of replacement. This next offering is a viable candidate when you add just a tad more liquid to the recipe. Although it does miss on the 'Cream of...' side of the story.

Now, many of our meals have revolved around chicken in recent years. All of the hype about fats and cholesterol and I don't know what have worked in this house, and red meats have taken a back seat to fish and poultry.

This week I started in on one of the new cookbooks I picked up a few weeks back at the Half Price Book store. The book is from the American Heart Association, titled the Low-Salt Cookbook. My version was published in 1990. There are newer versions of this available at Amazon, the third edition is American Heart Association Low-Salt Cookbook, 3rd Edition: A Complete Guide to Reducing Sodium and Fat in Your Diet.

Like I said, this may well end up being a viable alternative to the 'Cream of..' casseroles I can no longer enjoy.

Arroz con Pollo

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts, skinned, all visible fat removed
• 1 tablespoon acceptable margarine
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 tablespoon acceptable vegetable oil
• 1 cup uncooked white rice
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
• 1/8 teaspoon saffron (or turmeric)
• 1/2 cup cooked green peas

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt margarine. Add garlic, black pepper and paprika. Mix well. Remove from heat and brush on chicken breasts.

Place chicken in an ovenproof dish and bake, uncovered, 20 to 25 minutes, or until meat has turned white throughout.

Meanwhile, in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat, sauté the onion and green pepper in oil 5 to 6 minutes or until soft. Add rice and cook another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, and saffron (or turmeric) and stir to mix thoroughly. Cover and simmer over low heat 20 to 25 minutes. Add green peas and cooked chicken and cook an additional 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Calories: 299

Fat: 8g

Protein: 28g

Carbohydrate: 27g

Cholesterol: 62mg

Sodium: 90mg

Potassium: 369mg

[Thanks, American Heart Association]

Turkey Soufflé

This next recipe is again from the New Dieter's Cookbook (Better Homes & Gardens). (Note that the link is to the new 2006 Edition which may or may not contain this recipe. The edition I purchased was the 1992 edition which is only available used). Sad to say, I am unable to provide a link to this recipe at Better Homes and Gardens.

I was a little intimidated by the thought of making a soufflé. I had helped make them in the distant past, but I really couldn't remember what, if anything, I need to do or even avoid doing. I decided I was just going to follow along and hope for the best. In the worst case I would be making something more akin to a frittata, and how bad could that be, right?

The recipe calls for beating the egg whites until stiff peaks form. I will admit that I probably could have beat them longer than I did. It took a long time to do and I was a little anxious. Next time (and there will be a next time) I will allow that process to continue a while longer.

All in all this was a nice meal and should have been paired with corn or some other crunchy vegetable to add texture to them meal. Also, a fresh salad would have been a nice compliment.

Turkey Soufflé

Ingredients

• Nonstick spray coating
• 1/2 pound ground raw turkey
• 1/4 cup sliced green onion
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 cup skim milk
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped pimiento
• 3 egg yolks
• 3 egg whites

Directions

1. Spray a 10-inch skillet with nonstick spray coating. Add turkey and onion. Cook until turkey is no longer pink. Do not drain.

2. Stir cornstarch, salt, paprika, and pepper into skillet. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for one minute more. Stir in Parmesan cheese and pimiento.

3. In medium mixing bowl beat egg yolks lightly. Gradually add turkey mixture to yolks, stirring constantly.

4. In a large mixer bowl beat egg whites till stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Gradually fold in turkey mixture. Pour into ungreased 1 1/2-quart soufflé dish.

5. Bake in 325° oven for about 40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 196

Fat: 11g

Protein: 18g

Carbohydrate: 7g

Cholesterol: 243mg

Sodium: 294mg

Potassium: 271mg

[Thanks, Better Homes and Gardens]

Curried Pork Chops with Oranges

A few weeks ago we went to Half Priced Books with a wonderful 20% off coupon. On that visit we purchased 4 new cookbooks that contained recipes with full nutritional values. That is not always easy, finding a cookbook that contains both sodium and potassium values. Kudos and a big Thumbs Up to Better Homes and Gardens for the detailed nutritional info!

This next recipe is from the New Dieter's Cookbook (Better Homes & Gardens). (Note that the link is to the new 2006 Edition which may or may not contain this recipe. The edition I purchased was the 1992 edition which is only available used).

Regardless, I've copied the recipe below and provided a direct link to the Better Homes and Gardens website.

Many years ago I was reading a book by Robert B. Parker. I'm convinced that it's God Save the Child. In that book it describes how Spencer makes dinner for the young man using only a couple of spices, two pork chops and a can of fruit. That whole scene led me to explore the relationship between meat and fruit in ways I had never thought of before. When I saw this recipe which used fresh oranges rather than canned fruit, I knew I had to try it.

I was not disappointed in the least. The use of fresh oranges teamed with the honey and the curry powder makes for an exciting taste combination at only 51 mg. of sodium per serving.

Curried Pork Chops with Oranges

Ingredients

• 2 pork sirloin chops, cut 1/2 inch thick (1-1/4 pounds total)
• Nonstick spray coating
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 2 oranges
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• 1 tablespoon snipped chives or parsley

Directions

1. Trim separable fat from pork chops; cut each chop in half.

2. Spray a large skillet with nonstick spray coating. Preheat over medium-high heat. Add pork chops and brown on both sides. Drain fat.

3. Add orange juice, honey, and curry powder to skillet. Bring to boiling. Cover and simmer 30 to 40 minutes or until pork chops are tender and no longer pink. Remove pork chops from skillet; keep warm.

4. Meanwhile, peel oranges. Slice crosswise; then halve circular slices. Set aside.

5. Stir together cornstarch and water; stir into skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Stir in oranges and chives; heat through. Spoon over pork chops. Garmish with fresh chive sprigs, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Information

* Calories 291,
* Total Fat (g) 11,
* Cholesterol (mg) 93,
* Sodium (mg) 51,
* Carbohydrate (g) 17,
* Protein (g) 29,

[Thanks, Better Homes and Gardens]

Fancy to look at, Easy to make

We keep our old copies of Cooking Light in a basket in the kitchen. As we strive to keep the total sodium intake down we are forced to remove certain family favorites from our menu. Having a ready supply of the back issues of Cooking Light close at hand allows instant perusal when my imagination needs a kick in the pants. And it is always exciting finding and trying new dishes that you know will join the ranks of family favorites.

Yesterday I tried a chicken recipe from the March 2007 issue that is sure to become a favorite. Parmesan Chicken Paillards with Cherry Tomato Sauce sure sounds fancy, but the ease with which this meal came together belies the appearance in the photo.

I didn't have sherry vinegar so I substituted red wine vinegar in the Cherry Tomato Sauce. It was delicious! I also really liked the idea of breading only one side of the chicken breast. It gives you the fried cutlet flavor but with healthier nutritional stats. I don't much care for oregano, so I omitted it from the Cherry Tomato Sauce.

I paired this with Roasted Cauliflower with Brown Butter from the same issue.

Parmesan Chicken Paillards with Cherry Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken bread halves
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided (as always I mixed real salt and salt substitute 50/50)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• Cooking Spray
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 2 cups quartered cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Preparation

1) Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap ; pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Combine cheese and flour in a shallow dish. Dredge 1 side of each chicken breast half in cheese mixture.

2) Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 chicken breast halves, cheese side down; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 teaspoon oil and chicken bread halves. Remove from pan; keep warm.

3) Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion; saute 2 minutes. Stir in broth and vinegar; cook 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates. Add tomatoes, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and oregano; cook 2 minutes.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 264 (20% from fat)

Fat: 5.9g (sat 1.8g,mono 2.6g,poly 0.9g)

Protein: 42.6g

Carbohydrate: 7.4g

Fiber: 1.3g

Cholesterol: 102mg

Iron: 1.6mg

Sodium: 504mg

Calcium: 95mg

Zatarain's No More

I love Cajun cooking. Gumbo, Jambalaya, Dirty Rice and Red Beans and Rice have had a place in our household for many a year. Now, it's true that most of the time, expediency caused us to start with a box of Zatarain's and spruce it up with different or multiple meat choices, cheese toppings or some other modification. But hey, the basic Cajun flavor was there and that's what I wanted.

I had assumed that those days were over. I knew that the temptation would be strong, so I try to not even go down that aisle in the grocery store anymore. After having recently lamented just that fact, my sweetie was browsing the most recent copy of Cooking Light and came upon a recipe for Cajun Red Beans and Rice. Wow, was I excited.

A perusal of the ingredients and the nutritional information immediately gave me hope that my Cajun desires would soon be sated. Chicken andouille sausage, salt free Cajun spice mix and no/low sodium canned beans and tomatoes made for a recipe that was 75% LESS than an equal serving of a boxed product.

The recipe is copied below and the slight change I made is in parenthesis. This meal gets a huge thumbs-up from me.

Cajun Red Beans and Rice

Pre-chopped vegetables and canned beans keep this version of red beans and rice simple yet satisfying. Because this recipe begins with oil-sautéed aromatics, it contains more grams of fat per serving than its boxed counterpart—but the calories and sodium are significantly lower, and the taste is terrific.

Yield

5 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup bean mixture and about 3/4 cup rice)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 (3-ounce) chicken andouille sausage links, chopped
• 1 (8-ounce) container prechopped onion, bell pepper, and celery mix
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt-free Cajun seasoning (Tony Chachere's)
  
• 3/4 teaspoon salt (we mixed half and half salt and salt substitute)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (15-ounce) can red beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups hot cooked long-grain rice

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and onion mix to pan; sauté 4 minutes. Add Cajun seasoning, salt, oregano, and garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Partially mash beans with a fork. Add beans, 1/4 cup water, and tomatoes to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in pepper. Serve over rice.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 336

Fat: 8.4g (sat 1.8g,mono 5.1g,poly 1.3g)

Protein: 12.7g

Carbohydrate: 51.6g

Fiber: 5.9g

Cholesterol: 36mg

Iron: 3.3mg

Sodium: 698mg

Calcium: 90mg

First Thumbs Down!

Yikes, well I guess someone had to be first.

Much of my challenge in this diet is finding interesting and tasty recipes that contain little or no sodium. I have a couple of cookbooks that give extensive nutritional information which I will review at a later date, but many of my meals come from on-line searching. If I have some pork chops in the freezer I might search conduct a series of searches on Google that highlight that meat selection and maybe a spice or style of cooking.

Today I was searching for ideas when I came across the Betty Crocker site. I thought that I might have stumbled across a goldmine. Boy, was I wrong. Look at the picture below. Clicking through the recipes to narrow down the 'Low-Sodium' offerings in their 'Healthy Recipes' section gives me 10 choices. That's it, 10 recipes in total and only 4 of them can be considered a main course.

What a profound disappointment from the venerable Mrs. Crocker.

Of course, performing a manual search does yield different results, but that's not the point. Clicking through viable and obvious menu choices should not limit my results to 10 items. Bad user experience.

Corporate Nutritional Information

The research I conducted for my first post on this blog allowed me to locate the nutritional information for both Pizza Hut and Burger King. These documents are available for download as PDF files through the following URL's:

• Pizza Hut Nutritional Page
• Burger King Nutritional Page

This earns both of these companies a thumbs up for at least providing the information somewhere.

In Search of a Low-Sodium Lifestyle

The Overview

Through the process of elimination, my doctor, in conjunction with an Ear Nose and Throat specialist (otolaryngologist), an audiologist, and an MRI, has diagnosed me with Ménière's disease.  Ménière's disease is a condition of the inner which affects hearing, balance and essentially makes you seasick while motionless.

Ménière's disease is usually diagnosed by the elimination of several other conditions that could cause the symptoms that plague me.  Periodic episodes of rotary vertigo or dizziness, progressive and unilateral (in one ear) hearing loss, and unilateral tinnitus can be caused by things as simple as noise damage to the inner ear or by something more complex like cysts on the cochlea.  But if the symptoms occur in conjunction with one another, a probable diagnosis is Ménière's.

There really is no treatment aside from the radical removal of the inner ear.  But that procedure is normally reserved for severe sufferers who also are plagued by ‘drop attacks’, a sudden, severe attack of dizziness or vertigo that causes the sufferer, if not seated, to fall.  Thankfully I have not progressed anywhere near a level of that severity.

Most patients are advised to adopt a low-sodium diet, typically one to two grams (1000-2000mg) at first, but diets as low as 400mg are not uncommon.  I have been aiming in the 1000 through 1500 milligram range since I was advised that this could be beneficial.  Since this treatment is really aimed at prevention it is difficult to say with any certainty that it is being effective, but in the long run it can’t be anything other than beneficial.

The Challenge

Some of the challenges involved in transitioning to a low-sodium diet are obvious to all.  Fast food, pre-packaged foods, and most snack foods are all richly laden with not only calories and fats, but with sodium as well.  That Whopper® with Cheese at Burger King?  A whopping 1450 milligrams of sodium, we can call that my daily requirement but I’ll have to forego the large fries, they are an additional 990 milligrams.

How about a nice piece of pizza?  Let’s use the ubiquitous Pizza Hut as an example.  A serving of their 14-inch pepperoni pan pizza is 850 milligrams.  That’s almost reasonable, right?  Wrong.  A serving is 1 slice of pie.  Who the hell can eat only one slice of pepperoni pizza?  Even an offering as wooden as Pizza Hut demands at least two slices, and that alone puts me over the top at 1700 milligrams.  I can’t even consider having breakfast or lunch if I want pizza for dinner.

Of course, sometimes you have little choice in where and what you eat.  Trying to get a nutritious, low-sodium meal in an airport if very difficult.    Grabbing a quick meal on a road trip is fraught with danger at almost every turn.  But, keeping that in mind I can plan on ordering the least dangerous menu offering and try to make it up to my poor ears the next day.  Using the previously mentioned Burger King menu I can order a WHOPPER JR.® Sandwich (no cheese) and a small order of fries with no salt and come away with only a 940 milligram intake.  That still leaves almost 600 milligrams of my daily allotment.  More that a do-able scenario if I plan on having the dinner meal at home.

The Solutions

My day to day solutions for a low-sodium diet include menu planning, weekly shopping excursions to the local fruit and vegetable market as well as the grocery store, and portion control.  These three things have allowed me to get a grip on my sodium intake and manage it on a day to day and meal to meal basis.  Since the process of sodium management as a ‘cure’ is preventative in nature it is hard to tell if I’m having an effect when you consider that I only had 1-2 incidents a year.  I guess I’ll have to be vertigo free for 18 months before I’ll consider this to be the ‘cure’ for me.

As I progress through the next year or so I will try to document some of the high points and the low points of sodium management.  I will praise the things, people and institutions deserving of accolades and I will condemn those who merit it.  I will also point out resources as I discover them and print menus of some of the more notable meals.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you in the future.