Mix ingredients together. Place in airtight jar. Before use, toast the seasonings briefly in a dry pan to bring out the flavor.

Serving size: 1 teaspoon.

• Per serving: 10 calories, 0 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 10 mg sodium, 1 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 0 g sugar, 0 g protein.

This quick recipe, with minimal sodium, is just plain delicious, either as a salsa or a salad. The lime juice and lemon zest are the secret. It also makes use of the taco seasoning, above. It's from the Rehabilitation Hospital, too. You can use cherry, pear or Roma tomatoes in this if the larger tomatoes available to you aren't very flavorful.

Salsa fresca

• 1 cup diced fresh tomatoes
• 1 cup peeled, diced cucumber
• 1/3 cup chopped red onions
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro or flat-leaf Italian parsley
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• Grated rind of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon taco seasoning (above)

Combine ingredients; let stand 10 minutes before serving. Use this mixture to top a taco, in a taco salad, or eat with salt-free tortilla chips. If you coarsely chop the tomato and cucumber, instead of dicing, you can serve this as an oil-free side salad.

Makes 8 servings.

• Per serving: 10 calories, 0 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 5 mg sodium, 3 g carbohydrates, less than 1 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 0 g protein.

Another recipe that makes use of the low-sodium taco seasoning is this quick supper dish — messy but yummy. You can add some grated low-sodium cheese, but it will bring the sodium count up.

Open-face burrito with fresh salsa

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1 pound 90 percent lean hamburger
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning (above)
• Shredded lettuce
• Salsa fresca (above)
• 6 low-fat flour tortillas
• Nonfat sour cream

Sauté onion in olive oil until limp and translucent. Add hamburger and brown. Drain fat and return hamburger and onion mixture to pan. Add taco seasoning; taste and add more, if desired.

To assemble: Place a flour tortilla on a plate. Top with a bed of shredded lettuce. Place about 1/4 cup of hamburger on top and scatter 1/4 cup salsa fresca over that. Add a dollop of sour cream and serve. To eat: Roll tortilla around mixture, burrito-style.

Makes 6 servings — many adults will want two.

• Per serving: 300 calories, 17 g total fat, 6 g saturated fat, 65 mg cholesterol, 130 mg sodium, 13 g carbohydrates, less than 1 g fiber, 3 g sugar, 21 g protein.

Attendees at a low-salt cooking class at the Rehabilitation Hospital made short work of this easy salad, adapted from "Cook Great Food" by the Dietitians of Canada (2001 edition). Serve as a side to grilled chicken or fish. May sound crazy, but this would also be great over hot brown rice.

Always rinse canned beans before using them; most are packed in a salty liquid. Look for no-salt-added or low-sodium canned goods when you must use them. If you cook beans from scratch and use fresh corn in season, this recipe would be even lower in sodium. You can use frozen edamame (fresh soy beans), boiled and shelled, but don't salt the water in which the beans are cooked.

Colorful bean and corn salad

For the salad:

• 1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 3/4 cup edamame (fresh soy beans), cooked and drained
• 1 (12-ounce) can corn kernels, drained
• 1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped green or red bell peppers
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion or sweet Maui onion
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley

For the dressing:

• 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (optional)
• Fresh-ground black pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine beans, edamame, corn, tomatoes, pepper, onion and parsley.

Whisk together vinegar, oil, cumin, garlic, hot pepper sauce and pepper. Blend well. Pour over salad.

Makes 10 servings (1/2 cup each).