By Katy Wilkens

This year, instead of an Easter basket filled with chocolate rabbits and marshmallow chicks, try making a healthy, salt-free gourmet gift basket. The same ideas work to celebrate a birthday, going away, wedding or baby shower.

Not only will you have fun selecting the items, but most of them are as handy as your local grocery store. I stock up on inexpensive baskets at the thrift store. When I see good “stuffer” items on sale, I buy a big supply since most will keep a long time.

Experience the joy of giving and know that everything in your gift basket is low in sodium – which means it won’t contribute to high blood pressure, diabetes or kidney disease.

To make the basket extra memorable, cook up a homemade treat with an easy and tasty recipe from the Northwest Kidney Centers website, www.nwkidney.org.

Here are some ideas to get you going.

Fancy crackers: brown rice crackers, flatbread, pita bread or chips.

To top your crackers: fig jam, jalapeno jam, lemon curd, imported unsalted butter.

To drizzle over: truffle oil, specialty olive oil, hot chili oil, hot pepper sauce, balsamic vinegar.

Or start with a package of gourmet dried pasta and add bunches of fresh herbs, low sodium pesto or low sodium roasted peppers.

Cheeses higher in fat are often lower in sodium. Shop for Brie, artisan cream cheese, crème fraiche, Brillat-Savarin or chevre.

Spice up your recipient’s life with Dijon mustard, horseradish mustard, horseradish root or garlic bulbs.

Is your friend a baker? Fill the basket with King Arthur, Montana Gold or other high-end flour, real almond or vanilla extract, vanilla beans, candied ginger or candied orange peel, or dried cranberries, cherries or blueberries.

Not a baker? Then give treats that are ready to eat: gingersnaps, shortbread cookies or biscotti.

To wash down the treats, add French lemonade. Or consider adding limoncello or other cooking liqueur.

Not everything has to be edible. Your basket could contain nice measuring cups or measuring spoons, interesting salad servers, handsome oil and vinegar cruets, or pots of fresh herbs.

You can also tuck in a current Cook’s Illustrated or Cooking Light magazine.

Have fun with your basket and have a happy spring.

[Katy G. Wilkens is a registered dietitian and department head at Northwest Kidney Centers. A recipient of the Susan Knapp Excellence in Education Award from the National Kidney Foundation Council on Renal Nutrition, she has a Master of Science degree in nutritional sciences from the University of Washington. See more of her recipes at www.nwkidney.org.]