Eating Well on Dialysis

Pineapple Cole Slaw

From "Cooking Without a Grain of Salt."

2 cups shredded cabbage
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1 small green pepper, cut fine
4 tablespoons low-sodium mayonnaise
1/2 tablespoon vinegar
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dill seed

Combine cabbage, pineapple and green pepper. Mix well. Mix mayonnaise with vinegar, pepper and dill seed. Combine with cabbage mixture. Makes 6 servings.

Cole Slaw

From "Cooking Without a Grain of Salt."

1 head of cabbage
1/3 cup vinegar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dill seed
1/4 teaspoon tarragon
1/4 teaspoon chervil
4 tablespoons sour cream
4 tablespoons low-sodium mayonnaise
Paprika
Parsley

Scoop out the center section of the cabbage, leaving only a shell. Shred the center section and soak in ice water for 30 minutes. Drain and dry thoroughly, add vinegar and seasonings. toss and let marinate for an hour. Drain again, squeezing cabbage slightly to remove any excess liquid. Pour sour cream and mayonnaise over cabbage and toss lightly. Place slaw in chilled shell of cabbage. Garnish with paprika and parsley. Makes 8 servings.

Caesar Salad

This recipe is from a nifty little paperback, "Cooking Without a Grain of Salt" by Elma W. Bagg. Its original copyright was 1964, and I bought mine when it was in its 10th printing. It has lots of great information on sodium in general, as well as several good recipes. I'll be sharing those that are dialysis-friendly (not all of the recipes in the book are also low-potassium and low-phosphorus).

1 bunch romaine lettuce
1 clove garlic
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sugar
Pepper to taste
1 egg, beaten

Rub salad bowl with garlic clove, add olive oil, vinegar and seasonings. Stir around, then add romaine torn into medium-size pieces. Stir some more. Now add the egg and stir with salad fork and spoon. Serve a separate dish of anchovies and parmesan cheese for the salty eaters. Makes 8 servings.

Tri-Pepper Tuna with Couscous

From Everyday with Rachael Ray, November 2007.

1 10-oz. box plain couscous
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, cuto into thin strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
Pinch of kosher salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 lbs. 1-inch-thick fresh tuna fillets, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges

1. Prepare the couscous according to package directions, using the butter.

2. In a large heavy skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and cook, stirring, until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the tuna cubes to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning with tongs, until no longer pink on the outside, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the reserved bell peppers and cook, tossing, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the parsley on top; season very lightly with salt and a generous grinding of pepper.

4. Fluff and mound the couscous onto 4 plates. Spoon the tuna and peppers alongside. Serve with the lemon wedges.

Crispy Oven Chicken

Adapted from a recipe in Everyday with Rachael Ray, April 2008. Prepared bread crumbs may be high in sodium. Make your own by crushing low-sodium saltine crackers, or process a few slices of stale white bread in the food processor. Cajun seasoning may contain salt, so read your label and don't add any extra if yours is already salted.

Extra-virgin olive oil
1 4-lb. chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 large egg white
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Remove and discard the skin from chicken, except the wings. In a large bowl, beat the egg white until frothy. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat.

3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, mix the bread crumbs, flour, Cajun seasoning and paprika. Coat the chicken with the crumbs and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. In a large heavy skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add 4 chicken pieces and cook, turning once, until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a clean baking sheet and repeat with 3 additional tablespoons of olive oil and 4 pieces of chicken.

4. Bake the chicken until cooked through and crisp, about 22 minutes.

Leeky Linguine with Shrimp

From Everyday with Rachael Ray, April 2008. Leeks are a low moderate potassium vegetable. Cut them as directed before washing in a large bowl or sink of cold water. Swish the leeks around in the water to loosen any grit between the layers. Take them out of the water and drain on a clean kitchen towel.

1 lb. large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Pinch of kosher salt
Black pepper to taste
1 lb. fresh linguine
4 leeks --- trimmed, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise and washed
1/2 cup dry white wine or vermouth
1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. In a bowl, toss the shrimp with 2 tablespoons EVOO, lemon peel, garlic and crushed red pepper; season with salt and black pepper.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 5 minutes.

3. While the pasta is working, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Push the leeks to the side of the pan, add the shrimp to the skillet and cook until pink and firm. Pour in the wine and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

4. Add the pasta to the skillet; season with additional pepper if desired. Add the parsley and toss.

Two-Chile Rack of Lamb

From Everyday with Rachael Ray, April 2008. I find the seasoned bread crumbs to be very high in salt. A good substitute is crushed low-sodium saltine crackers.

2 racks of lamb (about 4 lbs.)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
Grated peel of 1 lime
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, plus 1 teaspoon sauce
1/2 jarred roasted red pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Season lamb with pinch of kosher salt and pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add 1 rack of lamb, fat side down, and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes; move to the side of the pan. Repeat with the second rack. Lean the racks against each other so they stand upright and cook for 2 more minutes.

2. In a medium nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the bread crumbs, lower the heat and add the oregano, chili powder and cumin. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring constantly, until toasted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime peel.

3. Using a food processor, puree the chipotles and adobo sauce and the roasted red pepper. Brush the meaty side of the racks of lamb with the puree. Sprinkle with the toasted bread crumb mixture, pressing to coat. On a baking sheet, lean the racks against each other. Roast for 25 minutes for medium-rare.

Makes 6 servings.

Jambalaya-Stuffed Chicken

Adapted from a recipe in Everyday with Rachael Ray, April 2008. The original recipe calls for the chicken breasts to be wrapped with bacon. If sodium is not a problem for you, go ahead with the bacon, but the dish is fine without it. If using bacon, partially cook it in the first step, remove from the pan to drain then saute the vegetables in the rendered bacon fat. After stuffing the chicken breasts, wrap with a slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Finish cooking the chicken breasts as directed.

1 onion, finely chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
4 oz. shrimp (about 12) peeled, deveined and chopped
1 cup crumbled cornbread (about two 3-inch squares)
Salt and pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 6 oz. each)

1. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then add the onion, celery and bell pepper. Cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and cook until opaque, about 2 minutes. Stir in the cornbread; season with pepper.

2. Cut a 2-inch wide slit through the center of each chicken breast, beginning from the thicker side and cutting horizontally toward the center to make a pocket. Fill each with one-quarter of the stuffing; press the opening to seal.

3. Wipe out the skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the wrapped chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Turn the chicken, cover the pan with a lid and cook, turning once or twice, until the chicken is just cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Apple Butter Pork Loin

From Everyday with Rachael Ray, April 2008. Serve with white rice cooked in chicken broth or stock instead of water, to add more flavor.

1 2-lb. boneless pork loin roast
1 1/2 cups appel butter
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Season pork with pinch of kosher salt, if desired. In a large, ovenproof skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat, then brown the pork on all sides. In a small bowl, combine the apple butter and cayenne; slather the mixture onto the pork. Roast until a thermometer inserted into the center registers 145 degrees F., about 45 minutes. Allow the roast to rest about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.