Recipe: Low-salt, low-fat baked mostaccioli

I wrote recently about my low-salt, low-fat baked mossaccioli. Here’s a step-by-step guide to making it.

Start with wheat pasta and low-fat ricotta cheese, about 13 ounces of each (these once came in 16-ounce packages but food makers have cut package sizes rather than raise prices in recent tough economic times).

Combine the ricotta with egg white or egg white substitutes equal to one egg to thin it a bit, making it easier to spread. Continue reading “Recipe: Low-salt, low-fat baked mostaccioli” →

October 22, 2013 9

Low-salt, low-fat baked mostaccioli: gotta love it

Most of the Italian-American classics I grew up with, lasagna, manicotti, stuffed shells, are off-limits to me now because of the fat in the cheese used, not to mention the high salt content of most cheese as well. I also can only eat whole wheat pasta now to get away from simple carbs that could impact my pre-diabetic sugar levels.

I have found whole wheat pastas I enjoy and I have begun finding low-fat and even no-fat Italian cheese. The cheeses still contains high salt levels, though, so I use them sparingly and as a treat.

One recent treat I made was whole wheat mostaccioli baked with low-fat ricotta cheese covered with my low-salt homemade tomato sauce (we call it gravy in my family).

Baked mostaccioli, gotta love it, and it's low salt and low fat. — Baked mostaccioli, gotta love it, and it’s low salt and low fat.

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October 21, 2013 0

Bragg marinade: a dream product — no salt, no fat, low sugar

I’ve written before of my quest for sauces and marinades that have no salt, no fat and no sugar. Finding them is almost impossible, with some notable exceptions. One of those is Bragg Organic Hawaiian marinade which I buy at Whole Foods.

As you can see on the label here, it has no salt and no fat. At 4 grams, it’s sugar content is very low for a marinade as well. I would call it a dream product that makes me forget about my dietary restrictions.

Bragg organic Hawaiian marinade, a dream product of you're going low-salt, low-fat, low-sugar/ — Bragg organic Hawaiian marinade, a dream product of you’re going low-salt, low-fat, low-sugar/

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October 19, 2013 0

Clean up your cooking – try less salt

I’ve come across another possible source of no salt marinades and rubs, I’ve contacted him to see if these products are available in the States. I’ll keep you posted.
John

October 19, 2013 0

Eating out and salt: always, always say ‘no added salt’

Eating out is a constant challenge on a no salt, no fat, no sugar diet. Nutritionists have told me to stop because it’s just not possible. But I continue to find places that either cook with no salt, or will if you ask when you’re ordering.

Recently, though, while we were visiting my son and daughter-in-law in St. Paul, Mn., I forgot to ask one night and paid the salt price for it.

My salty tuna with asparagus and sauce underneath, a nice presentation

We were at a place called Scusi in St. Paul, a charming little neighborhood place that was packed on the Friday night we went. Continue reading “Eating out and salt: always, always say ‘no added salt’” →

October 17, 2013 0

Ever try an elk burger? Is elk lean?

My quest to find lean meat options brought me to the Twin Cities one recent weekend and a restaurant my daughter-in-law and son recommended that serves something called a Game Burger.

The Game Burger at the Happy Gnome in St. Paul is a mixture of bison and elk, two red meats known to be leaner than most beef cuts. I had eaten deer sausage at the Berghof in Chicago years ago and not liked the taste or smell. Elk and red deer are the same species and what restaurants sell as elk is often farm raised red deer, I later discovered. But I was willing to try a blend, hoping it would satisfy my taste for a juicy burger on a Saturday night.