My ALL-TIME favorite seasoning is 21 Seasoning Salute, from Trader Joe's. Salt free, which allows me to adjust salt without adding too much.

The Spice House has some good salt-free seasoning blends. I can’t remember the name of the one I used to use for DH. It may have been Savory Herb & Vegetable or Summer Garden.

When Mom was having to go low-sodium, I made these taco and guacamole for her. I thought it was pretty tasty. It is 84mg of sodium per serving. https://thedailydish.us/main-dishes/beef-tacos-with-homemade-guacamole/

Thanks, Springroz. I have used 21 Seasoning Salute in the past but not for a long time. I'll have to try it again-- it is an interesting mix and seems to have a bit of everything. I tend to prepare my own blends with fewer ingredients. Not sure if that is better or not. It's just how I learned to cook.

I did order some items for my sister.. a very good EVOO for cooking and a different one for salad dressings. Also a few season mixes.. Greek Freak salt-free from Spiceology and also a Mexican blend and Veggie Pepper (Veggie Pepper is one of my faves--- good on eggs, cheese sandwiches and about anything else I've tried it on!) from Frontier Coop. She should be good with making her own vinaigrettes etc. I also ordered my favorite whole wheat pasta brand and sent over some rosemary sourdough bread (which is apparently as good if not better than whole grain bread for a heart healthy diet).

Potatoes are very good for heart health-- but butter, salt, sour cream are not. Any tips for potatoes? I was going to suggest she try mashing potatoes with EVOO in place of butter. Green onions and garlic should help -- but then salt really enhances garlic so not sure if that will be enough to give them some flavor.

Nephew is limited to a small number of vegetables-- red peppers are especially kidney friendly but many others are not. BIL is not a fan of most vegetables (and by not a fan, I mean "refuses").. which is part of the challenge. He will eat corn, msuhrooms, onions, peppers in moderation.

Thanks, BBstx. That looks good (though oddly, my sister developed an extreme allergy to avocados in her late 40s).

I would wander around Penzey's or a similar spice shop for inspiration. Is there one near you?

Also @bbstx .. I also love The Spice House. It may be an unpopular opinion, but I like them more than Penzey's (i believe they are owned by siblings??). 25 yr ago I got my sister/BIL a collection of spice blends from the Spice House... I think sister would love a refresh. Thanks for the reminder!

No, @deegw, none near me but as I shared above, I have shopped The Spice House, Penzeys and a number of other spice companies. I have already ordered some blends for sister .. I usually make my own though there are some unique ones I've come to love.

I am especially looking for cooking techniques .. and recipes. I think we take for granted how much salt adds to a dish. It enhances other ingredients and helps add depth. I think once I have a few recipes and techniques (like adding a carrot to cook with marinara sauce), I will be good to carry forward developing my own recipes/adapting others.

BIL really loves scallops ... that's my (literally as I sit here) current search. I am trying the recipes myself, packing up meals for them and building a pinterest page with links to tried and true recipes for sister and SIL.

Thank you all so much!

Funky, I'm no chef but I squeeze fresh lemon juice into many things since I've cut our salt intake.

LOL @Arapaho-Rd -- me too! Love lemon .. but until now, I used it with salt. I think it's a great suggestion! It will add a brightness and tang similar to salt.

Browning adds a lot of flavor but then you have the acrylamide to deal with.

Bumble, I was just going to add that grilling lemons adds another great layer of flavor but your comment about acrylamides took the wind out of my sails :)

Funky, I'm a tactile/visual person, that's why I suggested actually going to a spice store. But, if you don't have one, obviously it won't be helpful.

For some reason, two-dimensional pictures online of recipes, decor, clothes, etc., don't spark my imagination like in-person perusing.

Roasting for vegetables. And roasting for shrimp too since you sent us to Ina Garten for shrimp recipes. i haven‘t done the pasta with shrimp but am much impressed with simply roasting shrimp with olive oil and lemon zest. Although i guess shrimp is not a good choice for BIL.

And I will again extoll the wonders of pomegranate molasses. I’m sure a marinade or drizzle would be nice with chicken, salmon salmon, or pork.

Thank you all -- keep the ideas coming!

@lisaam I also thought shrimp was not a part of a heart healthy/heart healing diet but the AHA gives shrimp a thumbs up! I have been learning so much-- especially what foods help heal the heart. BIL doesn't eat shrimp but he loves scallops. And yes-- I love Ina's roasted shrimp recipe too!

I have never cooked with pomegranite molasses -- I need to give it a try. It sounds like it would be especially good with lean pork!

No-salt lemon pepper is one of my favorite seasonings.

Funky, you are a total sweetheart.

Jilly, I like lemon pepper also -- even for a regular diet! Veggie Pepper is kind of similar except intstead of lemon the pepper is combined with onions and dehydrated bell peppers. It isn't as bright as lemon pepper but it has a more subdued but savory brightness IYKWIM?

Deegw, I know what you mean-- but for me it isn't tactile, I need to smell the blend. I have a keen sense of smell and I can imagine recipes just from the smell. I do have an local artisanal spice shop but they are under new ownership and only open to the public one saturday a month. I may try making my own-- I already ordered honey powder to try to emulate a blend that contains salt.

Aside .. I have twice looked into buying a local spice company. When the last one sold, it was bad timing for me financially. I wish I had jumped on the first opportunity but I was too focused on my career at the time and I let it go (and the company died). It may still be something I consider in the future ... a retirement business/hobby.

Dee, I brown everything!!

Pomegranate molasses isn't that hard to make by cooking down pomegranate juice.

@Funkyart, Do you have a Marshall's/TJ/Homegoods near you? Oh shoot just remembered you don't drive. So ask your darling nieces to pop in one and pick up some small plastic containers. My friend that had a triple by pass purchased several 2-3 oz ones that made it convenient for her to bring her own salad dressing.

I crack up when she pulls her little container out of her purse when we do lunch. I always wonder what else she has hiding in there.

Thanks, Rnmom -- for the suggestion and remembering I don't drive.

Neither will need serving size containers but that's a great idea for those who go to work/dine out often! I did load up on salad dressing bottles. They aren't expensive but they aren't cheap either. I'll check out some of the discount stores. Have you seen them at TJ/Marshalls/Homegoods?? I guess I can start saving mayo/pickle jars too.

I will teach sis to make her own marinades once things settle down (BIL is back in the hospital-- not heart related but still their lives are pretty upside down right now). It's something I think she'll enjoy. I already ordered some salad-quality EVOO, a selection of vinegars and some spice blends for her to play with.

ETA .. LOL on what she keeps in her purse! I used to keep a mini pepper grinder in mine!

Loving these ideas.

I just had some soup with liberal shakes of smoked paprika … another of my favs.

There is an ancient Craig Claiborne cook book for low sodium diets. I gave it to a friend who had to cut sodium out of her diet. She loved it.

Look up ingredients that have "umami", which will flavor blast your food. tomatoes, mushrooms, fish sauce, anchovies and other fish are our favorites. https://www.seriouseats.com/umami-ingredients

I'm not sure how low you are trying to get your salt intake though. If you're trying to go for an extremely low sodium diet, some umami foods might not work for you. be sure to check the labels.

https://www.foodandwine.com/condiments/fish-sauce-healthier-way-get-your-salt-fix-says-study

I am sorry your BIL is back in hospital. You are the best sister ever.

No advice, aside from seconding the brightness of lemon to perk everything up, including meat and chicken.

fish sauce and tinned anchovies have a lot of salt, though....

Sometimes a small pinch of cayenne or dry mustard can help lift a flavor profile (in the absence of salt). Especially with dressings, where you are avoiding commercial mustards but still want that lift. Be on the watch for potassium cloride, sometimes found in canned tomato products. A lot of the new spice blends are very similar to the old "Mrs Dash" products....

Years ago we tried cutting way back on salt, not eliminating it completely. Adding more salt to plated food was the culprit. We used (later made our own) gomasio, ground toasted white sesame seeds. I don't remember if I added any salt to the seeds at the time, but even so, it reduced the concentration of salt added to food considerably. Even without salt-reduction in mind, it's deliciously umami-rich and sometimes tastes bacon-esque.

I'm off to my local Asian market to buy some sesame seeds in bulk.

https://www.daringgourmet.com/gomasio-japanese-sesame-salt/

I have to limit my salt intake and since I'm the primary cook in the family, everyone else has limited theirs as well. I read all labels to limit added salt. I never add salt to my cooking and use extra of whatever spices are used. I add extra acid - citrus, vinegar, wine, tomato. At first it was awful but I've gotten used to saltless food. Normally salted food is now too salty. I always put salt on the table for others to use as they wish and I am not at all offended if they add it to their meal. My health is more important. Good luck in your quest.

I have found the best salt alternatives are lemon, lime and vinegars. everyone now request my lemon mash potatos instead of the standard version.

ooh Roarah, recipe?

Nutritional yeast and mushroom powder are some things that can boost umami in foods. In the past sauce, I would consider adding some black coffee (not much) to add some depth of flavor without salt (I assume it is the tannins that give the depth, similar to red wine). Another trick I have used is to add dried crumbled seaweed to dishes to get depth. You would have to see if it met the sodium parameters though. Because I am in NM, increasing the heat (green or red chile) would also be under consideration, but it is certainly not for everyone. For someone who does not like the heat, a smoked ancho chile powder would certainly add some depth. Perhaps a smidge of dry mustard powder to the mashed potatoes?

Another Spice House fan here. I'm leery of spice blends because they're usually just a bunch of salt (unless labeled "salt free"), but Spice House has some great options.

Roasting always adds another flavor dimension to vegetables. And the same for meat--even a slight char is so flavorful, if their palates can handle it.

I second nutritional yeast. It adds almost a cheesy flavor, and is healthy, too. I used it once in place of parmesan in a dish for a vegan friend.

All of what's been suggested above--acids and interesting spices.

Any tomato dish I make needs an abundance of salt, I have found. I'm glad you were able to experiment with sugar and spices to compensate.

Good luck! I wish them both better health.

I will tell you a secret, Feathers ... I think I am going to add zucchini to the next batch of marinara. BIL will not eat anything green but i think the sweetness will help balance the acidity without salt .. and without adding sugar which I hate to do. I am thinking if I use an immersion blender he won't know there's zucchini in it. If it is obvious or he doesn't like it, *I* will love it so it won't go to waste.

Roasting is a great idea (and someone above mentioned it too). Sister/BIL pretty much grill or roast all meats...that's one of the reasons sister's first ask was for marinades. Until now, they used Gazebo Room Greek Salad Dressing to marinate their chicken. I made my own version of the same ... next will be a garlic and herb heavy marinade for beef/pork tenderloin. Nephew needs to limit protein but all the more reason that what he does eat is very flavorful!

I never cooked with nutritional yeast-- but I am aware of it. I'll need to experiment!

And, I am with Mtn.. please do share your lemon mashed potato recipe, @roarah! Yum1

Again.. my continued thanks!

Yesterday I paid $5.79 for a 3.5-oz. bottle of sesame seeds at Whole Foods. Today I paid $3 for 8 oz. at Asia Mart. I'm going to make some gomasio, probably with a bit of salt, as a post-cook seasoning.

For MTM, I sometimes omit the mustard for a simplier version. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015955-bobby-flays-lemon-potatoes

Oh, that looks wonderful, Roarah!

For anyone battling with the pay wall, here it is copied below. (Can I go to jail for this?)

INGREDIENTS

Yield: 4 servings

For the Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

• 2tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
• 1½teaspoons Dijon mustard
• ¼cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1teaspoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• ½teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano

For the Potatoes

• 2pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
• Kosher salt
• ½cup crème fraiche
• Finely grated zest of 1 Meyer lemon
• 2tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• 2teaspoons finely chopped fresh oregano
• 2teaspoons finely chopped fresh chives
• Ground black pepper

PREPARATION

1. Step 1For the Meyer lemon vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, whisk together lemon juice and mustard until combined. Slowly add olive oil, whisking until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in parsley and oregano; set aside.
2. Step 2For the potatoes: Put potatoes in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water by 2 inches and add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to simmer, cover and cook until fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well, return potatoes to the pan and put back over low heat, stirring a few times, to dry well.
3. Step 3Add crème fraîche, lemon zest, parsley, oregano and chives. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Gently crush with a potato masher until combined. If desired, potatoes may be covered and kept in a warm oven for up to 30 minutes. To serve, transfer to a bowl and drizzle with Meyer lemon vinaigrette while still hot.

Gomasio complete. Toasted sesame seeds in nonstick pan. Lightly ground in Magic Bullet. Added a little salt, next time will add less. But...open the jar, close eyes, take a whiff. Smells just like crisp bacon. This will be fab on salads and veggies.

Funky, I haven't read above, but wanted to say there is a person on the cooking forum who has done low salt cooking for a spouse for a long time and has a blog. I can pull up a lot of discussions on low salt cooking when I go thru gardenweb rather than Houzz. Her forum name is Shambo and her blog is dontsalt.blogspot.com.

These are other recommended sites

Cooking.com

MegaHeart.com

http:www.lowsodiumcooking.com/

http://megaheart.com/

One of the points she makes is instead of looking for new recipes, learn to adjust the ones they love. It sounds like that is what you are trying to do. I, too, like the Spice House. I like to get their sample packs that are less shipping and give me a chance to see if I like before I purchase in quantity. Good luck! Your sister is fortunate to have your help.

Thank you so much, Lizbeth .. I will check out her blog and the links.

And yes, you are right-- it's only going to work if I help them adapt their current foods. BIL is a picky eater and they have their things they eat.

Bunny, I have a hard time imagining sesame seeds smelling like bacon but I believe you! I do love toasted sesame seeds.. in salad, brown rice and I am sure a bunch of other things.

Funky, strange but true. Remember, they’ve been toasted and then partially ground. It releases the oil and the hidden bacon-ness.

You're not using much of it in your dressing recipe, but remember that mustard is high in sodium content and I think Dijon is higher than yellow.

Yes, thanks, Oly. I didn't use mustard at all for that reason -- but as I mentioned above, I have homemade mustard (I receive every year as a gift). I need to check to see if she made it with/without salt.

Sorry, I guess I missed that!

When on a low salt diet it is often over looked how much salt is in breads and baked goods. One slice of bread generally has twice as much salt as potato chips.,

I may have to make some of that Meyer Lemon vinaigrette. Costco had a big bag of Meyer lemons that I got a couple of weeks ago, and I need to get them all used before they go bad.