Low Sodium Easter Brunch & Dinner

So going lo-so is difficult. It isn't difficult; it just takes planning and you cannot be lazy. No more processed food. No more throw it together based on what is in the cabinet/pantry. Thanks to my wonderful sisters and Pinterest---we are making this life style change a success!

For Easter morning we had Sausage Pinwheels and Cinnamon Rolls---all LOW sodium! I found a blog on Pinterest for a low sodium bread and it lead me to some other recipes. It looks like the woman who wrote the blog also needed to lower sodium, but it was short lived. Life gets in the way and blogs stop. I get it, but man, I was hoping I could just follow her and life would be simple! No such luck.

Heart Healthy Home ---Low Sodium Sausage Rolls

I thought if Zach made them he would have ownership
& like them.....oh if only it worked that way!

Heart Healthy Home -- Low Sodium Cinnamon Rolls

Now for dinner I had to become a little more self reliant. I was doomed from the get go with the ham. Sodium is what 'cures' a ham. One 3 oz. serving has more than 1000 mg of sodium! WOWZERS! So, I made a no sodium rub!

No Sodium Ham Rub

1/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 c. sweet paprika

3 T. black course ground pepper

2 t. garlic powder

2 t. onion powder

1 t. cayenne pepper

I also managed to make No Sodium Cowboy Potatoes (Thanks to Nana's recommendation)

No Sodium Cowboy Potatoes

6 New Potatoes
1 Onion
1 stick nonsalted butter
1 T. Parsley flakes (give or take)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut up the potatoes, butter and onions into small bite size pieces. Layer potatoes, onions, pieces of butter until you have used it up! Sprinkle parsley in between every layer to add some seasoning. Put in the oven for about 1.5 hours, or until soft and chewy!

Yummy Soft Crescent Rolls

Heart Healthy Home -- Low Sodium Crescent Rolls

Low Sodium 4-Layer Desert

This is one of our FAVORITE deserts. The kicker is it requires you to use pudding. WOW. Pudding is full of sodium. Who would have thought? I have learned when a food can sit on a shelf until doomsday it is LOADED with sodium. Salt is the preservative of the world. I think instead of being embalmed  I will just have the mortician stuff me with salt....

Ingredients:  (Preheat oven to 350 degrees)
1 c. all purpose flour                                            1 c. powdered sugar
1 stick unsalted butter                                          1 carton Lite Cool Whip
1/2 c. pecans                                                        Chocolate Pudding from Couldn't Be Parve Blog 
8 oz. cream cheese, low fat                                

Step One:
Melt butter. Combine with nuts and flour. Press into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 15 min. or until lightly brown. Remove and cool.

Step Two:
Cream cream cheese, powdered sugar and 1 c. of Cool Whip. Place on top of cooled crust.

Step Three:
Make the Sodium Free pudding. Layer on top of step two.

Step Four:
Use the rest of the cool whip to finish off the desert. (If you don't want the layers to "bleed" together, you can chill each layer for about 5 minutes or so!)

I have to say this desert was TRULY rich due to the homemade pudding. It was super yummy though!  We are enjoying the left overs!