Oriibu no shionuki / desalination of olives

Finding olives with lower sodium content at stores is nice, but they still contain quite a bit of salt. Tom tends to end up eating more than he probably should, thinking each fruit is small ... one more is OK ... another is still OK ... maybe one more ...

Soaking olives in water with a tiny amount of salt can take care of desalination. 

According to my kitchen tests, when olives are soaked in cold water (50F/10C), their sodium content is reduced by approximately 30% after 1 hour, 40-50% after 2 hours, and 60+% after 3 hours.

Zukkini to tamago, feta chiizu no pan / zucchini, egg and feta cheese pastry

This is another savory pastry we like. Sauteed zucchini is paired with fluffy fried or microwaved egg and feta cheese. Dill makes this combination truly savory.

1 pastry (1/9 piroshki-style dough recipe and 1/3 of filling recipe):
266 calories; 12.9 g protein; 12.8 g fat; 25.5 g carbohydrate; 20.9 g net carbs; 151 mg sodium; 89 mg cholesterol; 4.6 g fiber

Eringi to shimeji no namuru / namul saute with king oyster and shimeji mushrooms

A quick saute of mushrooms with sesame oil. Fresno pepper adds colorful contrast and soft crunch. Great as a filler in a bento box, too.

1/2 of recipe:
24 calories; 1.7 g protein; 1.3 g fat; 3.6 g carbohydrate; 0 g net carbs; 31 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 3.6 g fiber

Burokkorii to mini tomato no gomaae / broccoli and grape tomatoes in sesame dressing

A little side dish to add green and red to your plate. It is very quick to make, as chopping and microwaving broccoli are basically all you need to do (other than preparing dressing, which is also very easy). Fresh tomatoes ensure a light taste for this gomaae, which sometimes can be a bit heavy.

1/2 of recipe:
93 calories; 3.9 g protein; 6.3 g fat; 6.3 g carbohydrate; 3.2 g net carbs; 27 mg sodium (with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce); 8 mg cholesterol; 3.1 g fiber

Feta chiizu no shionuki / desalinating feta cheese

Long before we started reduced-sodium cooking, I learned to avoid feta cheese at restaurants and delis in this country, as feta makes dishes uncomfortably salty (partly because way too much cheese is used). At home, you can choose feta cheese with lower sodium content (although still high compared to most other cheese) and use the amount you need. Better yet, desalinating can easily solve the issue.

Test results from my kitchen experiments show that soaking feta cheese in a mixture of milk and water for 3-4 hours lowers sodium content by 35-50%.

Desalination speed mainly depends on the proportion of cheese and liquid as well as on the size of cheese chunks, The more liquid (milk + water) you use, the faster cheese desalinates. Also, when cheese chunks are smaller, they desalinate faster than when soaking a larger block.

Karifurawaa to masshuruumu no karee pan / curried cauliflower and mushroom pastry

Great for breakfast and lunch! This savory pastry is intended to be eaten with other dishes, and only a moderate amount of spices are used to flavor the filling. It freezes well too, making it a handy, virtually ready-to-eat snack.

1 pastry (1/9 piroshki-style dough recipe and 1/3 of filling recipe):
239 calories; 10.9 g protein; 9.8 g fat; 28.7 g carbohydrate; 22.2 g net carbs; 60 mg sodium; 7 mg cholesterol; 6.5 g fiber

Piroshiki-fu pan no kiji / piroshki-style pastry dough

Okazu pan, osozai pan or sozai pan -- savory bread or pastry -- are common bakery or home-baked goods in Japan. Savory sounds good, but may raise concern if you watch your sodium intake, as bread is a top source of sodium in Western diets (in the US at least). So why not make your own? When you do, you can lower sodium, cholesterol and net-carbs of the dough itself, giving you more options for toppings or fillings, accompanying items, and dishes to enjoy the rest of the day. Below you'll find a leaner, lighter dough. Using ingredients closer to the regular version makes the dough fluffier and richer.

Whole recipe:
1800 calories; 73.3 g protein; 72.3 g fat; 214.5 g carbohydrate; 178.8 g net carbs; 199 mg sodium; 42 mg cholesterol; 35.7 g fiber

Dough for 1 pastry (1/9 of recipe):
200 calories; 8.1 g protein; 8.0 g fat; 23.8 g carbohydrate; 19.8 g net carbs; 22 mg sodium; 5 mg cholesterol; 4.0 g fiber