Watch Out for Salt

Watch Out for Salt

The national blood pressure guidelines recommend limiting sodium to no more than 2,400 milligrams a day (about 1 teaspoon of table salt). By staying on a sodium-restricted diet, your systolic blood pressure (top number) may drop 2 to 8 points.

Tip: Substitute herbs for salt when cooking and avoid processed meats and canned foods.

There really isn't a substitute for salt, but since many people find no-salt diets very bland (for a few days!), herbs will give that little bit of extra flavour you'll be looking for. Give it a week or so, and you won't need anything but the natural flavour of food, which is wonderful! You don't have to stick like glue to the recipes below. Basically, just select which herbs you like, and wing it.

Herbal Salt Substitute (1)

• 1/4 cup dried parsley
• 1/4 cup dried savory
• 1/4 cup dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons dried marjoram

Grind all ingredients together.

Herbal Salt Substitute (2)

• 3 tablespoons dried basil
• 3 tablespoons dried marjoram
• 3 tablespoons dried parsley
• 3 tablespoons dried thyme
• 4 1/2 teaspoons dried chives
• 2 1/2 teaspoons dried paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
• 2 1/2 teaspoons onion powder

Grind all ingredients together.

Bouquet Garni

Tie the herbs together securely at the stalk end with the twine or thread. Immerse in the cooking liquid. Remove before serving.Use to flavour soups, stews, casseroles.

1. Parsley, bay, sage
2. Parsley, mint, chives
3. Parsley, fennel, thyme, bay
4. Parsley, tarragon, bay, chives
5. Parsley, lemon thyme, bay, savory
6. Parsley, lovage, marjoram, bay
7. Parsley, rosemary, sage
8. Thyme, rosemary, oregano, bay
9. Fennel, dill, bay

Fines Herbes

• 1 sprig fresh parsley, minced
• 1 sprig fresh tarragon, minced
• 1 sprig fresh chervil, minced
• 1 fresh chives, minced

Combine all ingredients. Use in vegetable soups, potatoes, butters. Add 2 recipes of this to 1 cup of unsalted butter. Blend and use on potatoes, rice, pasta, fish, or bread.

Herb and Flower Blend

• 4 cups finely flaked dried lovage or celery leaves or mixture of both
• 4 cups finely flaked dried parsley
• 2 cups dried chives (handful each of dried chive flowers and calendula petals )
• 1/2 cup pulverized dill
• 1/2 cup pulverized dried vegetables (carrots, tomatoes, or onions)

Mix all ingredients together.

Herbs de Provence

• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon savory
• 1/2 teaspoon lavender flowers
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano or basil
• 1/4 teaspoon sage

Combine all ingredients. Add some to butter, to soups, on potatoes, on rice, pasta, fish and bread. Rub some on an oiled chicken and roast as usual. Cut up red, yellow and green capsicums, eggplant, zucchini, squash, leeks (shallots or any onion) into bite sized pieces. Pour a little olive oil over and sprinkle on 2 teaspoons of the mixture. Stir to mix the oil and herbs evenly. Bake at 200°C for 15-20 minutes.

Herb Mixture for Beef Dishes

• 3 tablespoons dried summer savory, or 2 tablespoons winter savory
• 3 tablespoons dried basil
• 3 tablespoons marjoram
• 3 tablespoons dried parsley
• 3 tablespoons dried chervil

Crush all the leaves together, mix well, and bottle tightly. Use 1 teaspoon of the mixed herbs as flavouring.

Vegetable Blend

• 1 1/2 tablespoons onion powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon dried chives
• 1 tablespoon dried tarragon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried red chilli flakes

Combine all ingredients. Use in stirfries with a little lemon juice, or on any cooked vegetables, especially carrots, green beans or snow peas.

Aromatic Seasoning Mixture

Pound together in a mortar:

• 30g nutmeg
• 30g cloves
• 60g mace
• 60g peppercorns
• 30g dried bay leaves
• 90g basil
• 90g marjoram
• 60g winter savory
• 90g thyme
• 15g cayenne pepper
• 15g grated lemon rind
• 2 cloves garlic

Push through a fine wire sieve and store in dry bottles.

Poultry Seasoning Mix

• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients.

Quatre Epices (Parisian Spice Mix)
Combine

• 1 part ground nutmeg
• 1 part ground ginger
• 1 part ground cloves
• 2 parts ground white pepper

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