Eating Well on Dialysis

Eldress Bertha's Applesauce

Adapted from Cooking Light, October 2008.

5 1/2 cups chopped peeled Pink Lady apples (about 4)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick
Pinch of kosher salt
Dash of almond extract

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 35 minutes or until soft. Discard cinnamon stick. Mash with a potato masher to desired consistency. Stir in salt and extract. Makes 2 1/4 cups (serving size 1/4 cup).

Fried Apples

From "Cooking Without a Grain of Salt."

6 apples
3 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine
1/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Wash and core apples. Cut in very thin quarters. Put in pan with hot butter or margarine. Brown on both sides. Add water, sugar and cinnamon. Cover and steam for 20 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade

Recipe from Cooking Light, July 2003. You won't miss colas and other high-phosphorus soft drinks with real lemonade. Easy to make if you have a juicer, but an old-fashioned reamer works just as well. Bring lemons to room temperature to get the most juice.

3 cups fresh lemon juice (about 20 lemons)
2 1/4 cups sugar
12 cups chilled water

1. Combine juice and sugar in a 1-gallon container; stir until sugar dissolves. Stir in water. Serve over ice. Makes 16 servings.

Fresh Peaches with Sabayon

Recipe from Cooking Light, July 2004. There's nothing like a juicy fresh peach in the summer! They are a medium-potassium fruit, with 298mg potassium in a large peach. So enjoy them in moderation, but enjoy them while they are in season.

1/4 cup sugar
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup Marsala wine
2 tablespoons water
8 cups sliced peeled peaches (about 4 lbs.)
Mint sprigs (optional)

1. Combine sugar and yolks in the top of a double boiler, beating with a mixer at medium speed until foamy. Add wine and water. Cook over simmering water until mixture reaches 160 F. (about 7 minutes), beating with a mixer at medium speed. Serve immediately over peaches. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs, if desired. Makes 8 servings.

Ginger-Lemon Tonic

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light, July 2004.

2 cups chilled apple cider or apple juice, divided
1/4 cup grated peeled fresh ginger, divided
1/3 cup frozen lemon sorbet
Lemon sliced (optional)

1. Place 1 cup cider in a blender.

2. Place 3 tablespoons grated ginger on several layers of damp cheesecloth. Gather edges of cheesecloth together; squeeze cheesecloth bag over a small bowl. Set 2 tablespoons ginger juice aside, and discard remaining ginger juice and pulp.

3. Add ginger juice and remaining 1 tablespoon grated ginger to blender, and process until smooth. Add remaining cider and sorbet. Blend until smooth and frothy. Garnish with lemon slices, if desired.

Makes 4 6-oz. servings.

Triple Berry Freeze

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light, July 2004. You could use 1 1/2 cups of the frozen mixed berries I've seen in the stores; they usually include strawberries as well as the raspberries and blueberries.

2 cups sparkling water, chilled
1 cup lemon sorbet
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup frozen blackberries
1 tablespoon honey

1. Place sparkling water and sorbet in a blender, and process until well blended. Add raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and honey; process until mixture is smooth.

Makes 4 10-oz. servings.

Watermelon Agua Fresca

Recipe from Cooking Light, July 2004. This is a refreshing picnic beverage.

4 cups cubed seeded watermelon, divided
4 cups water
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1. Finely chop 2 cups of watermelon and set aside.

2. Place remaining 2 cups watermelon in a blender; process until smooth. Pour pureed watermelon through a sieve into a pitcher and discard solids. Add water, sugar and lime juice; stir until sugar dissolves. Stir in the chopped watermelon. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.

Makes 6 (10-oz.) servings.

Tangerine-Cranberry Cooler

This is something I threw together one morning when I wanted something VERY cold. I think it would be perfect to sip on a sweltering summer day.

2 oz. tangerine juice (approximately the juice of 1 1/2 to 2 large tangerines, squeezed with seeds and pulp strained out)
2 oz. cranberry juice cocktail
4 oz. ice

Whiz in a blender until the ice is crushed and the drink is frothy and thick. Serves 1.

10 mg phosphorus
120 mg potassium

Berry French Toast

Adapted from Cooking Light, April 2004. If you can't find the individual frozen berries, I've seen frozen mixed berries in the store that would also work in this recipe.

2 cups frozen blueberries
1 1/2 cups frozen blackberries
1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cooking spray
1 cup fat-free milk (1/2 cup Coffee Rich plus 1/2 cup water)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 (8-oz.) loaf French bread, cut into 1-inch slices
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Combine first 6 ingredients in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

3. Combine milk, vanilla, egg whites and egg in a large, shallow baking dish, stirring well with a whisk. Add bread, turning to coat. Let stand 5 minutes, turning bread occasionally. Arrange bread in a single layer over berries. Sprinkle evenly with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Bake at 350 F. for 30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Sprinkle evenly with powdered sugar.

Makes 6 servings.

Lemony Fruit Dip

From Cooking Light, March 2004. Serve with low-potassium fruit such as strawberries, pineapple or apple slices.

1/4 cup sugar, divided
1 large egg
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed

1. Combine 2 tablespoons sugar, egg and lemon juice in a small bowl; stir well with a whisk. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, water and cornstarch in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 30 seconds or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Slowly pour beaten egg mixture into water mixture, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat 2 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Cool completely. Fold in whipped topping.

Makes 14 (2-tablespoon) servings.