Good eats

Rafa and I love to eat. We love to cook a big meal together, get our our best serving ware, sit down at the table and eat. But with big meals come big problems if one isn't careful. We are taking steps to make sure our love for food doesn't overcome our love of health.

However, it's more than health for my mother-in-law - healthy recipes are life. Since she started dialysis last fall, her doctors have been asking her to eat low-sodium, low-potassium, higher-protein and lower-carb. These restrictions, in addition to my desire to have things that are low-calorie, low-fat and high-fiber, means that I have to get creative in the kitchen.

We've had some great creations so far this week, if I do say so myself! Last night we had tacos. I used ground turkey instead of beef. I also made my own seasoning for the first time! I didn't want us to eat the high sodium and MSG that comes from the stuff in packets. I mixed:

• 6 teaspoons chili powder
• 5 teaspoons paprika
• 4 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

The whole thing is enough to season 2-3 pounds of meat. It was very tasty and easily customizable.

Today, I made "Maryland Eastern Shore Cream of Crab Soup." The name was complicated, but the recipe was not:

• Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large pot over moderate heat.
  
• Add 1 cup onion, chopped. Cook, stirring onion until it becomes soft and transparent.
  
• Add 1/2 pound fresh lump crab meat (I used imitation). Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
  
• Add 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low.
  
• Combine 1 cup non-dairy creamer and 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth.
  
• Add to soup and increase heat slightly, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and comes to a boil.
• Add 1/8 teaspoon dill weed, Old Bay seasoning and ground pepper. Serve!

The soup was really fast to make and tasted great. Rafa said that this soup is now on his favorite meals list, which is awesome because that is a tough list to get on! I am so happy to find recipes like this that fill our love of food but also contribute to my goals of keeping my family healthy.

I would love to hear your healthy recipes if you're willing to share!