Pineapple treat

This is a fast treat that is ready to eat in minutes, is low Calorie and sodium, fast and easy to make, and is really tasty too.

mg	Calories	qty	unit	ingredient	pct vol
60	240	1/2	tub (8 oz)	whipped topping - fat free	70%
0	140	1/2	can (8 oz)	crushed pineapple - in own juice - drained	30%
Label compare ingredients: whipped topping, crushed pineapple Makes about 4 servings. This recipe makes about 16 oz of treat, that, when broken into four parts, means each 4 oz treat is 95 Calories, 20 mg sodium. Compares to fat free cottage cheese used in place of whipped topping, which is 160 Calories, and 300 mg sodium, according to the store label (cottage cheese is also about 3.5 times more expensive).

When you have 1/2 tub FF whipped topping, or a full one and one empty container, the topping container in this recipe can serve as mixing and storage for the mixture. Drain the can of shredded pineapple of as much as possible, then chill fully drained pineapple before mixing (note: you can use juice as sugar replacement in other recipes).


Options to turn it into "five cup" type salad (which called that because you use one cup of each ingredient to make five cups of treat):
add unsalted chopped nuts
add small marshmallows
add toasted coconut
add drained fruit salad packed in fruit juice

I often prefer the simple two ingredient mixture because it is fast to make, low Calorie and sodium, stores well in a tub that contains the ingredients, and when dishing it out, I do not need to measure, as I just take a quarter of the completed mixture per serving residing in the tub.

Calories go up to much larger numbers if you do use these ingredients to attain a five cup type salad. However, five cup salad it is still low sodium.

Peanut bark

If you have a real desire for chocolate, but the cost, Calories, and sodium are a concern, here is a recipe that will quiet the need for the fix. While it is not really huge in Calorie reduction, it is a huge reduction in sodium, and it will help you enjoy a holiday "fix," while enjoying a really great treat. It costs about 80% less than a similar tasting candy bar as well.

The versions of bark I use comes in a package with 12 blocks with nearly 4 tbsp in each block. Each tbsp is 80 Calories, 4 mg sodium, 24 oz per package. I find them in the baking isles section in the store.

Peanut bark candy bar recipe

mg	Calories	qty	unit	ingredient	pct vol
0	100	2	tbsp	peanuts - unsalted	20%
0	320	1	block	white chocolate bark	40%
0	320	1	block	regular chocolate bark	40%
Label compare ingredients: chocolate, peanuts Makes about 4 servings. This recipe makes about 8 oz of treat, that, when broken into four parts, means each 2 oz treat is 160 Calories, 8 mg sodium. Compares to 1.5 almond chocolate bars of 240 Calories, and 150 mg sodium, according to the store label.

Place a wax paper shield and separation medium on a large plate. Spry lightly with a vegetable spray on center area. Place peanuts in single layer in center. Place 1 block white and 1 block normal on top of the peanuts. Microwave until soft, for 1-2 minutes according to wattage of microwave. Spray back of large metal spoon with vegetable spray. Using back of spoon, press bark mixture into peanuts and using back of spoon mix bark types. Spread evenly to a thickness of about 1 peanut. Chill for 10-20 minutes. Then separate from wax paper and break the treat into serving portions, place into a plastic bag and refrigerate, or serve immediately as desired.


At the price I have been obtaining the bark and peanuts at the store in November 2012, each treat costs about 20 cents as compared to similar candy bar at one dollar. That is an 80% reduction in cost. The difference in chocolate type makes for a more attractive treat, and I think, better taste.

Remember to use unsalted peanuts. You are unlikely to taste the difference and it makes a big effect in the sodium reduction.

A food bias saga

One thing I have learned about serving recipes that are good for you is that people have a bias against them. Here are a few true stories of how I learned not to share with others that what they are getting is good for them.

Memorable Incident 1  
Many years ago, around 1988 or so, I had a party at my house. At the time, I only ate low fat, low Calorie, ovo-lacto, vegetarian food. To meet the desires of my guests, I made two of everything. One item in particular was a chip dip. One was low fat; the other was "normal." I placed a paper with which was which under each dish. I did that with all the dishes that had the option.

During the party, as host, I was too busy to enjoy most of the treats, and as such, I ate little. After the party, during clean up, I noticed that no one had even touched the "good" low fat, low sodium dip. The "normal" high fat, normal sodium dip was empty. Many had spoken how they liked it. I thought that it was fine that I had the "good" dip, because I had something for me left. I sat down to enjoy it, and upon first taste, I instantly recognized that the untouched dip was actually the high fat, high sodium dip. Apparently, I had placed each dip dish on the wrong description. No one but me appeared to have noticed. Of course I was disappointed, as I had no "good" dip left I could enjoy. I only had a dip that I could not eat, as none of the other dip was left.

This incident demonstrated to me how people's biases had operated. No one had any problem with the dish when they thought it was the normal recipe. Only I, who could apparently really notice that the taste was way off, noticed.

Memorable Incident 2
In 1990, I was moving back to my home state from my previous assignment. While I found a place to live, I stayed with some family members. My "meat and potatoes" family members did not have a problem with me making something just for my dietary limits, but often, I would just stop at a local pizza shop that had a great vegetarian pizza and get a large one to go. Then I would bring it for all to enjoy, so they would have to cook less and I would not have to cook special. They loved the pizza. After weeks of this, one of the members said they liked the pizza so much that they would like to pick up one occasionally themselves. Thus, they wanted the name of the pizza place and the pizza to order. I told them. They looked horrified when I said it was the vegetarian pizza. They had me repeat it several times. From that day forward, they never would eat the vegetarian pizza I brought again, and asked for a meat option to be acquired while I bought mine.

Conclusions and recommendations 
I learned from these two incidents, and other less memorable ones, that many people had a strong bias against "good" foods, but only if they knew they were "good" food recipes. From that point on, I stopped making two dishes, and stopped sharing with guests that the recipes were low fat and low sodium. No one complained and all seem just as happy with the meals, dips, and desserts. It took a lot of work off me, as I no longer was making two options- one for them and one for me.

Now people just come and visit, eat, and tell me they like my cooking. Apparently they really do, because they usually have seconds. However, I no longer share with them, outside of posting recipes on the Internet and in magazines, that they are really eating something that is "good" for them.

Now we are both happy with the food, and I don't have to cook two dishes that "look" the same anyway.

Fruit Crisp - no sodium

More recipes for the season. Here is a zero sodium sweet. While the it is a salt removed recipe. Calories are not significantly affected. It beats the store processed in that too as, in addition to being no sodium, it does not have the added fat that many use to stabilize the mixtures.

Works with any fruit filling you would like. You can use low fat, low Calorie margarine in place of butter but all of these would add salt to the treat.
Fruit Crisp

mg	Calories	qty	unit	ingredient	pct vol
0	300	1	cup	oatmeal - long cook	12%
0	300	3/4	cup	flour - all purpose	12%
0	0	1	tsp	baking powder	0%
0	600	6	tbsp	butter - unsalted	6%
0	540	3/4	cup	brown sugar	12%
0	360	1/2	cup	white sugar	8%
0	260	4	cup	fruit (apples used)	47%
0	200	1/4	cup	chopped walnuts (alt)	4%
Label compare ingredients: fruit, sugar, oatmeal, flour, butter, walnuts, baking powder Makes about 16 servings 2x2 squares. 2360 Calories w/o walnuts, 0 mg sodium total, thus the per serving is about 150 Calories and 0 mg sodium per square serving. This compares to 200 Calories and over 150 mg sodium for square of store purchased or other similar fruit crisp products.

Mix together oatmeal, flour and brown sugar. Add nuts if desired. Cut butter to small sections. Stir mixture until uniform. 

In another bowl, mix fruit and white sugar together. 

Using vegetable shortening, grease an 8" square pan. Spread 1 tbsp of flour over the grease and move flour around so that thin layer residue remains. This will help in removing the crisp from pan later. Throw any excess flour away or use in other cooking (qty lost is small). Spread half the crumb mixture on bottom. Cover with fruit mixture. Spread remaining crumb mixture over top. Makes 16 2x2 squares = 16 servings. 147 Calories without walnuts, 160 with, and no sodium is involved.

Bake at 350 deg Fahrenheit for 45 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

The takers vs the makers

Thought for the day.

For years I worked for you.

You took my skills.
you took my labor.
you took my knowledge.
you took my talent.
you took my time.
you took my best ideas to improve the firm's profits.

In return:
you took my health care to improve your profit line.
you took my pension plan to return more profits to the hedge fund.
you took wage concessions that were to save the company, and instead,
     you took bigger and bigger bonuses.
you took away company profitability, then,
    you took my job and gave it to foreign people.
You then took the firm and sold it to others,
    and took away huge profits for your investors.

Yet you consider yourself makers,
    and me a taker.

Modified from Milwaukee Iron Worker's FB post.

Pressure Chicken Dinner

Perfect for a large but low Calorie and sodium holiday meal

End of year holidays are upon us and this can be really hard for the restricted sodium diet person. Follow this stuffed chicken recipe and you can have a huge meal, will hardly miss the reduced salt, and will still meet all your heart health diet needs. Stuff yourself with a 24 oz meal with only 780 Calories and as little as 280 mg of sodium. (Since additional biscuits are created in recipe, you can add one biscuit to each meal for added 55 Calories and 20 mg sodium per biscuit. Result is 28 oz meal, 835 Calories, 300 mg sodium. Note that this would make a 1.75 pound dinner meal portion.)

Complete Chicken Dinner cooked in 1 hour in pressure cooker
835 Calories, 300mg Sodium

November 2012 cost is about two dollars for each large serving meal, and energy cost to cook will be more than 60% less than baked alternatives. It is a perfect replacement for the turkey dinner. Plus, you can have the entire dinner on the table in a little over two hours (plan for three for contingencies and conversations during preparations).

You need to start with the right chicken

Note: If you use a pressure cooker as discussed in this recipe, you will need one with an 8 qt or larger capacity due to size of chicken and ingredients.

I have found that whole chicken varies widely in sodium content. Most chicken that you purchase are actually processed roasting chickens. Roasting chickens are processed with additives that are mixed with a salt brine, which are then injected. The result is a sodium content between 300-600 mg sodium minimum per 4 oz serving. Even cut chicken parts labeled as being for frying, is often from a processed roasting chicken. If it is purchased cooked, the usual processing will add even more salt, raising the per serving sodium content to levels ranging between 600-1800 mg per serving. (Why do they do this injection? The injection performed allows the chicken to be more moist after cooking (baking or frying), and adds water to the weight of the sale. Pressure cooking avoids the loss of water during cooking and keeps the chicken moist.)

On the other hand, a whole minimally processed fryer chicken (Sanderson Farms brand is one I use), has a sodium content of 60-80 mg per 4 oz serving. That is about five times less than a whole roasting chicken. Unfortunately, turkey has no similar low sodium option as they are all injected as discussed, but you are unlikely to miss that turkey with this recipe. (The 5 pounds of fryer chicken is actually more real chicken meat than a roasting chicken, as part of the roasting chicken weight is the injected flavor and brine process.)

This recipe makes several products and portions which can be used in other meals, if desired. I always recommend multitasking. That is, while bread is baking, you prepare other parts, and so on. That significantly reduces the total time of preparation. It is very important to use a timer as it is easy to under or over cook if you do not monitor time.

Make stuffing bread

Most breads have 300 mg sodium per serving (2 slices of bread for example). Flour has no sodium. Thus you can make your own bread, or biscuits, with absolutely no unnecessary salt added. I make seasoned biscuits using 1 cup flour, 1 tbsp baking soda, one egg and about 8 oz milk- plus seasonings. The lite seasoning I add to bread dough greatly reduces even noticing the loss of salt in bread. (Do not use self rising flour as it includes salt and you will not reduce sodium at all.)

This recipe will stuff two small chickens, or one medium to large turkey. I usually make a full portion, stuff a five pound chicken, and freeze the remaining parts I do not use for use in the next chicken stuffing, or make another giblet stuffing mix dish using chicken parts included with the fryer chicken.

Make low sodium biscuits. In baking dish, cover baking surfaces with small amount of vegetable shortening (Crisco etc). Set aside.

In large mixing bowl, place flour, shake baking powder over it., and add seasoning to taste. I like to add some pepper, garlic, and onion powder to the top of dry ingredients. Mix dry ingredients with large spoon. Create a depression in the center of dry mix to hold wet ingredients. Now add one egg and 8 oz milk to the center of mix depression. Stir with a large spoon. If too wet, add flour and mix again. If too dry, add small amount of milk and mix again. I keep kneading the dough and adding small amounts of flour until it starts to separate. Using spoon, place the dough in baking dish. Bake 30 minutes at 400 degrees or until top is brown.

Ingredients for the low sodium biscuits

mg	Calories	qty	unit	ingredient	pct vol
0	400	1	cup	flour	79%
0	0	1	tbsp	baking powder	0%
0	0	1	tbsp	baking soda	0%
70	70	2	tbsp or one egg	egg	1%
130	80	1	cup	fat free milk	20%
Label compare ingredients: flour, milk, egg, baking soda Makes about 10 servings biscuits before modification to make dressing below. 550 Calories, 200 mg sodium total, thus the per serving is 55 Calories and 20 mg sodium per small to medium biscuit. This compares to 55 Calories and over 150 mg sodium for slice of store purchased or other similar bread products.

When cooking is completed, allow biscuits to cool. While bread is cooling, cut into desired size, 2 large or 5 small onions, mince 4 oz can of mushrooms (can reduce sodium 400 mg if use fresh mushrooms), and add seasonings. I usually add minced garlic, garlic powder, pepper, parsley, sage, rosemary, ginger, and small amount of curry. Stir mixture in large mixing bowl.

Remove the crust layer only of biscuits (mainly the bottom and top layer). Place remainder into oven and brown surfaces again (5-10 minutes). You can use these remaining browned biscuits for other recipes or just enjoy it as bread.

Crumble the exterior crusts into the large mixing bowl. Add small amount of milk (just enough to mix and wet surfaces) and mix. Do not add another egg.

Place whole chicken on neck, open cavity, and stuff as much as possible of the stuffing mix into cavity as possible. About half of the available amount May be placed into a single 5 pound chicken. If desired, you can freeze the remainder for another chicken stuffing later. If fresh mushrooms are used, no sodium is added. Each 4 oz stuffing serving will be about 120 Calories and 30 mg sodium. If you used canned mushrooms, the stuffing Calories are 130 and the sodium is about 120 mg per 4 oz serving.

Pressure cook stuffed chicken and veges

Pressure cooking costs up to 60% less than cooking in an oven. For this reason, I pressure cook most meals as a large meal, then portion results for low Calorie and sodium meals later. You must use a 8 qt or larger pressure cooker for a 5 pound whole chicken.

Place scorch separator into pressure cooker so that bottom ingredients will not scorch. Place stuffed chicken into the pressure vessel and arrange such that it will be more than one or more inches below pressure top. It will settle further into pot while cooking. Add two (2) cups of pure water. I usually peel 5-6 whole medium potatoes and arrange them around chicken (110 Calories, 0 mg sodium per 4 oz medium potato). I place any desired seasonings on top of chicken (garlic, or any added others). Then I arrange one 16 oz package of frozen carrots (35 Calories, 60 mg sodium per 3 oz serving).

Close pressure cooker. Cook at high heat bringing to pressure (takes up to 90 minutes with a full pressure cooker using a 900 Watt electric burner to attain, 15 minutes natural gas). Reduce heat as needed to hold pressure for 60-80 minutes. When time is completed, allow the pressure to reduce naturally until pressure is fully removed (about 30-60 minutes). The meal should be fully cooked now and will be very tender. Pressure cookers lose very little liquid so the results will be moist and a very flavorful broth will be created.

Broth can be used to make soup or seasoned rice: The juice can be used to flavor soups such as an instant rice soup as follows. Refrigerate liquid until use. When ready for soup, take liquid and determine volume using measuring measuring cup. Then place in pan and bring to boil. Put 2/3rds of volume of instant rice into measuring cup. Place boiling chicken broth over rice and cover with plastic. Allow to stand 2 minutes. Serve as soup. If flavored rice is desire, use equal amount of rice and broth. Serve. If you do this at time of first opening of pressure cooker, you will not need to reheat the broth.

This pressure cooked chicken recipe creates about 15 cooked 4 oz chicken servings, and 5-6 each of potato and carrot servings. If broth is used, it will also create two one cup soups or flavored rice with sodium content below 100 mg per serving (as compared to store brands which will have 800 mg or more sodium per serving).

Sodium content comparison

This recipe makes a good meal for up to five people with left over servings of chicken and dressing, plus biscuits. If you examine a roasting or prepackaged (store) product, you will find that most of them have a much higher sodium content.

Comparisons and options table
4 oz cooked	mg	Calories	mg reduced	Kcal reduced
Roasting baked chicken	400 (800 store)	240	0	0
this recipe	60	240	85% (92% store)	0%
Stuffing
Store recipe*	800	160	0	0
this recipe	60	120	92%	25%
add canned mushrooms	120	130	85%	19%
Other elements
potato	10	110	NA	NA
The salt from chicken and other ingredients add some sodium to the potato
carrots	35	60	NA	NA
Frozen carrots have salt added to them in processing (10-60 mg sodium per serving)
fresh carrot option	35	0	100%	0%
*Depends on brand, ranges observed are 800 to 1300 mg per serving All options are baseline to the main recipe. If you want to mix options, you will need to calculate the differences and add the results to meet your preferred option. If you want salt added, suggest you use the low sodium seasoned salt "low salt salt" recipe. Use of regular salt defeats much of the purpose behind the effort.

Unused portions can be frozen or chilled for later use.

Final issues

If you store in refrigerator and do not leave it out at room temperature, it will store for 3-5 days. Results can be packaged in plastic bags, frozen, and microwaved as individual frozen dinners later as well.

A five pound chicken will yield 13-15 USDA meal portions of four oz chicken each. Even a big eater will get usually 6-8 meals from it. For example, six to eight meal portions consisting of 8 oz chicken, one potato, portion of carrots, dressing, and half cup of rice or soup dish (total is about a 24 oz sized dinner). This large portion per meal stats are Calories 780 (240*2, 110, 35, 55, 100 respectively) and 400-280 mg sodium (60*2, 0, 60 or 0, 120 or 60, 0 respectively). There is enough biscuits left over to add one biscuit per meal if desired to 835 Calories, 300 mg sodium and 1.75 pounds of a meal. That is a really big meal, and enough to claim your Thanksgiving meal binge complete, all without blowing the Calories and sodium for the day completely off the map. Note: The actual sodium of chicken is less due to cooking, but chicken sodium is added to veges and rice when added to them in cooking. Thus meal totals should be as shown. Variations are if fresh carrots and mushrooms are used. Compares to about 2000 mg sodium for similar holiday dinner type meal, that is much less portions and variety, and has nearly 80-87% reduction in sodium as compared to it.

Business versus personal life

I have been struck by the recent number of businesses that seem to think that placing their political or moral beliefs on display is a good idea. We recently had Chick-a-Fill and Domino's putting an opinion, agree or disagree, on very visible display. Each saw reactions, on both sides. Did it make money? I do not know; but it got them some very negative opinions expressed. 

I recently saw political signs on the business lawn of a store I frequented. I thought to myself, "Why give people a reason to not go to your business, that is not related to what your business is formed to sell?"

Here is an example of a particularly striking example:
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/president-obama-witch-doctor-display-personal-racist-nj/story?id=17463813#.UHmKV66uWSo

Such a display as the one described in the article will be remembered long after the display is taken down. Plus, it is unrelated to the business, so it has no objective business function.

What do you think?

BTW: The store that put political signs up this year caused me to go to another store. I don't even know who most of those people were, but I figured I could easily find someone who was less opinionated. Turns out, the store without signs sold the products at a lower price. Thus, I am unlikely to return to the political store, long after the election is over. By giving me a reason to go away, I may have gone away forever, even if the business is sold to a less opinionated owner-- and it was not a necessary action for the business to take.