Spice up Your Cooking
Jun 21, 2017The Renal Diet can still be satisfying and flavorful, says Bosnic. “This is not about eating a bland diet…You can get flavor using herbs and spices like fresh garlic, red pepper, lemon, vinegar, and whole or ground spices in your food.” For people on a renal diet who don’t want to sacrifice flavor while choosing to stay healthy, here are some cooking tips to bring fulfilling, flavorful home cooked meals to the table:
Add lemon juice, herbs, and spices that do not contain salt to add flavor, such as this Spice Blend Recipe and flavoring guide (courtesy of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics):
Spice Blend Recipe*
(makes about 1/3 cup). Reminder: a little bit of spice goes a long way! Be careful not to overseason).
5 teaspoons onion powder
2 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
2 ½ teaspoons paprika
2 ½ teaspoons dry mustard
1 ½ teaspoons crushed thyme leaves
½ teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon celery seed
| To flavor: | Use these salt-free spices: |
| Beef | Basil, bay leaf, caraway, curry, dill, dry mustard, garlic, green pepper, mace, marjoram, fresh mushrooms, nutmeg, onion or onion powder, parsley, pepper, rosemary, or sage |
| Chicken | Basil, cloves, cranberries, mace, fresh mushrooms, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, parsley, pineapple, saffron, sage, savory, tarragon, thyme, or turmeric |
| Eggs | Chervil, curry, dill, dry mustard garlic or garlic powder, green pepper, fresh mushrooms, nutmeg, onion powder, paprika, parsley, rosemary, or tarrago |
| Fish | Basil, bay leaf, curry, dill, dry mustard, green pepper, lemon juice, marjoram, fresh mushrooms, paprika, pepper, tarragon, or turmeric |
| Pork | Applesauce, basil, caraway, chives, cloves, garlic or garlic powder, onion or onion powder, rosemary, or thyme |
| Vegetables | Basil, dill, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, mace, marjoram, nutmeg, onion, tarragon, sugar or sugar substitute, salt-free salad dressing, or vinegar |
Source: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics