Ban the Can!

Meet Katy G. Wilkens, our new food columnist. Katy is a registered dietitian and department head at Northwest Kidney Centers. She has a Master's of Science degree in nutritional sciences from the University of Washington. Be looking for more delicious and healthy recipe offerings in future issues of Seniors Digest!

Soup is a great meal for a cool spring day. The problem is that just one cup of most canned soups has more salt than we should eat in an entire day!

Every day we read more evidence that salt is not good for you. It raises blood pressure, causes you to retain fluid, and increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure.

People with diabetes and people of color are even more susceptible to the bad effects of salt. Many people eat more than the daily recommended sodium intake of 2,000 milligrams.

So how can you have a quick, hearty meal that is also low in salt? Try making your own soups! The secret is to cook up a nice big pot of soup, package it into individual containers and freeze it. That way, you have a healthy, low-sodium meal ready to pop in the microwave.

Simple Chicken Broth

Here is an easy recipe for chicken broth that can be used in any soup recipe. Just add vegetables, diced chicken, barley, noodles or rice. You can also freeze the broth for later use.

3 pounds chicken wings or whole chicken
2 onions, halved
1 celery rib, halved
2 carrots, halved
8 whole peppercorns
2 tsp. dried thyme
2 bay leaves

Place all items in a large pot with about 16 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil, then simmer. Skim the froth that comes to the top. Simmer for about three hours. Save chicken meat, discard solids and pour through a sieve. Add chicken, grains and vegetables. Simmer for 30 minutes. Soup can be frozen in portions for up to three months.

Nutritional content comparison, per serving (1 cup):
Canned broth: 776 mg. sodium
Homemade broth: 45 mg. sodium

Microwave Mushroom, Celery or Chicken Soup

When a recipe calls for a can of mushroom soup, whip up a tasty but low-salt substitute in just five minutes. You can even do it in the microwave. This makes 2-4 cups, including added vegetables/meat.

3 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. margarine or butter
2 cups milk
¼ tsp. dry mustard
¼ tsp. paprika
½ tsp. parsley, basil or any other fresh or dried herbs you like

Mix flour and butter together in a 2-cup glass measuring cup or bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir. Microwave for another 30 seconds. Add milk and spices and stir. Microwave for 1 minute, stir again. Microwave for another minute. If not thickened, add 1 more minute. For Cream of Mushroom, add sautéed fresh mushrooms. For Cream of Celery, add sautéed fresh celery. For Cream of Chicken, add diced cooked chicken. 

Nutritional content comparison, per serving (1 cup):
Canned Soup: 140 calories, 1880 mg. sodium
Homemade Soup: 117 calories, 120 mg. sodium