Salt free cooking

lizzief79

lizzief79

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I have four children and do not cook with salt so that we can all eat the same food. Instead, I flavor food with ingredients such as black pepper, herbs, spices, garlic, chillies and lemon. Can any of you recommend some more ways to make my food flavorsome without using salt?
 
I don't cook with salt either.
  • Sweet white miso adds a little flavour - just don't tell them.
  • Mustard, any type often adds flavour to savoury dishes, particularly anything involving dairy (ranging from dry powdered mustard such as Coleman's to wholegrain mustard).
  • Nutritional yeast is another which adds flavour and nutrients to all sorts of things - just don't cook with it, it gets added afterwards
  • A decent stock is another way of adding flavour - we prefer Marigold Vegetable Bouillin and there is a reduced salt version, but the normal version has very little salt in it really and some salt is required in the diet for a normal healthy lifestyle - well required to live actually given it is essential.
What kinds of foods are you cooking? It may help on ideas.
 
People salt too much and it has become a very unhealthy habit for too many people. I stopped adding salt years ago and through trial and error. I have no need for iodized salt because I have no thyroid gland. The thyroid is the only part of our body that actually uses the iodine. If I do need salt then I use sea salt which is so much better for you.
 
I don't have salt in my kitchen. I do have herbs, spices, cider apple vinegar and balsamic vinegar.

I find that most vegetable dishes taste better when onions, mushrooms or garlic are added during cooking. These all release taste into the cooking water , which can be used for homemade sauces and casseroles.

I also think that concentrated tomato paste (always check the label to make sure there is no salt added) adds such a richness of taste that lack of salt will not be noticed, particularly when combined with herbs spices and vinegars.
 
I haven't cooked with salt in years. I use meat tenderizer, lemon pepper, garlic, boullion, and whatever else I have on hand at the time. I recently discovered cooking with apple vinegar.
 
Just an interesting side note to this conversation. I was a totally salt free cook as well, until my daughter was diagnosed with syncope. She faints a lot. The doctor said to actually add salt to her food! Who knew? :D
 
Sodium and other "salt minerals" such as potassium and magnesium can be important to the body's functioning...but table salt is terrible! It can contain traces of aluminium that are bad for one's health. There are all sorts of gourmet salts and sea salts or mineral salts that aren't processed in the same harmful way as table salts, but gourmet, so...yes, sometimes cooking without adding salt is a good way.

Apple cider vinegar is my favorite substitute right now, as well... although, when I think about it, it just might have salt added... because the white cane vinegar that I used to use had salt...
 
I always used sesame oil in some of my soup recipes and for stir frying my vegetable dishes and it really adds aroma and flavor :)
 
We use some salt in cooking but not much, using herbs and spices is much preferred so I do cringe when we go somewhere for a meal and see someone almost drench their food in the stuff. I know some people are brought up with a lot in their diet and so their bodies become almost addicted but it does make me feel rather queasy.
 
As a rule I only use salt when it is called for and generally reduce the amount. With baking I do follow the recommended amount but otherwise I reduce or skip it in the food. Without a thyroid I have no need for iodized salt so when I cook I use sea salt exclusively.
 
I'm not a fan of the Mrs. Dash blends, mainly because they often taste like a bunch of stale herbs and spices, and they put too much pepper in them to the point where they burn my mouth. They always look grey and dingy in the bottles as well, as if they were made from leftover old spices.

If you can find some low sodium cajun seasonings, those pack a lot of flavor. Tony Chachere's makes one in particular that I really like.

You may also want to experiment with stuff like anatto seeds and/or saffron to add color to your food. We eat with our eyes as well, and sometimes having that nice golden color on stuff like chicken or potatoes can make something look and taste more appetizing even if it doesn't actually contain much salt.
 
lizzief79 said:
I have four children and do not cook with salt so that we can all eat the same food. Instead, I flavor food with ingredients such as black pepper, herbs, spices, garlic, chillies and lemon. Can any of you recommend some more ways to make my food flavorsome without using salt?
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Salt is tough one to break, but I use more celery instead. I even dehydrate celery and us that. I haven't eliminated all salt just yet. I use black lava salt in small portions.
 
I have to admit my hands are a little heavy on the salt and I am not proud of it. I need to try harder especially as I am hypertensive. My eyes lit up when I saw this thread as I meant to get some tips for tasty food without "salt". I was avoiding salt and didn't sometimes realise I was more than making up for it with things like soy sauce.

Mrs. Dash is around but I don't use 'her'. It's all stuck together in the bottle.
 
I think that many of you are taking this way too seriously. Don't forget that sodium is necessary for your body to work properly and just a pinch of salt goes a long way. I always add salt when cooking, unless I'm cooking something specific, but when you salt the food during cooking it is coated more evenly and tastes times better. If you manage to drink enough water (2-3 litres will do), the recommended dose of salt intake should be the least of your concerns.
 
If I skip salt in a recipe I don't mind, but I use only a pinch when cooking for other people. I would rather use pepper or chilli flakes to season. I know some salt is necessary, but some people add it to everything and they probably don't need it but are used to the habit.
 
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