Salt

In today’s article, I’m going to talk about Salt and how to use it in moderation. 🙂

Sodium Chloride is a common form of salt in food. It is used to flavor and preserve food. Your body needs sodium. However, some people, due to various health issues, need to reduce their sodium intake. A teaspoon of table salt contains 2300 milligrams ( mg) of sodium.

Some ways to reduce your intake of sodium are:

  1. Eat more fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables. The frozen fruits and vegetables should not contain juices or sauces.
  2. Eat more fresh meats vs processed meats. Examples of processed meats include bacon, cold cuts, hot dogs, and sausages.
  3. In food preparation, especially when cooking soups, casseroles, and stews, leave out the salt.
  4. If using canned foods, rinse off or use the no-salt-added variety.

There are ways to enhance the flavor of your food without using salt. Some suggestions are:

  1. Try adding lime or lemon juice or unflavored vinegar: eg, cider or white vinegar,
  2. Using fresh or dried herbs,
  3. There are some sodium-free seasoning blends on the market, or you can make your own. A recipe for making your own sodium-free seasoning blend is:
    Reference: Eat Right. Nutrition Care Manual
    • ( 1/3 C)5 teaspoons onion powder
    • 21/2 teaspoons garlic powder
    • 21/2 teaspoons paprika
    • 21/2 teaspoons dry mustard
    • 11/2 teaspoons crushed thyme leaves

A recipe for Simple Chicken Pot Pie ( American Heart Association )

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins ( all visible fat discarded, cut into 1-inch cubes)

1 small potato ( about 3/4 cup), peeled, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 cloves minced fresh garlic or 2 tsp jarred minced garlic

3/4 cup frozen peas( thrawed)

1/2 small onion (chopped )

3/4 cup chopped carrots ( about 2 small carrots)

1 cup corn cut off the cob ( about one ear) or 8 ounces of no salt added corn or rinse off regular corn

1/2 cup celery ( about 2 stalks) chopped

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon dried, salt-free Italian blend herbs/ seasoning

1/4 cup non-fat milk

11/2 cups fat-free plain Greek yogurt

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

7.5 ounces canned low-fat 10-count refrigerator biscuits (try to find whole wheat )

non-stick cooking spray

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
  2. Place chicken in a medium saucepot and fill halfway with water ( enough to completely cover chicken). Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook about 20 minutes. Remove from water, cool slightly, and dice into bite-sized pieces. Cover and place in the refrigerator ( can be prepared a day ahead)
  3. In a medium saucepot, place potato pieces in cold water, turn the heat on high, and bring to a boil. Boil potatoes until fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from water and set aside
  4. Heat olive oil in a large saucepot over medium-low heat. Add garlic, peas, onion, carrots, corn, and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add chicken, broth, and herbs, and continue cooking for 5-7 minutes until most of the cooking liquid has been absorbed.
  5. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together milk, yogurt, chicken, and potatoes. Add the yogurt mixture to the hot vegetable mixture and remove from the heat.
  6. Keep biscuits cold until ready to use. Cut 5 biscuits into small 1/2 inch cubes.
  7. Place mixture in a 9×9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Scatter biscuit pieces evenly spaced over the top of the pot pie mixture
  8. Bake for about 20 minutes or until biscuit dough is golden brown

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