Why We Love Strawberries
It’s almost summertime, and strawberry season is in full swing! That means you can probably find strawberries for less than $1.50 at your local grocery store. Plus, they are a low potassium fruit, containing 116 mg per ½ cup, which is great for those with stage 4 kidney disease or on dialysis that have to be particularly mindful of potassium intake. People with earlier stage kidney disease often should not be restricting potassium intake, but they could still enjoy this flavorful, low sodium salad (because almost all of us can use less sodium!!)
Savory Strawberries?!? Why, yes!!!
We wanted to take advantage of this steal and celebrate National Strawberry Month by making a unique and refreshing recipe that is perfect for warm weather- the Strawberry “Wedge” Salad. Because of their sweetness, strawberries are typically used for desserts, but we’re taking a savory twist by roasting the strawberries in a chipotle seasoning to add to this salad.
The recipe was adapted from sodiumgirl.com, and you can find the original recipe here. The original uses Greek yogurt for the dressing, but we decided to go with sour cream to get the same taste, but with a lower potassium and phosphorus content. We are also going to use Butterhead lettuce, rather than Romaine lettuce, for the same reason to make it a fantastic kidney-friendly salad. If you have early Stage III CKD and are not as restricted, you are welcome to use either ingredient; both recipes are delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 cup strawberries washed and halved
- 1/4 tsp salt-free garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp salt-free chipotle powder
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 handful dill finely chopped
- 1 head butter lettuce leaves washed and separated
Instructions
- Set your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a small bowl, mix your strawberries with one tablespoon of oil and the garlic and chipotle powder. Use your hands to gently combine until the strawberries are nicely coated. Then cover an oven sheet with parchment paper and lay out your strawberry slices in a single layer. Place in the oven and roast for 12 to 15 minutes
- In another small bowl for the dressing, add the sour cream, the pepper, the other two tablespoons of oil, and 1 tablespoon of water. Use a fork or whisk to combine until you have formed a milky dressing. If it is still too thick, just add a little splash of water until it has your desired consistency. Then, add in the dill and give it another gentle whirl until all the green bits are mixed in.
- Place your leaves on individual plates or on one large serving platter for family style. Drizzle your dressing over the leaves and place the chipotle strawberries on top!
Notes
Nutrition
KidneyRD Verdict
We loved this unique, sweet and savory salad! The strawberries were roasted to perfection and the chipotle added a spiced twist to their sweetness. The great thing about the dressing is that you can add as much dill weed and black pepper as you’d like to make it more flavorful. The creaminess balanced well with the seasoned salad. This salad is easy to make, far from boring, and low enough in potassium, phosphorus, and sodium for a kidney-friendly diet. Would we make it again? Yes! Especially for summer gatherings. This recipe gets two thumbs up. Now all you need is dessert! Try our strawberry shortcake bars recipe here for a sweet ending.
Pingback: Roasted Grapes: A fantastic low sodium snack for a low potassium diet - Kidney RD
Pingback: 10 Low-Sodium Recipes to Help With High Blood Pressure - FabFitFun