1. Skip the Salt and Season Your Food With Herbs and Spices
To maintain flavor while cutting your salt intake, Moreinos Schwartz suggests turning to alternative seasonings. “Using herbs and spices is one of the most important things in cooking because everything is so flavorful,” she says.
For instance, she likes to liven dishes with a homemade sofrito, a popular sauce in Latin cuisine that gets its spiciness from garlic, cilantro, peppers, and tomatoes, the latter of which is optional. Moreinos Schwartz likes to add paprika, nutmeg, cumin, oregano, and parsley to the mixture. “There is so much depth in its flavor that you need a lot less salt when using sofrito,” she says.
Chicken stock can also boost the flavor of soups, sauces, and rice dishes, but opt for low-sodium varieties, or make your own. “I am a huge advocate for homemade chicken stock,” says Moreinos Schwartz. “I never throw the bones of a rotisserie chicken away. Instead, I simply add cold water and make chicken stock at home.”
If you crave yellow rice, a staple of Spanish and Caribbean dishes, Moreinos Schwartz recommends ditching the boxed variety but keeping the fragrance and golden hue by adding saffron or turmeric.
2. Choose Plant Proteins and Leaner Meats
Registered dietitians agree that removing the skin from chicken is the easiest way to minimize its saturated fat content. And, if you’re choosing beef, they recommend considering the total fat content in addition to the saturated fat content of the product you buy, opting for the highest percentage of lean meat (for example, 90 percent lean versus 80 percent lean) when possible.
Similarly, go on and enjoy a sausage and black bean soup, but consider replacing pork or beef sausage with turkey or chicken sausage. Or you could replace the pulled, stewed beef of a Cuban ropa vieja with slow-cooked chicken, says Moreinos Schwartz.
3. Go for Higher-Fiber, Less-Processed Versions of Your Favorite Starches
If these grain swaps are inaccessible or culturally unacceptable, simply add beans to a smaller portion of white rice or vegetables to pasta. Such additions can increase the fiber and nutrient density of your meal.
Likewise, instead of a sugar-packed dessert like arroz doce (rice pudding) or tres leches cake, opt for a small portion of your favorite whole fruit, which is full of fiber and nutrients while void of added sugar, making it less likely to spike your blood sugar.
