This is a recipe that is entirely someone else’s creation. I really don’t even change it – it’s delicious and works for my diet essentially as is.
I feel bad even posting it…or re-posting it for that matter. Because I can’t even say I made a few changes or swapped out a bunch of things. I didn’t. I literally removed one item from the ingredient list and it’s perfect. There’s not even salt in the original recipe.
But, if like me, you have CKD and are in need of some new recipes, I decided to post this one regardless. And honestly, even if you don’t have CKD, you should try this! It’s AMAZING and a really great item for summer. It’s light and there’s no mayo so you can easily take it to parties or outdoor get-togethers.
So without further ado, I give you…someone else’s amazing Strawberry Avocado Couscous Salad (this is my picture, however).
There’s really no revised version here. The only thing I did is to remove the pine nuts. That’s it. Everything else should be the same, so I’m copying and pasting the recipe as is (without the nuts).
Note: I did add chicken to the last version I made and it was wonderful. It became more of an entree that way. If you choose to do this, just cook a few chicken tenders and slice them into bite-sized pieces.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup couscous
1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced
1/2 cup corn kernels (if you buy frozen, just defrost them)
1/2 cup strawberries, quartered
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Optional: Chicken (See note above)
FOR THE LIME VINAIGRETTE
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
Zest of 1 lime
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons sugar, or more to taste
DIRECTIONS:
To make the vinaigrette, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lime zest and juice, and sugar in a small bowl; set aside.
In a medium saucepan, cook couscous according to package instructions.
In a large bowl, combine couscous, avocado, corn, strawberries, and cilantro. Stir in lime vinaigrette.
Hello again! I’m back with another recipe. And not surprisingly, this one is inspired by my love for Asian cuisine.
To be fully transparent, this is a recipe that I found before I was on the CKD diet. It’s Weight Watchers, which is great, but because of the salt, some of the veggies, and use of brown rice, I had to adjust it slightly to work now. But it works just as well (if not better!) and I continue to love it. This recipe is completely customizable too. You can add any veggies you’d like to this dish or if you want to swap chicken for shrimp or beef or just leave it as veggie, feel free! It’s really simple and comes out just as delicious. I’ve admittedly tried this with many, many varieties and like it all the same. Also, this can easily be transformed into a side dish if you want to take out the protein altogether.
Also, because I’ve made this so many times, I’ve found a slightly better order to cook everything, as laid out in my instructions below. The method in the original Weight Watchers recipe works fine too – but I like actually stir frying the rice separately so it gets a nice yummy crispiness.
1/2 cup(s) uncooked scallion(s), chopped, green and white parts
2 clove(s), medium garlic clove(s), minced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 medium red pepper, diced
12 oz uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast(s), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cup(s) cooked white rice
1/2 cup(s) frozen green peas, thawed
3 Tbsp of cilantro, chopped
3 Tbsp coconut aminos
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
OPTIONAL: 1/2 cup(s) uncooked carrot(s), diced
NOTE: If you have a wok, this is ideal for this recipe. If not, I would recommend using a large skillet that is pre-heated until hot. You can use a cast iron or nonstick, but it’s important to make sure it’s hot before you begin cooking anything. That creates the nice sear on the bottom like a wok would. It also should be a larger size – there’s a lot of food in this recipe!
Instructions
Pre-cook the rice according to package instructions. Set aside and allow to cool.
After skillet has warmed up, coat with 1 tablespoon of canola oil and add the chicken. Cook until done, when no longer pink inside, about 5 minutes. Add the peppers, optional carrots, minced garlic and ginger. Stir together and allow to cook for 4-5 minutes or until peppers have softened.
Remove from skillet and set aside.
Coat skillet with remaining 1 tablespoon of canola oil and add the pre-cooked rice. Spread the rice out around the skillet so as much of it is covering the surface as possible. Allow to sit (untouched) for 5 minutes or until slightly browned on the side. Stir around the pan and allow other side of rice to cook for additional 3-4 minutes.
Once the rice is browned, add back in the chicken, peppers, garlic and ginger. Add in the coconut aminos and rice wine vinegar. Add the frozen peas and stir together. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes until combined.
In the center of the skillet, make a hole by pushing back the rice-chicken-veggie mixture towards the outer edges. In the hole, add the egg whites and stir. Egg whites will cook quickly so make sure to stir rapidly until they are scrambled. Once they are fully cooked, combine the eggs in with the rest of the mixture.
I will forewarn that this is one of the most time-consuming recipes that I have, but in the end, the results are absolutely amazing. They’re a really great dinner on their own or maybe a side dish or appetizer for parties and gatherings. But be warned, this requires an assembly line of activity, so you need to allow yourself enough time so you can properly pull all of this together.
I love a good dumpling and I order them wherever I go. Even now, with my diet, I still order dumplings. I assume there’s soy sauce in them and lots of salt (and probably some veggies I can’t eat) but one good dumpling makes me unbelievably happy. I prefer them steamed, but this recipe uses a light sear + steam method.
There are a few shortcuts in this recipe that you can use, which will help speed up the process a bit. But note, it’s not the actual cooking that takes time – this is the quick part – it’s the creation of the dumplings themselves. I am just not good at filling and folding the dough. I constantly struggle with this. I really hope you’re better but please let me know if you have any tricks!
Prep: The official recipe says 5 minutes, so I guess someone somewhere is able to do this in 5 minutes. I am not. For me, this takes about 40-45 minutes to prep.
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup coleslaw mix (found in the lettuce section with the bagged lettuce)
1/2 cup chopped bean sprouts
1/2 cup button mushrooms
4 scallions, chopped (light green and white parts only)
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos (see HERE for the brand I prefer)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
15-20 dumpling wrappers – you can find these in the freezer section or the refrigerator section, usually near the tofu products
Directions
Prep and chop your ingredients: Note – I throw all of the vegetables (coleslaw mix, bean sprouts, mushrooms, scallions) into a food processor and chop them that way. This is MUCH easier and creates greater consistency with the filling.
In a medium bowl, stir together the coleslaw mix, chopped beansprouts, scallions, soy sauce/coconut aminos, 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and ginger.
Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium. Once its hot, add the contents of the medium bowl. Cover the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Uncover, stir and let cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until most of the liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat.
Working with one dumpling wrapper at a time, spoon about 1 teaspoon of filling into the center. Moisten the edges of the dumpling wrapper with water (use your finger to spread it around). Then, fold the wrapper over, sealing the edges together with your fingers. Place on a foil-lined plate. Repeat until all of the dumplings are filled and sealed.
NOTE: There’s a great website showing all the different ways to fold a wonton wrapper HERE. I generally do the basic samosa style (because I can’t quite get it any other way). One tip though – make sure to keep a wet paper towel over the wontons you’ve already filled. They’ll dry out if you don’t do this and will taste a bit like cardboard when you go to cook them.
Add a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a pan and wait until it gets hot. Add a few of the dumplings, making sure to to over-crowd the pan. Sear on one side (about 1-2 minutes) and then flip to the other. While they’re on the other side, add about 3 tablespoons of the water to the pan and cover. Allow to steam.
Wait about 3-4 minutes, remove the cover and the dumplings should be nicely steamed with crispy edges.
This is my absolutely, hands down, my favorite recipe from the last few years of being on the CKD diet. I make this recipe so frequently – it’s permanently engrained in my brain. At this point, I could get corn salsa tattooed on my arm. Or maybe I could frame a picture of it in my living room. Have I mentioned that I’m slightly obsessed with this recipe?? 🙂
Here’s why: when I get home from work at night, I usually want something to snack on. With CKD, there’s not a whole lot in a bag that I can turn to – I can have salt-free pretzels, rice crackers, graham crackers, but all of those items make me feel like I’m going to gain 50 pounds by the end of the bag. And, on their own, they’re boring. Sure, I can eat an entire bag of pretzels, but my mouth would be as dry as a piece of cardboard by the end. I need something with them – something that fills me up so I don’t eat as many. I need a dip. And for me, this is the perfect solution.
It takes me all of 10 minutes to make and is corn-based, which is acceptable for CKD. It’s got a kick of spice, which I love, and if I make a batch, I can add it to the top of fajitas, chicken, or even a salad.
I have two versions of this recipe so I’m going to post both. There’s not a drastic difference between the two in terms of taste – it’s more about what ingredients I happen to have on hand.
Both recipes were inspired by the same thing: Trader Joe’s Corn & Chile Salsa. Have you ever had this? IT’S AMAZING. It’s sweet and spicy at the same time. I literally could eat an entire jar…which is what made me think that perhaps I could make it myself.
The Holy Grail
If you haven’t tried this, DO IT. Or…maybe not. You will be obsessed.
The first version of this recipe is literally a replica of this jarred wonder:
4medium ears of sweet cornunhusked or 1 bag of frozen corn (NOTE: check salt content to make sure there isn’t any)
¼cupfinely diced sweet yellow onion (NOTE: if you like more of an onion flavor, feel free to use red onion as an alternative)
¼cupfinely diced red bell pepper
1-2teaspoonsfinely chopped jalapeno pepperstart with 1 and add more, if you want more heat
3tablespoonsdistilled white vinegar
3tablespoonssugar
1teaspoonmustard seeds
1teaspoonground coriander
½teaspooncumin powder
½teaspooncrushed red pepper
Instructions
If using frozen corn, defrost according to package instructions
If using fresh corn, place 2 ears at a time in the microwave and cook for 5 minutes on high power. Carefully, with oven mitts, remove corn from microwave and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining 2 ears of corn. When cool enough to handle, pull off husks and silk. Lay corn on it’s side and cut kernels from cobs, rotating the ear of corn as you go. Transfer corn to a medium size bowl.
Add diced onion, red bell pepper and finely chopped jalapeño to bowl with the corn. Stir to combine.
Combine vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, coriander, cumin, and crushed red pepper in a medium size, microwave safe bowl. Stir well to combine. Microwave on high power for 1 minute.
Remove vinegar mixture from microwave and add to bowl with corn mixture. Stir well.
Allow salsa to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.
Serve immediately or transfer to a glass jar or storage container and refrigerate till ready to use. Salsa will keep in refrigerator for 5 days to 1 week.
Version 2: This is a more basic edition of the above recipe and isn’t quite as sweet. If you’re looking for more of a true salsa, this would be your pick.
Original & Revised Recipe: ME 🙂 Jackie (I came up with this!)
Ingredients
4 medium ears of sweet corn unhusked or 1 bag of frozen corn (NOTE: check salt content to make sure there isn’t any)
¼ cup finely diced red onion
1 finely chopped jalapeno pepper
1 lime
½ teaspoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon honey or agave nectar (feel free to add more or less depending on your taste)
Instructions
If using frozen corn, defrost according to package instructions
If using fresh corn, place 2 ears at a time in the microwave and cook for 5 minutes on high power. Carefully, with oven mitts, remove corn from microwave and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining 2 ears of corn. When cool enough to handle, pull off husks and silk. Lay corn on it’s side and cut kernels from cobs, rotating the ear of corn as you go. Transfer corn to a medium size bowl.
Add diced onion and finely chopped jalapeño to bowl with the corn.
Add cumin, honey, the juice of 1 lime and stir together to combine.
NOTE: Both recipes get better after they’ve sat in the refrigerator, so try not to eat the entire thing immediately after you’ve finished making it. Be patient – it’s worth it!
I like pretty foods – anything that’s a bright color or has multiple colors. And this dip definitely satisfies this requirement. It’s fresh, it’s easy and it’s really pretty. When you arrive to a party with this, everyone will look at it and say, “Oh wow! What a pretty color!” And it really is. And when they taste it, they’ll all want the recipe. Little do they know that it takes just a little prep and uses ingredients you probably already have on hand. It’s delicious!
1 bag of mini sweet peppers (Note: make sure you buy sweet and not spicy! They should be all different colors)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 cloves chopped garlic
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
6 whole basil leaves or 1 tablespoon dried basil
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Cut off the tops from all of the mini peppers. Lay them on a sheet pan and toss them in the 2 tablespoons of canola oil.
Put them in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the pan and move the peppers around, flipping them so the bottoms are now on the top. Put them back into the oven for 6-7 minutes. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool.
Once the peppers have cooled, put them into a food processor, along with the cream cheese, sour cream, garlic, balsamic vinegar and basil.
Blend until smooth.
Serve with broccoli florets, baby carrots, apsparagus spears, bell-pepper spears, or salt-free tortilla chips.
Spilling the Beans 