Since posting this article, I have since found out that (in the UK) directions for leaching vegetables seem to differ from the US. We have been advised that peeling, cutting up veggies, bringing them to the boil and discarding the water, is sufficient to get rid of most of the potassium - (dont use the water to make soups or gravies, etc. for low potassium recipes).
I am trying a couple of recipes doing this, then continuing to make the recipe as usual, and will post if I have any success :).
This link is to the Edinburgh Renal Unit which seems to be an interesting website.
Recently my husband has been asked to go on a low potassium diet. I immediately tried to do some research on the Internet for various low potassium recipes. There are sites, particularly kidney-related where you can find a good selection of recipes, but mostly I found the information and lists given, fairly conflicting. One website would say you can eat a certain vegetable/product, and another would say 'not'. I am in the process of trying out various things, and hopefully will collect a few interesting recipes along the way.
Unfortunately a lot of the root vegetables have to be leached, which means
peeling, slicing, soaking them for several hours, throwing away the water, soaking them again, boiling them, throwing away the water and reboiling them!
It's actually not as much faff as it seems, and I do a batch and keep a stock in the fridge or freezer - 'specially potatoes. I do feel they lose some of their taste, but there are things you can do to make up for this - eg. frying them over or roasting them, or anything else you usually do with potatoes - except (apparently) chips.
Anyhoo ..... here is my first low potassium Veg Soup recipe. If anyone has any other interesting recipes, or contradicts mine, please let me know.
Vegetable Soup - Low potassium
Potatoes - leached as above*
Carrots - also leached*
1 raw white onion peeled and chopped - (onion and celery are low potassium)
few sticks of celery- peeled if stringy and chopped
I threw in some cooked cauliflower and some peas
garlic - amount to taste
Dried herbs are fine - eg. oregano, corriander, thyme - to taste
small amount of salt and pepper, and preferably home made stock, otherwise small amount of cube/powdered stock.
Water - hot
Olive or Sunflower Oil and a small knob of saltless butter
1. fry over the celery and onion until it begins to soften, and add the other (cooked) veggies, garlic and seasonings.
2. Saute all for a few minutes until nicely softened.
3. Add some stock/water just to cover and simmer for a few minutes, then add enough stock to make your soup - better to add less - you can always add more once you have liquidised the soup. Cook for about 15/20 ins on a medium heat - bubbling gently - till the veg are soft.
4. Cool the soup, then liquidise to make a creamy soup, adding more liquid if needed.
This is a pretty basic veg soup, so you can add anything else that you know is ok.
Shepherds Pie
I have leached some potatoes, mashed them and frozen them - to use as and when needed.
Mince some cooked pork/beef/chicken, added sauted (chopped) celery, garlic, onion, courgette and any other allowed low potassium veg. (Apparently mushrooms are high in potassium).
Add some of the meat juices to moisten the meat mix - having removed most of the fat.
Season the mix well and place in a greased ovenproof dish with the mash potatoes on top.
Bake for at least 45 mins to 1 hr (or more) at 190 ish. deg.C.
Side Salad
Fresh cooked sweet corn (or tinned sweetcorn rinsed well) - (this can also be kept covered in the fridge for a few days).
Finely chopped: celery, red onion, garlic, cucumber (peeled), dried oregano, dried corriander, small amount of peeled apple - chopped + mayonnaise or vinaigrette (or mix of both).
* I think soaking the veg for a couple of hours, discarding the water and soaking again for a couple of hours, maybe ok - and not needing to precook them. I am not sure about this.
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