Low Salt Diet

Party_Animal

Thanks Curry Queen

Party_Animal

Also full range of Kallo cubes in Morrisons and cheaper than H and B. They also do low sodium range of beans and spag etc.

Mrs_Thrift

I eat a lot of pesto and earlier this week I was thinking that the new one I'd tried (to save money of course!) was very salty, but didn't think about it too much. But this thread has inspired me to have a proper look at the ingredients and I was shocked at not only the salt content but all the other nasties added to it.

So I'm going to be brave and make my own (found a recipe in a cooking book I already own last night) and it might even save some money as well as my health!

I'm also going to have a good look at everything we eat and change to lower salt versions as much as possible.

Party_Animal

If you come up with a good recipe please share it.
Thanks

Curry_Queen

We were discussing pesto recipes on a different thread not so long ago but I can't for the life in me remember which one ... sorry ... but it's basically basil leaves, pine nuts, olive oil (ex-v), lemon juice and parmesan cheese all ground up together in a pestle and mortar or you could use a blender. I don't have my note book to hand for the exact proportions but I usually do it by taste anyway.

Mrs_Thrift

Party_Animal wrote:

If you come up with a good recipe please share it.
Thanks

Sorry for the delay - been off work for the Easter hols - but I'll come back to you with the recipe tomorrow.

Sarahsaver

Processed food - high salt
Homemade food - you know exactly what goes into it.
Simple as that.

Edinburghlass_2

Party_Animal wrote:

Galtizz, you won't believe I didn't know how to do that, that's brilliant.
Any more tips for non techies very welcome
Thanks again

A quick tip if you want to print out a recipe from a post on here, is click on the post number in the top right hand corner which will then bring up a window with just that post on it, then use the print screen button

Mrs_Thrift

Huge apologies - I had completely forgotten about the pesto recipe I promised. Here it is, from a book called "Pasta and Italian" from "Super Cookery."


Pesto

Ingredients:

About 40 fresh basil leaves, washed & dried

3 garlic cloves, crushed

25g / 1oz pine nuts

50g / 1 ¾ oz Parmesan cheese, finely grated

2 – 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

salt & pepper

1. Put the basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts and grated Parmesan into a food processor and blend for about 30 seconds or until smooth. Alternatively, pound the ingredients by hand, using a mortar and pestle.
2. If you are using a food processor, keep the motor running and slowly add the olive oil. Alternatively, add the oil drop by drop while stirring briskly. Season with salt and pepper.

Tip: You can store pesto in the refrigerator for about 4 weeks. Cover the surface of the pesto with olive oil before sealing the container or bottle, to prevent the basil from oxidising and turning black.

Variation: Try making a walnut version of this pesto. Substitute 25g / 1oz walnuts for the pine nuts and add 1 tbsp of the olive oil in step 1.

shoperholicnot

Party_Animal wrote:

Apologies if this is in the wrong place.
Despite my fairly healthy lifestyle ( with the exception of exceeding my weekly units) I've been diagnosed with high blood pressure and it likely I'll be prescribed medication. I saw the Practice Nurse today and she agreed that, on the whole, my diet is ok but I need to cut down on salt. I don't use salt in cooking or seasoning, I think the problem lies in processed food. We make our own soups etc and try to eat lots of fresh stuff, but we do use tinned beans and tomatoes etc. The nurse told me that there's as much salt in corn flakes as crisps. Does anyone have any advice as to which foods or brands are low in salt?
Thanks any advice very welcome
Thanks again

A lot of Organic passatas do not contain salt, these are available in health food stores quite cheaply