Distraction

So I have not been feeling that well lately. I have been insanely tired, and I'm starting to have an aversion to meat again (which showed up during my July 2009 flare up, and for about 3 months leading up to my August 2010 flare up. ) Some nausea and loss of appetite and lower back pain. Mild enough that it could totally be hysteria, but enough to give me some concern.

 Last labs, done about a month ago, had some iffy numbers. The important stuff was awesome. Protein leakage, blood pressure, creatinine... all down. (Good news.) But then there were some numbers that were not so good. Like how my CO2 levels are down, so I have to drink this nasty sour salty medicine every night. Now I'm not sure what CO2 level being low means exactly. My doctor explained it in a lot of terms I distinctly remember learning and forgetting in Mrs. Porter's high school biology class. But it's a side effect of low renal function. So is the anemia, which has shown up again. (Explains the tired.)

Now, I'm used to the side effects of medicines. The puffy feet, the shortness of breath, the crappy cardiovascular abilities. These are from medicines, not disease. Healthy people can have medicine side effects. (Healthy people aren't usually on the BP meds that cause these... but that's not the point.) My dismay about these particular numbers being off is that these are a direct result of renal insufficiency. These are disease side effects. I was perfectly happy going along as if nothing was really wrong with me, for the most part. I watch the diet, I take my pills (down to only 7 a day now, which seems quite light.) But I'm seeing real chemical changes in my body other than the obvious creatinine levels being elevated. My labs are starting to show more "off" parts, which mean that my sick little kidneys are in fact puttering out. 

Anyway, long story short, I had labs done yesterday morning and while the results should be back by now, my doctor's office is closed until Tuesday, in observance of Memorial Day. So I'll know them if I have anything to legitimately be alarmed about, or if I should just quit whining about my labs not looking like a healthy 27 year old because I'm not one. So in the form of distraction until Tuesday, I give you some garden pictures.

1. Look how green my grass is! (And by grass I mean stubby, sad grass that can't hold a candle to lush, Sugar Land St. Augustine... and clover.) We had some good soaking rains. Of course, we also have mosquitos now, which I don't actually remember ever seeing in Waco before now.

2. My green bell peppers are producing again. For a while I was worried that I got the only two I was going to get.

3. Okra! Did I tell you I had okra? These two were purchased for $0.50 at HEB. They seemed promising in a Charlie Brown Tree way. So I stuck them in a pot. Also note the little basil seedlings coming up. Whee!

4. WTF?

5. Also WTF? My parsley was doing great and suddenly it's all, "Meh. I don't wanna."

6. My cilantro, too. Meh. Maybe that's what started the parsley in getting all lame. I blame the 100 degree weather and my sun-baked little patio. Potato is doing well, I think.

In other news, I made breakfast tacos! Not super low in protein, sodium, or cholesterol, but they were really good. (Actually, they were mostly made from whites, so kinda low cholesterol... until the bacon.) The secret is taking some chopped onion and bell pepper and jarred salsa and heating it in a skillet for a little bit while I cook the eggs. Nice and roasty.  Also, HEB whole wheat tortillas from the bakery are super tasty. Also featured: red bell peppers, strawberries, eggs, one crumbled piece of bacon, and colby jack cheese. And "Simply Apple" fresh apple juice.

Other, other news: Went to my husband's 10 year high school reunion. It was a lot of fun. And on the way back we stopped in College Station to meet some more friends at Blue Baker, which is a magical place. We picked up some garlic herb bread and some focaccia. Om nom nom. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go inside. I had been sitting outside in my skychair for about 2 hours, but it's quite dark now and I am afraid of the dark. 

Red Wine Tomato Pasta

I have neglected to include my favorite go-to meal. I got it from a Better Homes and Gardens magazine probably 7 years ago or so, and I make it all the time. It's made of ingredients I always have on hand, so if I decide I don't feel like thinking too hard about dinner, here it is. It happens to be one of the only things I can stomach when I am having kidney-related loss of appetite. It's also a hell of a hangover cure. Or so I hear. ;-)

Red Wine Tomato Pasta

pasta

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 cloves minced garlic (out of the jar is fine)

two cans NSA petite diced tomatoes

1/4 cup dry red wine (I use Sutter Home Merlot in the tiny bottles)

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried basil

1-2 tsp sugar

pinch black pepper

mozzarella cheese

Start a pot of water heating, then start the sauce. Saute the garlic in the oil until golden. Add everything else (except cheese and cheese, obviously). Add pasta to the water once it starts boiling. Simmer sauce until the noodles are done. Top with mozzarella cheese. If you don't have fresh mozzarella, you can use canned parmesan. Or both. Your call. 

Notes: This is high potassium, but other than that it's pretty kidney friendly. Low protein, low sodium, low cholesterol, etc.  

The measurements above are very approximate. Taste the sauce as you go and decide what it needs. Every once in a while I get a really sour batch of tomatoes, so it needs more sugar. I keep tasting spoons behind the stove for this purpose. (This is the Bussells Family Scotty Dog Spoon Holder. It's a recent tradition. My aunt, grandma, mom, and I all have one, scavenged from various antique stores. I think my great aunt. I'm the only current granddaughter, but there are fiancees and and serious girlfriends that will get included in this as is seen fit.) 

If you have children or husbands who don't eat any fruit or veggie they can identify, you can use an immersion blender to puree the sauce after cooking. 

Pansies. 

Now for dessert!

Addendum to previous post with stir-fry recipe

It has come to my attention that listing ingredients does not constitute posting a recipe. Here's the stir fry recipe mentioned on May 21:
(Technically, this was a grilled kebabs recipe, but I didn't have any lighter fluid or charcoal. So I'll include both preparation techniques.)
Originally from the June 2011 "All You" Magazine. 

Chicken Kebabs with Yogurt-Tahini Sauce
1) In a bowl, whisk together 1/2 c. lemon juice, 1/2 c. canola oil, 4 tsp cumin, 2 tsp ground coriander, 2 tsp paprika, and 4 cloves garlic. Pour half into a separate bowl. Add chicken breast to (3 lbs or less, cut into 1 inch pieces) to one bowl. Add veggies (red bell peppers, 1/2 red onion, zucchini, and squash) and toss to coat. Chill, covered for 2 hours.
*2) In a bowl, whisk 1 c. plain greek yogurt, 2 tbsp tahini, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and 1/2 tsp salt. Cover and Chill. (I didn't make this, but I bet it's good.)*
3) GRILL: Place veggies and chicken on metal skewers. Pat dry and discard marinade. Grill over medium high heat, about 4-6 minutes per side until chicken is cooked through.  OR
STIR FRY: Umm... stir fry them. Put them over med-high heat and move them around until they are cooked.
Serve over brown rice, with sauce for dipping if you are into that.
Reserve left-overs veggies and chicken for tomorrow's salad.
(1/6 of recipe, including sauce, contains 291 cal, 14g fat, 67 mg chol, 2 g fiber, 32g pro, 10g carb, 485mg sod.)

Grilled Chicken Salad
Place 8 cups mixed greens in a shallow bowl. Arrange grilled veggies and meat on top. Add a cup of canned chickpeas (drained and rinsed) and feta cheese to taste (go easy on it if you are watching your salt). Mix together dressing (2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 2 tsp Dijon mustard, 3/4 c. extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper) and toss all together. The recipe also calls for kalamata olives.
(1/6 of recipe contains: 557 cal, 44g fat, 83mg chol, 4 g fiber, 33g pro, 20 mg carb, 1,133mg sod.)
**The total sodium count for this recipe is very high, so I didn't use the olives or the full half cup of feta, or put any salt in the dressing since there is salt in the mustard already and plenty of flavor in lemon juice and vinegar. I also picked no-salt-added chickpeas. I'm sure the recipe is very tasty as written, but I really didn't miss the extra salt at all. This will also bring down the fat, cholesterol, and calorie count slightly.)

Mundane news on the day the world didn't end.

Today was supposed to the Rapture Day (according to some.) We didn't have any excitement, but here are some other things going on with me.
Kids: (And by kids I mean my students.) I still have not heard whether I have a job next year or not. In April, my district laid off all its teachers that had been with the district 3 years or less. No secret. It was on the news. They plan to rehire "some" of those teachers back.  If they don't, then this is my last year of teaching. Pretty heavy thought with 9 school days left. I'll keep you posted on any news on that front.

Kitchen: I have a new recipe. I made this delicious chicken stir fry on Wednesday. It was supposed to be grilled but I had no charcoal. Then it became a chicken salad on Thursday. The chicken and veggies (including half a red onion, chopped red bell pepper, zucchini and yellow squash) were marinated in lemon juice, coriander, cumin, salt, and paprika. I served it over brown rice. The salad is mixed greens topped with leftover veggies, canned chickpeas, feta cheese, and a dressing (balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and dijon mustard.) I thought it was all very tasty. Sexy Lawyer Man liked the stir fry, minus the peppers, but visibly winced when he tried the salad. He doesn't like mustard. Oh well. It sure was pretty, though.

Kitchen Garden:The potato in my garden is getting pretty huge. It was small and cute when it first sprouted, but now I'm really not sure how it is going to grow potatoes in the corner of the narrow pot it's in. It was a total experiment. I now know that I can grow potatoes, at least into healthy looking foliage. Next time, I'll cut the sprouted potato into bits before planting, and spread them out. No idea yet on what's going on below the soil. 

Also in my yard is a cute rabbit! She's my front yard rabbit (I think it's a lady rabbit) and she's been out there almost every day since she was handful-sized. Our duplex-buddies feed her and she let me get pretty close and watch her eat for a while this week. I'd try to get closer but she'd probably run away or maul me, and I don't want to be in the ER explaining that it was "no ordinary rabbit."

Oh, and I have a video of our pretty cool hailstorm.  You can't exactly see the hail, but you can sure hear it on the patio roof. I'm not sure why I included this. Mom may be the only weather nerd who feels the need to see a video of my hailstorm.  But here it is nonetheless.  

Kitchen Garden

From here on out, these are new posts that have not already been on Facebook. 

When I was a kid, we had this fantastic raised garden. It was about 4 feet by 10 feet or so and we grew all kinds of things. Squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, chili peppers, bell peppers, lima beans. Lemon mint, spearmint, parsley, fennel, dill, oregano. Zinnias, cosmos, marigolds. It was magical.  I loved watering it, I love weeding it, and I loved going to check it every day to see what had grown and changed. I remember Gran used to tell me, “All your life, you’ll have your own secret garden, just like in the story.”

Well, true to that prediction, I have always attempted to be a gardener. However, being in apartments with tiny little sun-baked patios, I have not reached the splendor of the garden I always wanted. Last year I had a good little group of pots going, but a summer out of town with no rain and 100 degree heat pretty much finished it off.

Now, I don’t have much success keeping plants beautiful, so I mostly plant things that will be useful to me in my cooking. So here’s what I have going this year: parsley, cilantro, oregano, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, bell peppers, soybeans, mint, aloe vera (not for cooking so much as first aid), chives, green onions, and basil.  

And I have some failed experiments going, like planting a stalk of celery that didn’t take root, and chopped up strawberries that didn’t sprout, and rosemary seeds that never came up. I also have a potato I stuck in the edge of the onion pot that I don’t know what to do with. I’m hoping to keep this alive through the certain to be sweltering summer that is coming up. I’ll keep you posted on how that’s coming. In the mean time, I have harvested one good cucumber, two bell peppers, and a whole bunch of really truly delicious tomatoes. 

  

State of the Kidneys

Originally Posted October 16, 2010

So, to clarify and answer questions, here’s a long, wordy explanation of where I am in the Kidney Adventure.

After the big scariness of August, things have returned to “normal” for the most part. My creatinine came back down some from the big spike that we were seeing (creatinine = bad) but has not gone down to what it was before. So this leaves my function around 34%. But this is good news, considering that for a while it looked to be under 20%.   

It now looks like we have a sort of pattern. Six to nine months of nothing exciting, then about 2 weeks of some strange kidney-related illness and the function drops.  We’re pretty much giving up the search for a reason and we’re sticking to damage control now. No explanation for these little flare-ups.  We’re in uncharted territory now, since I don’t fit any of the usual reasons for kidney failure and there’s not a lot of research on people like me.

The plan from here is to change my diet to a “renal diet” to try to preserve function. It restricts sodium, cholesterol, protein, phosphorous (dairy, cokes), and potassium (potatoes, bananas…).  I don’t have to restrict fluids yet, but I am going to be a real pain to feed at family functions. However, I have not had much appetite lately anyway, especially for meats. (My body’s way to help me with the diet, apparently.) At least I have lost some weight! (Bright side, right?) I’ll be meeting with a nutritionist soon to make sure I can still get all I need to get from what I do eat.

As for other treatment, right now we’re looking at trying an ACE inhibitor again (different BP drug). Studies show that sometimes it can slow the damage that the rogue protein levels cause, which could lead to more years of stability. (Though almost all the studies are on diabetes-related kidney failure.) The catch is that it will make my creatinine go up a little, and I’m in the Danger Zone already. Then there’s a bit of a chance it could make things MUCH worse. So, I’m supposed to sleep on it and decide whether or not to give it a try. (HOW AM I QUALIFIED TO MAKE THIS DECISION?!?)

Anyway, when function gets 10-15% worse (and all the doctors believe it will), I will be getting a preemptive transplant, which means I have to line up a donor to avoid going on The List.  This probably won’t be for a few years (fingers crossed.) If this plan works, I won’t have to do dialysis at all. This is best-case scenario. I’m really trying not to think about alternate scenarios right now because I don’t like them.

Ok, so this has been really serious.  There’s not a really fun way to say all this stuff. (Maybe I could sing it?). It all sounds a little negative, so I should assure you I’m fine. It’s a little bit of a relief to quit searching for a cause with no success. Meanwhile, I’ve been camping and partying and traveling and teaching and life is good.  I do think this has given me a reason to be more optimistic about things. There are scarier things than finances, or dirty laundry, or 5^th graders, or any of the other things that had been stressing me out. And honestly, I feel like I have dodged the scarier things, too. I have a lot to be thankful for, and while I am disappointed that I’m not getting a handicap parking tag out of this, I am doing pretty damn good. 

I went to the doctor, I went to the mountains,

I looked to the children, I drank from the fountains

There's more than one answer to these questions pointing me in a crooked line

And the less I seek my source for some definitive

The closer I am to fine

The closer I am to fine

-Indigo Girls

(Song I like. Not related to the situation exactly, but made sense to me.)

Greek Rice Pilaf, Delicious Polenta

Originally posted October 19, 2010

Two tasty recipes I tried today. They are from a vegetarian cookbook called Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home. It's from a restaurant in New York, run by "The Moosewood Collective," a commun-ish group of 18 people who run the restaurant, teach cooking classes, etc. (Sounds awesome.) I have used a recipe from this Collective (different cookbook) before, the Tomato/ Bulghur Wheat Soup.  In any case, now that I'm doing low protein, I think a vegetarian cookbook is going to come in handy as I can't stomach meat anyway.  Also, this is a large book full of  recipes you can make in 45 minutes or less, so that's good. Lots of vegan and non-dairy dishes, too. These recipes, I'd say, are probably for the more culinarily adventurous. They are not difficult, but include things like curry, miso, tempeh, tomatican, stifado, gorgonzola, orange compote, chakchouka... and other stuff you won't find at Cracker Barrel. This is why I have not dug very far through this book yet, but I'm working on amending my ways. (Gotta get creative now.)

So here are the recipes:

Greek Rice Pilaf

In a heavy skillet, saute ONE LARGE ONION in OLIVE OIL until onion softens (5 min.) Add 2 CLOVES GARLIC, 1 TBSP. DRIED MINT, 1/8 TSP PEPPER and saute 2 more minutes. Stir in 4 CUPS SPINACH, 3 TBSP LEMON JUICE, 4 CUPS COOKED RICE, and 1 CUP GREEN PEAS. Add in 2 TBSP FRESH DILL. Cover and cook 3 or 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

When spinach is limp and rice is hot, top with 1 CUP FETA CHEESE and serve immediately.  

Notes: I used brown rice and dried dill (about one tsp) and one can (16 oz) of green peas. I also went light on the feta, which is the main source of salt in this recipe, so the values will actually be a little lower than stated. The recipe says that you can serve hot or at room temp. I liked it hot. It states that as variations, you can add cooked chickpeas or chopped tomatoes with the spinach and peas. Sounds tasty. 

8 oz serving: 305 calories, 8.7 g protein, 9.4 g fat, 46.5 g carbs, 254 mg sodium, 17 mg cholesterol. 

Polenta

Bring 3 CUPS WATER and PINCH OF SALT to a boil. Add 1 CUP CORNMEAL in a thin, steady stream while whisking briskly. Stir in 2 TBSP BUTTER and (optional, but good) a PINCH OF CRUSHED RED PEPPER FLAKES.  Simmer for about 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring often. Remove from heat, stir in 1/2 CUP GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE and serve. 

Notes: This has a good comfort food feel. If you like grits, you'll like this. Basically the same thing. Beware! As with grits, it's going to sputter a lot as it cooks, so you'll want a splatter screen or something to shield yourself. Dad has had a scar for about 50 years from a grits incident. You have been warned. Also, you are gonna want to soak the pot right away, since dried cornmeal sticks like crazy. 

8 oz serving: 263 calories, 10 g protein, 11.2 g fat, 30 g carbs, 647 mg sodium, 28 mg cholesterol.

Cous Cous Salad and Chicken Paprikash

Originally Posted August 28, 2010. After that serious business, here's some tasty food!

Cooz Cooz Salad

(Source: Based on a recipe from Paula Deen. Probably the healthiest recipe I've ever seen her make. My mother has trouble pronouncing cous so this recipe is referred to as Cooz Cooz Salad.)

Salad: 

2 c. prepared plain cous cous  Check the package for directions. This was 1 c. dry cous cous + 1 1/2 c. water, so it was more like 2.5 cups prepared. Doesn't matter. I made mine without salt or oil or anything, but you can use broth, too.

1 can unsalted chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1/2 c. crumbled feta  This provides the majority of the salt in the recipe, so adjust quantity accordingly.

1/4 c. chopped flatleaf parsley

A few sprigs of chopped mint. Optional, but a nice touch.

One each, chopped: red bell pepper, English cucumber, tomato. Adjust quantity to taste, and based on size of said items. Sometimes half a cucumber or pepper is plenty if they're big.

1/2 white onion, chopped

Dressing:

juice of 3 limes, seems like a lot, but it's worth it.

1/4 c. olive oil

1/8 tsp salt

pepper to taste (one "shakey shakey")

In a LARGE bowl, mix salad together, toss with dressing. Serve immediately, or store in fridge for up to a few days. Great make-ahead dish. I think it gets better as it sits. This recipe makes enough for many meals. 

I think it's really delicious, but Sexy Lawyer Man took one look and said "hell no." More for me. You have to REALLY like onions. And lime. And feta. And pretty much everything else in here, as they all make a good showing. 

And now for something completely different:

Chicken Paprikash

(Source: American Heart Association Low-Salt Cookbook, 3rd Edition. Again, I suggest that everyone ever should own this cookbook.)

2 1/2 c. dried "No-yolk" egg noodles

1 1/2 lbs chicken (we used thinly sliced chicken breast, and not that much chicken, either)

olive oil

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 tbsp paprika (they prefer sweet hungarian paprika, but I couldn't find it and regular's fine)

1 tomato, chopped

1/2 c. chicken broth (low sodium prepared or homemade)

2 tbsp flour

1/2 c fat free plain yogurt

2 tbsp fat free sour cream

Cook the noodles. Drain and set aside. Don't use salt. Or do. But I didn't. 

Cut chicken into small pieces.(I didn't do this, because the chicken was thin sliced, but I think it should be done.)

Cook chicken in olive oil until done. Transfer to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium. Put onion and paprika in skillet and cook until soft. (You may have to add a little water to keep all the paprika wet.) Stir in tomato and broth, cook until hot (2-3 min).

Return chicken to skillet and heat, covered until tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken and veggies to a plate. Set aside. 

Sprinkle flour over broth mixture. Cook 2 to 3 min until the sauce is thickened, whisking constantly. In a small bowl, mix yogurt and sour cream. Whisk into sauce. Stir veggies and chicken back in. Serve over noodles. 

Nutrition, FYI: calories 335, fat 2g, cholesterol 67mg, sodium 120mg, carbs 42g, protein 34g, calcium 81mg, potassium 583mg. 

This is a Hungarian dish that has a really bright orange color. Again, if you don't like onions, this may not be a good one. But we really liked it. 

Kidney Adventure 2010, Round II

Originally posted August 21, 2010

So, people have asked and I figured I should put some actual facts up here instead of a series of vague, whiney status updates. (Or, in addition to whiney status updates... can't promise to quit those. )

When last we left off, around May-ish, all was well as far as I could tell. Blood pressure stable, kidney function 50% (not great, but holding.) I was staying to a low sodium/ low cholesterol diet and things were beginning to look pretty normal. 

August: Last week I was not feelin' so good, so I decided to go to my Dr just to make sure everything was cool. Lab tests were NOT COOL.  So more lab tests. And more lab tests. A week later I feel a bit like a pincushion, and it appears that my kidney function somehow slipped from 50% to 16 %. 16% is not good. We are not sure if this was slowly creeping down all summer or if it suddenly went down in response to this latest flare-up (although it's probably the latter.) 

So, options:

1) This dip in kidney function is in response to an acute attack of Kidney Gremlins and function will return to normal (50%) in a few weeks. This is the happiest option, so I vote for this one. (Like I have a say?)

2) Kidney function stays here and I use immunosuppressant drugs to keep this from happening again. (And maybe increase function?) These drugs have crappy side effects, which is why we didn't try them before now. 

3) Kidney function continues on downward turn and reaches 10%, at which point I will be declared to have End Stage Renal Disease (which really sounds like a scarier condition than it is) and I go on dialysis and start looking for someone's kidney to steal. Good news here is that I'll qualify for Medicare and Uncle Sam will start paying my medical bills. 

Now, in order to figure out which option this is, and HOPEFULLY get a real diagnosis (surprisingly, Kidney Gremlins is not a medical term), I will probably need to get another biopsy while things are (apparently) active. I do not look forward to this, since the last one hurt like a bitch. However, the complication I had then is not a common one, and they don't seem to think I'll spring a leak this time, so we're not looking at a two week recovery again. (Although that was a great excuse to sit in bed for two weeks and watch the Olympics on TV...) I really don't want to tell my new boss at my new job that I'm taking a week off...

In conclusion, I want to thank everyone for their prayers and concern. Your support has really been awesome. Also, I want to point out that this is going to be damned inconvenient but not life threatening. If Osama Bin Laden could be that busy while on dialysis, so can I. Maybe that's a bad example. My point is, I will figure a way to keep on keeping on, so don't worry. I've got a great support system here and I've got Jesus and I'll be fine. 

I leave you with the chorus from my new favorite song:

Ain't no rhyme or reason, 

no complicated meaning

Ain't no need to over think it...

Let go laughing! 

Life don't go quite like you planned it,

we try so hard to understand it.

 Irrefutable, indisputable

The fact is it happens. 

(Sugarland, "It Happens")

Cookout Fixin's

Originally posted April 10, 2010

Today was awesome! Pretty much an ideal day for me. Got the house clean (and got to sing and dance to Broadway showtunes while doing it), got to cook some tasty meals. Had company over for burgers and Rock Band! I even earned good karma (if you call it that) by saving a car in the grocery store parking lot from almost certain destruction by runaway shopping cart, which (I'd like to think) led to me finding UNSALTED tortilla chips at HEB for the first time, as well as the stocker guy letting me get the brand new fresh green beans out of his crate before he stocked them. Like I said, good day. Throw in some hiking and romance, and it would be perfect.

Now, Recipes:

***NOM NOM NOM Hamburger Buns***

Make dough in bread maker with this:

1/2 c milk

1/2 c water

1 egg

1/4 c unsalted butter

3 c bread flour

2 T sugar

2 t yeast

Divide dough into 12 balls. Cover and rest 30 min. Brush with 1 Egg White and top with Sesame Seeds. Bake at 375 for 12 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack and slice in half to serve.

Soo yummy! FIlls your house with a delicious bakery smell even before you put them in the oven.

***Homemade Salsa***

1 green bell pepper

3 roma tomatoes

1 small white onion

1 t fresh cilantro (out of my garden, SCORE!)

juice of 1 lime

Chop everything really small. Put in a deep bowl and use an immersion blender to blend JUST PART OF IT. You could probably do this with a regular blender, too. Problem is, if you blend it more than a little, you get this pink foam and a weird taste. If you don't blend it at all, you don't have enough liquid parts to bind it as a cohesive dish. Trust me, I've made both of these mistakes.

I served this with my brand new Lightly Salted tortilla chips (50 mg per 15 chips, not bad). It is also good with unsalted chips, but I keep those all for me. Salsa keeps well for a few days.

Bread baking Fun!

Continued from March 28, 2010 post.
These are my first experiments with Mom's old bread machine. I've had it since Christmas, but I have been afraid to use it because I lost the directions. Turns out it's slightly defective (worked fine when I was 10, I don't know what happened!) but makes great bread anyway. 

Hawaiian Bread

(based on that super awesome King's Hawaiian Sweet Bread)

4 T. unsalted butter

1/3 c. sugar

3 c. bread flour

1/2 c. instant potato flakes (the pure potato kind, not the "butter included" kind)

1/4 t. ground ginger

3/4 c. pineapple juice (one 6 oz can)

1 egg

1/4 c. skim milk

1 t. coconut extract

1 1/2 t. yeast

Place ingredients in order above (or order specified by manufacturer) in bread machine. Process on white bread setting. Keep an eye out for the cooking time... mine was ready about 40 minutes before the timer was going to go off. I think it was the rapid rise yeast, or the defective bread maker. Once you can really smell it, it's probably done.

Portion: 1/12 of loaf

Calories: 207, Fat: 5g, Chol: 31 mg, Sodium: 14, Carbs: 35 g, Protein: 5g. 

****This is made in the bread maker, but I'm sure you could make the dough the old fashioned way (I just don't know what that is... I'm very new to yeast breads.) From the "500 Low Sodium Recipes" cookbook by Dick Logue.***

Pita Bread

1 T. olive oil

3 c. bread flour

1 t. sugar

1 c. water

1 t. yeast

Put the ingredients into the bread maker (in that order, or the order specified by the manufacturer) and process on the dough cycle. When finished, remove to a lightly floured surface and punch down gently. Split dough into 8 equal portions and roll into balls. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let sit 10 min. Preheat oven AND 2 large baking sheets to 450. Then roll each ball flat to 1/4 inch, sprinkle with flour, and let sit 10 minutes, covered. Transfer to hot baking sheets and bake for about 6 minutes, or until puffed and lightly browned.

Portion: 1 pita

Calories: 204, Fat: 3g, Chol: 0 mg, Sodium: 2 mg, Carbs: 38g, Protein 6 g.

***These are really really good with hummus or dipped in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and herbs. No photo because we ate them too fast.

This is also from Dick Logue's "500 Low Sodium Recipes" book. If you don't already own this cookbook, you should. ***

Alfredo Pasta

Originally Posted March 28, 2010

I have some new recipes. This one is a healthier (ish) version of my usual Fettuccine Alfredo (although I always make it with Squiggly Pastas, not fettuccine.)  

Fettuccine Alfredo

1 lb dried fettucini (or Smart Taste rotini pasta)

1/4 c. fat free milk (I used 2% because Sexy Lawyer Man won't drink skim)

2 T. flour

1 1/4 c. fat free milk

1/4 c. grated Parmesan

2 t. fresh lemon juice

1/8 t. white pepper (or fresh ground black pepper is fine)

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

1 T. plus 1 1/2 t. grated Parmesan

1/4 t. salt

Cook pasta without oil or salt.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, whisk together 1/4 c. milk and the flour until smooth. Heat over medium heat. Whisk in the remaining 1 1/4 c. milk. Bring to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes, or until thickened, stirring constantly with a flat spatula to keep the sauce from sticking to the bottom. (Seriously. Mine did stick and was a bitch to clean up.)

Stir in 1/4 c. Parmesan, lemon juice, and pepper.

To serve, transfer the warm pasta to a platter. Pour sauce over the pasta and toss. Sprinkle with the parsley, remaining Parmesan, and salt. Garnish with lemon wedges if you want.

Portion: 1 cup. Serves 8.

Calories: 249, Fat: 2g, Chol: 3 mg, Sodium: 160, Carbs: 47g, Protein:11 g.

*** From the Heart Association Low Salt Cookbook, 3rd Edition***

Blackberry and Balsamic Chicken

Originally posted March 17, 2010

This one is really really good. I made it twice this week. It also looks really fancy for when you are trying to impress people.

Cook a package of Uncle Ben's Wild Rice without seasoning packet or butter. ( I tried two brands of plain wild rice, and neither was very good. So I'm back to box rice.) (Since then I have had success with HEB Brown and Wild Rice Blend.)

Take a couple of chicken breasts and cover them with plastic wrap. Smash them to about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle with a salt-free all-purpose seasoning (I used Mrs. Dash Table Blend.) Cook in a skillet with approximately 1 T olive oil, 5 min each side, or until cooked through.

Meanwhile, cook in a sauce pan: 1 c. frozen blackberries, thawed, juice reserved; 1/4 c. low sodium chicken broth; 1 T brown sugar; 1 T balsamic vinegar; 1 t lemon zest. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in any juices from the chicken.

Serve the sauce over the rice and chicken.

265 calories, 116 mg sodium, 3 g fat, 60 mg cholesterol, 25 g protein

Enchiladas

Originally posted March 10, 2010

Tex Mex is the biggest thing I miss after my diet change. For a while I avoided this recipe because I thought it was too good to be true. But I tried it and it was really really good! Not just "pretty good for healthy food" good. Not exactly a VERY low fat/ low sodium meal, but certainly better than you'll get at Ninfa's. Now, I love Ninfa's, but that stuff will kill you.

Warning: prep time + cook time = >1 hour (But worth it.)

Chicken Enchiladas (From Heart Assoc. book)

Needed:

8 corn tortillas

vegetable oil spray

2 oz. chopped canned chiles (I used Hatch, Mild because I'm a spice pansy)

Sauce:

1 c. skim milk

1/2 c. low sodium chicken broth

2 T. all-purpose flour

1/2 reduced fat Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (I might have gone a little over 1/2 cup...)

1 t. fresh lime juice (I used more like a tablespoon)

Filling:

2 c. shredded cooked chicken (simmer chicken tenders in plain water about about 20 min.)

1/4 c. thinly sliced green onions

1 clove garlic, minced ( I used more)

1/2 t. ground cumin

1/4 t. chili powder

1/2 c. reduced fat Monterey Jack cheese

(All measurements on the filling are what the recipe says; I didn't use the recommended amounts. So just "season to taste.")

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 13X9 baking dish with Pam and set aside.

In a med saucepan, whisk together milk, flour, broth, and pepper. Bring to a simmer over med-high heat. Reduce and simmer 5-6 min, or until mixture thickens slightly. (Whisk occasionally.) Whisk in 1/2 cheese and lime juice. Remove from heat and set aside.

Soften tortillas in a microwave tortilla warmer or wrapped in foil in the oven 5 min.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together chicken, green onions, garlic, cumin, and chili powder.

To assemble, place tortillas on a flat surface. Spread 1/4 cup chicken mixture and 1 T. Monterey Jack cheese in center of each. Roll up and place in baking dish. Pour sauce over enchiladas and top with chiles.

Bake 20 min or until filling is warmed through.

Serving Size: 2 enchiladas

Cal- 304, Fat- 8.5 g, Sod- 344 mg, Prot- 35 g ( Add a few more fat/calories if you couldn't find Low Fat cheese. Stupid Waco.)

Tried with recipes for Mexican Beans and Gazpacho. Both were "meh" so I didn't include those recipes.