When the folks at Health magazine asked organic foodie Mollie Katzen to name some of her favorite products, she cited Fusion Naturally Flavored Sea Salts, a new line of artisan salts.

More than 20 flavors are available, from Thai Ginger and Italian Porcini Mushroom to Green Tea and Spicy Curry.

The salts “add a punch of exotic flavor to roasted or steamed vegetables,” notes Katzen, a best-selling cookbook author who cofounded the famed Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, NY. “Because they’re so potent, you end up using less salt.”

That’s an important health priority, as Americans consume far too much sodium. Just ask the New Jersey man who’s suing Denny’s over its high-sodium entrees.

I’m looking forward to trying Fusion’s Aged Balsamic Sea Salt, a blend of hand-harvested sea salt and aged Modena balsamic vinegar.

10 Favorite Mollie Katzen Cookbooks

1. The Vegetable Dishes I Can’t Live Without
2. The New Moosewood Cookbook
3. The New Enchanted Broccoli Forest
4. Mollie Katzen’s Vegetable Heaven
5. Mollie Katzen’s Sunlight Cafe
6. Mollie Katzen’s Recipes: Soups
7. Mollie Katzen’s Recipes: Salads
8. Honest Pretzels (children 8 and older)
9. Salad People and More Real Recipes (preschoolers and older)
10. Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes (preschoolers and older)

1. Get an oil change. Switch to mono- and polyunsaturated oils for eating and cooking. Canola, soybean and olive oils are heart-healthy choices.
2. Go fish. Gradually increase fish consumption to at least twice a week, per AHA guidelines. Try new recipes to determine which ones are keepers. (Tune in tomorrow for a special recipe from the cookbook, Graham-Crusted Fish Fillets.)
3. Color your menu. Add veggies to rice, pasta and small portions of pizza. Leave fruit on the counter for quick snacks. Add dried fruit to breakfast oatmeal. Serve fresh fruit for dessert.
4. Greens are golden. Eat a salad with dinner. Include vegetables and legumes like cucumbers, bell peppers, broccoli and green beans.
5. Think your drink. Drink water, herbal teas and unsweetened flavored waters.
6. Tap the moo machine. Drink skim milk daily (adults and kids).
7. Go with the grains. Include whole-grain cereal, bread, oatmeal, barley and brown rice in menus.
8. Green-light some red meat. As long as your overall diet is low in saturated fat, small lean cuts of meat served with heart-friendly foods are OK occasionally.
9. Give good fats a hand. Snack on a handful of walnuts, almonds or avocado slices. They contain monounsaturated fat, which is good for your heart.
10. Hold the bottom line. If you really want it, you can eat it—in moderation. Small amounts of butter are OK from time to time. Serve ice cream for special occasions, but otherwise reach for yogurt.

“Winter is right around the corner, and nothing says comfort like coming in your front door and smelling a delicious and nutritious dinner just a few moments away,” says Odette Smith Ransome, chef at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh.

“Crock pots, the wonderful invention of the late 1970s, make all that possible. They are a busy family’s lifeline. Many professional chefs are big fans of crock pots. Pretty much whatever grandma did can be done in a crock pot. Try some of her recipes and see for yourself.”

Treat yourself to a new cookbook that showcases hearty recipes for your organic kitchen:

• Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker Cookbook
• Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker
• The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Slow Cooker Cooking