Tag: dinner

Chicken Cacciatore for the Instant Pot(R)

Chicken Cacciatore for the Instant Pot

Nutrition Snapshot

  • Bone-in chicken thighs give each serving about 25 grams of protein, enough to build a satisfying dinner around.
  • Herbs, garlic, and no-salt-added tomatoes build the flavor, so this braise fits a heart-conscious eating pattern.
  • The skin and dark meat make this higher in saturated fat; take the skin off before serving to cut it.

A good chicken cacciatore usually simmers on the stove for the better part of an hour. In the Instant Pot, the browning and the braise happen in one pot, and dinner is ready in about 45 minutes. Pressure cooking shortens the long braise to a fraction of the time, and the chicken turns tender enough to fall from the bone.

Lower-Sodium Braising Starts With Herbs and Aromatics

Most of the salt in a classic braise comes from bouillon, canned broth, and salted tomatoes. This version builds flavor another way. Herbes de Provence, garlic, celery, and mushrooms give the sauce a savory depth. No-salt-added stewed tomatoes and low-sodium broth carry the body of the braise without the added sodium. The sauce reads as a full cacciatore, and the calculated sodium stays moderate for a dish this hearty.

Sodium matters here because eating less of it eases the pressure inside your blood vessels over time. Salting lightly at the end, after the sauce reduces, puts a small amount of salt on the surface where you taste it most. Leaving the skin on to brown and removing it before serving keeps the saturated fat down while you still get the flavor the skin adds during cooking.

What’s in a Serving

The calculated card shows what a cook wants to know before making this. Each serving lands at about 410 calories, with roughly 25 grams of protein and only about 7 grams of carbohydrate. That balance eats as a filling, lower-carbohydrate main.

Saturated fat comes in around 7 grams, most of it from the chicken skin, and the skin-off step is what brings that number down. Fiber is low at about 1 gram, so a vegetable side or a spoon of beans rounds out the plate.

Ingredient Spotlights

Bone-in, skin-on thighs are the right cut for pressure braising. Dark meat stays juicy under pressure where lean breast can dry out, and the bone adds body to the sauce. Brown the skin for flavor, then lift it off before serving so the saturated fat goes with it.

Mushrooms and celery build the savory base that lets the sauce taste full with less salt. A 4-ounce pack of mushrooms is light for four servings, so add a second pack if you want a deeper sauce. Olive oil is the cooking fat, and herbes de Provence with no-salt-added tomatoes carries the flavor of a long-simmered braise.

Who This Braise Fits, and When to Go Easy

This is a good dinner for anyone who wants a hearty, higher-protein plate with very little carbohydrate, and who is keeping an eye on sodium. The rebuilt sauce keeps sodium moderate, and the protein makes it filling without a large portion.

Go easy on the saturated fat by taking the chicken skin off before serving, which is where most of it sits. Because the fiber is low, serve the braise with a vegetable or a small portion of beans so the meal keeps you full until the next one.

How to Make It Your Own

A few easy swaps change the recipe to fit how you eat.

  • Use skinless thighs from the start for the lowest saturated fat.
  • Add a second pack of mushrooms, or a chopped bell pepper, for more vegetables and fiber.
  • Choose a certified gluten-free broth to keep the dish gluten-free.
  • Stir in a splash of red-wine vinegar at the end to brighten the sauce.
  • Serve it over sauteed vegetables or a small portion of white beans in place of pasta.

Make It Ahead and Store It

This braise tastes even better the next day, once the herbs and tomato have had time to settle into the sauce. Keep it in the refrigerator for up to four days, or freeze it for up to three months. Reheat it gently on the stove or in the microwave so the chicken stays tender.

Chicken Cacciatore for the Instant Pot

Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Chicken Cacciatore for the Instant Pot

Hunter-style braised chicken thighs made fast in the Instant Pot, rebuilt lower in sodium with no-salt-added tomatoes and low-sodium broth.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: chicken cacciatore, high protein dinner, Instant Pot chicken, lower-sodium cacciatore, pressure cooker chicken thighs
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 410kcal

Equipment

  • Instant Pot (or electric pressure cooker)
  • Instant-read thermometer

Ingredients

  • 4 6 oz bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion chopped
  • 3 stalks celery chopped
  • 1 4 oz package sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 14 oz can no-salt-added stewed tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes optional
  • 1 pinch ground black pepper optional

Instructions

  • Rinse the chicken thighs and pat dry. Set the Instant Pot to Saute and heat the olive oil. Brown the thighs about 6 minutes per side, then transfer to a plate, reserving the drippings.
  • Add the onion, celery, and mushrooms; cook 5 minutes. Add the garlic; cook 2 minutes.
  • Return the chicken to the pot. Add the stewed tomatoes, tomato paste, and herbes de Provence, then pour in the low-sodium broth.
  • Close and lock the lid. Select high pressure and cook 11 minutes (allow about 10 to 15 minutes for the pot to come to pressure).
  • Quick-release the pressure (about 5 minutes). Check that the chicken reads 165 degrees F at the bone. Season with red pepper flakes and black pepper to taste.
  • For a thicker sauce, remove the chicken and reduce the sauce on Saute mode. Remove the skin before serving to lower the saturated fat.

Notes

  • Lower sodium: this version uses no-salt-added stewed tomatoes and low-sodium chicken broth in place of the original water and bouillon cubes, which removes most of the added sodium; salt lightly to taste at the end.
  • Lower saturated fat: leave the skin on for browning, then remove it before serving.
  • Gluten-free: choose a certified gluten-free broth (some broths and bouillon contain wheat).
  • Make-ahead and storage: the flavor deepens overnight; refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months, then reheat gently.
  • Timing: beyond the 45 minutes of prep and cook, allow about 10 to 15 minutes for the pot to reach pressure and about 5 minutes to quick-release.
  • Buying guidance: bone-in, skin-on thighs stay juicy under pressure; a 4 oz pack of mushrooms is light for four servings, so add a second pack for a heartier sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servings per bowl | Calories: 410kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 399mg | Potassium: 536mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 2mg | Magnesium: 40mg | Phosphorus: 261mg | Choline: 75mg

Takeaway

This weeknight braise gives you a tender, higher-protein dinner from the Instant Pot in about 45 minutes. The sodium has been rebuilt lower, and an easy skin-off step keeps the saturated fat down.

Serve It With

Spoon it over sauteed greens, cauliflower mash, or a small white-bean side, and add a simple green salad to round out the plate.

Shashlik (Shish Kebab)

Nutrition Snapshot

  • High in protein and very low in carbohydrate, so it fits a blood sugar friendly dinner as written.
  • The seasoning is vinegar, garlic, pepper, and oregano instead of salt, which keeps a serving low in sodium.
  • Beef sirloin is red meat, so keep this to one skewer and put chicken or salmon on the grill other nights.

Shashlik is beef sirloin, onion, and bell pepper cut into chunks, soaked in vinegar and oil, and grilled on skewers. The marinade takes two minutes to mix. Most grilled main courses pick up their sodium from a rub or a bottled sauce, and the seasoning here is acid, garlic, and herbs, so a serving comes in at 60 milligrams.

Grilled Sirloin and Peppers Make a Dinner With Almost No Carbohydrate

The Carbohydrate Comes From the Onion and Peppers

A serving holds about 26 grams of protein and about 5 grams of carbohydrate. Beef has no carbohydrate at all, so those 5 grams come from the onion and the two bell peppers. Both vegetables are mostly water and fiber, so that carbohydrate arrives with bulk behind it. The skewer is the whole dish, so any bread or rice on the plate is one you add yourself.

Why Protein and Fat Keep the Glucose Rise Small

This dinner starts with very little carbohydrate, which is the main reason blood sugar moves so little after it. Protein and fat add a second effect. Both slow how fast the stomach empties into the small intestine, so sugars from a meal reach the bloodstream over a longer stretch of time. Between the two, the rise after this dinner stays small and easy to plan around.

What’s in a Serving

The protein comes almost entirely from the sirloin. The peppers and onion add potassium and vitamin C, and a red pepper holds more vitamin C than a green one. Sodium is low because the seasoning is acid and herbs, so the only sodium in a serving is what the beef and vegetables hold on their own.

The fat number on the recipe card counts the full half cup of oil in the marinade. Most of that oil is poured off with the leftover marinade and never eaten, so a serving is leaner than the card figure suggests. Marinating in a quarter cup of oil brings the card closer to what reaches the plate.

Vinegar and Oil Soften the Sirloin and Lower the Compounds High Heat Forms

Acid Keeps a Lean Cut Tender

Sirloin is lean, and lean muscle dries out and tightens over high heat. Vinegar loosens the protein structure at the surface of each cube, a change called denaturing. The outside then stays soft while the inside cooks through. Oil spreads the pepper, garlic, and oregano over the meat and helps the surface brown.

A Marinade of Oil, Vinegar, and Herbs Lowers the Compounds Grilling Forms on Beef

Muscle meat cooked over high heat forms heterocyclic amines, compounds that are suspected human carcinogens. Marinating the beef first lowers how much of them forms. Beef steaks coated with a commercial spice marinade formed 57 to 88 percent less. That marinade used an oil, water, and vinegar base and went on an hour before grilling (Smith, Ameri, and Gadgil, Journal of Food Science, 2008, PMID 19241593).

This recipe uses a shorter soak and a cooler grill, so expect a smaller effect than those figures. Mix the marinade first and give the beef the full 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Grill over medium heat, which browns the surface more slowly than a hot fire. Turn the skewers every few minutes so no one side blackens.

What to Buy: Sirloin, Peppers, and the Marinade Oil

The Beef

Top sirloin is the right cut here. It is lean enough to keep the saturated fat modest and firm enough to hold together on a skewer. Trim the visible fat before you cube it. That lowers the fat in the finished dish and cuts down on flare-ups over the coals.

The Oil

Canola oil as written is mild and mostly unsaturated. Extra virgin olive oil gives the marinade more flavor and works well here, since oil clinging to the meat reaches a far lower temperature than oil in a hot pan. Avocado oil has the highest smoke point of the three, which makes it the steadiest choice over a hot grate.

The Vegetables

Buy firm peppers with tight skin and heavy onions with dry, papery outsides. Cut the onion into quarters, then separate the layers into two or three leaf thicknesses. At that thickness they thread onto the skewer and cook through. One red pepper alongside the two green ones adds sweetness and color.

Who This Fits and Who Should Watch the Portion

This dish suits anyone eating for steady blood sugar, anyone keeping sodium down, and anyone on a lower carbohydrate eating pattern. It is gluten free, dairy free, and nut free as written.

Go easy if you have reduced kidney function. The peppers and onion are a fair source of potassium, and a serving is high in protein, so set the portion against your own potassium and protein targets. Anyone managing gout may want a smaller skewer, since red meat is high in purines.

How to Make It Your Own

Change the Protein

Swap the beef one for one: boneless chicken thighs, salmon chunks, or extra firm tofu all skewer and marinate the same way. Chicken needs an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Salmon and tofu are done in about 8 to 10 minutes on the grill.

Add More Vegetables

Mushrooms, zucchini rounds, and cherry tomatoes all thread well and take the same marinade. More vegetables raise the fiber and spread the beef across more skewers, which keeps the red meat portion modest.

Swaps Recap

For less fat, marinate in a quarter cup of oil. For a different fat profile, use extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil. As written the recipe is already low in sodium, sugar free, dairy free, and nut free, so those four adaptations are built in.

Storage, Make-Ahead, and Serving

Cube the beef and cut the vegetables up to a day ahead and refrigerate them, and mix the marinade in a jar at the same time. Combine the two up to eight hours before you grill. Thirty minutes is the minimum soak, and eight hours is a sensible maximum, because acid keeps loosening the surface proteins past that point and the outside of the meat turns soft.

Cooked kebabs keep 3 days in the refrigerator and 2 months in the freezer. Reheat them in a 350 degree F oven so the sirloin stays tender. Sliced off the skewer, the leftovers are good cold over greens the next day.

Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Shashlik (Shish Kebab)

Beef sirloin, onion, and bell pepper marinated in vinegar and oil, then grilled on skewers. High in protein, very low in carbohydrate, and made with no added salt.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Eastern European
Keyword: beef kebabs, grilled beef skewers, low sodium dinner, shashlik, shish kebab
Servings: 6 kebabs
Calories: 338kcal

Equipment

  • Grill
  • Skewers
  • Mixing bowl
  • Cutting board
  • Chef’s Knife

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup vinegar distilled white
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper ground
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano dried
  • 1 1/2 pounds beef sirloin trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
  • 2 onions medium, cut into quarters and separated into layers
  • 2 bell peppers green, cut into 1 1/2 inch squares
  • 1 bell pepper red, cut into 1 1/2 inch squares

Instructions

  • Whisk the vinegar, canola oil, black pepper, garlic powder, and oregano together in a bowl.
  • Trim the visible fat from the beef sirloin.
  • Cut the beef into 1 1/2 inch cubes.
  • Cut the onions into quarters and separate them into layers.
  • Cut the bell peppers into 1 1/2 inch squares.
  • Put the beef and vegetables in a covered container.
  • Pour the marinade over the beef and vegetables and turn everything to coat.
  • Cover the container and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
  • Heat the grill to medium.
  • Lift the beef and vegetables out of the marinade and let the excess drip off.
  • Thread the beef and vegetables onto skewers, alternating meat and vegetables.
  • Grill the kebabs over medium heat, turning every few minutes, 10 to 30 minutes depending on how done you want the beef.
  • Discard the leftover marinade.
  • Rest the kebabs 3 minutes, then serve them hot.

Notes

Marinating time: at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator, and up to 8 hours for deeper flavor. This time is hands off and sits outside the prep and cook times.
Doneness: grill whole beef cuts to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F, then rest them 3 minutes before serving. Pull the skewers closer to 135 degrees F for medium rare.
Skewers: soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes so they hold up over the flame. Metal skewers need no soaking and carry heavier cubes better.
About the calculated fat: the nutrition figures count the full 1/2 cup of marinade oil, and most of that oil goes down the drain with the leftover marinade. A serving delivers less fat than the figure on the card shows.
Less fat: use 1/4 cup of oil in the marinade. The vinegar still coats the beef and the flavor holds.
Oil swap: extra virgin olive oil works in place of the canola oil, and avocado oil handles grill heat well.
Lower sodium: this recipe adds no salt, so a serving is already very low in sodium. Season at the table if you want more.
Protein swaps: boneless chicken thighs, salmon chunks, or extra firm tofu all work on the skewers. Chicken needs an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Salmon and tofu grill in about 8 to 10 minutes.
More vegetables: mushrooms, zucchini rounds, and cherry tomatoes skewer well and marinate in the same mixture.
Grilling tip: trim the visible fat from the beef and keep the grill at medium so the drips stay off the flame. A heavy black char tastes bitter and adds compounds worth keeping to a minimum.
Dairy free, gluten free, and nut free as written. Distilled white vinegar carries no gluten.
Make ahead: cut the beef and vegetables and mix the marinade up to a day ahead, and keep them refrigerated. Cooked kebabs keep 3 days in the refrigerator and 2 months in the freezer. Reheat them in a 350 degree F oven so the beef stays tender.
Nutrition: leave every field blank on the card. WP Recipe Maker calculates it. Re-run the calculation after any card edit.

Nutrition

Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 70mg | Potassium: 566mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 2mg | Magnesium: 38mg | Phosphorus: 258mg | Choline: 107mg

Shashlik Turns a Lean Cut Into a Whole Dinner on One Skewer

One skewer gives you a serving of lean beef, a serving of vegetables, and a marinade that seasons the meat and lowers the compounds grilling forms on it. Both the carbohydrate and the sodium are low, which is uncommon for a main course off the grill. Red meat still belongs in a modest portion, so make one skewer the serving and fill the second one with vegetables.

Serve It With

A green salad and a scoop of cauliflower rice keep the meal low in carbohydrate. For something bigger, add flatbread. For another beef dinner that goes light on starch, see Beef and Vegetable Stir-Fry. For a make-ahead beef dish that freezes well, see Spicy Chili Con Carne. To use up leftover grilled beef, try Tacos with Mexican Spice Seasoning.

Balsamic Tempeh Pitas for a Heart-Healthy Meatless Lunch

Nutrition Snapshot

  • Tempeh is the protein here: whole fermented soybeans, with unsaturated fat and fiber in place of meat.
  • It suits anyone eating plant protein a few times a week inside a heart-healthy eating pattern.
  • Half a pita is the main source of sodium here, and brands vary widely, so compare two labels.

Tempeh slices brown in a skillet like a cutlet, and they hold their shape inside a pita pocket. The sandwich stays whole from the first bite to the last, which is what makes it worth the pan.

The tempeh takes about eight minutes in the pan, and the balsamic vinegar cooks down onto the slices in two more. The whole thing takes half an hour, and most of that is knife work.

Tempeh Is Whole Soy Protein With Unsaturated Fat and Fiber

Tempeh is whole soybeans, fermented and pressed into a firm cake. The same beans supply unsaturated fat and fiber. Soybeans contain no cholesterol, and the saturated fat in a serving is small. Trading beef or cheese for soy protein two or three times a week lowers the saturated fat across a week of meals, and that trade is the practical change here.

Tofu is pressed from soy milk. Tempeh keeps the whole bean, which is where its fiber comes from. A mold called Rhizopus grows through the cooked beans and holds them together in a cake. It also breaks down some of the compound that binds zinc and iron in whole legumes, called phytate, so more of the iron in the beans reaches you.

What’s in a Serving

One filled pita half is one serving. Most of the protein comes from the tempeh, and the pita adds the rest. The fiber comes from three places, in this order: the whole soybeans, the vegetables, and the pita. The fat is mostly unsaturated, from the sesame oil and the beans, with a teaspoon of mayonnaise on each pocket.

Tempeh is also the largest source of potassium and phosphorus in the pocket, ahead of the vegetables. Sodium is low for a sandwich, because nothing in the filling is cured, canned, or brined. The recipe card shows the calculated figure for each of these.

What to Buy: Tempeh, Pita, and Sesame Oil

Tempeh

Plain soy tempeh is the one to buy for this recipe. Look for a firm cake with white mold across the surface. Gray or black spots are normal. Pink, yellow, or blue growth means throw the cake out, and so does a sour ammonia smell.

Slice the block into broad flat pieces, so each one browns on two faces and lies flat in the pocket. Tempeh has a faintly bitter edge on its own. Browning creates a nutty flavor, and the balsamic vinegar adds acid and a little sweetness. Give the slices a full three to four minutes a side.

Pita Bread

Sodium varies widely between pita brands, so compare two labels and take the lower one. Whole wheat pita raises the fiber and cooks the same way. Buy organic (to avoid glyphosate), since wheat is one of the crops often sprayed to dry the field before harvest, and organic growing does not allow it.

Sesame Oil

Two bottles sit side by side at the store, and only one of them belongs in a hot skillet. Refined sesame oil is pale and mild, and it smokes at about 410 degrees Fahrenheit, above anything a medium skillet will reach. Unrefined and toasted sesame oils are darker and smell nutty, and they smoke near 350 degrees, which a medium skillet does reach. Buy the refined kind for this recipe.

Who This Fits

This is a good fit for anyone eating plant protein a few nights a week. It also packs well, since the filling reheats and the bread stays dry until you fill it. Soy, sesame, wheat, and the egg in mayonnaise are all major allergens, so read the ingredient list before you make this for someone else.

Half a pita is the largest carbohydrate source in the pocket, so count it as the starch at that meal if you are watching carbohydrate closely. Tempeh is the largest source of potassium and phosphorus here, so anyone on a kidney restriction should ask their kidney dietitian how a serving fits their limits.

How to Make It Your Own

Almost any vegetable a skillet will soften works here. Zucchini, thin carrot, shredded cabbage, or a handful of spinach at the end all fit.

The half cup of mushrooms in the card is a small amount across four pockets. Eight ounces fills the pockets out, several times the amount written, so give the vegetables three or four extra minutes for the liquid to cook away.

For more protein, use 12 ounces of tempeh, cut it into 16 slices, and put four slices in each pocket. The card’s calculated figures are for the recipe as written.

Swaps Recap

  • Lower sodium: the pita is the main source, so compare two labels and take the lower one. Half the mayonnaise saves a little more.
  • Lower sugar: the recipe adds no sugar, so read only the balsamic vinegar label, since a few brands sweeten theirs.
  • Dairy free: as written, though some commercial pita is made with milk, so read that label too.
  • Nut free: as written. Sesame is its own major allergen, and this recipe uses sesame oil.
  • Egg free: use a vegan mayonnaise, mashed avocado, or hummus in place of the mayonnaise.

Storage, Make Ahead, and Serving

Cook the filling up to three days ahead and keep it in a covered container in the refrigerator. Get leftovers into the refrigerator within two hours of serving. Reheat the filling in a skillet over medium heat until it is steaming hot through, about three or four minutes.

Fill the pitas right before you eat. A filled pocket that sits turns soft, so keep the bread and the filling apart until the last minute. For a lunch box, pack the warm filling in one container and the halved pita in another.

Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Tempeh Pitas

Tempeh browned in sesame oil and finished with balsamic vinegar, with sauteed onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms in a pita pocket. A vegetarian lunch that supplies soy protein and fiber.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Keyword: balsamic tempeh, meatless lunch, tempeh pitas, tempeh sandwich, vegetarian pita
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 304kcal

Equipment

  • Large skillet

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces tempeh cut into 12 slices
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil divided
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 onion small, thinly sliced
  • 1 bell pepper red, seeded and thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup mushrooms thinly sliced
  • 2 pita breads organic, 6 inch, cut in half
  • 4 teaspoons mayonnaise

Instructions

  • Cut the tempeh into 12 slices.
  • Thinly slice the onion.
  • Seed the bell pepper.
  • Cut the bell pepper into thin strips.
  • Thinly slice the mushrooms.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Lay the tempeh slices flat in the skillet in a single layer.
  • Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until both sides are browned.
  • Pour the balsamic vinegar over the tempeh.
  • Cook for 1 minute.
  • Flip the slices and cook for 1 minute more.
  • Move the tempeh to a plate.
  • Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to the skillet.
  • Add the onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms.
  • Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
  • Cut each pita in half.
  • Open each half into a pocket.
  • Spread 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise inside each pocket.
  • Put 3 slices of tempeh into each pocket.
  • Divide the cooked vegetables among the four pockets.
  • Serve right away.

Notes

Serving size: 1 filled pita half, with 3 slices of tempeh and a quarter of the vegetables. The recipe makes 4 filled halves.
Look for organic pita bread. Wheat is often treated with glyphosate before harvest to dry the field, and organic growing does not allow it.
Allergens: this recipe contains soy, wheat, sesame, and egg. Some pita bread is made with milk, so read the label if you avoid dairy. Mayonnaise is made with egg, so use a vegan mayonnaise or mashed avocado in the pocket to make it egg free.
Sesame oil: use refined sesame oil in the skillet. It smokes at about 410 degrees. Toasted sesame oil smokes at about 350 degrees, which a medium heat skillet can reach, so save that kind to drizzle over the finished filling.
Browning the tempeh: lay the slices flat with a little space between them, so both cut faces meet the pan.
Warm tempeh at assembly: the slices cool on the plate while the vegetables cook. Return them to the skillet for the last 30 seconds if you want them hot in the pocket.
More fiber: whole wheat pita bread in place of white raises the fiber in each pocket, and the filling stays the same.
More vegetables: half a cup of mushrooms is a small amount spread across four pockets. A full 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms fills the pockets out. Cook the vegetables 3 to 4 minutes longer, so the liquid the mushrooms release cooks away.
More protein: use 12 ounces of tempeh in place of 8. Cut it into 16 slices and put 4 slices in each pocket.
Lower sodium: almost all of the sodium here comes from the pita bread. Compare two pita labels and choose the lower one. Using half the mayonnaise saves a little more, with a squeeze of lemon for moisture.
Swaps: extra firm tofu, pressed and sliced, works in place of the tempeh. Tofu holds more water than tempeh, so give it 5 to 6 minutes a side to brown. Portobello caps work too, with much less protein in the pocket. Hummus in place of the mayonnaise adds flavor and makes the pocket egg free.
Make ahead and storage: cook the tempeh and the vegetables up to 3 days ahead and keep them in a covered container in the refrigerator. Get leftovers refrigerated within 2 hours of serving. Reheat the filling in a skillet over medium heat until it is steaming hot through, about 3 to 4 minutes. Fill the pitas just before eating, so the bread stays dry.

Nutrition

Calories: 304kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 185mg | Potassium: 418mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 2mg | Magnesium: 62mg | Phosphorus: 206mg | Choline: 7mg

Tempeh Fills a Pita Pocket With Soy Protein and Unsaturated Fat

Whole fermented soybeans are the protein in this sandwich, and they come with fiber and unsaturated fat. Swapping soy protein for beef or cheese at lunch is the change that matters most here. Doing it two or three times a week is enough to show up across a week of eating.

The pita is the piece to shop for, so compare labels for sodium and buy whole wheat and organic. One filled half is a serving. Two make a fuller lunch, and every figure on the card doubles with it.

Serve It With

A crisp, sharp side goes well with the soft filling. Easy Cilantro Lime Coleslaw for a Low-Sodium, Heart-Healthy Side takes about the same knife work and can share the cutting board. For another fast pita lunch with no cooking at all, see Avocado Pita Pockets for a Fast, Heart-Healthy Lunch. If someone at the table wants meat in the same pocket, Chicken Teriyaki Pita uses the same assembly.

Freezer Lentil and Spinach Lasagna

Nutrition Snapshot

  • The lentils and whole wheat noodles make this a high fiber dinner that fits a gut friendly eating pattern.
  • Lentils, ricotta, and mozzarella each add protein, which suits anyone cooking a meatless dinner that has to satisfy.
  • Jarred sauce and cheese make it high in sodium, so use the low sodium swap in the notes.

One batch of this lasagna fills two eight inch square pans. Bake one for dinner tonight and slide the other into the freezer unbaked, where it holds for three months. A bag of dry brown lentils replaces the ground beef and costs a fraction of what the meat would. Thirty minutes of hands on work gets you two dinners.

Resistant Starch From Lentils Feeds the Bacteria in Your Colon

Your small intestine breaks most starch down into glucose and absorbs it. Some of the starch in lentils and whole wheat noodles resists that, passes through intact, and reaches the colon. Bacteria there ferment it, and the fermentation produces short chain fatty acids. One of them, butyrate, is the main fuel the cells lining your colon burn.

Adults who added 22 grams of resistant starch a day for four weeks had more butyrate in the stool (McOrist AL, Journal of Nutrition, 2011, PMID 21430242). Butyrate rose most in people who started low, and it fell in some who started high. That amount came from a supplement scale intake, so lentils a few times a week matter more than one large serving.

Reheated Pasta Gives a Smaller Blood Sugar Rise

Cooked starch that cools reorganizes into a form your digestive enzymes reach less easily. That is what resistant starch means, and it is why leftover pasta behaves differently from pasta straight out of the pot. People who ate the same pasta meal reheated had a lower blood glucose rise than when they ate it hot (Hodges C, Foods, 2019, PMID 31881647).

A lasagna you refrigerate or freeze and then reheat goes through a version of that cycle. Baking a frozen pan applies long moist heat, which reverses part of the change. The gain is minor, and refrigerated leftovers of either pan get the same effect.

What’s in a Serving

Most of the protein in a serving comes from three places: the lentils, the part skim ricotta, and the mozzarella. A serving holds a little under half a cup of cooked lentils, which supply protein and fiber in the same food. The whole wheat noodles add more fiber, and the spinach adds folate and potassium.

Most of the sodium comes from the jarred marinara and the cheese. A cup of most jarred sauces contains a large share of a day’s sodium, and mozzarella and parmesan add more. The low sodium version in the card notes cuts most of it. The card below shows the calculated figures for one serving.

What to Buy

Brown Lentils

Buy organic brown lentils and organic whole wheat lasagna noodles (to avoid glyphosate). Lentils and wheat are both often sprayed to dry the field before harvest, and organic growing does not allow that spray. Brown lentils hold their shape through a simmer and a bake. Red lentils fall apart into a puree, so buy brown for this.

Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles

Whole wheat noodles have more fiber than white ones. They also stay firmer after freezing. Boil them one minute short of the package time, since they finish cooking in the sauce. No boil noodles work too. Pour an extra half cup of water around the edges of each pan if you use them.

Part Skim Ricotta

Part skim ricotta gives you the same creamy layer as whole milk ricotta with less saturated fat. Whisk the egg into it before spreading, which keeps the layer from running out when you cut the lasagna. Cottage cheese blended smooth works in place of the ricotta and raises the protein.

Jarred Marinara

Read the label for two things: added sugar and sodium. Many jarred sauces list sugar in the first five ingredients, and some contain twice the sodium of others on the same shelf. A jar listing tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and herbs is what this recipe is built on.

Who This Fits and Who Goes Easy

This lasagna suits anyone building more fiber into their meals. It also gives a meatless dinner enough protein to keep you full through the evening. If lentils are new to you, start with one portion and see how you feel. Gas and bloating are common in the first week of a fiber increase, and they settle as the mix of bacteria in your colon shifts.

Anyone on a sodium restriction should use the low sodium version, which swaps the jarred sauce for crushed tomatoes and cuts the added salt. People with kidney disease on a potassium restriction should check with their dietitian first, since tomatoes, spinach, and lentils are all high in potassium.

How to Make It Your Own

Sliced mushrooms browned with the onion add depth to the sauce. Fresh baby spinach works in place of frozen, wilted in the skillet first and squeezed dry. A quarter teaspoon of red pepper flakes gives the finished dish some heat.

The swaps that change the nutrition:

  • Low sodium: swap the jarred sauce for two 28 ounce cans of no salt added crushed tomatoes, and leave out the parmesan.
  • Lower sugar: choose a jarred sauce with no added sugar, or use the crushed tomato version above.
  • Dairy free: blend 15 ounces of drained firm tofu with lemon juice, olive oil, and salt in place of the ricotta, and skip the cheeses.
  • Gluten free: brown rice or lentil lasagna noodles work, and they need the full package boiling time.
  • Higher protein: blend a 16 ounce tub of low fat cottage cheese in place of the ricotta.
  • Nut free: the recipe is nut free as written.

Freeze One Pan, Bake the Other

Assemble both pans, then cover the second one with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface and a layer of foil over that. It holds three months in the freezer. Label it with the date and the oven instructions, since the baking time from frozen differs from the fresh pan.

Bake the frozen pan straight from the freezer at 375 degrees, covered, for 75 minutes, then uncovered for 15 more. Thawed overnight in the refrigerator, it takes 45 minutes covered and 15 uncovered. Let either pan rest 15 minutes before cutting so the layers hold. Single portions reheat in the microwave in about four minutes.

Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Freezer Lentil and Spinach Lasagna

A vegetarian lasagna built on brown lentils and whole wheat noodles. One batch fills two 8 by 8 inch pans, so you bake one tonight and freeze the other for up to three months.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Keyword: freezer lasagna, high fiber dinner, lentil lasagna, make ahead dinner, vegetarian lasagna
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 618kcal

Equipment

  • large pot
  • Saucepan
  • Large skillet
  • Colander
  • 8 x 8 Inch Baking Pan

Ingredients

For the lentil sauce

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion yellow, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 1/2 cups lentils brown, dry, organic
  • 48 ounces marinara sauce jarred, no added sugar, from two 24 ounce jars
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning dried
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper ground

For the ricotta layer

  • 15 ounces ricotta cheese part skim
  • 1 egg large
  • 10 ounces spinach frozen, chopped, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated

To assemble

  • 16 lasagna noodles whole wheat, organic
  • 8 ounces mozzarella cheese part skim, shredded

Instructions

  • Rinse the lentils under cold water.
  • Bring 4 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan.
  • Add the lentils and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes until tender.
  • Drain the lentils in a colander.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
  • Boil the lasagna noodles for one minute less than the package time.
  • Drain the noodles and lay them flat on a sheet of foil.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft.
  • Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
  • Stir in the drained lentils, the marinara, the Italian seasoning, and the black pepper.
  • Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes.
  • Whisk the egg into the ricotta in a bowl.
  • Stir the spinach and the parmesan into the ricotta.
  • Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
  • Spread 1/2 cup of the lentil sauce over the bottom of each baking pan.
  • Lay 4 noodles over the sauce in each pan, trimming them to fit.
  • Spread half of the ricotta over the noodles in each pan.
  • Spoon a third of the remaining sauce over the ricotta in each pan.
  • Lay the last 4 noodles over the sauce in each pan.
  • Spoon the rest of the sauce over the noodles in each pan.
  • Sprinkle half of the mozzarella over each pan.
  • Cover one pan with foil and bake it for 30 minutes.
  • Uncover that pan and bake it for 15 minutes more.
  • Rest the baked lasagna for 15 minutes before cutting.
  • Wrap the second pan in plastic wrap and foil and freeze it unbaked.

Notes

Freeze the second pan unbaked. Wrap it with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface, then a layer of foil, and label it with the date. It holds three months.
Bake the frozen pan straight from the freezer at 375 degrees, covered, for 75 minutes, then uncovered for 15 minutes. Thawed overnight in the refrigerator, it takes 45 minutes covered and 15 uncovered.
Rest either pan 15 minutes before cutting so the layers hold. The total time above covers prep and baking only.
Lower sodium: use two 28 ounce cans of no salt added crushed tomatoes with the onion, garlic, and herbs in place of the jarred marinara, and leave out the parmesan.
Lower sugar: choose a jarred sauce with no added sugar, or use the crushed tomato version above.
Dairy free: blend 15 ounces of drained firm tofu with lemon juice, olive oil, and salt in place of the ricotta, and leave out the mozzarella and parmesan.
Gluten free: use brown rice or lentil lasagna noodles and boil them the full package time.
Higher protein: blend a 16 ounce tub of low fat cottage cheese in place of the ricotta.
Look for organic lentils and organic whole wheat noodles. Lentils and wheat are often treated with glyphosate before harvest, and organic versions are grown without it.
Read the marinara label for added sugar and sodium. A jar listing tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and herbs is what this recipe is built on.
Baked leftovers keep four days in the refrigerator. Single portions reheat in the microwave in about four minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 618kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 1171mg | Potassium: 1295mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 10g | Calcium: 435mg | Iron: 7mg | Magnesium: 145mg | Phosphorus: 577mg | Choline: 90mg

Brown Lentils Turn a Freezer Lasagna Into a High Fiber Dinner

A lasagna built on brown lentils and whole wheat noodles delivers protein and fiber in the same layer. The resistant starch in the lentils is what colon bacteria ferment into butyrate. Jarred sauce and cheese make this a high sodium dish, and the crushed tomato version in the notes cuts most of that. One of the eight servings is the portion this is built around.

Serve It With

A crisp vegetable side adds crunch against the soft layers, and Easy Cilantro Lime Coleslaw for a Low-Sodium, Heart-Healthy Side keeps the sodium low. Crispy Roasted Chickpeas with Smoked Paprika and Garlic makes a second high fiber dish for the table. For more on the fiber that reaches your colon, see Fiber 101: Gut Health, Weight Management, Cholesterol, and More.

Chicken Alfredo Lasagna Roll Ups

Nutrition Snapshot

  • The alfredo sauce here is built on low-fat milk and olive oil, so it fits a heart-healthy eating pattern.
  • Between the chicken, the ricotta, and the parmesan, two roll ups hold enough protein for a full dinner.
  • Most of the salt in this recipe comes from the parmesan, so use half of it and add lemon and pepper.

Roll ups are lasagna without the layering. You spread filling down a cooked noodle, roll it, and stand the rolls in the dish, and each roll up is one portion. The chicken, spinach, and ricotta inside need no rethinking. The sauce does. A jarred alfredo, or a homemade one, is mostly heavy cream and butter, and that is the one part of this dish to rebuild.

Milk and Olive Oil Give the Sauce Its Body Without the Cream

A classic alfredo is heavy cream and butter, which is where nearly all of its saturated fat comes from. Saturated fat lowers the number of LDL receptors the liver puts on its surface. Those receptors are what pull LDL particles out of the blood, so fewer of them means LDL circulates longer and blood levels rise.

Replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat is what lowers LDL, so the type of fat matters more than the total amount (Hooper et al., Cochrane Review, 2020, PMID 32428300). This sauce keeps the fat and changes its type. The creaminess comes from the protein and lactose in low-fat milk, a spoonful of flour thickens the sauce, and olive oil supplies mostly monounsaturated fat. The flavor comes from grated parmesan.

What’s in a Serving

Most of the carbohydrate comes from the noodles, and the whole wheat version brings fiber along with it. The protein comes from three places: the chicken, the ricotta, and the parmesan. Most of the fat is the olive oil and the parmesan, with a little from the part-skim ricotta.

Almost all of the sodium comes from the parmesan, since nothing else in the recipe is salted heavily. The spinach adds potassium, folate, and a little more fiber. The recipe card below shows the calculated figures for two roll ups.

Par-Cooked Noodles Roll Without Tearing

Pull the noodles two minutes before the package time says they are done. At that point the starch has taken up enough water to bend, and the strand still holds together when you spread filling on it. A fully cooked noodle tears down the middle as you roll it.

Drain them and lay them flat on parchment paper rather than leaving them in a colander, where they fuse into one sheet. They finish softening in the oven, sitting in sauce for twenty-five minutes, so they come out tender.

What to Buy

The Lasagna Noodles

The fiber in whole wheat lasagna noodles is what makes this a fuller meal, and they hold up to rolling better than thin no-boil sheets. Buy organic (to avoid glyphosate), since wheat is one of the crops often sprayed to dry the field before harvest, and organic growing does not allow it.

The Chicken

Ten ounces of cooked chicken breast is roughly two small breasts, or the meat pulled from half a rotisserie chicken. Rotisserie is the faster route and comes already salted, so taste the sauce before you add any. Leftover roasted or poached chicken works just as well, and shredded meat holds sauce better than diced.

The Parmesan and the Ricotta

Buy parmesan as a wedge and grate it yourself. Pre-grated parmesan is coated with cellulose to keep it from clumping, and that coating turns the sauce grainy. A wedge also tastes stronger, so you need less of it, which keeps the sodium down.

Part-skim ricotta binds the filling and adds protein with little saturated fat. Whole-milk ricotta is creamier and brings more saturated fat, so part-skim is the better choice here.

Who This Fits and Who Goes Easy

This fits anyone eating for heart health who misses cream sauces, and it fits anyone who wants a pasta dinner with enough protein to hold them. The chicken and the two cheeses supply that protein, and the spinach and whole wheat noodles add the fiber.

Go easy on the parmesan if you are limiting sodium, since most of the salt here comes from it. Two roll ups is a real carbohydrate portion, so anyone counting carbohydrate should plan for it the way they would plan for two slices of bread.

How to Make It Your Own

Chopped mushrooms, roasted red pepper, or steamed broccoli all stir into the filling without changing how it rolls. A pinch of red pepper flakes in the sauce balances the richness. To make the dish meatless, swap the chicken for a second cup of ricotta and a can of drained white beans.

Lower sodium: use half the parmesan, then season with extra black pepper, a grate of garlic, and a squeeze of lemon. Dairy-free: unsweetened cashew or oat milk thickens the same way, and nutritional yeast gives some of the parmesan flavor, though the result is plainer. Nut-free as written. The recipe has no added sugar, so no sweetener swap applies here.

Storage and Make-Ahead

Assemble the whole dish through the parmesan topping, cover it, and refrigerate it up to a day ahead. Bake it straight from the refrigerator and add ten minutes to the covered time. The noodles absorb a little sauce overnight, which makes the finished dish firmer and easier to lift out.

Baked roll ups keep four days refrigerated and two months frozen. Freeze them in single portions so you can reheat what you need. A flour-thickened sauce tightens as it cools, so reheat covered at 350 degrees Fahrenheit with a splash of milk stirred over the top.

Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Chicken Alfredo Lasagna Roll Ups

Whole wheat lasagna noodles rolled around chicken, spinach, and ricotta. The alfredo-style sauce is built on low-fat milk, olive oil, and grated parmesan in place of cream and butter.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Main Course
Keyword: chicken alfredo lasagna roll ups, heart healthy pasta, lower saturated fat alfredo, make ahead chicken dinner, whole wheat lasagna
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 640kcal

Equipment

  • large pot
  • Saucepan
  • Whisk
  • 9 x 13 inch Baking Dish

Ingredients

For the roll ups

  • 8 lasagna noodles whole wheat, organic
  • 10 ounces chicken breast cooked and shredded
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese part-skim
  • 10 ounces spinach frozen chopped, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper ground

For the sauce

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour organic
  • 2 cups milk low-fat
  • 3/4 cup parmesan cheese grated
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg ground
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper ground

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
  • Cook the lasagna noodles 2 minutes short of the package time, until they are just pliable.
  • Drain the noodles and lay them flat on parchment paper so they do not stick together.
  • Squeeze the thawed spinach dry in a clean towel.
  • Warm the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
  • Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until it smells sweet.
  • Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
  • Pour in the milk a splash at a time, whisking after each addition.
  • Cook the sauce for 4 to 5 minutes, whisking, until it coats the back of a spoon.
  • Take the pan off the heat and whisk in half of the parmesan, the nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper.
  • Stir the chicken, ricotta, spinach, and the remaining black pepper together in a bowl.
  • Stir 1/2 cup of the sauce into the filling.
  • Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce over the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.
  • Spread about 1/3 cup of the filling along the length of each noodle.
  • Roll each noodle up from the short end and set it seam side down in the dish.
  • Pour the remaining sauce over the roll ups.
  • Sprinkle the rest of the parmesan over the top.
  • Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
  • Uncover and bake for 5 more minutes, until the top browns lightly.
  • Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Serving size: 2 roll ups. The recipe makes 8 roll ups, 4 servings.
Look for organic whole wheat lasagna noodles and organic flour. Wheat is often treated with glyphosate before harvest to dry the field, and organic growing does not allow it.
The sauce: a classic alfredo is built on heavy cream and butter, which is where its saturated fat comes from. This one uses low-fat milk thickened with a little flour and olive oil, with grated parmesan for the flavor. Whisk the milk in a splash at a time so the sauce stays smooth.
The noodles: pull them 2 minutes short of the package time. They finish softening in the oven, and a fully cooked noodle tears when you roll it.
The chicken: 10 ounces of cooked chicken breast is roughly two small breasts, or the meat from half a rotisserie chicken. Rotisserie chicken is faster and brings its own salt, so taste the sauce before you add any.
Lower sodium: use half the parmesan and season with extra black pepper, garlic, and a squeeze of lemon. Parmesan carries most of the sodium in this recipe.
Dairy-free: unsweetened cashew or oat milk thickens the same way, and nutritional yeast gives some of the parmesan flavor. Use olive oil in place of the ricotta binder and expect a plainer sauce.
Nut-free as written. The recipe has no added sugar, so no sweetener swap applies.
More vegetables: chopped mushrooms, roasted red pepper, or steamed broccoli all stir into the filling well.
Make ahead: assemble through the parmesan topping, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Bake from cold and add 10 minutes to the covered time.
Storage: keeps 4 days refrigerated and 2 months frozen. Reheat covered at 350 degrees Fahrenheit with a splash of milk, since the sauce thickens as it sits.
Nutrition is calculated by WP Recipe Maker. Re-run the calculation after import.

Nutrition

Calories: 640kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 541mg | Potassium: 1065mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Calcium: 592mg | Iron: 4mg | Magnesium: 136mg | Phosphorus: 649mg | Choline: 102mg

Rebuilding the Sauce Is What Makes This a Heart-Healthy Pasta Night

The chicken, spinach, and ricotta inside a roll up were already fine. Moving the sauce from heavy cream and butter to low-fat milk, olive oil, and parmesan is the change that matters, and the result is still creamy. Most of the sodium comes from the parmesan, so use half of it if you are watching salt. Two roll ups with a green vegetable is dinner.

Serve It With

Two roll ups and something green is the meal. Easy Cilantro Lime Coleslaw for a Low-Sodium, Heart-Healthy Side adds crunch and almost no sodium, which matters next to a parmesan sauce. Cool Summer Squash Soup works as a light first course. For more on why the fiber in the whole wheat noodles counts, see Fiber 101: Gut Health, Weight Management, Cholesterol, and More.

Creamy Carrot Ginger Sweet Potato Soup

Nutrition Snapshot

  • This soup fits an anti-inflammatory eating pattern, built on carrots, sweet potato, olive oil, ginger, and garlic.
  • A bowl is a good source of fiber and potassium from the whole carrots and sweet potato.
  • Protein is low for a main dish, so stir in lentils or shredded chicken to make it a full meal.

One pot, ten common ingredients, under an hour. Carrots and sweet potato turn sweeter as they simmer, and fresh ginger gives the soup a warm, sharp edge. The soup freezes flat in a bag and reheats in minutes, so a Sunday batch gives you lunches all week. Most of the work here is peeling and chopping.

Beta-Carotene Needs Fat in the Same Meal to Be Absorbed

Carrots and sweet potato are orange because of beta-carotene, the best known of the carotenoid pigments. The cells lining your small intestine convert most of what you absorb into vitamin A, which you need for vision, skin, and immune cells. Carotenoids are fat soluble. They pass from the food into the intestinal wall along with the fat you eat in the same meal.

That is why there is fat in this pot. The olive oil at the start and the coconut milk at the end supply it, and the coconut milk gives the soup a creamy texture as well. A vegetable soup made with no fat at all gives you less usable beta-carotene from the same carrots.

Simmering and Blending Release the Pigment From the Cells

Beta-carotene sits inside plant cells, behind tough cell walls of cellulose and pectin. Heat loosens the pectin that holds the cells together, and blending ruptures the cells themselves. Both steps release the pigment into the liquid. Cooked and pureed carrots therefore give up more of their carotenoids than raw carrot sticks do.

What’s in a Serving

The carrots and the sweet potato supply almost all of the carbohydrate, and most of it comes with fiber. They also supply the potassium and the beta-carotene. The olive oil and the coconut milk supply the fat that the carotenoids need for absorption.

Most of that fat is unsaturated and comes from the olive oil. Light coconut milk keeps the saturated fat low and still gives the soup body. Protein in a serving is small, since the pot holds vegetables and broth. Sodium depends almost entirely on the broth you buy. The recipe card below shows the calculated figures for one serving.

What to Buy

The Ginger

Buy a firm piece of fresh ginger with smooth, tight skin. Soft spots and wrinkled skin mean it has been sitting a while, and the flavor fades with it. A knob kept in the freezer grates straight from frozen.

Ground ginger works at about three quarters of a teaspoon per tablespoon of fresh, so a teaspoon and a half stands in for the two tablespoons here. It tastes warmer and flatter than fresh ginger does.

The Broth

Nearly all of the sodium in this soup comes from the broth. A regular carton of vegetable broth runs roughly 500 to 950 milligrams of sodium a cup depending on the brand, so read the panel rather than the front of the box. Cartons labeled unsalted or no salt added come in near 25 to 150 milligrams a cup, since the vegetables carry sodium of their own.

Water works here too. With this much ginger, garlic, and onion in the pot, water gives you a cleaner-tasting soup and no added sodium. Season at the end with lemon juice and black pepper, which brighten the soup so it tastes finished on much less salt.

The Coconut Milk

Use canned light coconut milk. The carton kind sold for drinking is mostly water and will thin the pot. Canned full-fat coconut milk makes a richer soup and brings a lot more saturated fat with it, so the light can is the everyday choice. Stir the can well before measuring, since the cream separates and floats on top.

Who This Fits and Who Goes Easy

This suits an anti-inflammatory eating pattern. The bowl is vegetables, olive oil, ginger, and garlic, with no added sugar and no refined grain in it. It fits a heart-healthy pattern too. A bowl is a good source of fiber and potassium, and you choose the sodium when you pick the broth. The recipe is dairy-free and gluten-free as written.

Go easy on the portion if you count carbohydrate at a meal. Carrots and sweet potato are the entire soup, so a bowl carries more carbohydrate than a thin vegetable soup does. Adding protein alongside slows the rise in blood sugar and turns the bowl into a full meal.

How to Make It Your Own

A cup of red lentils added with the broth turns this into a main dish with real protein. Pour in two extra cups of broth or water along with them, since dry lentils drink that much. Stir the bottom of the pot while they cook down into the puree.

Buy organic lentils (to avoid glyphosate), since lentils are one of the crops often sprayed to dry the field before harvest, and organic growing does not allow it. White beans blended in also add protein and thicken the soup. Shredded chicken stirred into the finished pot adds protein and leaves the puree as it is.

Roasting the vegetables first deepens the flavor. Toss the carrots and sweet potato with a tablespoon of oil, spread them on a sheet pan, and roast at 425 degrees for 25 minutes, turning once. That adds about forty-five minutes with the preheat.

A pinch of cayenne or a spoonful of red curry paste takes the soup in a spicier direction. Orange juice in place of the lemon makes it rounder and sweeter.

The Health Swaps in Short

  • Lower sodium: buy unsalted broth, or use water, and season at the end with lemon juice and black pepper.
  • Lower saturated fat: stay with the light coconut milk the recipe calls for, since the full-fat can raises the saturated fat sharply.
  • Lower sugar: the recipe has no added sugar, so there is nothing to swap.
  • Dairy-free: the creaminess comes from coconut milk, so the recipe is dairy-free as written.
  • Tree nut allergy: this recipe contains coconut, which the FDA lists as a tree nut for labeling. Leave the coconut milk out and stir an extra tablespoon of olive oil into the finished pot.
  • Higher protein: add a cup of organic red lentils with the broth and two extra cups of liquid, or stir shredded chicken into the finished pot.

Storage and Make-Ahead

The finished soup keeps three to four days in the refrigerator in a covered container. Reheat it to 165 degrees over medium-low heat and stir as it warms. Coconut milk separates while it sits, and heat and motion bring it back together. A splash of water loosens the soup if it thickened overnight.

It freezes well for three months. Freeze it flat in a zip-top bag, and thaw it overnight in the refrigerator or in a bowl of cold water changed every thirty minutes. The frozen block also goes straight into a pot over low heat with a splash of water. For the smoothest result, freeze the soup before the coconut milk goes in and stir it into the reheated pot.

Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Carrot Ginger Sweet Potato Soup

Carrots, sweet potato, and fresh ginger simmered in one pot and blended smooth with light coconut milk. A creamy vegetable soup with no dairy that fits an anti-inflammatory eating pattern.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Soup
Keyword: anti-inflammatory soup, carrot ginger soup, dairy free creamy soup, freezer friendly soup, sweet potato soup
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 195kcal

Equipment

  • large pot
  • Cutting board
  • Chef’s Knife
  • Vegetable Peeler
  • immersion blender

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion yellow, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons ginger minced, fresh
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 pound carrots peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 1 pound sweet potato peeled and cut in 1/2-inch cubes
  • 4 cups vegetable broth unsalted
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk canned, light
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice fresh
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper ground

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
  • Add the onion and cook it for 5 minutes, until it turns soft and translucent.
  • Stir in the ginger and the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add the carrots and the sweet potato to the pot.
  • Pour in the vegetable broth.
  • Raise the heat and bring the pot to a boil.
  • Lower the heat and simmer the soup for 20 minutes, until a fork goes through a carrot slice easily.
  • Take the pot off the heat.
  • Blend the soup smooth with an immersion blender.
  • To use a countertop blender instead, let the soup cool for 10 minutes, fill the jar no more than half full, vent the lid, and work in batches.
  • Stir in the coconut milk.
  • Stir in the lemon juice and the black pepper.
  • Taste the soup and add more lemon juice or black pepper.

Notes

Serving size: about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups. The recipe makes 6 servings.
Buying the broth: nearly all of the sodium in this soup comes from the broth. A regular carton runs roughly 500 to 950 milligrams of sodium a cup depending on the brand, so read the panel rather than the front of the box. Cartons labeled unsalted or no salt added come in near 25 to 150 milligrams a cup, since the vegetables carry sodium of their own.
Water works as the liquid too, with this much ginger, garlic, and onion in the pot.
Buying the coconut milk: use canned light coconut milk. The carton kind sold for drinking is mostly water and will thin the pot. Canned full-fat coconut milk makes a richer soup and brings a lot more saturated fat with it. Stir the can well before measuring, since the cream separates and floats on top.
Leftover coconut milk keeps about 4 days in a covered jar in the refrigerator, or freezes in an ice cube tray.
Buying the ginger: choose a firm piece with smooth, tight skin. Ground ginger works at about three quarters of a teaspoon per tablespoon of fresh, so a teaspoon and a half stands in for the two tablespoons here. It tastes warmer and flatter than fresh ginger does. Ginger kept in the freezer grates straight from frozen.
Why the fat is in the recipe: beta-carotene from the carrots and sweet potato is fat soluble, so it needs fat in the same meal to be absorbed. The olive oil and the coconut milk supply it. The cells lining the small intestine convert most of what is absorbed into vitamin A.
Lower sodium: buy unsalted broth, or use water, and season at the end with lemon juice and black pepper.
Lower saturated fat: stay with light coconut milk. The full-fat can raises the saturated fat in the recipe sharply.
Lower sugar: there is no added sugar in the recipe, so nothing needs swapping.
Dairy-free and gluten-free as written. This recipe contains coconut, which the FDA lists as a tree nut for labeling purposes. To leave coconut out, skip the coconut milk and stir an extra tablespoon of olive oil into the finished pot.
Higher protein: add a cup of organic red lentils with the broth, along with 2 extra cups of broth or water, since dry lentils absorb that much. Stir the bottom of the pot while they cook down into the puree. Shredded chicken stirred into the finished pot also adds protein. Protein is low in the base recipe, so a bowl on its own is a light lunch.
Look for organic lentils if you add them. Lentils are often treated with glyphosate before harvest, and organic lentils are grown without it.
Roasting variation: toss the carrots and sweet potato with a tablespoon of oil, spread them on a sheet pan, and roast at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes, turning once. It deepens the flavor and adds about 45 minutes with the preheat. Use the recipe’s oil for the sheet pan and skip the onion saute, or add a second tablespoon.
Other variations: a pinch of cayenne or a spoonful of red curry paste takes the soup in a spicier direction. Orange juice in place of the lemon juice makes it rounder and sweeter.
Carbohydrate note: carrots and sweet potato are the entire soup, so a bowl carries more carbohydrate than a thin vegetable soup. Anyone counting carbohydrate at a meal should check the calculated figure against the portion they scoop.
Make ahead and storage: the finished soup keeps 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator in a covered container. Reheat it to 165 degrees Fahrenheit over medium-low heat and stir as it warms, since coconut milk separates while it sits. A splash of water loosens it if it thickened overnight.
Freezing: it freezes well for 3 months. Freeze it flat in a zip-top bag. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, or in a bowl of cold water changed every 30 minutes. The frozen block also goes straight into a pot over low heat with a splash of water. For the smoothest result, freeze the soup before the coconut milk goes in and stir it into the reheated pot.

Nutrition

Calories: 195kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 724mg | Potassium: 587mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 1mg | Magnesium: 40mg | Phosphorus: 89mg | Choline: 20mg

The Olive Oil Is What Lets You Absorb the Beta-Carotene in These Carrots

Beta-carotene is fat soluble, so a bowl of orange vegetables with no fat in it gives you less vitamin A than the same vegetables cooked with oil. The olive oil and the coconut milk supply that fat, and simmering and blending release the pigment from the cells. The broth you pick sets the sodium. Serve one bowlful with a protein alongside and it is a full meal.

Serve It With

A bowl of this on its own is a light lunch, and a protein partner makes it dinner. Scatter Crispy Roasted Chickpeas with Smoked Paprika and Garlic over the top for crunch and plant protein.

Cottage Cheese Flatbread gives you something to dunk that carries real protein of its own. For the warm-weather version of the same idea, Cool Summer Squash Soup is a blended vegetable soup served cold.