Eating Well on Dialysis

Asparagus, Green Onion, Cucumber and Herb Salad

From Bon Appetit, March 2008. Since asparagus is rather low in potassium, take advantage of its being in season during the spring.

Dressing
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Pinch of kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salad
3 lbs. medium asparagus, trimmed
4 cups thinly sliced green onions
3 cups 1/4-inch cubes peeled seeded Kirby or English hothouse cucumbers
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chervil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon

Dressing: Whisk first 5 ingredients in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature and rewhisk before using.)

Salad: Fill large bowl with lightly salted ice water; stir until salt dissolves. Cook asparagus in large pot of boiling water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain, reserving 3 cups cooking liquid. Transfer asparagus to bowl of ice water to cool. Place green onions in another large bowl; pour hot reserved asparagus cooking liquid over onions and let stand until cool, about 30 minutes. Drain asparagus and green onions well. Transfer onions to clean kitchen town and squeeze dry.

Combine green onions, cucumbers and herbs in mixing bowl. Add dressing; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Arrange asparagus on platter. Spoon cucumber mixture over and serve.

Roasted Asparagus with Crispy Prosciutto

From Bon Appetit, March 2008. Asparagus is relatively low in potassium, with 135 mg in a 1/2-cup serving. Since the prosciutto is salty, you might want to skip adding salt to season the asparagus.

1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for roasting
1 3-oz. package thinly sliced prosciutto
2 lbs. slender asparagus spears, trimmed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook prosciutto in skillet until crisp, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels.

Arrange asparagus in a single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over, turning to coat. Sprinkle with pepper and a pinch of kosher salt. Roast until tender, about 25 minutes.

Arrange asparagus on platter. Crumble prosciutto; sprinkle over asparagus. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Grilled Chicken and Romaine with Caper Dressing

From Bon Appetit, March 2008. Sprinkle lightly with the Parmesan to finish; it's a strong cheese and just a little gives a big flavor, without ruining your phosphorus or sodium intake.

3 tablespoons Sherry wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup minced shallots
2 tablespoons drained capers
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts (about 1 3/4 lbs.)
2 hearts of romaine lettuce, halved lengthwise, core left intact
Grated or shaved Parmesan cheese

Preheat barbecue (medium-high heat). Puree vinegar and next 4 ingredients in small processor or blender until almost smooth. Season dressing to taste with freshly ground black pepper.

Combine chicken and 1/4 cup dressing in medium bowl. Sprinkle with pepper and a pinch of kosher salt. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Place romaine, cut side up, on baking sheet. Drizzle with 1/4 cup dressing; turn to coat.

Grill chicken until cooked through, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer to plate. Grill romaine until charred and slightly wilted on all sides, about 2 minutes.

Transfer 1 chicken breast and 1 romaine spear to each of 4 plates. Drizzle chicken with remaining dressing, sprinkle with a small amount of Parmesan cheese.

Apple Brown Betty

From Cooking Light, December 2007. The recipe calls for two types of apples so the dish is not too sweet or tart.

2 cups sliced peeled Granny Smith apples (about 3/4 lb.)
2 cups sliced peeled Rome apples (about 3/4 lb.)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk (or dilute non-dairy creamer 1:1 with water)
1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 oz. day-old Italian or French bread, torn into 1/2-inch pieces
Cooking spray
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Combine Granny Smith apple, Rome apple and lemon juice in a large bowl. Sprinkle apple mixture with granulated sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg; toss well. Combine milk, molasses and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add bread to milk mixture; toss to combine. Add bread mixture to apple mixture; toss to combine. Spoon bread mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray.

3. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and brown sugar; cut in chilled butter using a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles small pebbles. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over apple mixture. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 40 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Serve warm. Makes 6 servings.