What to have for dinner?

[milton4567]

Hi, my Mother is still continuing with her recovery. With each passing day, my Mother is getting stronger and stronger. However a new concern has arised. :( What to give my Mother for dinner. She is on a low sodium diet. So I have been nervous about what to feed her at dinner. Granted I am no Julia Child, but I was wondering if anyone knew of simple low sodium dishes that my Mother can have for supper. She also has been craving for soup. I know soup is very high in sodium and the visiting nurses have said that she can have soup- but in moderation.

Any recomendations? :confused:

[Lynlw]

I'm glad your Mom is doing better. I just did a search and came up w/ this site for low salt recipes, i never tried them but here's the link http://www.megaheart.com/kit_recipes_index.html
just do a search and there are more sites

I went to foodnetwork and typed in low salt and there were a few soup recipes, http://web.foodnetwork.com/food/web/searchResults?searchString=low%20salt&site=FOOD&searchType=Recipe
Good Luck, lyn www.caringbridge.org/nj/justinw

[Nancy]

I've got tons of experience cooking for Joe, who can have almost NO sodium.

First of all you can get no salt butter and margarine. And you can also cook with olive oil or other oils. You can get no salt 4C (the brand name) Italian flavored bread crumbs in the market. You can get some chicken tenders or skinless chicken pieces. Get the fresh type of chicken, not something that has been frozen or flavored by the market. Just plain ole chicken.

Put the breadcrumbs in a bowl. Then add the chicken pieces and sort of push the breadcrumbs into the chicken pieces so they stick really well.

Then saute the breaded pieces in some oil until they are browned. Not too dark, just nice and golden.

Get some applesauce for a side dish, and get some fresh asparagus and cook that in a little water until it is tender. Add some no salt margarine or butter, and a squeeze of lemon juice. If you like you can sprinkle it with some garlic powder (salt-free), or onion powder (salt-free), or get some Mrs. Dash Table sprinkle (I think it's called that).

Slice up some fresh tomatoes and add one half teaspoon of Hellman's mayonaise. It has a little sodium, but if you don't serve too much it's OK.

For dessert you could serve some vanilla ice cream. Look for the ones that only have 1 percent sodium per serving. Then get some chocolate sauce. Most of them are no or low sodium. Or even serve the ice cream with some canned peaches or dark cherries. Canned fruit has little or no sodium. Read labels. put some Cool Whip on top to dress it off.

Bon Appetit!

Joe likes fresh fruit with Cool Whip, either the regular flavor or the new strawberry flavor.

There are also some low sodium recipes in the forum Recipes for Heart Patients. You will have to change the view of the pages at the bottom of the page where there is an option for viewing all the posts from the beginning.

Also there are two sources that I use online to purchase no sodium or low sodium foods for Joe.

http://www.mrspice.com/
These are terrific cooking sauces. I like them too. They made all the difference for Joe.

http://www.healthyheartmarket.com/Merchant/Home.htm
The Healthy Heart Market may even have some low sodium soups. I bought some low sodium olives there for Joe believe it or not, and they were good. But there are tons of selections there. Maybe you could surprise your mom with a little low sodium gift basket.

[tobagotwo]

Nancy has loads of low-salt/no-salt recipies. Hopefully, she'll chime in soon.

Best wishes,

[Christina L]

get on the Internet and look for low-sodium recipes. You will find tons!! I get on the web all the time looking for a quick recipe.

And yes, Nancy here on our web site is our resident female "Emeril". :) She is a wealth of info on low-salt diets.

If you have any natural food stores in the area where you live, that may be a good place to find some low-salt, healthy canned soups or mixes to make your own.

You're a good son. :)

Christina L.

[Nancy]

Here's a simple summer meal. Go get some fresh fruit. No sodium there. Cut it up in an attractive way, either slices or chunks. I try to peel things like plums because the skin is a little sour, peaches also. But there are so many yummy fruits this time of year.

Make a fruit dip using honey mixed with a little Cool Whip and mayonaise (not much due to the sodium content). Mix that up good.

Get some Heluva Good (brand name) No Sodium Cheddar cheese. It's really good.

Get some fresh mozarella in the deli section. Only use the fresh, since the other has a lot of sodium. Fresh has about 2-4 percent sodium per serving. It comes in a plastic container and is packed in water.

Get some Alpine Lace cheese (brand name) in the delli section. That has low sodium. Could also use Swiss cheese. Most of that has low sodium.

Now, make a very attractive fruit and cheese plate with the fruit dip served on the side.

Some markets have no sodium bread, so ask about that. Vermont Bakery makes a terrific whole wheat bread with no sodium. But there are others available too. If you can find some, serve it with your fruit plate with some no salt margarine or butter.

For dessert, strawberry ice cream (1 percent per serving) with sliced fresh strawberries on top and some Cool Whip for decoration.

[Nancy]

Here's a really good salad.

Slice up the rest of your Fresh mozarella (remember only fresh), get some terrific fresh tomatoes and slice them. Arrange them alternating on a plate. Sprinkle with extra virgin olive oil and refrigerate. When ready to serve, sprinkle with some fresh basil chopped. Add some grinds of pepper from a pepper mill if you have one.

[tobagotwo]

Nancy, you must have been writing your post the same time I was, and snuck in ahead of me. Don't I look foolish? :o

Best wishes,

[Nancy]

You never look foolish, dahling! :D :D :D :D :D

[milton4567]

Thank you everybody for your responses. I will look on the websites provided. We have a Whole Foods supermarket not far here in Cambridge. I have gone to it and bought some soups there. Unfortunately, Mother did not like the clam chowders I brought home. I was very confused going into one of these health food stores. It is not your ordinary supermarket, thats for sure.

Any suggestions on cold cuts? I have tried Boars Head and they are very good!



get on the Internet and look for low-sodium recipes. You will find tons!! I get on the web all the time looking for a quick recipe.

And yes, Nancy here on our web site is our resident female "Emeril". :) She is a wealth of info on low-salt diets.

If you have any natural food stores in the area where you live, that may be a good place to find some low-salt, healthy canned soups or mixes to make your own.

You're a good son. :)

Christina L.

[milton4567]

No Pepper mills here.. Any other pepper?


QUOTE=Nancy]Here's a really good salad.

Slice up the rest of your Fresh mozarella (remember only fresh), get some terrific fresh tomatoes and slice them. Arrange them alternating on a plate. Sprinkle with extra virgin olive oil and refrigerate. When ready to serve, sprinkle with some fresh basil chopped. Add some grinds of pepper from a pepper mill if you have one.[/QUOTE]

[Nancy]

Here's a good Italian stir-fry.

Buy some bracciole in the meat section, very thin sliced beef. Get some multi colored peppers and some onions and garlic if you like.

Slice it all up. Saute it all together in some oil, adding oregano, basil, until slightly browned.

Serve with some rice, instant is OK. Toss rice with no salt butter or margarine.

Serve with quartered tomatoes on the side.

[Nancy]

What no pepper mill??? I don't have one either. Just use some regular pepper.

But we realy have to get serious and get a pepper mill!

[milton4567]

Stop 'N Shop is our regular supermarket chain here in the Boston/New England area. For the people from New England reading this, I hate Shaws. They are way overrated. Anyways, regarding the low sodium soups. How come I don't see them advertised in any supermarket? I am amazed that Campbells makes soups with little sodium in them...



What no pepper mill??? I don't have one either. Just use some regular pepper.

But we realy have to get serious and get a pepper mill!

[Nancy]

Actually, supermarkets carry very few low sodium items. Here is a list of items I have found in the market.

Salt-free ketchup. I think it's Heinz

Bumble Bee, very Low Sodium, Chunk White Albacore Tuna. 1 percent per serving.

Belgioioso Mascarpone cheese, Tiramisu flavor
(very, very low sodium), really delicious.

Regular mascarpone cheese w/o flavoring can be supstituted for cream cheese. It does have a little sodium, but not as much as real cream cheese.

Pomi Brand, by Parmalat: All Natural/No Fat/No Sodium Added
Strained Tomatoes (10 mg sodium per serving)
and also
Chopped Tomatoes (10 mg sodium per serving)

This is great for Italian sauces because it doesn't have all the citric acid that canned low sodium tomatoes have, which makes any sauce taste terrible.

These make a wonderful sauce for Italian dishes.
Note: Be careful not to buy the regular Pomi Tomato sauce, it has lots of sodium

4C Salt Free Seasoned Breadcrumbs.

Manischewitz Matzo Meal, unsalted, can be used for breading and in meatballs.

Breakstone Sour Cream, no sodium

Real Maple Syrup has no sodium

4C Parmesan Cheese is 3 percent sodium per 1 Tablespoon serving. Allow 1 teaspoon for Italian dishes (that's 1 percent)

Chef Prudhomme has a terrific low sodium spice mixture Magic Salt Free Seasoning

Slyvia’s, queen of soul food, has a delicious salt-free seasoning Sylvia’s Secret Seasoning

Mrs. Dash has just recently added some new spice flavors.

Mrs. Dash has just come out with 4 marinade flavors. They are excellent. I found them in the market in the barbecue sauce section. We use them as a marinade and also just a sauce.

Good condiment Dickenson's Hot Pepper Spread and Hot Cherry Spread, 0 sodium, savory jelly, good with chicken, pork, cold roast beef.

The Vermont Bread Company makes no sodium whole wheat bread which is excellent. If your market doesn’t carry the no sodium bread, look for them online and get their number. They will ship.

Heluva Good Cheese makes a terrific no sodium cheddar cheese.


In order for Joe to have nice tasting meals, it is vitally important that I order low sodium items online. It fills out a rather dreary meal.

I make all breads myself w/o sodium. Perhaps you could look into a bread machine. Store bought bread is loaded with sodium.

Quick breads and things like pancakes and waffles from the market are also loaded with sodium.

I regularly order Calcium carbonate baking powder and baking soda. Order these from the Healthy Heart Market online, see below. Manufacturer is
Ener-G.

Why do you need calcium carbonate baking powder and baking soda? Because regular baking soda and baking powder have large amounts of sodium. So if you want to make things like pancakes, banana bread, muffins, cakes, etc. you will need the low sodium products and wi;ll have to omit salt from whatever you are making. I use double the amount of what the recipe calls for. That is how these products work. They also work much faster, so have to be added at the last minute, and then cooked.

One of the most difficult things to try to sort out is which meats in the market have been doctored up with sodium solution. Many of them have even the ones in the custom meat dept. Almost all the meats in Walmart's have large amounts of sodium solution added. I NEVER buy meat there. If the label says anything about "solution added" even if it doesn't say sodum, I don't buy it.

Joe cannot have ANY meat coldcuts, not even the low sodum ones.

Read every label of what you buy.