What's in my Cupboard: Penzey's Essentials

My friend Sarah recently messaged me to ask which Penzey's spices I deemed essential for low-sodium cooking - since she doesn't have a bricks-and-mortar store nearby, she wanted to make sure she got everything she needed when ordering online. For anyone else in a similar situation, here's a rundown of some of my favorite spice blends from their salt-free section:

Tuscan Sunset is my go-to for making marinara and just about any pasta dish. I go through a large jar fairly quickly these days.

Adobo Seasoning is a fantastic seasoning for beans or potatoes to be used as taco filling. It's so flavorful, you don't even need to add salsa or other fixings to potato tacos. 

Penzey's has a lot of salt-free Chili Powders, and the Regular is the first one I've tried - it makes excellent Tempeh Tacos. I'm looking forward to trying some of the other variations, too. 

Bangkok Blend is something that I'm still getting the hang of - so far, my preferred use is in a Thai-style coconut curry (spoiler alert, that's next week's recipe). 

Hot Curry Powder is what I use for my Indian-style curry, and it is definitely hot, even in small amounts (there is also a Sweet Curry Powder if you prefer).

Mural of Flavor is a new-to-me spice blend that I've been experimenting with - it's been pretty tasty in scrambled tofu and pasta dishes. A little seems to go a long way, so this small jar has lasted quite a while. 

Not pictured above is the Chinese 5-Spice, which I've been using in stir fries a lot lately. I'm also a huge fan of their bay leaves (for making no-salt-added vege stock) and more "basic" spices like dill, black pepper, etc. Each time I place a Penzey's order or visit the shop, I try to pick up something I haven't tried before. Here are some other blends that are on my list to try: 

• Arizona Dreaming
• California Style Seasoned Pepper
• Sunny Paris
• Vindaloo Seasoning 

It should be noted that I haven't received any compensation for this post, and no one at Penzey's has contacted me (yet) to do proper reviews. I have purchased all of these spices myself and just want to share the love.

Spicy Egg Noodle Stir Fry

Spicy noodle night is one of our favorite dinners - in fact, it's a recipe we enjoyed quite a bit before Tyler's diagnosis, and I quickly realized we could continue to enjoy it if I just made a few tweaks here and there, especially in the soy sauce department. Vegans can still enjoy this dish with a few minor tweaks (see asterisk below).

Ingredients: 
1 package tofu (the brand we use has 45 mg total), drained and cubed
1 package wide egg noodles* (we use Peapod store brand, which has 30mg total)
1 carrot (25 mg)
1 bell pepper (4 mg)
3 tsp. Sriracha (240 mg total)
1.5 tsp. Bragg's Liquid Aminos (480 mg total)
1 T. unsalted butter** (0 mg)
To taste: water**, paprika, red pepper flakes, sesame oil & rice vinegar (all of which are 0 mg)
Optional garnish:
Cilantro (1mg per sprig) and Green Onions (4.5mg in 30g)

Cook egg noodles according to package directions (obviously, omit salt if the instructions call for it). In large skillet, melt butter and saute red pepper flakes as it melts. Add tofu and veggies and saute for about 3 minutes. Add Sriracha, Bragg's, water, paprika, sesame oil, and rice vinegar, and stir to mix evenly. Add to drained noodles, stir, cover and set for about 5-10 minutes. Top with cilantro and green onions if desired.

*For a vegan version of this recipe, sub in wide rice noodles and 2T. olive oil in place of butter - it's just as delicious!
*I usually use about a 1/4 c. of water.

Total: 824, excluding optional garnish. Serves 2-4, depending on how hungry you are (412 mg per serving if divided in half; 206 mg per serving if divided into fourths).

Quickie Meal: Lemon Butter Pasta

On nights when I really don't want to cook or the cupboards are looking a little bare, this quick pasta dish can be a real life saver. I almost always have a box of pasta and a lemon on hand - and while it sounds simple and maybe a little boring, it can actually be surprisingly flavorful (plus, it lends itself to a lot of variations). Another bonus is that this dish uses very little of your sodium allowance if you don't add cheese - and still is a member of the Under 100 Club if you decide to splurge!

Ingredients:
1 box pasta, any kind (0mg)
1/4 c. unsalted butter (0mg)
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon (9mg)
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped finely (0mg)
Freshly ground pepper and dill weed, to taste
Optional: 1/4 c ricotta or mozzerella cheese (sodium content varies, the brands I use range in 80-135mg)

Cook pasta in unsalted water according to package directions. Just before the pasta is finished cooking, begin to melt butter in a saucepan. Add garlic and saute for about a minute, being careful not to burn. Add olive oil, lemon juice, and dill weed - remove from heat.

Drain pasta, then return to stock pot and pour lemon butter mixture over pasta. Toss and add optional cheese, if desired. Serve with freshly ground pepper to taste.

Total: 9mg (without cheese); 88-144 (with cheese). Serves 4 (2.25 (22-36mg) per serving). Your stats may differ based on your ingredients; be sure to read all labels carefully.

Indian Cauliflower Curry

This is probably the only recipe which I made up and DIDN'T have to tweak before it was ready to present to the world at large. This recipe is kind of a splurge in terms of sodium, but it's filling and flavorful to make up with that (and it's still under 400mg per person, which is not too shabby) - not to mention, it's also vegan! If you have issues with soy milk, feel free to sub in the non-dairy milk of your choice.

Ingredients: 
2 carrots, diced (50 mg)
1 medium potato, cubed (0 mg)
2 cloves garlic
1 head cauliflower, chopped (25 mg)
1 cup peas (I use frozen, which have 24 mg total)
1 cup soy milk (the brand I use has 85 mg total)
2 c. rice (0 mg)
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 T. Bragg's liquid aminos (960 mg)
1 T. Penzey's hot curry powder (0 mg)

Cook rice according to directions on package (I have a rice cooker which I use so I can toss it in there and forget about it til it's done). While rice cooks, saute garlic and carrots in olive oil for about a minute. Add potato, cauliflower and hot curry powder; saute for 4 minutes, stirring often. Add soy milk and cover, reducing heat to medium low. Simmer for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender, stirring occasionally. Add peas and Bragg's; cook uncovered until liquid has thickened, stirring occasionally (about 5 minutes). Serve over rice.

Total: 1144mg. Serves 3 (382mg per serving). Your stats may differ based on your ingredients; be sure to read all labels carefully.

Tacos Are Your Friends: 3 Quick Recipes

Tacos have always been a staple in our household. We usually have hot salsa, cilantro, and limes at the ready for taco night. Shredded lettuce, sour cream, chopped onions, shredded cheese, and avocado are other great toppings to consider, depending on what your sodium allowance is for the meal.

We ALWAYS eat soft tacos on corn tortillas, which don't have any sodium (at least, the brand we use doesn't add salt to the tortillas - it's always good to double check though!). For corn tortillas, an oven warmer is key; I have a ceramic one which I load up with tortillas and put in the oven before turning it on. After about 20-30 minutes (depending on how many tortillas I'm heating), they're ready to go - and usually, so are my taco fillings!

#1 - Potato Tacos - a zero-mg filling.
Potatoes have no sodium, so you can really go for broke here. I used Penzey's no-salt-added Adobo seasoning liberally while sauteing diced potatoes in extra-virgin olive oil. Once the potatoes are soft, you can load them into warm corn tortillas and top as you like. On days where you've spent your sodium allowance otherwise, these are great to make because they honestly taste delicious on their own (that's right - without cheese or salsa!). Tyler LOVES these with just a little bit of BBQ sauce; I like to add salsa, avocado and just a little bit of pepper jack cheese.

#2 - Pinto Bean Tacos - the under-100 club filling. 
I've been using Eden Organics No Salt Added Pinto Beans, which have 15 mg per serving (53 mg per can). All I do is rinse and drain them, then saute in....you guessed it, extra-virgin olive oil with a lot of Penzey's Adobo seasoning! These are especially great with avocado.

Tempeh Tacos are our faves!

#3: Tempeh Tacos - the flavorful splurge.
These require a little planning ahead, but are quick to make once the initial prep of marinating the tempeh is done - I usually prep the tempeh on the weekend so it has a few days to marinate in time for Taco Tuesday.

Ingredients:
1 package tempeh - chopped into strips (we use Lightlife, which has 25 mg sodium total)
1-1/2 c. apple cider vinegar (0mg)
1/2 c. water
1 stick Kombu (180 mg)
Honey to taste
2-3 T. chili powder (make sure yours is salt-free)

To make marinade, add apple cider vinegar, water, kombu, and a squirt of honey (you don't need very much) to a pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Place tempeh strips in a baking dish which has a cover (or use foil). Pour marinade over tempeh and cover. Allow to marinate in the fridge for at least 12 hours (I usually let it marinate for a few days).

When you're ready to make your tacos, drain tempeh and saute in olive oil with chili powder. I like to break the tempeh strips up into smaller pieces, but you could leave them as-is if you so choose.

Once tempeh is heated through, you're ready to assemble your tacos! We like these with salsa, cheese and fresh-squeezed lime.

This makes about 6-8 tacos, for a grand total of 205mg for the tempeh filling (split 6 ways, that's about 35mg per taco). You can dress your tacos with your favorite cheese, salsa or other condiments based on your sodium allowance for your meal - but trust me, they don't need much. Just a bit of cilantro and a little hot salsa can satisfy you without breaking the (sodium) bank.

Baked Penne with Fennel

This is a crowd-pleaser for pot lucks, they won't believe it's a low sodium meal! I've seen articles that fennel is being studied for its abilities to lower blood pressure, though I have yet to see valid, compelling proof. However, I think it's worth adding to the low-sodium diet just in case, right? It's also quick enough to whip up on weeknight (especially if you use a food processor or mini chopper to dice your fennel bulb).

Ingredients:
2 6oz cans no-salt-added tomato paste (I use Hunt's, which has 200mg total)
24 oz. water
1 box penne (0 mg sodium)
1/4 c. shredded mozzarella (I use Peapod store band, which has 135 mg total)
1 c. ricotta (I use Peapod store brand, which has 320 mg total)
1 bulb fennel, diced (122 mg, according to Siri)
2-3 garlic cloves, diced (0 mg)
1 T. Penzey's Tuscan Sunset spice mix (0 mg)
2 T. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (0 mg)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To Make:
Preheat oven to 350F. Cook pasta according to directions on package (be sure to choose the shortest cooking time listed for "al dente" pasta).

At the same time, make pasta sauce as follows:
Saute garlic, fennel and spices in olive oil for about 1 minute, then add tomato paste and water. Stir frequently and simmer til tomato paste reconstitutes (about 10 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of sauce, then add ricotta and stir to mix throughout sauce.

Add cooled pasta to cheese/sauce mixture and stir to coat. Spread half of the reserved tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9x12 baking dish. Spoon pasta into dish and spread out evenly. Pour remaining sauce over mixture, top with mozzarella. Bake in oven for 15 minutes, or til golden brown.

Serve with freshly ground black pepper, if desired.

Total sodium: 777 mg. Serves 4 (194 mg per serving). Your stats may differ based on your ingredients; be sure to read all labels carefully.

Intro + 3 Tips for Low-Sodium Newbies

This summer, my husband was told that he had elevated blood pressure and needed to go on a restrictive 1,500mg-per-day low sodium diet. It was a shock to both of us, and also a wake-up call - once we started reading the labels on EVERYTHING, we realized just how much sodium we were unwittingly consuming each day. Oops.

The good news is that we didn't have to get rid of too many pantry staples; I simply needed to pay more attention to how I used everything and measure, measure measure (something I've never done when cooking - I much prefer to eyeball things). We are a meat-free household, so in some ways, it's been an easy transition, but in other ways, it's also been a challenge. No meat and no sodium might make you think BLAND CITY, but I promise that each recipe is tested, refined and approved by both of us.

I've been working on fine-tuning new and interesting recipes each week so that we have a lot of options when it comes to menu planning. Most of them are really easy to throw together on a weeknight and don't require a crazy amount of ingredients - or prep time, for that matter. I'll be sharing a new recipe or informational post each week, but today I wanted to start out with the 3 best tips which have formed the basis of my vegetarian/low-sodium learning curve:

• Online shopping saves time. I now rely heavily on Peapod not only because they deliver groceries right to my doorstep, but because I can turn on a Nutrifilter to display an icon next to anything that meets the USDA guidelines for being low sodium, and it also will display those products at the top of my search results. As you can imagine, this is a HUGE time saver. I'd be spending hours reading each label at the grocery store, which is considerably less appealing. My other favorite online source is Penzey's Spices, which has an entire low-sodium section. Many of my recipes are built around these spices! 
• Not all products are created equal. I was reminded of this recently when I had to buy a brand of tofu that was different than my usual one - and realized ZERO sodium tofu exists. It just goes to show that sometimes it's good to shop around, I had just assumed that all tofu had sodium in it, even if it was a very small amount!
• Soy sauce is the devil. It pains me to say this, and even low-sodium soy sauce and Bragg's Liquid Aminos (which I prefer to soy sauce) still have a lot of sodium in it. My other favorite, miso, is even worse. I think the hardest part of cooking low-sodium meals has been dialing back the soy sauce content of my stir fry sauces.  

Some other things you should know: I am not a doctor. I am not a dietitian. I really have no qualifications whatsoever to give you medical advice or counsel you in pretty much any area. I'm just a vegetarian who likes to cook and doesn't want her husband to have a heart attack before he's 40. So you should probably go see a doctor if you think something is wrong, or to manage your pre-existing condition.

Also, I am not sponsored by any companies, and am not currently utilizing any affiliate links, just in case you were wondering. My Penzey's obsession is entirely outside the realm of product placement.

I hope these recipes help you the way they've helped us. That's all!