A Little Spice in Your Life

February 2, 2010 General Interest

Did you know that this week is National Salt Awareness week? Weird, but true. If you’re interested in learning about the effects of a high salt diet, check out this link. Salt is usually a guilt by association kind of ingredient. It tends to be excessive in highly processed and packaged food items. On the flip side, it tends to be low in minimally processed whole grains, fruits, and veggies.

But another way to reduce salt in your diet without sacrificing flavor is experimenting with an array of spices and seasonings. The biggest mistake people when trying to reduce their salt intake is forgetting to substitute with other delicious flavors.

I recently received a packet in the mail from McCormick spice company. They are advertising their big “McCormick Spice Institute” campaign “Spices for Health.” The McCormick Spice Institute website focuses on the research and science while the Spices for Health website is more practical application with recipes and tips.

Tonight I made the Ginger Honey Glazed Salmon and it was absolutely scrumptious. I made a couple of modifications, which I’ve noted.

Ginger Honey Glazed Salmon

Marinate then brush salmon with a mixture of honey, ginger, soy sauce and orange juice to give it a flavorful glaze.

Makes 4 servings.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Refrigerate Time: 30 minutes

1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup reduced sodium or regular soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon McCormick® Ginger, Ground (I used fresh grated ginger)
1 teaspoon McCormick® Garlic Powder (I used fresh garlic)
1 green onion, chopped
1 pound salmon fillets

1. Mix orange juice, soy sauce, honey, ginger, garlic powder and green onion in small bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade. Place salmon in large resealable plastic bag or glass dish. Add remaining marinade; turn to coat well.

2. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Remove salmon from marinade. Discard any remaining marinade.

(Marci’s note: I lined a baking dish with aluminum foil and actually baked the salmon in the marinade.)

3. Grill over medium-high heat 6 to 7 minutes per side or until fish flakes easily with a fork, basting occasionally with reserved marinade.

(Marci’s note: I cooked at 375 degrees for about 15 min.)

Your Cambridge Dietitian,

Marci