Swap Salt for Herbs and Spices in 2016

Making a New Year’s resolution? Don’t forget salt. Most Americans consume about a 1,000 milligrams of sodium over the amount recommended by nutrition and health experts. New research shows cooking with spices and herbs could help you ditch the salt shaker and meet sodium recommendations.

Keeping a resolution to cut salt from your diet is easy. Use simple spice swaps to create tasty, low-sodium meals. From seasoning eggs with basil instead of salt to adding spices and herbs to no-salt tomato sauce, the McCormick Kitchens offer these easy tips and recipes to make low-sodium meals full of flavor:

• Beat 1/8 teaspoon herb instead of salt into 2 eggs before scrambling.
• Add oregano, garlic powder and red pepper to no-salt added tomato sauce for a tasty, low-sodium pasta dinner.
• Try making Citrus Herbed Chicken with Asparagus, Fiesta Citrus Salmon or Tuscan Pasta. These dishes don’t call for any salt. Instead, they swap in basil, garlic powder and oregano.

For more low-sodium tips and recipes – such as shaved vegetable salad with Italian herb vinaigrette – visit McCormick.com/recipes/low-sodium to keep your New Year’s resolutions on track. To see the full Anderson study, which examined the effects of a behavioral intervention that emphasized spice and herbs, and how it impacts sodium intake, visit McCormickScienceInstitute.com.

Fiesta Citrus Salmon

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons McCormick Perfect Pinch Salt-Free Fiesta Citrus Seasoning, divided
• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar, divided
• 1 pound salmon fillets

Preparation

1. In small bowl, mix juice, oil and 1 tablespoon each seasoning and sugar. Place salmon in large re-sealable plastic bag or glass dish. Add marinade; turn to coat well. Refrigerate 30 minutes, or longer for extra flavor.
2. In another small bowl, mix remaining seasoning and sugar. Remove salmon from marinade. Discard any remaining marinade. Rub salmon evenly with seasoning mixture.

Tuscan Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (8 ounces) no-salt added tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar, divided
• 2 teaspoons McCormick Garlic Powder
• 2 teaspoons McCormick Perfect Pinch Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon McCormick Black Pepper, ground
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound zucchini, sliced
• 1 package (8 ounces) sliced mushrooms
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 6 ounces pasta, such as spaghetti or linguine

Preparation

1. In medium saucepan, mix tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar and seasonings. Bring to boil on medium heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes.
2. In large skillet, heat oil on medium-high heat. Add zucchini, mushrooms and onion; cook and stir 4 minutes or until vegetables are tender-crisp. Stir tomato sauce into vegetables.
3. Meanwhile, cook pasta as directed on package. Drain well. Place pasta in serving bowl. Add vegetable mixture; toss well.

Citrus Herbed Chicken with Asparagus

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon McCormick Garlic Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon McCormick Black Pepper, coarse ground
• 1 pound thin-sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon McCormick Basil Leaves
• 1 teaspoon McCormick Oregano Leaves
• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Preparation

1. In shallow dish, mix flour, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder and pepper. Reserve 2 tablespoons. Moisten chicken lightly with water. Coat evenly with remaining flour mixture.
2. In large nonstick skillet, heat oil on medium heat. Add 1/2 of the chicken pieces; cook 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Repeat with remaining chicken, adding additional oil, if necessary. Remove chicken from skillet; keep warm.
3. In medium bowl, mix stock, basil, oregano and reserved flour mixture until well blended. Add to skillet along with asparagus. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 3-5 minutes, or until sauce is slightly thickened, stirring frequently. Stir in lemon juice. Return chicken to skillet; cook 2 minutes, or until heated through.

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