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Not very FR: Blood pressure is up a bit, doctor said to cut back on sodium for two weeks, then come
- Thread starter marianne
- Start date
diannecerkvenik64
Well-known member
Marianne ~ here is a website for recipes with high blood pressure ~ looks good~ Hope you get better
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/collections/high_blood_pressure_diet.html
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/collections/high_blood_pressure_diet.html
My son is currently on a low-sodium diet...there are some great ways to reduce
sodium. Vinegar is a total friend; you can make healthy marinades with it. Lemon juice, of course, helps to season foods also, as you probably already know. Mrs. Dash is great stuff; awesome in no-salt-added tuna (Crown Prince brand sells no salt added tuna, not sure if you can find it..I can only get it at health food store; they also sell n-s-a smoked kippers, great way to still get your fatty omega 3's). There is a website called drgourmet.com run by a medical doctor, Tim Harlan. Good recipes and advice there. Another good website for recipes is lowsodiumcooking.com. The pulled pork recipe is fabulous. Above all else, fresh fruits and vegetables are the best bet and you'll find yourself actually tasting more of them without the salt...processed foods and restaurant foods are killing us! Make your own salad dressing; olive oil, balsamic vinegar and chopped shallots with a little Dijon, so much better than the bottled crap. Read every label. If you love Asian foods, as we do, try Braggs Liquid Aminos, great substitute for soy sauce. Even low-sodium soy sauce is way too high in sodium!
sodium. Vinegar is a total friend; you can make healthy marinades with it. Lemon juice, of course, helps to season foods also, as you probably already know. Mrs. Dash is great stuff; awesome in no-salt-added tuna (Crown Prince brand sells no salt added tuna, not sure if you can find it..I can only get it at health food store; they also sell n-s-a smoked kippers, great way to still get your fatty omega 3's). There is a website called drgourmet.com run by a medical doctor, Tim Harlan. Good recipes and advice there. Another good website for recipes is lowsodiumcooking.com. The pulled pork recipe is fabulous. Above all else, fresh fruits and vegetables are the best bet and you'll find yourself actually tasting more of them without the salt...processed foods and restaurant foods are killing us! Make your own salad dressing; olive oil, balsamic vinegar and chopped shallots with a little Dijon, so much better than the bottled crap. Read every label. If you love Asian foods, as we do, try Braggs Liquid Aminos, great substitute for soy sauce. Even low-sodium soy sauce is way too high in sodium!
Mrs. Dash has a great line of salt-free seasonings. I especially like their Garlic and Herbs. Also,
cooking with lots of garlic and onions will add some natural "salt" and flavoring to your food, with garlic powder and onion powder adding even more intense, natural "salty" flavor - Sometimes I use both the fresh and the ground together. (I use very little salt in my food). I highly recommend Penzey's garlic powder and onion powder (the toasted granulated onion would give you a stronger, more "salty" taste than the white onion).
(You can find many of the Mrs. Dash spice blends in most supermarkets).
http://www.mrsdash.com/products/seasoning-blends.aspx
cooking with lots of garlic and onions will add some natural "salt" and flavoring to your food, with garlic powder and onion powder adding even more intense, natural "salty" flavor - Sometimes I use both the fresh and the ground together. (I use very little salt in my food). I highly recommend Penzey's garlic powder and onion powder (the toasted granulated onion would give you a stronger, more "salty" taste than the white onion).
(You can find many of the Mrs. Dash spice blends in most supermarkets).
http://www.mrsdash.com/products/seasoning-blends.aspx
Marianne, I've had to watch sodium since my 20's. These are a few things I've learned....
I've been sodium-sensitive since my 20's, now I honestly dislike very salty foods. I now taste the ingredients of my dishes, rather than salt. Sometimes I'll taste a food and think "How can people stand this much salt!" And as always, all things in moderation. (Eat 2 BBQ ribs, not half a slab.) My ideas are fairly plain spoken, and you've probably already heard them, so forgive repeats! Marianne, once you cross over to the low sodium side, you will never go back. You can trust me on this! Angela
1. Learn to read labels. And remember... "lower sodium" does not mean low sodium. (I'm stymied the FDA allows this confusing label.) Even read the labels on frozen veggies... the salt content varies greatly, even for seemingly unseasoned veggies.
2. Learn to make your own salad dressings, spice mixes & rubs. The sodium content of most prepared spice mixes is damn-near lethal. By making them, you can also tweak them and make them your own.
3. Add a small amount of salt to your dishes, and don't worry about guests or hubby. They can add more salt at the table, but you shouldn't.
4. Prepared lunch meats and cheeses are totally unhealthy. Don't know if your grocery stores carry Boar's Head brand deli meats, but they have an excellent selection of lower sodium, AHA approved sandwich meats. Even a low sodium roast beef. Pricey, but truly lower sodium than other brands I have found labeled "low/lower sodium."
5. Look for low sodium canned tomato products. Try not to add salt to tomato based sauces. If you just gotta' have Pizza Hut... order your pizza pie with "thin crust, light on the tomato sauce & cheese with veggie toppings."
6. Starkist makes a Very Low Sodium Tuna.
7. Helluva Good brand makes a very nice low sodium cheddar. Boar's Head brand makes a NAS (no added salt) Natural Swiss. Use fresh mozzarella instead of pre-packaged, use ricotta instead of cottage cheese
8. Avoiding pre-packaged mixes includes cake & bread mixes. When making cakes from scratch, remember salt, baking powder and baking soda quickly add up in sodium content.
9. You will be amazed at how little you have to cut out of your diet... one of my best successes is being able to make my own low sodium, low fat ramen noodle soups. I hadn't been able to eat those in YEARS!
10. Some things I learned to live without... hot dogs, sausages, canned treats, canned veggies, chips, salted nuts, olives. But today there are many healthier brands of these foods available. And I promise... Tyson's fresh turkey sweet Italian sausage and breakfast sausage really are good!
I've been sodium-sensitive since my 20's, now I honestly dislike very salty foods. I now taste the ingredients of my dishes, rather than salt. Sometimes I'll taste a food and think "How can people stand this much salt!" And as always, all things in moderation. (Eat 2 BBQ ribs, not half a slab.) My ideas are fairly plain spoken, and you've probably already heard them, so forgive repeats! Marianne, once you cross over to the low sodium side, you will never go back. You can trust me on this! Angela
1. Learn to read labels. And remember... "lower sodium" does not mean low sodium. (I'm stymied the FDA allows this confusing label.) Even read the labels on frozen veggies... the salt content varies greatly, even for seemingly unseasoned veggies.
2. Learn to make your own salad dressings, spice mixes & rubs. The sodium content of most prepared spice mixes is damn-near lethal. By making them, you can also tweak them and make them your own.
3. Add a small amount of salt to your dishes, and don't worry about guests or hubby. They can add more salt at the table, but you shouldn't.
4. Prepared lunch meats and cheeses are totally unhealthy. Don't know if your grocery stores carry Boar's Head brand deli meats, but they have an excellent selection of lower sodium, AHA approved sandwich meats. Even a low sodium roast beef. Pricey, but truly lower sodium than other brands I have found labeled "low/lower sodium."
5. Look for low sodium canned tomato products. Try not to add salt to tomato based sauces. If you just gotta' have Pizza Hut... order your pizza pie with "thin crust, light on the tomato sauce & cheese with veggie toppings."
6. Starkist makes a Very Low Sodium Tuna.
7. Helluva Good brand makes a very nice low sodium cheddar. Boar's Head brand makes a NAS (no added salt) Natural Swiss. Use fresh mozzarella instead of pre-packaged, use ricotta instead of cottage cheese
8. Avoiding pre-packaged mixes includes cake & bread mixes. When making cakes from scratch, remember salt, baking powder and baking soda quickly add up in sodium content.
9. You will be amazed at how little you have to cut out of your diet... one of my best successes is being able to make my own low sodium, low fat ramen noodle soups. I hadn't been able to eat those in YEARS!
10. Some things I learned to live without... hot dogs, sausages, canned treats, canned veggies, chips, salted nuts, olives. But today there are many healthier brands of these foods available. And I promise... Tyson's fresh turkey sweet Italian sausage and breakfast sausage really are good!
Val, here is my ramen soup recipe. I also have a low sodium question....
This soup is so flexible. I have made it several different ways. I hope you enjoy it. I also want to ask for opinions about rinsing canned veggies. I love hominy, and would like to use some canned black beans, but I am afraid the sodium content is still off the charts after the veggies have been rinsed. Anyone?
Angiebaby's Ramen Soup
1/2 package Ty Ling Chinese Noodles (55mg sodium/serving, 5 svgs/pkg)
2 c chicken broth (low sodium, low fat, organic)
2 c water
2 slices fresh ginger, smashed
1 tsp fresh garlic, minced
2 tsp canola oil or EVOO
1/4 c onions, chopped
4 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 tsp fresh, cracked, black pepper
2 T Angostura Lite soy sauce (66% less sodium)
2 tsp toasted or grilled sesame oil
Sugar to taste... add sparingly. I add a healthy pinch (or a bit more if I throw bok choy into the broth.)
Optional:
1 1/2 sheets nori (dried, toasted seaweed)
green onions, tops only, sliced 1/4 inch on the diagonal.
In 2 qt. pan, cook onions in canola oil until translucent. Add garlic & ginger; saute about 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, water & black pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat & simmer 20 minutes. Uncover, bring broth up to boil again. Add Chinese noodles, mushrooms, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar & nori (if using). Reduce heat and bring broth & noodles to a slow boil; cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, separating noodles with a fork after they have absorbed some broth. Remove ginger chunks. Sprinkle top with green onion tops.
**If something doesn't make sense, let me know. I made chicken chili today and forgot to add the chicken. One of THOSE days....
This soup is so flexible. I have made it several different ways. I hope you enjoy it. I also want to ask for opinions about rinsing canned veggies. I love hominy, and would like to use some canned black beans, but I am afraid the sodium content is still off the charts after the veggies have been rinsed. Anyone?
Angiebaby's Ramen Soup
1/2 package Ty Ling Chinese Noodles (55mg sodium/serving, 5 svgs/pkg)
2 c chicken broth (low sodium, low fat, organic)
2 c water
2 slices fresh ginger, smashed
1 tsp fresh garlic, minced
2 tsp canola oil or EVOO
1/4 c onions, chopped
4 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 tsp fresh, cracked, black pepper
2 T Angostura Lite soy sauce (66% less sodium)
2 tsp toasted or grilled sesame oil
Sugar to taste... add sparingly. I add a healthy pinch (or a bit more if I throw bok choy into the broth.)
Optional:
1 1/2 sheets nori (dried, toasted seaweed)
green onions, tops only, sliced 1/4 inch on the diagonal.
In 2 qt. pan, cook onions in canola oil until translucent. Add garlic & ginger; saute about 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, water & black pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat & simmer 20 minutes. Uncover, bring broth up to boil again. Add Chinese noodles, mushrooms, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar & nori (if using). Reduce heat and bring broth & noodles to a slow boil; cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, separating noodles with a fork after they have absorbed some broth. Remove ginger chunks. Sprinkle top with green onion tops.
**If something doesn't make sense, let me know. I made chicken chili today and forgot to add the chicken. One of THOSE days....
Angie, thank you for the recipe! For the black beans, I think that rinsing
does help...but have you ever tried soaking your own dried black beans and making your own? That might help... and, here's a link to a more qualified answer. (Scroll down to where he talks about canned black beans)
http://www.drgourmet.com/recipes/salad/lentilblackbean.shtml
does help...but have you ever tried soaking your own dried black beans and making your own? That might help... and, here's a link to a more qualified answer. (Scroll down to where he talks about canned black beans)
http://www.drgourmet.com/recipes/salad/lentilblackbean.shtml