Reducing salt from your diet can significantly improve your health especially
for those suffering from high blood pressure, kidney diseases, and heart
problems. In the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans, it is recommended
that healthy adults limit their sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams or about
a teaspoon of salt a day. You may be thinking that the recommended amount
seems unrealistic considering the amount of salt needed to make a tasty
dish, which is why we provide some low-sodium dinner recipes to prove
that your dish can still be tasty without adding too much sodium.
Balsamic Baked Chicken
Balsamic vinegar is a good alternative for chicken marinades as compared
to using the usual soy sauce that is high in sodium. This recipe gives
your chicken a tangy, herb taste with a little sweetness that you and
your family can surely enjoy.
You need:
- 1 ½ tsp. fresh rosemary, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ black pepper
- ½ tsp. salt
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
Combine rosemary, garlic, pepper, and salt in a bowl and mix well. Place
your chicken in a separate bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Rub spice
mixture to chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or more.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a heavy roasting pan with nonstick cooking
spray and place the chicken in. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn chicken over
and bake for another 10 minutes. Add three to four tablespoons of water
if drippings begin to dry up.
Drizzle vinegar over chicken and transfer to serving plates. Stir liquid
in the pan and drizzle over chicken. Serve and enjoy!
Garlic Salmon
Aside from being low in sodium, this recipe makes use of salmon that is
a good source of omega 3-fatty acids and protein. The combination of garlic,
lemon, and dill makes this dish a tasty and healthy choice for you and
your family.
You need:
- 1 ½ lbs. salmon fillet
- 3 to 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 sprig fresh dill, chopped
- 5 slices of lemon
- 5 sprig of dill weed
- 2 green onions, chopped
- Dash of salt and pepper to taste
- 2 large pcs. of aluminum foils
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Spray aluminum foils with nonstick cooking spray and place salmon on top
of one of the foils. Sprinkle salmon with salt, pepper, garlic, and chopped
dill. Place lemon slices with a sprig of dill on top of each fillet. Add
green onions.
Cover salmon with the second piece of aluminum foil and pinch together
to seal. Place on a large baking dish and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Low-Sodium Meatloaf
Enjoy everybody’s favorite meatloaf without using any salt. This
recipe stays true to the traditional recipe, you can’t even tell
that it’s low in sodium.
You need:
- ½ cup onion, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup celery, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup carrot, finely grated
- 2 lbs. ground beef
- 1 can no-salt-added tomato sauce, about 8 oz.
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp. thyme
- ¼ tsp. ground pepper
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup no-salt-added ketchup
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 tbsp. horseradish
- 1 tbsp. prepared mustard
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté onion,
celery and carrot until tender.
In a large bowl, mix all the other ingredients except for the last four
that will be used for the sauce. Put in a large baking pan, shaping it
to form a loaf.
Combine last four ingredients in a separate bowl and pour over the meatloaf.
Bake for about an hour. Let stand for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Low-sodium dinners don’t necessarily mean bland and boring. As long
as you know which ingredients to choose as your seasoning, you can still
have a tasty and flavorful dinner.
This article contains general information about medical conditions and
treatments. The information is not advice and should not be treated as
such. The information is not intended to replace the advice or diagnosis
of a physician.
If you have any specific questions about any medical matter you should
consult your doctor or other professional healthcare provider.