Low Sodium Side Dishes

Spicy Cauliflower

This is such a great low sodium side dish, cauliflower has many health benefits and with this creamy sweet and spicy chili sauce that is easy to make, you’ll be going back for seconds.

Ingredients

1/2 head cauliflower (cut into bite sized florets)

2 cups panko bread crumbs 

2 large eggs (whisked)

1 tablespoon fresh parsley (finely chopped, optional, for garnish)

2 tablespoons low sodium sweet chili

2 teaspoons Sriracha hot sauce 

1/4 cup low fat mayonnaise 

1 tablespoon honey

Preheat oven to 400°F. Dip cauliflower pieces in egg and then roll in panko until fully coated and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You will need to use your fingers to press on the coating to help it to stick to the cauliflower bites. Repeat until all cauliflower is coated.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until coating is a dark golden brown and crunchy. 

While cauliflower is cooking, make the spicy sauce. Add all ingredients into a small bowl and whisk until uniform and no mayonnaise lumps remain. Drizzle over finished cauliflower, reserving additional for dipping. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Lo So Summer Vegetables

This impressive looking dish also tastes so good, and while tomatoes are in season add your favorite vegetables and you have a summer favorite, this has only 252 mg of sodium per 1 cup of vegetables.

Ingredients

4 medium tomatoes

1 clove sliced garlic

3 small yellow onions

1 medium zucchini

1 medium squash

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon of dried mixed herbs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Heat oil, garlic and mixed herbs in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until the garlic begins to sizzle, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Slice tomatoes, onions, squash and zucchini into ⅛-inch-thick slices. Standing them up on their sides, alternate the tomato, onion, squash and zucchini slices in a circular pattern around the edge of a 9-inch deep-dish glass pie pan or similar-size round casserole dish. Make a second alternating circle in the center. Pack the vegetables tightly: they will shrink while baking.
4. Discard the garlic, if desired, and drizzle the vegetables with the oil.  Bake until the vegetables are tender and starting to brown, about 1 hour. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

CRANBERRY BALSAMIC BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Here is one of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes that are made in my Slow cooker. For 1 cup of sprouts there is only 79 mg of sodium and 130 calories.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp ground Mustard the lowest sodium you can find
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil extra virgin
• 4 cloves Garlic slivered
• 1/4 cup Water
• 1 lb Brussels Sprouts trimmed and halved
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries or 1/2 cup fresh cut in half
• 1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
• ·        1/2 tsp Paprika
  
  
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Directions

1. In a medium bowl - thoroughly whisk together the mustard, olive oil, and water
2. In a slow-cooker place the Brussels sprouts, garlic, and cranberries. Add the dressing you just whisked together with the paprika and pepper, and stir all to coat the whole mixture. 
3. Cook on high for 2 hours and 15 minutes or on low for 4 and a half hours. (the sprouts are lightly browned and tender.) 
4. Add the vinegar to a small pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until it thickens to a syrup-like consistency, about 12 minutes.
5. Stir the sprouts, drizzle in the vinegar and serve immediately.
   
   
   Low Sodium Cranberry Sauce
   Here is a recipe for the family holiday feast, when you have a turkey this Cranberry Sauce recipe is so delicious and easy to make the day or two before the big day.
   
   You can store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 10-14 days. You can freeze the sauce for up to two months.

Ingredients

• 1 12 oz bag Fresh Cranberries
• 1/2 cup Orange Juice fresh squeezed
• 1/2 cup Water
• 1/4 cup Honey
• 1 stick Cinnamon
• pinch Ground Cinnamon
• pinch Ground Ginger
  
  Instructions

In a slow-cooker, add all ingredients and toss to combine.

Cook on low for 3-4 hours

Near the end of the cooking time, use tongs to remove the cinnamon stick. Then use a wooden spoon to break up the cranberries. The sauce will thicken as it cools.

This recipe has only 3 mg of sodium per 2 tablespoon of cranberry sauce.

LOW SODIUM BBQ SAUCE

8 oz. no salt added tomato sauce

3 Tbls brown sugar

1 Tbls white vinegar

pinch of cloves

1/2 small onion chopped

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1 Tbls honey

2 Tbls pineapple juice

Directions

Combine all ingredients and bring to boil then turn down heat and let simmer about 1-1/2 hours until nice and thick stirring occasionally.

Makes 10 - 15 servings

8 - 11 mg of sodium per serving

Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing

Hearty yet simple to prepare, this stuffed sweet potato with black beans, kale and hummus dressing is a fantastic 5-ingredient side dish or even for lunch.

One serving has 489 mg of sodium.

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato, scrubbed
• ¾ cup chopped kale
• 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed
•   ¼ cup hummus
•  2 tablespoon of water

Preparation

Prick sweet potato all over with a fork. Microwave on High until cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes

2. Meanwhile, wash kale and drain, allowing water to cling to the leaves. Place in a medium saucepan; cover and cook over medium-high heat, stirring once or twice, until wilted. Add beans; add a tablespoon or two of water if the pot is dry. Continue cooking, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is steaming hot, 1 to 2 minutes.
   
   
3. 
   
4. Split the sweet potato open and top with the kale and bean mixture. Combine hummus and 2 tablespoons water in a small dish. Add additional water as needed to reach desired consistency. Drizzle the hummus dressing over the stuffed sweet potato.
   
   
   Low Sodium Rice
   This low sodium side dish has only 49 mg per 1/3 cup of rice. A citrus taste, combined with almonds, celery, onions and no added salt
   
   

   Ingredients 1½ Tbsp vegetable oil 1¼ C celery, with leaves, rinsed and finely chopped 1½ C onion, finely chopped 1 C water ½ C orange juice 2 Tbsp lemon juice Dash hot sauce 1 C instant white rice, uncooked ¼ C slivered almonds Directions Heat oil in a medium-sized saucepan.  Add celery and onion, and sauté until tender (about 10 minutes).   Add water, juices, and hot sauce.  Bring to a boil over high heat.   Stir in rice, and bring back to a boil.  Cover and turn heat down to simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 5–10 minutes.   Stir in almonds.  Serve immediately. Low Sodium Hot Sauce

   10 red peppers (I use jalapeño’s, milder deseed peppers)

   1 1/4 cup organic white vinegar
   3 cloves garlic sliced thick
   1T Lime juice
   1t paprika

   
   DIRECTIONS
   
   Rinse and slice peppers and place into a medium, non-reactive sauce pan. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
   
    Reduce heat to low/medium-low, cover and let simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the peppers are soft and tender.
   
   

   
   

   Once peppers are soft add to a food processor, blender, or ninja and blend until smooth.
   Bottle in an airtight glass container and refrigerate overnight. 
   
   BEET SALAD
   
   An easy but antioxidant rich beet salad that has so many rich health benefits one of them is lowering blood pressure, which is a key part of a low sodium diet. Get your Beet Salad Recipe HERE.
   
   
   

   Get Your 7 Day Low Sodium Meal Plan
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