Thursday, August 26, 2010

Flavorful Low-Sodium Family Meals

I've really been trying to watch my sodium levels this summer, because I've been retaining water quite severely. So, I've ditched the salt shaker and I'm reading labels like crazy (you will be amazed and disgusted at the amount of sodium in foods, especially processed ones).

Ditching the salt doesn't mean I have to ditch the flavor though. I've known about Mrs. Dash for years, but now I've found out they have 15 Salt-Free Seasoning Blends so you can really create a variety of healthy, flavorful foods without adding any salt.

For quick weeknight dinners, I love putting some burgers on the George Foreman grill - I mix in about 1 tablespoon of Mrs. Dash per pound of ground beef so the flavor goes all through the burger!

I've even done oven-roasted potatoes by cutting potatoes into large chunks (I leave the skin on), spraying with a bit of cooking spray, and seasoning liberally with Southwest Chipotle, Extra Spicy or Garlic Herb Mrs. Dash, then roasting in a 400 degree oven until crispy. We like these better than french fries!

If I'm cooking chicken, I'll put it in a Ziploc bag in the morning, add a healthy shake of Mrs. Dash, mix to coat and leave it in the fridge to marinate all day. When I get home, I can put the chicken on the grill or in the oven and it tastes FABULOUS!

Making scrambled eggs? Add a dash of Mrs. Dash into the raw eggs as you scramble them, and they will be the best-tasting eggs you've ever eaten! (my preference is the Original, but the Southwest Chipotle is great too.)

The Italian Blend is great for making quick pizzas as an afterschool snack - halved english muffins, canned tomato sauce, a sprinkle of Mrs. Dash and a little shredded cheese, put in the toaster oven and toast until the cheese is browned and bubbly. We had these long before they came out with frozen mini-pizzas!

Steamed veggies (broccoli, squash, zucchini, carrots) taste great sprinkled with a little Original or Caribbean Citrus seasonings.

For a quick Italian vinaigrette dressing, I've whisked oil & vinegar together (I do about half and half, I like my dressings tart) and then added Mrs. Dash Italian Blend to taste. It's so much better than bottled dressings and it's fresh every time.

Thanks to Mrs. Dash, I'm now preparing healthier, more flavorful meals for my family. We're also experimenting with different flavors because of the wide variety of products. Healthy eating does not have to be bland or boring, as long as you have Mrs. Dash!



I wrote this blog post while participating in the Mrs. Dash and TwitterMoms blogging program for a chance to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

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