Food & Recipes

Low-Sodium Recipe and Cooking Tips

Spicing Up Your Low-Sodium Menu

Salt-free doesn't have to mean taste-free. You can substitute dozens of different seasonings and ingredients to spice up to your low-sodium meals. Here are just a few ideas:

• Marinate chicken breasts or pork chops in lemon juice, orange juice, or wine.
• Roll fish in sesame seeds before baking.
• Spice up beef with a mixture of onion, peppers, sage, and thyme.
• Toss in a few fruits and vegetables, such as dried apricots, raisins, red pepper, or yellow pepper for extra flavor.
• Simmer carrots in cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Sprinkle some dill and parsley onto potatoes before roasting.
• Add a dash of chili powder to corn.
• Toss your pasta with fresh chopped garlic.
• Replace salted butter with unsalted butter.
• When cooking with cheese, opt for fresh mozzarella or cheeses labeled "low-sodium."
• Try a commercial salt-free seasoning blend (such as Mrs. Dash), or make your own mix with this recipe from the American Heart Association:

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon mace, ground

1 teaspoon basil, ground 1 teaspoon onion powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon black pepper, ground

1 teaspoon thyme, ground 1 teaspoon sage, ground

1 teaspoon parsley, dry flakes 1 teaspoon marjoram

1 teaspoon savory, ground