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Cooking Tips and Recipes for a Low-Salt Diet

When eating out it can be hard to know how much salt is in your food. But with a few easy changes in your own home kitchen, you can make sure you're preparing food that's low in sodium, as well as super tasty.
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<p>If you're looking for high nutritional value as well as low sodium content, fresh vegetables are an excellent choice — and they also happen to taste absolutely delicious. And if you can't get fresh, or if it's just not convenient for you, frozen is also a fantastic option. Frozen veggies are usually quickly frozen right after picking, so they retain the peak nutritional value of fresh vegetables, but you can keep them on hand at all times and not worry about them spoiling before you get a chance to use them. Aside from sometimes being too soft or mushy, canned vegetables tend to have a very high sodium content, so if you're watching your salt intake, it's best to keep consumption of them to a minimum.</p>
<p><b>Recipe: <a href="http://gogonow.org/recipefinder/corn-cob-honey-lime-butter-recipe-wdy0713%22 target="_blank">Corn on the Cob with Honey-Lime Butter</a></b></p>
Johnny Valiant
Eating out or getting takeout can be a struggle if you're on a low-salt diet, because it's hard to know how much salt is really in your food. But you don't have to miss out! With a few easy changes in your own home kitchen, you can make sure you're preparing food that's low in sodium but still super tasty. Looking for tasty options that cut out meat or dairy? Check our or collection of health-boosting vegan recipes.
1

Choose Fresh or Frozen Veggies

<p>If you're looking for high nutritional value as well as low sodium content, fresh vegetables are an excellent choice — and they also happen to taste absolutely delicious. And if you can't get fresh, or if it's just not convenient for you, frozen is also a fantastic option. Frozen veggies are usually quickly frozen right after picking, so they retain the peak nutritional value of fresh vegetables, but you can keep them on hand at all times and not worry about them spoiling before you get a chance to use them. Aside from sometimes being too soft or mushy, canned vegetables tend to have a very high sodium content, so if you're watching your salt intake, it's best to keep consumption of them to a minimum.</p>
<p><b>Recipe: <a href="http://gogonow.org/recipefinder/corn-cob-honey-lime-butter-recipe-wdy0713%22 target="_blank">Corn on the Cob with Honey-Lime Butter</a></b></p>
Johnny Valiant

If you're looking for high nutritional value as well as low sodium content, fresh vegetables are an excellent choice — and they also happen to taste absolutely delicious. If you can't get fresh, or if it's just not convenient for you, frozen is also a fantastic option. Frozen veggies are usually quickly frozen right after picking, so they retain the peak nutritional value of fresh vegetables, but you can keep them on hand at all times and not worry about them spoiling before you get a chance to use them. Aside from sometimes being too soft or mushy, canned vegetables tend to have a very high sodium content, so if you're watching your salt intake, it's best to keep consumption of them to a minimum.

Recipe: Corn on the Cob with Honey-Lime Butter

2

Use Homemade Stocks and Broths

<p>Like canned soups, beans, and other pre-made, pre-packaged foods, store-bought stocks and broths can be quite high in added sodium. To cut out all that unnecessary salt, make your own stocks and broths at home. They'll meet your dietary requirements, and they will still taste better than the supermarket variety, guaranteed.</p>
<p><b>Recipe: <a href="http://gogonow.org/recipefinder/rich-homemade-chicken-stock-recipe-5737%22 target="_blank">Rich Homemade Chicken Stock</a></b></p>
Ken Burris

Like canned soups, beans, and other pre-made, pre-packaged foods, store-bought stocks and broths can be quite high in added sodium. To cut out all that unnecessary salt, make your own stocks and broths at home. They'll meet your dietary requirements, and they will still taste better than the supermarket variety, guaranteed.

Recipe: Rich Homemade Chicken Stock

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3

Make Your Own Salad Dressing

<p>Not only do homemade salad dressings often taste better than store bought — they are customizable to your own preferences and needs, after all — but they're also quick and easy to throw together, and are way lower in sodium (and artificial preservatives) than their bottled counterparts. Homemade vinaigrettes like this one can also be used as marinades for meat, fish, or tofu, as well as on salads.</p>
<p><b>Recipe: <a href="http://gogonow.org/recipefinder/citrus-vinaigrette-recipe-rbk0711%22 target="_new">Citrus Vinaigrette</a></b></p>
Tina Rupp

Not only do homemade salad dressings often taste better than store bought — they are customizable to your own preferences and needs, after all — but they're also quick and easy to throw together, and are way lower in sodium (and artificial preservatives) than their bottled counterparts. Homemade vinaigrettes like this one can also be used as marinades for meat, fish, or tofu, as well as on salads.

Recipe: Citrus Vinaigrette

4

Make Homemade Soups Instead of Grabbing a Can

<p>Homemade soups do take some time to simmer over the stove, but the results are well worth it. You also have complete control over the amount of salt added, unlike with canned varieties — like any canned food, canned soups are also generally very high in sodium. To cut even more salt out of your favorite soup recipes, make your stocks or broths ahead of time and freeze, so you'll have them on hand to make tasty soups in a hurry.</p>
<p><b>Recipe:<a href="http://preview.www.delish.com/recipefinder/all-purpose-grilled-tomato-soup-recipe-122401?click=recipe_sr"><b>All-Purpose Grilled Tomato Soup</b></a></p>
Petrina Tinslay

Homemade soups do take some time to simmer over the stove, but the results are well worth it. You also have complete control over the amount of salt added, unlike with canned varieties — like any canned food, canned soups are also generally very high in sodium. To cut even more salt out of your favorite soup recipes, make your stocks or broths ahead of time and freeze them so they're ready for tasty soups in a hurry.

Recipe: All-Purpose Grilled Tomato Soup

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5

Roast Your Own Chicken

<p>Rotisserie chicken can make a great meal in a pinch, but the store-bought versions usually have huge amounts of sodium, and can also be injected with broths loaded with preservatives or other chemical flavor enhancers. To cut the salt in a big way, roast chicken at home — it does take a little more time, but you can pop one in the oven and take care of other things at home while it cooks. For added flavor and moisture, without the salt, stuff the cavity with fresh vegetables like onion or carrot, garlic, green herbs, and lemon, or use spices, like the chiles called for in this recipe.</p>
<p><strong>Recipe: <a href="http://gogonow.org/recipefinder/thai-roast-chicken-recipe-clv0511%22 target="_blank">Thai Roast Chicken</a></strong></p>
Anders Schonnemann

Rotisserie chicken can make a great meal in a pinch, but the store-bought versions usually have huge amounts of sodium, and they may have been injected with broths loaded with preservatives or other chemical flavor enhancers. To cut the salt in a big way, roast chicken at home — it does take a little more time, but you can pop one in the oven and take care of other things at home while it cooks. For added flavor and moisture, without the salt, stuff the cavity with fresh vegetables, like onions, carrots, garlic, green herbs, and lemon, or use spices, like the chiles called for in this recipe.

Recipe: Thai Roast Chicken

6

Use Dried Beans Instead of Canned

<p>Like a lot of canned foods, canned beans are very high in sodium. And like many alternatives to canned foods, dried beans take quite a bit more time to cook. To save time when using dried, make sure to give them a good soak before cooking (even overnight, if you can), and make a huge batch — beans freeze beautifully, so if you're going to put in the time to cook dried, make enough to freeze several batches to use later, when you don't have hours to let them simmer. To save even more time, try using a pressure cooker to prepare them, as in this recipe.</p> 
<p><b>Note:</b> Smoked fish can also be high in sodium, so be sure to check labels, and if needed, substitute freshly sautéed or grilled fish instead in this recipe.</p>
<p><b>Recipe: <a href="http://gogonow.org/recipefinder/warm-white-bean-salad-smoked-trout-recipe-fw1012%22 target="_blank">Warm White Bean Salad with Smoked Trout</a></b></p>
Raymond Hom

Like a lot of canned foods, canned beans are very high in sodium. And like many alternatives to canned foods, dried beans take quite a bit more time to cook. To save time when using dried, make sure to give them a good soak before cooking (even overnight, if you can), and make a huge batch — beans freeze beautifully, so if you're going to put in the time to cook dried, make enough to freeze several batches to use later, when you don't have hours to let them simmer. To save even more time, try using a pressure cooker to prepare them, as in this recipe.

Recipe: Warm White Bean Salad with Smoked Trout

Note: Smoked fish can also be high in sodium, so be sure to check labels, and if needed, substitute freshly sautéed or grilled fish instead in this recipe.

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7

Learn to Love Citrus

lemon oregano chicken skewers
Tara Donne

Citrus fruits, like lemon and lime, as well as other acidic ingredients, like vinegars, heighten flavors without adding any salt to a dish. Use in everything from marinades, dressings, and sauces to soups, drinks, and desserts.

Recipe: Lemon-Oregano Chicken Skewers

8

Keep an Array of Herbs of Spices on Hand

<p>Herbs and spices are another easy way to add flavor to your favorite foods while still avoiding salt. A dish like this spicy okra creation uses fresh lemon as well as a selection of dried spices to add tons of taste — enough that you could probably leave the salt out altogether. </p>
<p><b>Recipe: <a href="http://gogonow.org/recipefinder/skillet-roasted-spiced-okra-recipe-fw0910%22 target="_blank">Skillet-Roasted Spiced Okra</a></b></p>
Frances Janisch

Herbs and spices are another easy way to add flavor to your favorite foods while avoiding salt. A dish like this spicy okra creation uses fresh lemon as well as a selection of dried spices to add tons of flavor — enough that you could probably leave the salt out altogether.

Recipe: Skillet-Roasted Spiced Okra

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9

Use Fresh Herbs

<p>Fresh herbs add loads of fragrance and flavor to dishes, and since they have essentially no salt and hardly any calories, you can use them with abandon. To save money, too, and make using fresh herbs easy, consider keeping a few pots of your favorites growing in your kitchen window for easy access.</p> <p><b>Recipe: <a href="http://gogonow.org/recipefinder/sweet-pea-ricotta-spread-recipe-wdy0513%22 target="_blank">Sweet Pea-Ricotta Spread</a></b></p>
John Kernick

Fresh herbs add loads of fragrance and flavor to dishes, and since they have essentially no salt and hardly any calories, you can use them with abandon. To save money and make using fresh herbs easy, consider keeping a few pots of your favorites growing in your kitchen window for easy access.

Recipe: Sweet Pea-Ricotta Spread

10

Get Big on Braising

<p>Braising makes meat super tender and adds tons of flavor. All the taste comes from the richly flavored liquid the meat is cooked in — this recipe calls for red wine and reduced-sodium stock — a great combination if you're looking to keep salt at a minimum. Reduce the salt content of this dish even more by leaving out the added teaspoon and/or using a homemade stock — both tricks will keep sodium low and allow you to totally control the amount of salt in your favorite braised dishes.</p><p><b>Recipe:</b> <a href="/recipefinder/braised-brisket-red-wine-rosemary-recipe-rbk0311" target="_blank"><b>Braised Brisket with Red Wine and Rosemary</b></a></p>
Ellen Silverman

Braising makes meat super tender and adds tons of flavor. All the taste comes from the richly flavored liquid the meat is cooked in. This recipe calls for red wine and reduced-sodium stock — a great combination if you're looking to keep salt at a minimum. Reduce the salt content of this dish even more by leaving out the added teaspoon and/or using a homemade stock — both tricks will keep sodium low and allow you to totally control the amount of salt in your favorite braised dishes.

Recipe: Braised Brisket with Red Wine and Rosemary

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11

Roast or Grill to Add Flavor

<p>Mix up your cooking methods throughout the week. Some techniques, like grilling and roasting, can add a huge boost of flavor to meats and vegetables, without the need for extra salt. The key is in the caramelization — whenever you see deep browning or those lovely char marks, you can be sure you're adding flavor to your food in a healthy way.</p>
<p><b>Recipe: </b><a href="/recipefinder/grilled-eggplant-feta-fresh-mint" target="_blank"><b>Grilled Eggplant with Feta and Fresh Mint</b></a></p>
Tara Donne

Mix up your cooking methods throughout the week. Some techniques, like grilling and roasting, can add a huge boost of flavor to meats and vegetables without the need for extra salt. The key is in the caramelization — whenever you see deep browning or those lovely char marks, you can be sure you're adding flavor to your food.

Recipe: Grilled Eggplant with Feta and Fresh Mint

12

Oven Bake Chips and Fries

<p>Instead of buying packaged chips or getting fast-food french fries, bake these beloved treats at home. In this recipe, malt vinegar brings out the delicious potato flavor of these homemade chips, so you could easily halve the amount of salt called for, and still enjoy chips that are loaded with savory flavor — you won't miss the stuff out of a bag one bit.</p>
<p><b>Recipe: <a href="http://gogonow.org/recipefinder/potato-chips-malt-vinegar-recipe-mslo0111%22 target="_blank">Potato Chips with Malt Vinegar</a></b></p>
Courtesy of Martha Stewart

Instead of buying packaged chips or getting fast-food french fries, bake these beloved treats at home. In this recipe, malt vinegar brings out the delicious potato flavor of these homemade chips, so you could easily halve the amount of salt called for and still enjoy chips that are loaded with savory flavor. Plus, baking cuts out a lot of unnecessary fat — an added bonus!

Recipe: Potato Chips with Malt Vinegar

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