Blog - KidneyChef

18Feb 2020 by KidneyChef No Comments

Easy Vegetables with Lemon and Garlic

If you have CKD, finding ways to liven’ up your vegetables without adding salt can be challenging. This super easy to make vegetable side dish pairs well with the ‘Herb Topped Fish’ recipe posted earlier this month. It uses lemon juice and fresh garlic to give the vegetables a punch of flavor. Refer to KidneyChef article “Love and Care for your Heart and Kidneys: Tips to Cut the Sodium in your Diet” for some useful tips to cut the sodium in your diet. Easy Vegetables with Lemon and Garlic Ingredients 2 cup fresh cauliflower florets 2 cup fresh broccoli florets 2 tsp. olive oil 1 Tbsp. lemon juice 1 clove garlic, minced 2 tsp. parsley, chopped Preparation Steam cauliflower and broccoli florets for 10 minutes or until tender. In a…

14Feb 2020 by KidneyChef No Comments

Love and Care for your Heart and Kidneys: Tips to Cut the Sodium in your Diet

Heart health, Kidney Disease, low-salt

By Stephanie Legin, RD, LDN February is National Heart Month Love and Care for your Heart and Kidneys: Tips to Cut the Sodium in your Diet Sodium Consumption Did you know that our taste for salt is acquired? We are not born with an affinity for salt. As infants grow and are fed foods that contain salt, their taste for salt develops. As children continue to mature and consume more and more foods high in sodium (sodium is found in salt), their preference for these foods increases. By adulthood, the average American consumes ~3400mg sodium per day. This is well above the American Heart Association’s recommendation to limit sodium to 1500mg per day. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends no more that 2300mg (which is the equivalent of…

03Feb 2020 by Marika Wamback No Comments

Artificial Sweeteners: Can They be Consumed With CKD?

Kidney Disease, Sugar

Marika Wamback, BSc. R.D. Registered Dietitian l Hot Topic: Artificial Sweeteners: Can They be Consumed With CKD? Artificial Sweeteners: The Evidence Artificial sweeteners have been a very controversial hot topic over the years. There remains a lot of skepticism over whether these products contribute to many health issues like Alzheimer’s, cancer, obesity, and inflammation. What does the evidence say? Are they safe? How much is safe? Do they really cause the problems that the alarmists say? The evidence shows that artificial sweeteners are safe to use. They are in some food items in very small amounts, they are not toxic when used appropriately, and do not cause severe health problems. They have been studied extensively and are approved for use by Health Canada and the FDA. The following websites contain…

03Feb 2020 by KidneyChef No Comments

Herb Topped Fish

Kidney Disease, Renal Diet

February is National Heart Month. Learn to love and care for your heart and kidneys this month with this flavorful, low fat, lower in sodium, CKD friendly dish. Learning to use fresh or dried herbs and spices in your cooking is a great way to avoid using unwanted salt in your diet and help keep you on track with your renal diet. Later this month, look for a delicious, easy to prepare side dish to accompany this savory fish recipe. Herb Topped Fish Ingredients 24 oz white fish (halibut, cod, tilapia) ½ cup low fat mayonnaise ½ cup low fat or fat free sour cream ¼ cup parmesan cheese 4 Tbsp. fresh chives, chopped (or 2 Tbsp. dried chives) 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley chopped (or 2 Tbsp. dried parsley) ½…

28Jan 2020 by KidneyChef No Comments

A Dietitian’s Role In Helping You Manage Your Health and CKD

Kidney Disease, Renal Diet

Stephanie Legin RD, LDN Registered Dietitian l A Dietitian’s Role In Helping You Manage Your Health and CKD The Role of a Dietitian I have filled many roles as a registered dietitian over the last 23 years. The areas of nutrition I have worked in may have changed over the years; however, the mission and goals have remained the same. The objective, for all dietitians, is to educate people about food and its impact on health. Part of an RD's assessment is to recommend what to eat and what not to eat for your individual health needs. This builds the foundation on which to base your goals. Taking that knowledge and incorporating it into your lifestyle can be the tricky part. Your dietitian can help give you the tools and…

21Jan 2020 by KidneyChef No Comments

All-Purpose Coating Mix

Kidney Disease, recipes, Renal Diet

Need something to jazz up your meat, poultry and fish but don’t want to add a bunch of sodium and preservatives to your dish? Try making your own versatile “shake and bake” coating! If you have CKD, you’ll want to make big batches of this low sodium, potassium and phosphorus crispy breadcrumb coating mix to have on hand and spice up your meals! All-Purpose Coating Mix Ingredients 1 ½ cup dry fine plain breadcrumbs 1 cup all-purpose flour 4 Tbsp. dried parsley 1 Tbsp. paprika 2 tsp. onion powder 1 ½ tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. black pepper 1 Tbsp. marjoram 1 Tbsp. thyme 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil Preparation 1. Combine breadcrumbs, flour, parsley, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, marjoram and thyme. Stir to mix evenly. 2. Add…

19Jan 2020 by KidneyChef No Comments

Managing Food Costs with CKD

Kidney Disease, Renal Diet

Marika Wamback, BSc. R.D. Registered Dietitian Managing Food Costs with CKD I often hear from my clients that they struggle with healthy eating due to the cost of food. This is especially prevalent with clients with CKD. It can be overwhelming to manage a chronic condition and the costs that can go with it. In Canada, food costs are set to increase by 4-6% in 2020. Approximately 35% of the Canadian household grocery budget goes to eating out. Below are some simple and easy tips to help you manage your nutritional needs by cooking at home, planning ahead, choosing healthy renal foods, and managing your budget. 1. Focus On What You Can Have: I often tell clients to focus on the foods they can have to manage their nutrition needs. …

28Dec 2019 by KidneyChef No Comments

Turkey Vegetable Chili

Kidney Disease, recipes, Renal Diet

Looking for recipes to help keep your New Year’s weight loss resolutions and keep you full and satisfied? Try this scrumptious and healthy turkey chili! Ideal for anyone trying to lose weight but also a perfect meal if you have CKD. The aromatics and blend of spices gives this recipe so much flavor there is no need to use the salt shaker! Turkey Vegetable Chili Ingredients 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1 lb. lean ground turkey ½ cup chopped onion 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cup zucchini, chopped 1 cup frozen corn 14 oz no salt added stewed crushed tomatoes 2 tsp. chili powder 1 ½ tsp. ground cumin 1 ½ tsp. cayenne pepper ¼ tsp. black pepper Preparation 1. Heat large skillet to medium high, add oil. 2. Saute ground…

19Dec 2019 by KidneyChef No Comments

Let’s Talk Some More (Renal Friendly) Turkey—Part 2

Kidney Disease, Renal Diet

Stephanie Legin RD, LDN Registered Dietitian l Let’s Talk Some More (Renal Friendly) Turkey—Part 2 Now that you know how to pick and purchase a renal friendly turkey for your next holiday meal, how do you flavor it? Choosing a natural, whole turkey gives you a blank canvas of fresh turkey to work with. Plain roasted turkey is delicious but learning a few simple ways to season with herbs and spices instead of salt can make it delectable. Having Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) limits your use of salt. If you have CKD, it is recommended that you limit your total sodium intake to ~1500-2000mg/day. The following are some turkey prep techniques to infuse some wonderful flavors and keep your turkey tender and juicy without adding salt. Try just one technique…

17Dec 2019 by KidneyChef No Comments

Cinnamon Cookies

low potassium, low-salt, recipes

If you have CKD and love holiday cookies, you need to add this one to your baking list. So low in sodium, potassium, and phosphorus that you can enjoy two! These cookies are full of warm holiday flavor and is sure to be a family favorite. Tip: If you have diabetes and would like to lower the amount of added sugar in this recipe, omit the sugar and replace with ¾ cup of Splenda. Splenda is heat stable and is a great alternative to sugar when baking. Cinnamon Cookies Ingredients 3 2/3 cups all-purpose flour ½ tsp. salt 1 ¼ Tbsp. cinnamon ½ cup butter ½ cup canola oil 1 ¼ cup sugar (or ¾ cup Splenda) 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla Canola oil Granulated sugar (or Splenda) Preparation…