Low-Sodium Diet Starter Recipe: Turkey Meatballs and Veggie Sauce

The salt is off the table and the menu. Now what? My husband was recently put on a low-sodium diet and while he's busy mourning the removal of hamburg pizza and salted pretzels from his menu, I've been playing in the kitchen. If you or someone in your family is reducing sodium intake due to hypertension or simply want to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Salt is only one culprit that lurks in canned and packaged foods. Even in households where most meals are cooked at home, it can be hard to break the habit of buying bottled salad dressings, marinades and sauces. Finding creative ways to flavor foods is also a challenge for the family member who has to stop relying on salt as the number one flavoring ingredient.

So, how do you accommodate family members who have a restricted low-sodium diet? You start playing mad scientist in the kitchen. Okay, maybe you don't want to go all mad scientist with chicken breasts and spices, but you do want to start deciphering all food labels with a chemist-like precision. You also want to experiment.

Low-Sodium Turkey Meatballs

1 pound fresh ground turkey with less than 3 grams of fat per ounce
6 pieces of whole wheat bread (better if it's homemade)
1 egg
¼ cup low-fat milk
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Optional: ¼ cup diced onions, ¼ cup unseasoned Panko bread crumbs for texture

Spray a glass baking pan with olive oil or a heart healthy spray. Crumble the bread in a blender to make them into a fine breadcrumb texture. Mix all of the ingredients together. Gently roll the mixture into small balls. It will be mushy but once you place the turkey meatballs in the pan they will stay together. Cook for 20 minutes and then turn the meatballs over for browning. Continue baking the turkey meatballs for another 15 minutes.

Veggie Sauce:

1 clove garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3-4 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 green and 1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
½ onion, chopped
1 cup fresh spinach
1/4 cup fresh basil
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
Optional: any fresh herbs like oregano or thyme
You can use any vegetables you like. Sautee the garlic and onions in the olive oil. Add the chopped vegetables including the tomatoes. Stir in the spices and let simmer.

Whole Wheat Pasta:

Boil water and do not add salt. Add a drop of olive oil to the water. Drop in the pasta when the water is boiling and remove the pasta according to the directions on the box (8 to 12 minutes depending on the shape of the pasta).

Toss the meatballs with some sauce and serve over whole wheat pasta. Although white pasta is also sodium-free, whole wheat pasta has the added benefit of containing more dietary fiber than white pasta. Heart-healthy diets include fiber-rich foods.