Many amputees complain about muscle cramps. I've had my share, both as an amputee and before, usually doing something unaccustomed and/or when I've neglected to eat enough potassium.
Here's a recipe I developed for my boyfriend, who also gets muscle cramps when he behaves badly exercise- and nutrition-wise. He likes it a lot. I call it "Potassium Hash" because it has three potassium-rich foods in it, beef, spinach, and potatoes. If you're vegetarian, you can substitute the beef with eggs or some meat substitute, but I don't know which of these would have equivalent potassium content. Vegetarian or not, you could also try throwing in a chopped plantain near the end for another source of potassium and a little extra sweetness. This will also up the sugar and calorie content, though, and this is not a diet food.
[Note: You can ignore the bracketed words, but then you will not be doing it my way. My way is definitely better. Of course, I say that about a lot of things.]
Potassium Hash
- 1 lb. ground [natural, free-range] sirloin, crumbled (sirloin because it's got the least fat of any beef you can buy pre-ground)
- 2 large [organic] russet potatoes, diced in 1/4" chunks
- 1-2 large [organic] fresh tomatoes, also diced
- 1-2 C frozen or 3-4 C fresh [organic] chopped spinach (crumbled if frozen)
- 1 C frozen [organic] "super sweet" corn (you can also use fresh, but add it in with the potatoes)
- extra virgin [organic] olive oil
- [organic] garlic, fresh minced or dry powdered, to taste (I use a few tablespoons)
- [sea] salt to taste (I add only a dash or two)
- fresh ground [organic] black pepper to taste (I go about 30-50 turns of the grinder)
- Optional: 1 canned chipotle (smoked jalapeño), minced, with some adobo sauce and including seeds
1. Lightly coat the bottom of a large, lidded frying pan (I use a lidded 4-qt. stainless steel sauté pan) with olive oil. Heat it up a little, so that things you drop in will sear. Sprinkle in, evenly, sirloin, potatoes, corn (if fresh) tomatoes, and all seasonings, including the chipotle (if desired). (The addition of the chipotle, even minced, with a dab of the sauce it came in, will add a LOT of heat to this dish. Children and others with tender tongues might not love it so much. My half-Mexican boyfriend adores it, as did our late, beloved Siamese cat.)
2. After some initial searing has occurred -- just for flavor, but not enough to burn -- stir it all up a bit to keep from burning, reduce the heat, and cover. Over a medium heat, stirring occasionally to provide even distribution of seasonings and mixture of foods, and to keep stuff from sticking, cook these ingredients together with the lid on until the potatoes are tender. (The meat will cook through as you go, and the tomatoes will mostly turn to sauce.)
3. Sprinkle in the corn (if frozen) and spinach evenly; mix them in so that they can receive as much flavor and heat as possible, and replace the lid for a few minutes, until these vegetables are no longer frozen (or raw) but cooked. (The spinach, if frozen, will kind of dissolve into the mix like a ubiquitous herb, but less obvious.) Serve immediately, with sour cream and/or grated cheese if desired (we usually skip this unless I overdo the chipotle, and then we each get a small dollop of reduced fat sour cream).
Other seasoning ideas might include, instead of a chipotle, adding finely chopped fresh herbs such as basil or other strongly flavored leafy greens in with the spinach, but do not forego the spinach. It's a key part of the potassium triple whammy. :) You might also like to sauté until slightly carmelized sliced mushrooms in the oil, but they will release a lot of water (as will the spinach), so do this part with the lid off and before adding other ingredients to keep so much moisture from accumulating that the potatoes are made mushy. And if you're not going to share with cats (as I invariably do), feel free to sauté some onions in the hot oil, too. (Cats should not eat onions.) You can also splash in some wine or sherry over the raw beef if no pets or children will be partaking.
Enough potassium in the diet not only prevents or relieves muscle cramps, but can counteract the effects of too much sodium. The tomatoes and corn add flavor, and the corn makes sure it all moves through.
This is a relatively cheap dish, loaded with vitamins, generally well-balanced, and also surprisingly low in harmful fat (saturated animal fats) while still containing some good fat (olive oil) and lots of protein and fiber. It will stuff two to four big people to the gills on a cold day and provide good fuel for strenuous exercise. Served with a nice green salad or fruit, it can go even further. It takes about 1/2 hour to make, including prep.
Enjoy!
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