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Lower Sodium intake: A Gradual Change

"Oh I don’t add salt to my food" is something registered dietitians hear often when talking to people about lower sodium or limiting their salt intake. Most people think that by skipping the salt shaker they no longer need to be concerned about sodium. But actually, adding salt from a shaker is only a small part […]

Today's Kidney Diet Best Breakfast Recipes Cookbook

It’s not just a saying. Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. A healthy breakfast helps energize and nourish you. Also, it prevents that starved feeling before lunch. Breakfast recipes and planning a daily breakfast can help get you started. Breakfast Benefits Some benefits that may be experienced with eating breakfast include: […]

Nutrition Facts Label Update Postponed by FDA

In February 2018, I wrote a blog post about the upcoming changes to the over 20 year old nutrition facts label. You can read it here. The nutrition facts label is being updated to provide consumers with the ability to make more informed decisions, with a greater emphasis on calorie content and serving size. Added sugars will be required on the label in […]

Renal Diet Apps: Which One Should I Use?

The number of people owning a smartphone continues to grow. With this growth there has been an increase in the development of health-related mobile applications (apps). More than 165,000 health-related and diet apps are available to download. Of these, one-third focuses on specific chronic diseases. It is often more convenient for individuals to reach out to their smartphones […]

Peritoneal Dialysis Travel Tips

It’s summer time! In some places, like Houston where I live it’s been like summer since early May! This is the time to plan ahead for peritoneal dialysis travel. Think about visiting other places, taking time off from work, school, having fun at the beach, camping and swimming in the pool (for peritoneal dialysis patients– private pools […]

DaVita Eats: Strawberry and Goat Cheese Spring Salad

With fresh strawberries and creamy goat cheese, this spring salad is colorful and kidney-friendly!

Find this recipe and dozens more in our free kidney-friendly cookbook collection: https://goo.gl/B8qg7s

Portions: 4

Serving size: 1-3/4 cups

Ingredients:
5 cups mixed baby lettuce/baby greens
1 pint fresh strawberries
8 ounces soft goat cheese
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation:
Wash and dry the lettuce; remove the stems of the strawberries and slice vertically; cut the goat cheese into 8 even pieces.
In a small bowl mix the balsamic vinegar and olive oil together with a whisk.
Mash half the strawberries together with a potato masher or fork, and add them to the bowl. The mixture will be chunky. Set the dressing mixture aside.
Place the lettuce into a large bowl. Add the dressing and mix to coat.
Divide the lettuce onto four plates. Slice the remaining strawberries and add them to each plate of salad. Top with 2 of the goat cheese slices on each plate.
Add ground black pepper to taste.

Renal and renal diabetic food choices:
1-1/2 meat
1 vegetable, low potassium
1/2 fruit, low potassium
3 fat

Carbohydrate choices:
1

Helpful hints:
This salad tastes best when fresh local strawberries are available in season.
Soft goat cheese can be difficult to cut with a knife because of its soft texture. The easiest way is to use non-flavored dental floss. Take about a 6 inch piece and hold in both hands. Use it to cut down into the goat cheese from top to bottom. This way you can cut smooth rounds that are not squished.

Food Facts Friday: The Incredible Eggplant

One interesting fact about eggplant is that it is a berry and not considered a vegetable. This purple veggie is also known as aubergine, garden egg and guinea squash. Eggplants are a species of nightshade, a plant family that includes several varieties of flowering plants. Sometimes nightshades get a bad reputation because they are considered […]

Making Breakfast for Dinner

Looking for new meal ideas? Ever thought to make breakfast for dinner? Breakfast foods are delicious eaten any time if the day, are packed with nutrition and super satisfying. It makes sense that so many diners offer a 24-hour breakfast menu. Here are a few simple tips on building a healthy kidney-friendly breakfast meal. Choose a […]

Power Breakfasts for Kidney Diets

Starting your mornings with a kidney-friendly breakfast can set the tone for the rest of your day. You may be less tempted to snack later on foods that don’t agree with your diet. Before you reach for that donut with a mocha frap or sugary cereals as the first meal of you day, I’m here […]

Hungry? Grab a Kidney-Friendly Crunchy Snack

Anyone with a craving for a flavor packed crunchy snack? DaVita has snack ideas that are kidney friendly and delicious. To help get you started, check out "Five Crunchy Snack Mixes for the Kidney Diet". This  collection of popular snack mixes are easy to prepare with options to satisfy all your crunchy cravings. The snack mixes can be packed in […]