Homemade chili lowers the sodium while keeping the flavor.
Manufacturers of canned chili add salt for flavor, rendering these inedible for those with medical conditions requiring a low-sodium diet. By making chili, the ingredients used can be controlled, including the amount of added salt.
Use Low-Sodium Ingredients
Read the labels on any packaged product added to the chili. Canned vegetables, broth, condiments and frozen foods with added sauces can all hide added sodium. Avoid using these in a low-sodium chili recipe. Choose no-salt-added canned varieties or fresh or frozen ingredients instead. Omit additional salt in the recipe and add extra seasonings and spices such as onion, chili and garlic. Watch out for packaged chili mixes or chili powder seasoning with salt added to it. Some brands of chili spice are a combination of ground chili peppers, salt and other ingredients. Do not use these in low-sodium chili, but opt for ground chili powder without other ingredients.
Increase the Flavor
Add a dash of lime juice, freshly chopped green onions or cilantro to chili just before serving to increase the flavor. Before putting the ingredients into a slow cooker or saucepan, grill or roast them to bring out the flavor. Increasing the flavor in a recipe reduces the need to add salt. Topping low-sodium chili with tortilla chips or shredded cheese is not recommended as these often have high amounts of sodium.
Make the Chili
Combine 2 tbsp. olive oil with 4 tsp. minced garlic and 2 cups chopped onions in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook for five minutes over medium-high heat until the vegetables are translucent. Add 1/4 cup ground chili powder, 2 tbsp. ground cumin and 3 lbs. cubed beef stew meat or ground beef. Cook for 10 minutes over medium-high heat to brown the meat on all sides. Remove the ingredients from the saucepan and transfer to a slow cooker. Add 1 cup water, 4 cans of no-salt chopped tomatoes, 2 cans of no-salt pinto or black beans and 10 oz. frozen yellow corn. Cover and cook over low heat for eight to 10 hours.
Tags: chili powder, ground chili, low-sodium chili, cans no-salt, ground chili powder, medium-high heat
