It’s hard to believe that it’s 2010! I wish all of you a healthy and happy New Year. The last decade has brought some very welcome changes for nutrition: trans fats have been identified and are being phased out of most foods; the public, government, and industry have identified the need to reduce sodium in packaged foods; and most importantly there is a real focus on eating local and fresh foods. This makes following a low sodium diet much more realistic as well as being a healthy and environmentally friendly way to eat!
Unfortunately, Chronic Kidney Disease patients have other nutrition concerns and need to be vigilant when label reading. Watch out for phosphate and potassium additives in the ingredients lists of the foods you eat. When in doubt – double check with your dietitian.
I just returned from a trip to Disney World and was inspired to talk a little bit about fluids! Most beverages that came with our meals were a litre (32ounces) – this is the entire daily fluid requirement for many hemodialysis patients! Initially my children thought they were in heaven when they got 600mL of chocolate milk with their lunch! Even if you don’t need to restrict your fluids, many of these huge beverages are loaded with sugar. While we quickly learned to order water it was shocking to see the sizes of juice, milk and sodas being consumed. The trip was a lot of fun for all of us and my husband and I had a fantastic time watching our children “experience” everything for the first time.
Here’s a slow-cooker recipe that’s perfect for cold winter days! Too tired after dialysis to cook a big meal? Put this tasty dish together in the morning to enjoy a hot meal later in the day! Serve this pork roast with rice or over noodles.
Slow-Cooker Pineapple Pork Roast
1 pork roast (about 3 lbs)
Pepper
1/2 tsp crushed red chilies (use only if you like it spicy!)
1 can crushed pineapple (8 oz)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
1 green or red pepper, chopped
Cut trimmed roast in half, if necessary, and place in Crock Pot. Add pepper to taste. Combine all ingredients except cornstarch, water and green pepper; pour over roast. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or high for 4-6 hours. Remove roast and check internal temperature with a meat thermometer. Drain pineapple and reserve cooking liquid. Return meat and pineapple to cooker. Add water to liquid to make 1 3/4 cups. Pour into saucepan. Blend cornstarch and cold water together to form a smooth paste. Stir into hot reserved liquid. Add chopped green pepper. Cook and stir until thickened. Pour over roast.
Serving size: 1/6th recipe
Sodium: 83mg 3% of DV