For those who don’t find the idea of cooking appealing, here are a couple of recipes for quick, no-cook meals that can make light but satisfying kidney-friendly lunches or dinners. 

Crunchy Chicken Wraps

Portion: ½ wrap, serves 4

Ingredients:

• 8 oz (1 C) of pre-cooked, low-sodium chicken breast, shredded
• 2 whole wheat tortillas (8 inches)
• 1 stalk celery (or 1 cucumber, sliced)
• 1 medium carrot
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1/4 C low-fat mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp onion powder

Instructions:

• In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise and onion powder to create a spread. 
• Lay out the tortillas and spread the mixture evenly on each one.
• Top each tortilla with shredded chicken, lettuce, carrots, and celery (or cucumber slices).
• Roll up the tortillas tightly, slice them in half, secure each with a toothpick, and serve immediately.

Celery and cucumber are both generally considered kidney-friendly, but celery contains more oxalates, which can harm the kidneys if used in excess, so stick to the recommended amounts.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Portion: ⅔ C, serves 6

Ingredients:

• 3 C fresh/raw spinach
• 1 C fresh strawberries, sliced
• 1 Tbsp vinegar
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1/8 tsp dry mustard
• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions:

• Wash and dry the spinach leaves, then tear into pieces. 
• In a large bowl, combine the torn spinach and sliced strawberries.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients (vinegar, lemon juice, honey, dry mustard, and vegetable oil)
• Pour the dressing over the spinach and strawberries. Toss well and serve immediately.

Depending on your tastes, you can speak with your dietitian about additional toppings like unsalted walnuts and feta cheese.

Vanilla Root Beer Delight

Portion: ¾ C, 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 C almond milk
• 3 scoops Syntrax Nectar®  whey protein isolate powder, Vanilla Bean Torte flavor
• 1/4 C Torani® sugar-free vanilla syrup
• 2 tsp root beer extract
• 1/2 C diet root beer soda

Instructions:

• Mix almond milk and protein powder in a blender. 
• Add root beer extract and blend again.
• Pour mixture into 4 cups  and slowly (it foams!) add 2 tsp root beer soda. 

Ask your renal dietitian to recommend non- or low-phosphorus products.

See full article for more simple no-cook recipes.

*DaVita Kidney Care. (n.d.) 5 No-Cook, Kidney-Friendly Dishes. Retrieved from https://www.davita.com/diet-nutrition/recipe-collections/5-no-cook-kidney-friendly-dishes 

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