Chef Aaron McCargo, Jr. mixes buffalo chicken dip during a visit to Fresenius Medical Care in Livonia.(Photo: Bill Bresler | staff photographer)

Chef Aaron McCargo, Jr., likes a culinary challenge.

When a wheelchair-bound renal patient asked him for an Italian-style meatball and sauce recipe, McCargo “started messing around” with ingredients until he found a kidney-friendly combination.

Smothered pork chops with sweet potatoes? McCargo, star of the Food Network’s Big Daddy’s House, told dialysis patients their request was a “no no no,” but then found a way to deliver the flavor they wanted in a low-sodium, low-potassium version of their classic Southern dish.

And when it came to chocolate, which is prohibited on a renal diet, he figured out a way to mimic the flavor without adding the ingredient to dessert.

“It’s good to know you all challenge me to come out of the box,” he told patients and staff of Fresenius Medical Care in Livonia last week. “At the end of the day it isn’t about me. Every time I think about recipes, every time I attempt to hear what a patient tells me, it’s worth it to know I can go back and work with dietitians who say, let’s meet in the middle.

“My mission is to do the best I can do with recipes, to continue to comply with the renal diet, and work closely with the dietitians to break the rules, but also to make sure to keep it safe.”

McCargo takes recipe suggestions from renal patients across the country and partners with Fresenius, a nationwide network of dialysis facilities, to develop dialysis-safe recipes. He visited several of its clinics, including in Livonia, this month in recognition of National Kidney Month.

“We want to make the renal diet as healing as possible and it’s about getting creative,” said Kristi Wells, Livonia clinic manager.

Sandy McDonald Hangach, RDN, a registered dietitian at the Livonia site, said dialysis patients limit sodium, phosphorus, potassium and fluid intake. She pointed out that McCargo’s recipes are safe for dialysis patients, but not limited to those on restricted diets.

“You’re limiting sodium and it’s a healthier way to eat,” she said. “It’s not bad to cut down on sodium or processed food.”

Personal connection

McCargo, whose sister-in-law and a friend are both on dialysis, began working with Fresenius nearly three years ago to create tasty and safe recipes for renal patients. His creations are posted on the Fresenius website and available to patients on recipe cards.

“The dietitians see so much more than I do. They have health first in mind. I have flavor and health,” McCargo said. “Salt definitely is cut out.”

His first few recipes for Fresenius delivered the “big bold flavor” that he is known for in his cooking, but missed the mark for renal health. With a little guidance from Fresenius dietitians, he changed his approach.

“I had to tone it down a bit, not the bold flavor, but the ingredients and the amounts. That was the key to helping me make successful recipes.”

He prepared two easy-to-make recipes for his audience at Fresenius in Livonia, Smoky Salmon Dip and Buffalo Chicken Salad Stuffed Cucumber Cups. Along the way he joked with the crowd and offered cooking tips.

•Smoked paprika — “It’s a little pricey, but invest in it.”

•Chopping garlic — “Put it in a food processor and pulse.” Place the garlic in a plastic container and store in the refrigerator. “Chop all of your garlic at once and you don’t have to go through peeling and smashing each time. It’s there and it’s fresh.”

•Buying fresh herbs — “Don’t take the whole bunch if it’s just for you.” Take a portion of the bunch and put the rest back. Same goes for ginger. “Don’t buy the whole root. Take off the piece you need.”

•Storing fresh ginger — Dice and store in a container in the refrigerator or place in a freezer bag in the freezer.

For more on McCargo and his dialysis-friendly recipes, visit ultracare-dialysis.com.

Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Cucumber Cups

Serves 8; 1 serving is 2-3 ounces

Spice blend:

¹/₂ teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

¹/₂ teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons hot sauce

¹/₂ cup Kraft mayonnaise

¹/₄ cup blue cheese crumbs

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic

2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives

3 cups diced or shredded chicken breast

2 large seedless cucumbers sliced into 1-inch pieces, with half of their centers scooped out (15-20 slices) (Tip: Cucumbers can run a little small or big, so be sure to get one at least 15 inches long, or 2 smaller ones)

¹/₄ cup chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Combine all ingredients except the chicken and cucumbers in a medium-size bowl. Stir in chicken and mix until well coated. Set aside in refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Remove from refrigerator and spoon equal amounts (about 1-2 teaspoons) into each cucumber slice. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Nutrition per serving: 243 calories, 23g protein, 6g carbohydrate, 14g total fat, 3g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 65 mg cholesterol, 374 mg potassium, 203 mg phosphorus, 270 mg sodium

Smoky Salmon Dip

Serves 12; 1 serving is ¹/₄ cup

1 pound fresh skinless, boneless salmon cut in four pieces

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 cup cream cheese

¹/₄ cup capers

¹/₄ cup lemon juice and zest of half a lemon (about 1 teaspoon)

2 tablespoons finely diced red onions

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Poach the salmon in 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika for 4-6 minutes on medium-high heat, covered (do not boil). Remove and chill for at least 30 minutes. Mix all other ingredients together until smooth. Break salmon into bite size pieces and fold into cream cheese mixture. Chill for 20-30 minutes then serve with celery sticks, corn chips, and carrots or rolled in a leaf of iceberg lettuce.

Nutrition per serving: 124 calories, 9g protein, 2g carbohydrate, 9g total fat, 4g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 42 mg cholesterol, 232 mg potassium, 99 mg phosphorus, 164 mg sodium

Chocolate Pancakes With Moon Pie Stuffing

Yield: 1 dozen 4-inch sandwiches; 1 serving is 1 sandwich

1 cup flour

3 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 egg

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Moon pie stuffing mix:

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ cup heavy cream

½ cup cream cheese, softened

½ cup marshmallow cream

2/3 cup Body Fortress vanilla whey protein powder

For the moon pie stuffing, beat cocoa and heavy cream together until stiff peaks are formed. Whip in cream cheese, marshmallow cream, and whey protein powder for about a minute or until well blended, but don’t overbeat. Cover and set aside in fridge.

For pancakes, mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and set aside. Mix all the wet ingredients in medium-size bowl. Slowly fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until well mixed, but don’t over mix. Cook the pancakes on a lightly oiled griddle on medium heat, or 375 F. Use about 1/8 cup of batter to form 4-inch pancakes, flipping when they start to bubble. Top the first 12 pancakes with equal portions of the cream cheese mix; top those with the other 12 pancakes and serve dusted with powdered sugar.

Nutrition per serving: 185 calories, 8g protein, 17g carbohydrate, 10g total fat, 4g saturated fat, 0g tran fat, 40mg cholesterol, 107g potassium, 72mg phosphorus, 120mg sodium

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