Chipotle Turkey Sandwich

Name: Chipotle Turkey Sandwich
Yield: makes 1 serving
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise (no more than 2 g of fat per tablespoon; I used Best Foods/Hellmann’s); 1/8 teaspoon chipotle chili pepper (found in the spice aisle in jars; I used McCormick); 2 slices whole-wheat or whole-grain bread (70 calories or less per slice); 4 ounces thinly sliced or shaved extra-lean salsa, Southwest, or similarly seasoned deli turkey (found at the deli counter); 1 slice reduced-fat Colby or Monterey Jack cheese (I used Sargento); 1/2 leaf green lettuce, or to taste; 3 thin tomato slices, or more to taste; 1 thin red onion slice, or more to taste

December 9, 2011

I’ve found people—even those concerned about sodium—often turn to the good old turkey sandwich as if it’s the perfect healthy lunch. This always amazes me, because 4 ounces of your typical deli turkey (as opposed to homemade) have about 1,330 mg sodium, while its lower-sodium counterpart (which rarely has great flavor) still has 680 mg sodium. Two slices of bread have about 320 mg, a 1-ounce slice of cheese has 140 mg, and light jarred mayonnaise has about 120 mg per tablespoon (mustard has 170 g per tablespoon). Add those together, and this otherwise healthy sandwich has over 2,080 mg sodium. If you’re ordering it out, it could have even more. Though I do believe the turkey sandwich has a place in our diets, this is must-know information.

Recipe notes

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