Free The Everyday DASH Diet Cookbook by Marla Heller Page A

brands are offering reduced-sodium and even very low-sodium options, both of which may be found at your supermarket. With some searching, you should even be able to find no-salt-added tuna (Trader Joe’s canned albacore tuna has gained many fans). If you are faced with regular canned tuna, place it in a sieve and rinse well under gently running cold water for a minute or so to reduce the sodium content by about 75 percent.

 
    Tuna and White Bean Salad
    In Italy, you may find the tuna and bean component served as part of an antipasti platter, but it really shines when it is expanded with greens and vegetables to make a meal. And this recipe is especially rich in beans, making it a great source of soluble fiber to help lower cholesterol.
    MAKES 2 SERVINGS
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1 small clove garlic, crushed through a press
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon crushed hot red pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 (5-ounce) can very low-sodium tuna in water, drained
1 medium red bell pepper, roasted, seeded, and diced (see “Roasting Red Peppers,” opposite)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley (optional)
2 cups (2 ounces) mixed salad greens
Lemon wedges, for serving
    In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, water, garlic, oregano, salt, and hot pepper. Whisk in the oil. Add the beans, tuna, red bell pepper, and parsley (if using) and mix well. This salad can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 2 days.
    For each serving, put 1 cup of salad greens in a wide bowl. Top with half of the tuna and bean mixture. Serve immediately with the lemon wedges for squeezing the juice onto the salad.
    NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS
    (1 serving) 402 calories, 32 g protein, 52 g carbohydrates, 8 g fat, 13 g fiber, 31 mg cholesterol, 314 mg sodium, 1,282 mg potassium. Food groups: 2½ ounces meat, 2½ beans.
Roasting Red Peppers
Red bell peppers have a high flavor profile in their raw state, but roasting softens the flesh, condenses the juices, and loosens the bitter skin for easy peeling. (The skin on green peppers is too thin for roasting.) The best way to roast peppers is in the broiler. And although many cooks use a whole pepper, it is much quicker and easier to cut the pepper first into a long strip so it doesn’t have to be turned.
Cut off the top “lid” and bottom inch of the pepper. Poke the stem out of the lid and discard, then set aside the top and bottom pieces. Slice the pepper vertically down the side and open it up into a long strip. Cut out the ribs and seeds. Position a broiler rack about 6 inches from the source of heat and preheat the broiler. Place the pepper strip top and bottom on the rack, skin side up. Broil until the skin is blackened and blistered, 5 minutes or longer, depending on the heat of the broiler. Let cool for a few minutes, then peel off the blackened skin. (It is not necessary to put the peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap; this creates steam that softens the peppers too much.) Try not to rinse the peppers under cold water unless necessary, as the water rinses away the flavor.

 
    Arugula, Peach, and Almond Salad
    Make this salad in the summer when peaches and arugula are in season and at their best. Cling peaches (you will have to cut away the flesh from the pit) arrive first in late spring, and the freestones (with loose pits) show up throughout the summer. Nectarines are delicious in this salad, too. The combination of spicy arugula and sweet peaches will have you going back for more.
    MAKES 4 SERVINGS
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil, preferably extra-virgin
1 tablespoon water
Pinch of kosher salt
6 cups (5 ounces) baby arugula, well washed and dried
3 ripe peaches, pitted and sliced
½ cup sliced natural almonds, toasted (see “Toasting Nuts,” below)
Freshly ground black pepper
    In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, water, and