Hello and welcome! My name is Mike Riviello and I’m the LoSo Foodie. My mission is to help people ditch the salt to discover the flavor.
At 41 years old, I suffered a stroke as a result of high blood pressure. (I didn’t even know 41-year-olds could have strokes!) You can read the full story of the day my stroke happened here. I had no idea that I had high blood pressure. In fact, the first symptom of my high blood pressure was my stroke.
After surviving that stroke, I committed to improving my personal eating habits. While genetics drives my high blood pressure, eating foods high in salt just makes a bad situation worse.
Besides, we consume way too much salt on a daily basis. We’ve come to believe that salt equals flavor and that just isn’t the case. So even if you set aside the dangers of a stroke, reducing dietary sodium is a good thing.
EASY TO FIND INGREDIENTS THAT ARE AFFORDABLE
The recipes on this site use simple everyday ingredients that are affordable. During my stroke recovery, I quickly became frustrated with YouTube recipe videos and blog posts that used ingredients found at high-end grocers like Whole Foods.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with Whole Foods, but that’s not where most people shop. The average person is buying food from stores like Kroger, Food Lion, Aldi, and Walmart.
What is the point of having a low sodium recipe if you can’t afford or don’t have access to the ingredients? My thoughts shifted to a rural family that doesn’t live near a specialty grocery store. And then I began thinking about the hourly worker barely making enough for rent in a big city that might live near a specialty store but doesn’t have the means to afford “gourmet” ingredients.
What exactly are these people supposed to do??
This sparked my motivation to build losofoodie.com, a collection of recipes that lean heavily on ingredients you can find at your local supermarket or have delivered from an online retailer. Yes, you’ll find occasional specialty because sometimes you want a treat. But those treats are always optional. The core of this site is low-salt recipes made with affordable ingredients.
EMBRACING A LOW SODIUM LIFESTYLE
You will never hear me say a “low sodium diet” because, to me, a diet is for a fixed period of time. People typically go on a diet before a vacation or a wedding. This site is about creating a long-term sustainable commitment to a lifestyle of healthy food consumption centered around low sodium ingredients. That’s why you will hear me talk about embracing the low sodium or “LoSo” lifestyle.
One thing I should be very clear about: I am not a dietician or a healthcare professional. The recipes here are low in sodium, but that doesn’t mean it automatically fits your dietary needs. Everyone’s needs are different so you should consult your doctor about what works for you.
I appreciate you stopping by. I hope I can help you build a collection of low sodium recipes that will improve your life. Feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions or comments. I would enjoy hearing from you.
You can also send notes or letters via mail to:
LoSo Foodie
P.O. Box 1802
Matthews, NC 28106
Together we can ditch the salt to discover the flavor!
I love it that I found your website and am impressed with your recipes. I have tried the Brunswick Stew and the Gingersnap Cookies and have learned that it is best for me to use products for baking that do not contain sodium or potassium — potassium because I take Losartan Potassium 25 mg twice a day. Learning that baking powder can be substituted for baking powder was a first for me, and now that I have searched further, I have purchased both the baking powder substitute and the baking soda substitute you recommend because not only do them not contain sodium, they also do not contain potassium. While I read that Fleischmann’s Instant Yeast contains no sodium, I wonder if you have recipes for yeast breads or muffins that I might use, instead of the higher fat content of the Cheddar Bay Biscuits or the Cornbread recipes you have on your website.
Hi Isla! First off, thanks for taking the time to write a message. I built this website to share what I have learned in hopes it will save someone some time. The baking powder and baking soda substitutes are game changers when it comes to baking! I don’t have any yeast muffin recipes…although now I will need to develop some. I do have two yeast bread recipes that I’ve been meaning to publish. But instead of waiting for me, let me give you a hint when it comes to bread…find any yeast bread recipe you think looks good and just use sodium-free powder or soda. That’s the major source of sodium. I make low sodium bread with my bread machine all the time so it is possible!
Please keep in touch!
Mike
I love your site!! I’m looking forward to so many of the dishes. Would you consider adding a ‘Crock Pot’ or slow cooker category?
Thanks so much for the compliment, Angel. I really appreciate you saying that! Good news! I’m already working on some slow cooker recipes. I’ll be adding them to the site shortly. Perfect for the cold months.
Mike