Thanks for saying that, g. CH used to annoy me immensely by allowing lay people to give medical advice. I reported it regularly to no avail.
I hope Pan never thought I was giving medical advice intended to supplant information he is receiving from doctors, but I am not sorry I alerted Pan to the relationship of gall stones to too-rapid weight loss, and I hope people won’t go around reporting posts about low-salt diets for medical reasons or weight loss diets in general or other healthy- related diets where people talk about health issues. Perhaps it is helpful to always include the caveat that doctor’s have the last word on such matters, but I would never have thought to report graygarious for advising Pan that cold weather burns calories.
But I have the feeling everybody would like to see this thead return to low-salt cooking.
We are a low salt household as I have a borderline (inherited, thanks Mum and Gran!) blood pressure problem, and going low salt means I don’t take drugs. I would simply say, eliminate all salt in cooking (add it at the table if needed), use sea salt (you seem to need less of this) and allow your palate to adjust, it takes some time. I check labels on any ready meals.
I do find some food in restaurants salty, but rarely too salty, and I feel it’s okay to eat all that salt on the occasions (1 or 2 times a week) I eat outside the home.
I do belong to my local YMHA, so no worries about a warm place to exercise.
So far as I know so far, I don’t need to avoid full-fat items. I figured I’d have to make my own stocks from scratch. Do you have any recommendations of very low-salt stocks available in stores?
That chicken soup sounds good. I would like all the flavors except the pimenton. There’s some chemical in bell peppers and some similar types of peppers (but not most hot peppers) that upsets my stomach.
I find mussels a difficult item to get really fresh, and since they’re filter feeders, I limit my intake, anyway. However, my girlfriend and I do like them, so I could definitely imagine cooking with them occasionally. Do you have a preferred shop in Manhattan (or perhaps a nearby part of Brooklyn) that sells reliably fresh, completely non-fishy-tasting mussels?
I’m off octopus for personal reasons but still eat and like squid (until I find out they’re just as intelligent as octopuses…) 
My blood pressure seems to be declining quite nicely the last few days, but I’m still on pretty high doses of a couple of drugs, so I think it’s definitely not appropriate for me to eat salty restaurant food at all for now. Maybe after I lose more weight and am able to go off more medication.
Thanks a lot for the Cajun and Southeast Asian ideas, GinaMarie and Hal_, and on your interesting ideas, Ttrockwood! I’ve never heard of nutritional yeast and will definitely look into it. Does it work well put into dishes like stews at the same time salt would be put in, or is it best sprinkled on at the table?
Your cabbage recipe reminded me that I used to really enjoy my mother’s Austrian-style red cabbage with apples and caraway seeds. I should make that soon, perhaps with goulash, as she used to do.
Yesterday, my girlfriend and I made an improvised, Indian-inspired scrambled egg dish that came out very well. I will try to reconstruct the recipe, as some amounts were not exactly measured:
Extra virgin olive oil as needed
1 teaspoon amchur (unripe mango) powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon coriander powder
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large white onion, sliced
5 large organic eggs, roughly beaten
About 1/2 to 3/4 cup full-fat Fage yogurt
The juice of about 3/4 of a lemon, with seeds removed
About half a bunch of fresh cilantro including stems, roughly torn into pieces.
Fire the olive oil in a frying pan for a short time at a moderate flame
Add the spices, lower the flame as necessary and mix continuously to prevent burning or clumping.
A minute or two later, add the garlic. Cook for a while, then add the onion. Continue to stir as needed and add more olive oil if needed.
When the onion seems more or less fully cooked, add the eggs. Stir until the eggs are fully cooked.
Add the yogurt and cook, mixing as needed, until the water is substantially reduced.
Add the lemon juice. Continue to stir as needed and cook for a few more minutes.
Taste and see if any ingredients need to be added for more balance of tastes.
If everything tastes right, add the cilantro, stir for a couple of minutes, try again, and when ready, serve. The dish should have a sauce but should not be watery.
Add additional yogurt and sprinkle ground cayenne pepper at the table to taste; eat with a bit of low-sodium pita if desired.
I think I’ll go to Grand Sichuan St Marks this evening and have Sauteed Spicy Chinese Broccoli, which they are able to make deliciously for me without salt. I have 7 apples I plan to halve and bake later with cinnamon, allspice and a bit of ground ginger.
I’ll pop in here to say that the Greenmarket vendors (Blue Moon and Pura Vida for sure, and probably PE & DD as well) very often have mussels, for $4-$6/lb. I’ve never been disappointed with the quality, although I was disappointed today because I arrived too late and there were only four left. So I got clams.
It is an excellent idea to make your own stock. don’t know if the typical low-sodium chicken broths sold in cans in stores in the US are low-salt enough for you. Check the labels. But if you are willing to make your own stock, it will be better in every way.
I live in Italy! Do either of these links help?
http://www.amny.com/eat-and-drink/nyc-fish-markets-7-you-need-to-visit-1.10072455
http://www.thirteen.org/metrofocus/2012/03/fresh-fish-where-and-when-to-get-the-best-catch-in-nyc/
I hate to tell you, but I never met a stupid squid.
Red cabbage with apples is a great winter dish.
A few years ago, I bought the KAL brand of nutritional yeast touted by a respected Chowhound regular. I was completely underwhelmed. IME, it was a totally inadequate sub for both salt and cheese. The aroma was that of a used baby-burping towel. YMMV.
I have used nutritional yeast both ways, added to a dish while cooking as well as at the table- if you enjoy the flavor as much as i do then adding to the top of the dish at the end is best since you taste it the most that way. When incorporated it adds a bit of umami background flavor that is hard to pinpoint.
There are also certainly people like GG who hate the stuff so YMMV.
Bon app did this article that is helpful (and the charred broccoli dish they mention is amazing, i’ve made it many times now)
Another thought is to make your own quick pickles to have as a garnish or ingredient that adds a good punch. You can use anything from greens beans to carrots to jalapenos. This is great how to- just minimize the salt and use a heavy hand with the spices and garlic
I had no idea you were in Italy!
Your remark about squids made me laugh.
Wow, not good! I’ll have to get a very small amount to try.
I love pickles, so I’ll have a look at that link. Thank you.
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I realized I didn’t reply to your point about how low is low enough. I am on a diet that requires me to keep my sodium intake under 2 grams per day.
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http://www.traditionaloven.com/culinary-arts/cooking/table-salt/convert-gram-g-to-tea-spoon-tsp.html
Right. But of course, sodium intake is not just from salt, as sodium naturally occurs in many foods.
Oh, totally. I was just showing just how small an amount you’re dealing with. Here are some alternatives from a reputable source:
It’s a good source, but some of the suggestions have to be regarded cautiously. Many breads that aren’t covered with salt are still pretty high in sodium, for example.
I was thinking more about food ‘in their natural state.’ 
