By Katy Wilkens, MS, RD

There is that certain twinge in the air that tells you fall is on the way. With summer winding down, kale is back in my garden and new potatoes are just coming out of the earth. I am ready for fall foods like homemade soups, stews and chili.

The Italian wedding soup my son made the other night brought a glow to my insides. It wasn’t just from the soup itself, but knowing that the soup used the natural goodness of the garden – fresh veggies we had just harvested. The judicious use of a few pieces of low-sodium bacon for flavor meant he didn’t need to add any salt.

Tummy-warming meals can be made low-salt and healthy. Cook a big pot on the weekend to last you several meals, or freeze soup for a quick dinner when you don’t have time to cook.

Victor’s Italian wedding soup

Fresh ground turkey or pork should not have salt added. Check for a nutrition label on the package. If it has a label, chances are the meat is salted. Fresh turkey or pork should have less than 20 milligrams of sodium per ounce.

• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound fresh ground turkey or pork
• 6 slices low-sodium bacon, chopped finely
• 8 cups water
• 2 large bunches of kale, chopped
• ¼ cup fresh tarragon, chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• Splash of half and half or cream
• Grated parmesan cheese
• Fresh ground pepper

Sauté onion and garlic until translucent in pot, then add ground meat and bacon and brown. Add water and simmer about 20 minutes. Add kale and fresh herbs, simmer just until they turn bright green and you can chew a leaf. Serve with a splash of half and half or cream, a sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese, and fresh ground pepper.

Serves 6-8.

Nutritional information:
Calories: 164, Carbohydrates: 5 grams, Protein: 18 grams, Sodium: 163 milligrams

Black bean tortilla soup

• 2 cups dry black beans
• 8 cups water
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4-6 boneless chicken thighs, skin removed and chopped
• 2 chicken breasts, chopped
• 4-6 diced fresh tomatoes or 1 can low-sodium tomatoes
• 2 additional cups water if needed

Toppings:

• Corn tortillas, toasted
• 1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
• Fresh avocado, chopped
• Fresh tomato, chopped
• Fresh jalapeno peppers, chopped
• Fresh Mexican queso fresco
• Sour cream

Soak beans overnight. Cook in a pot with 8 cups water for about 1 hour. Sauté onions in a pan. Add garlic and chicken and brown. Add all to the pot of beans with the tomatoes, adding more water if needed. While soup simmers for about 15-20 minutes, cut corn tortillas in strips and pan fry. Drain on paper towels. Chop up other garnishes and put in small serving bowls. Serve soup, letting guests add their desired toppings.

Nutritional information (excluding toppings):
Calories: 157, Carbohydrates: 12 grams, Protein: 19 grams, Sodium: 73 milligrams

The recipes in this column are meant for people who want to keep their kidneys healthy and blood pressure down by following a low-sodium diet. In most cases, except for dialysis patients, a diet high in potassium is thought to help lower high blood pressure. These recipes are not intended for people on dialysis without the supervision of a registered dietitian.

[Katy G. Wilkens is a registered dietitian and department head at Northwest Kidney Centers. She has a Master of Science degree in nutritional sciences from the University of Washington. See more of her recipes at www.nwkidney.org.]

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