Black Bean Sage Tacos

I was excited that my grocery delivery service finally started carrying no salt added black beans recently - at last, we can have black bean tacos! I've really missed black beans since we made the switch to low sodium; I know I can technically make my own NSA black beans, but the problem is that I never seem to have the time. This recipe is great if you are crunched for time and looking for something that tastes as amazing as it smells.

Ingredients:
1 can no-salt-added Black Beans (I used Nature's Promise Organic, which has 17.5mg per can)
12 cloves garlic, minced (0mg)
1 T. sage (0mg)
1/2 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I use the Peapod store band, which has 340 mg in 1/2 c.)
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil (0mg)
2 T. water
1 package corn tortillas (0mg)
1-2 Green Onions, chopped (4.5mg)
1 Lime (1mg)
Optional: Salsa (we use Arriba Fire-Roasted Mexican Red Salsa, which has 125mg in 2T.)

Heat up corn tortillas. While they are warming, prepare the black beans: drain & rinse, then set aside. Heat olive oil in a small saucepan, then add black beans, garlic and sage. Stir to coat evenly, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes over medium heat.Turn heat down to low and add water, again stirring to coat. Cover and continue to heat on low, stirring occasionally and also smashing the beans as you do so. Remove from heat, but keep covered until ready to assemble tacos.

To make tacos: begin with cheese, then add black beans, salsa, and green onions. Squeeze lime over tacos & serve. 

Total sodium: 363mg, excluding optional salsa and other condiments. Makes 8 tacos (45.4mg per taco)

Lazy Penne

A pasta dish that's extremely low in sodium but big on flavor. This is a super-quick meal you can throw together at the last minute. Feel free to sub in your favorite pasta shape to make it your own!

This is a lower-sodium & faster version of one of our favorite meals, Baked Penne with Fennel. 

Ingredients:
1 6oz can no-salt-added tomato paste (I use Nature's Promise Organic Tomato Paste, which doesn't say "no salt added" but has the same total amount as Hunt's N.S.A, 100mg total)
12 oz. water
1 box penne (0 mg sodium)
1/4 c. shredded mozzarella (I use Peapod store band, which has 135 mg total)
1/4 c. ricotta (I use Peapod store brand, which has 80 mg per serving)
1 T. Penzey's Tuscan Sunset spice mix (0 mg)
2 T. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (0 mg)
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh basil, if available

Cook pasta according to directions on package (omitting salt, of course). At the same time, saute spices in olive oil for about 1 minute, then add tomato paste and water. Stir frequently and simmer til tomato paste reconstitutes (about 10 minutes). Add ricotta and stir to mix throughout sauce.

Combine sauce with cooked (drained) pasta, top with mozzarella, black pepper, and fresh basil to serve.

Total sodium: 315 mg. Serves 4 (79 mg per serving)

Fauxpotle Rice Bowls

It's good to be back! March was a crazy month (I went to Germany for 9 days!) and I needed a little break from blogging. Going forward, I'll be posting every other Tuesday (instead of every Tuesday) to share 2 recipes each month.

We call this Fauxpotle for what I hope is obvious reasons  - it's modeled after a Burrito Bowl at a certain popular national chain. However, this version isn't filled with a crazy amount of sodium - the basic components add up to under 50mg of sodium per person, which allows you to customize with cheese, salsa, and any other condiments you like as your sodium allowance for the day allows.

Basic Ingredients: 
1 can no salt added pinto beans (the brand we use has 52.5mg total)
2 ears of corn, unhusked (6mg total - 3mg per person)
White or Brown Rice (0mg)
2 T. extra virgin Olive Oil (0mg)
1T. Adobo seasoning from Penzey's (0mg)

Optional Condiments & Toppings: 
Cheese (varies)
Cilantro
Lime
Salsa
Avocado
Sour Cream

Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Place ears of corn directly on rack and roast for 30 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.

While the corn is roasting, cook rice in cooker. Drain pinto beans and saute in olive oil in a small saucepan with 1T. Adobo. Simmer on low for about 8-10 minutes. covered.

Prep optional condiments and toppings (wash and dry cilantro, cut limes, etc).

Assemble bowls: First, make a layer of rice on the plate or bowl. Cut the corn off of the husk and add to rice, along with pintos. Add salsa, cheese, cilantro and any other condiments you wish. Squeeze half a lime over everything. Mix together & enjoy!

Total: 59, excluding optional condiments and toppings. Serves 2-4, depending on how hungry you are (29 mg per serving if divided in half; 15 mg per serving if divided into fourths).

Quickie Meal: Lemon Butter Pasta

On nights when I really don't want to cook or the cupboards are looking a little bare, this quick pasta dish can be a real life saver. I almost always have a box of pasta and a lemon on hand - and while it sounds simple and maybe a little boring, it can actually be surprisingly flavorful (plus, it lends itself to a lot of variations). Another bonus is that this dish uses very little of your sodium allowance if you don't add cheese - and still is a member of the Under 100 Club if you decide to splurge!

Ingredients:
1 box pasta, any kind (0mg)
1/4 c. unsalted butter (0mg)
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon (9mg)
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped finely (0mg)
Freshly ground pepper and dill weed, to taste
Optional: 1/4 c ricotta or mozzerella cheese (sodium content varies, the brands I use range in 80-135mg)

Cook pasta in unsalted water according to package directions. Just before the pasta is finished cooking, begin to melt butter in a saucepan. Add garlic and saute for about a minute, being careful not to burn. Add olive oil, lemon juice, and dill weed - remove from heat.

Drain pasta, then return to stock pot and pour lemon butter mixture over pasta. Toss and add optional cheese, if desired. Serve with freshly ground pepper to taste.

Total: 9mg (without cheese); 88-144 (with cheese). Serves 4 (2.25 (22-36mg) per serving). Your stats may differ based on your ingredients; be sure to read all labels carefully.

Tacos Are Your Friends: 3 Quick Recipes

Tacos have always been a staple in our household. We usually have hot salsa, cilantro, and limes at the ready for taco night. Shredded lettuce, sour cream, chopped onions, shredded cheese, and avocado are other great toppings to consider, depending on what your sodium allowance is for the meal.

We ALWAYS eat soft tacos on corn tortillas, which don't have any sodium (at least, the brand we use doesn't add salt to the tortillas - it's always good to double check though!). For corn tortillas, an oven warmer is key; I have a ceramic one which I load up with tortillas and put in the oven before turning it on. After about 20-30 minutes (depending on how many tortillas I'm heating), they're ready to go - and usually, so are my taco fillings!

#1 - Potato Tacos - a zero-mg filling.
Potatoes have no sodium, so you can really go for broke here. I used Penzey's no-salt-added Adobo seasoning liberally while sauteing diced potatoes in extra-virgin olive oil. Once the potatoes are soft, you can load them into warm corn tortillas and top as you like. On days where you've spent your sodium allowance otherwise, these are great to make because they honestly taste delicious on their own (that's right - without cheese or salsa!). Tyler LOVES these with just a little bit of BBQ sauce; I like to add salsa, avocado and just a little bit of pepper jack cheese.

#2 - Pinto Bean Tacos - the under-100 club filling. 
I've been using Eden Organics No Salt Added Pinto Beans, which have 15 mg per serving (53 mg per can). All I do is rinse and drain them, then saute in....you guessed it, extra-virgin olive oil with a lot of Penzey's Adobo seasoning! These are especially great with avocado.

Tempeh Tacos are our faves!

#3: Tempeh Tacos - the flavorful splurge.
These require a little planning ahead, but are quick to make once the initial prep of marinating the tempeh is done - I usually prep the tempeh on the weekend so it has a few days to marinate in time for Taco Tuesday.

Ingredients:
1 package tempeh - chopped into strips (we use Lightlife, which has 25 mg sodium total)
1-1/2 c. apple cider vinegar (0mg)
1/2 c. water
1 stick Kombu (180 mg)
Honey to taste
2-3 T. chili powder (make sure yours is salt-free)

To make marinade, add apple cider vinegar, water, kombu, and a squirt of honey (you don't need very much) to a pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Place tempeh strips in a baking dish which has a cover (or use foil). Pour marinade over tempeh and cover. Allow to marinate in the fridge for at least 12 hours (I usually let it marinate for a few days).

When you're ready to make your tacos, drain tempeh and saute in olive oil with chili powder. I like to break the tempeh strips up into smaller pieces, but you could leave them as-is if you so choose.

Once tempeh is heated through, you're ready to assemble your tacos! We like these with salsa, cheese and fresh-squeezed lime.

This makes about 6-8 tacos, for a grand total of 205mg for the tempeh filling (split 6 ways, that's about 35mg per taco). You can dress your tacos with your favorite cheese, salsa or other condiments based on your sodium allowance for your meal - but trust me, they don't need much. Just a bit of cilantro and a little hot salsa can satisfy you without breaking the (sodium) bank.