Book excerpt: "Cooks who are watching their sodium but looking to spice up their lives should give this book a look. Recommended to readers of all cooking levels who are looking to bring healthy but delicious foods into their lives." —Booklist These low-sodium but flavor-packed 115 recipes plus daily meal plans will improve cardiac health without sacrificing taste. A lack of salt often means that food tastes ho-hum, which can ruin your appetite and adversely affect your quality of life. Yet the reality is that sodium levels in packaged and processed foods--such as ketchup, canned broths, and soups, to name just a few--are shockingly high. To stick with a low-sodium diet long-term you want to savor the food you're eating (so important!), which means finding new ways to replace the flavors that salt naturally highlights. Author Lara Ferroni, who adheres to a low-sodium diet herself, has spent years creating naturally flavorful recipes everyone will love. In this book, you will find 115 recipes for homemade condiments, spice blends, dressings, cheeses, breads, prepared meats, and other foods. In addition, she offers daily meal plans--breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even dessert!--which contain less than a total of 2,000 mg of sodium, typically the daily amount allowed on a low-sodium diet. Ferroni, who is also a food photographer, has filled the book with enticing photos and shares her experiences of maintaining (and making peace with) a low-sodium diet. There is no need to feel deprived on a low-sodium diet. These recipes will help you love the food you eat while at the same time feel good about taking care of your health.