SATIATED Saturdays: Healthy Chicken Salad

I know what you're thinking: "chicken salad...seriously? How is that interesting?"

Except that it is interesting...when you make it my way.

Equipment You Will Need:  two cutting boards, a large mixing bowl, wooden spoon or wooden fork, a spatula, paring knives, knives for cutting.

Ingredients You Will Need:  whole roasted chicken, three scallion shoots, 1 beefsteak tomato, half-cup sunflower seeds, three tablespoons red or white-wine vinegar, cucumber puree or Tzatiki sauce (see previous recipe), vegan mayo to taste, fresh or dried dill.

Notes: after roasting the chicken, allow to cool. Cut-up into small pieces, and place in bowl. Dice tomatoes and scallions, and add to mixture. Add sunflower seeds, vinegar and sauce, along with mayo to taste.Sprinkle with dill, liberally. Voila.

TIPS Tuesday: Pass...on the Salt

This week's tip was going to be about the equipment needed to run a kitchen on a no-refined-carbs diet. However, I'm still putting that list together. (a cutting board, yes, but what else?....)

Meanwhile, let's talk about salt--do you really need so much of it? As a salt-lover, I've been amazed at how little salt I really need. I'm not giving it up--after all, iodine is a nutritional requirement. But, setting aside nutritional values, too much sodium can lead to hyper-tension and range of other problems. It's tempting, when not using refined carbs in your cooking, to over-salt food.

Instead, try upping the quantity of other spices--paprika, cilantro, cumin, turmeric, cayenne--you use, along with fresh herbs, like dill, mint, parsley and basil. As well, onions (and this includes red onions and scallions) offer distinct flavor to dips, dishes and salads that may well obviate the need for salting the food.Vinegars (wine, balsamic, rice--watch this last one, as sugar is often added to it) also provide flavor when used judiciously.

While your at it, consider choosing unsalted peanut-butter, and unsalted nuts, when shopping for these items. You will be surprised at how little you miss the salt.