Tag: kidney-friendly

Pasties (meat hand pies)

Nutrition Snapshot

  • A 2-ounce beef portion and a refined crust keep one pastie moderate in protein, potassium, and phosphorus.
  • At 382 milligrams of sodium a serving, this is moderate for a savory meat pie with a full filling.
  • Each pastie has 22 grams of fat and 1 gram of fiber, both from the crust, so add a vegetable side.

Savory pies usually come off the menu on a kidney-friendly plan, and this one does not have to. Seasoned beef and vegetables go inside a folded crust, and the crimped edge holds the filling while it bakes. One pound of ground sirloin stretches across eight pasties, which is what keeps the minerals in range. A batch takes about an hour and freezes for weeks.

A Small Beef Portion and a Refined Crust Keep the Minerals in Range

Why a Kidney-Friendly Plan Tracks These Two Minerals

Healthy kidneys clear potassium and phosphorus from the blood and hold the amount in circulation steady. When kidney function drops, less of each mineral leaves the body. The level in the blood then rises. A potassium level that climbs too high can disturb the heart rhythm. A high phosphorus level raises parathyroid hormone, and that hormone releases calcium from bone.

Your own limits come from lab results rather than from a stage number, so ask your care team which ones apply to you. For more on managing stages 1 to 3, see Early Kidney Failure.

Two Ounces of Beef per Pastie

Meat is the largest source of both minerals in most meals, so the size of the beef portion matters most here. One pound of ground sirloin divided across eight pasties comes to about 2 ounces each, which gives a serving 11 grams of protein. Most of the potassium and phosphorus in a pastie traces back to that beef.

A Refined Crust Is Low in Phosphorus

Refrigerated pie crust is made from refined white flour, which is low in phosphorus. A whole grain crust has more phosphorus and more potassium. Here the refined crust is the better choice.

The Vegetables Add a Small Share

A quarter cup of carrot, a quarter cup of corn, and one cup of peas spread across eight pasties, so each gets a spoonful or two. At that scale they add only a little potassium, along with color and fiber.

What’s in a Serving

The protein and the iron come from the ground sirloin, and so do most of the potassium and phosphorus. The peas and carrot add a little fiber and some vitamin A.

The fat and nearly all of the sodium come from the crust, since a refrigerated pie crust is built on flour, solid fat, and salt. The Worcestershire sauce and the teaspoon of ketchup each add a small amount of sodium. The card below lists the figure for every nutrient.

What to Buy

The Pie Crust

One 15-ounce package of rolled refrigerated crust holds two crusts, and each crust cuts into four pieces, which is where the eight pasties come from. Scan the ingredient list for anything containing PHOS, since added phosphates absorb almost completely and the nutrition label does not list them. Check for butter or milk solids too if you are avoiding dairy.

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.

Ground Sirloin

Sirloin is the leanest of the common ground beef cuts, so less fat renders out during browning. The drained meat stays crumbly and holds its shape in the filling. Ground round works the same way.

Frozen Peas and Corn

Plain frozen vegetables have no added salt, which keeps the sodium where the card says it is. Check the bag for a sauce or a seasoning blend, since either one adds sodium.

Worcestershire Sauce and Ketchup

A tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce adds a lot of flavor for a small amount of sodium. If you buy a reduced-sodium version, read the ingredient list for potassium chloride, which some of them use in place of salt. The ketchup goes on the side, a teaspoon per pastie.

Who This Fits and Who Should Go Easy

This fits anyone tracking potassium, phosphorus, and sodium, and anyone who wants a hand-held lunch that reheats well. The 2-ounce beef portion also suits a plan that limits protein, and cutting the sirloin to 8 ounces takes it lower still. The crust is wheat, so these are not gluten-free as written.

One pastie with a vegetable side is the portion to plan on. Each one has 22 grams of fat, most of it from the crust. Fiber is low at 1 gram for the same reason, so a salad or a cup of raw vegetables supplies the fiber for the meal. If you are watching saturated fat, a homemade crust made with olive oil is the way around it.

How to Make It Your Own

Green beans in place of the peas lower the potassium a little further, and chopped celery adds crunch and fiber. Mushrooms are the one vegetable to leave out, since they are high in potassium for their size. Rosemary, sage, or a teaspoon of Dijon mustard all work in place of the thyme.

Swaps recap:

  • Lower sodium: serve the ketchup on the side and skip the salt shaker. A crust made at home with unsalted butter or olive oil lowers it further.
  • Lower sugar: the recipe adds no sugar, and the teaspoon of ketchup is the only sweet element.
  • Dairy-free: choose a crust made without butter or milk solids, since many contain one or the other.
  • Nut-free: the recipe is nut-free as written.
  • Gluten-free: use a gluten-free refrigerated crust, and check the Worcestershire label, since some brands use malt vinegar.

Storage, Make-Ahead, and Serving

Pasties freeze well, which is the reason to bake a full batch. Cool them completely, wrap each one, and freeze them on a tray before moving them to a bag so they stay separate. They keep 3 days in the refrigerator and 3 months in the freezer.

Reheat them in the oven at 350 degrees F, about 25 to 35 minutes from frozen and about 15 minutes thawed, until the center reaches 165 degrees F. The oven re-crisps the crust, and a microwave leaves it soft. To get ahead, cook the filling a day early and refrigerate it, then assemble and bake in about half an hour.

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Pasties (Meat Hand Pies)

Seasoned ground sirloin, peas, corn, and carrot folded into a flaky hand pie. A 2-ounce beef portion and a refined crust keep each pastie moderate in protein, potassium, and phosphorus, so it fits a kidney-friendly plan.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Keyword: beef hand pie, freezer meal, kidney-friendly, low potassium, meat hand pies, pasties
Servings: 8 pasties
Calories: 154kcal

Equipment

  • Large skillet
  • Microwave-Safe Dish
  • baking sheet

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup carrot diced
  • 1/4 cup onion chopped
  • 1 pound ground sirloin
  • 1/4 cup corn frozen
  • 1 cup green peas frozen
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce reduced-sodium
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper ground
  • 1 teaspoon thyme dried
  • 15 ounces organic pie crust refrigerated, unbaked, two rolled crusts from one 15-ounce package
  • 1 egg white large
  • 8 teaspoons ketchup

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Let the pie crusts stand at room temperature according to the package directions.
  • Dice the carrot.
  • Chop the onion.
  • Brown the ground sirloin in a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Drain the beef and set it aside.
  • Place the carrot in a microwave-safe dish and add 1 tablespoon of water.
  • Cover the dish and microwave on high for 2 minutes.
  • Add the frozen corn and frozen peas, then microwave for 2 more minutes.
  • Drain the vegetables.
  • Combine the beef, carrot, corn, peas, onion, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, and thyme in a bowl.
  • Unroll the pie crusts on a lightly floured surface.
  • Cut each crust into four pieces.
  • Spoon 1/4 cup of the filling onto half of each piece of crust.
  • Moisten the crust edges lightly with a little of the egg white.
  • Fold the empty half of the crust over the filling.
  • Seal the edges by crimping them with a fork.
  • Cut slits in the top of each pastie.
  • Brush the tops with the remaining egg white.
  • Place the pasties on a large ungreased baking sheet.
  • Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.
  • Cool the pasties slightly on a wire rack.
  • Serve each pastie with 1 teaspoon of ketchup.

Notes

Look for an organic pie crust. Wheat is one of the crops often sprayed with glyphosate to dry the field before harvest, and organic wheat is grown without it.
Buying the crust: scan the ingredient list for anything containing PHOS. Added phosphates absorb almost completely and the nutrition label does not list them, which matters on a kidney-friendly plan. Check for butter or milk solids as well if you are avoiding dairy.
Lower sodium: nearly all of the sodium comes from the crust. Serve the ketchup on the side so each person adds their own, and skip the salt shaker at the table. A crust made at home with unsalted butter or olive oil lowers it further. If you buy a reduced-sodium Worcestershire sauce, read the ingredient list for potassium chloride, which some reduced-sodium products use in place of salt.
For a controlled-potassium plan: most of the potassium in a pastie comes from the beef, so the 2-ounce portion is what keeps it low. Green beans in place of the peas lower it a little further. Leave mushrooms out, since they are high in potassium for their size.
For a lower-protein kidney plan: cut the ground sirloin to 8 ounces and add another 1/2 cup of vegetables to keep the filling volume. Protein per pastie drops to about 8 grams.
More fiber: a pastie made with a refrigerated white-flour crust has only about 1 gram of fiber. Serve it with a green salad or a cup of raw vegetables, or stir 1/2 cup of chopped celery or green beans into the filling.
Gluten: the crust is wheat, so these are not gluten-free. A gluten-free refrigerated crust works the same way and bakes in about the same time. Check the Worcestershire sauce label too, since some brands are made with malt vinegar.
Allergens: nut free as written, and dairy free when the crust is made without butter or milk solids. Check the crust label, since many refrigerated crusts contain dairy.
Timing: the total time counts about 25 minutes of hands-on work and a 15 to 20 minute bake. Letting the crust come to room temperature is passive time and happens while the filling cooks.
Make-ahead and storage: pasties freeze well, which is the best reason to make a full batch. Cool them completely, wrap each one, and freeze on a tray before bagging so they do not stick together. They keep 3 days in the refrigerator and 3 months frozen. Reheat in a 350 degree F oven, about 25 to 35 minutes from frozen and about 15 minutes thawed, until the center reaches 165 degrees F. The oven re-crisps the crust; the microwave leaves it soft.
Working ahead: the filling can be made and refrigerated a day before you assemble the pasties.

Nutrition

Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 121mg | Potassium: 284mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 2mg | Magnesium: 21mg | Phosphorus: 127mg | Choline: 43mg

One Pastie Plus a Vegetable Side Is the Kidney-Friendly Portion

This pie works because the beef is portioned small and the crust is refined flour, so the potassium and phosphorus in a serving stay well below what a full meat entree brings.

Most of the 22 grams of fat and the missing fiber both come from the crust, so eat one pastie with a vegetable beside it. Bake eight, freeze what you do not eat that day, and lunch is ready for the rest of the week.

Serve It With

These need a vegetable side, and a lower-potassium vegetable keeps the whole meal in range. Roasted Rosemary-Cauliflower makes a warm side and is low in potassium. Easy Cilantro Lime Coleslaw brings crunch and raw cabbage next to the soft filling. A green salad with a squeeze of lemon works too and takes less time.