The Fat Is Back - Part 4 - Double adaption of Chicken and Grits

Two of the culprits that deter losing weight are sodium and fat/calories. Generic photos below. 

  

  

  

Received the recipe link below on Twitter this morning.  This recipe  had been adapted from about.com but I adapted it again. Well, below it I have eliminated LOTS OF SODIUM AND CALORIES. Original recipe at link below and my changes in RED. 

http://www.lanascooking.com/2013/01/04/chicken-with-grits/

Recipe didn't say servings number but I am assuming it is 4.

My changes:  See in Red.

Copycat recipe (Supposedly)from another website

Crazy Salt
Blend in food blender or put in pepper mill and grind:

MY Saltless Crazy Salt adapted from copycat recipe
1/2 cup sea salt - SEA SALT HAS LESS THAN REGULAR SALT - REGULAR SALT HAS 7070 mg. OF SODUM PER TBSN.  There are 8 tbsn in 1/2 cup of regular salt or 56,560 mg of sodium in 1/2 cup of regular salt so if there is 1/2 (this is conjecture) then you still have 28,280 mg. of sodium.  There is salt in garlic salt, 1/2 tsp. salt left in recipe; there is salt in chili powder, paprika, onion powder, chicken broth, etc. THERE IS ENOUGH NATURAL SALT IN INGREDIENTS; DON'T ADD ANYMORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1 tablespoon Accent, omit if msg bothers you*
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon curry powder*
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon sage
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon marjoram
rind of 1 lemon, finely grated

*I left out curry powder and Accent
Makes 1/2 cup. 1/4-1/3 cup

My idea (in red)

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 3 tbsp.  unsalted butter (same calories 310; 35 grams of fat as regular butter BUT has only 5 mg. of sodium vs. 350 mg. 
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup quick cooking grits (not instant)
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tbsp. Jane’s Crazy Mixed-Up Salt - MY Substitute Saltless Crazy Salt with all ingredients and instructions in RED above
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup peanut oil  (1/8 cup = 240 calories, 27.5 gr. fat  sodium)
• 1 bunch green onions, sliced
• 1/2 cup chicken broth (Progresso or OTHER unsalted or sodium free)
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced

Instructions

1. Prepare the grits: Bring the water, butter, and salt to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in the grits. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or according to package directions. Set aside and keep warm while preparing the chicken.
2. Cut the chicken breasts lengthwise into 1 inch thick pieces. Sprinkle generously with MY Saltless Crazy Salt and dredge in flour. 
3. Place a large, heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add the peanut oil and allow it to warm for a minute or so. Drizzle 1 tbsp. oil over chicken & stir up. Or line sheet and put chicken on foil after drizzling on cookie sheet. Oven at 300 degrees.  Add the chicken to the hot oil in the pan. Cook, turning once or twice, until browned on all sides. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.  Bake until browned.
4. Pour off all but about two tablespoons of the oil. Saute Add the sliced green onions to a pan and w/1 tbsn. peanut oil. Cook, stirring, for about a minute. Add the chicken broth. Stir to release any cooked bits from the bottom of the pan.
5. Add the chicken back to the pan along with the minced garlic. Stir gently to combine and coat the chicken with the pan sauce.
6. Mound grits in individual plates or bowls for serving. Top with chicken and pan sauce.

Notes

Recipe adapted from about.com from original. My adaptation removes thousands of mg. of sodium and over 1000 calories. 

PRODUCT REVIEW - Better Than Bouillon - Sodium Watch

The photos speak for themselves:

680 mg of sodium in one teaspoon of this product. 1 tsp makes 1 cup or ...

See photos.  Recommended amount of sodium per day for an adult is 1500 - 2200 (max) per day.

The last photo shows the sodium.  Both chicken and beef have same amount of sodium so i didn't bother with another photo. Now think about it. If you make something for one meal for 2 (1 cup per person) you have over 1/2 of daily alloted sodium per day and that is just the broth. If you drink that and eat one other thing you have GOTTEN YOUR SODIUM FIX FOR THE DAY!! 

DANGERS OF SODIUM:

High-Sodium-Diet

There are hundreds of web sites out there warning of sodium dangers.  This is just one above. 

Product Review - Soy sauce - your enemy!!

  

  

While researching a recipe I found on-line I found the following: (I knew the search would be bad but it was worse than I expected)

• Regular soy sauce runs from 1100 mg. of sodium per TBSN and UP!  If you use a cup in a recipe for 4 that computes to 17600 mg. of sodium divided by 4 servings equals 4400 mg of sodium per serving!!!!!!!!!!! 
• Recommended DAILY dosage of sodium recommended by CDC:  500 to keep your body running correctly, 1500 recommended and 2300 max. 
• CDC recommendation  (Be sure you scroll to the bottom of the page and read the links as to what sodium can do to your body!)
• Conclusion is that the recipe I was researching has 3 x (yes three times) amount of recommended daily dose and about 2 x max sodium per day!!  (If you are losing the low amount of the full sodium soy sauce - 1100 mg. per tablespoon)
• Next I research low sodium varieties of soy sauce.  I found 8 on a page - SEE LINK 
• LOW SODIUM SOY SEARCH ON GOOGLE
• The summary of the eight I clicked on ran under 700 which is more than half of 1100 mg. of sodium. Some numbers I ran into were 680/70/40% (40% lower but no claim on what the original number was)/575/and some of the products didn't even post the MG OF SODIUM!! Doesn't that tell you something? 
• CAUTION: WHEN BUYING SOY SAUCE IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU READ THE SODIUM PER TBSN ON THE BOTTLE.