The Low Sodium Pantry: Crispies, Crunchies, & Crumbs (Part 2)

As I said in Part One, just about everything tastes and looks better with a crispy topping.

Seeds & Nuts

Other crunchy possibilities include using seeds and nuts. Just replace some or all of the crumbs you're using with sesame seeds or nut meals.Tuna steaks crusted with sesame seeds is a popular restaurant dish, but there’s no reason why you couldn’t crust chicken, vegetables, or other fish at home. Sesame seeds are usually sold in the spice section of most grocery stores, but they’re way too expensive there. You can find sesame seeds, usually sold in bulk, in the natural foods section of grocery stores or at health food stores. I always keep some in my freezer.

Because of increased awareness of gluten intolerance, many grocery stores and natural foods stores now carry almond meal. This finely ground almond product is wonderful for breading fish, chicken, & vegetables. Used for baking or frying, the ground nuts develop a wonderful toasty flavor and crunchy texture. Both Bob's Red Mill and Trader Joe’s carry ground almond and ground hazelnut meal.

Chopped, sliced, & slivered nuts are handy to have on hand for quick toppings. I buy unsalted toasted & sliced and slivered almonds at Trader Joe’s and keep them in my freezer. I often throw a quick handful on vegetables, salads, & casseroles. I also keep toasted pine nuts in my freezer along with peanuts and cashews. Coarsely chopped nuts can make a nice coating for baked/fried fish or chicken too. Toss some into the crumb mixture for additional crunch.

Chips

When you think crunchy, you must think chips – corn & potato. My local grocery stores carry Padrino’s and El Sabrosa brands of unsalted tortilla chips. Trader Joe's also sells organic corn chips.  They’re wonderful for snacks with homemade salsa or guacamole. However, they’re also good made into crumbs. They make a deliciously different coating for fish or chicken. Just season the meat with a chili flavored spice blend before dipping into the tortilla crumbs. Bake or fry and serve with salsa. Because the chips are already fried, you don’t need to add any additional fat to the crumb mixture.

Combine some coarse tortilla crumbs with a bit of cheese and spices for a unique vegetable or casserole topping. Or use tortilla crumbs in your favorite meatloaf or meatball recipe along with chili spices for a completely new taste treat. One word of warning: the unsalted baked tortilla chips taste like cardboard. Definitely not worth using.

And then there are potato chips... Could anything be tastier than a piece of chicken or fish dredged in crispy, crunchy potato chips? The plain chips are great! Crushed potato chips are great for casserole toppings too.

Most grocery stores and health food stores stock unsalted tortilla & potato chips. However, if you can’t find any in your local stores, shop online at Healthy Heart Market.

A Better Egg Wash

The September, 2008 issue of Cook’s Illustrated included a recipe for crunchy oven-fried fish. I was intrigued by their different method for creating an egg wash. It used the usual eggs but added a bit of flour and mayonnaise. The end result was more like a batter than a simple egg wash. I decided to give it a try and discovered that this thick egg wash was the perfect glue for all kinds of crumb crusts. I’ve since used it several times. It’s perfect for oven baking. One of the things I really like about this method is that you can make the wash quite flavorful – always a bonus when dealing with no or low salt cuisine. One cautionary note, though. Remove the skin from chicken pieces. The thick batter and thick crumb layer tend to rubberize chicken skin.

Better Egg Wash
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated
(Printable Recipe)

2 large eggs
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish or low sodium mustard (optional)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
2 teaspoons low sodium Worcestershire sauce (optional)
1 teaspoons minced fresh or dried herbs or spice blends (optional)

Whisk all ingredients together in a shallow bowl. The egg wash should have the consistency of pancake batter. Add drops of milk, cream, or buttermilk if the mixture seems too thick.

Dip meat, chicken, or fish in the wash and then into crumb mixture.

Onion Crisps

I’m crazy about French fried onions. Always have been, always will be. I’ll eat them in any shape, size, or form. Good ones made with great batter & perfectly fried. Lousy frozen ones made with minced onions. I’ll still eat them. Heck, I even like the canned French’s fried onions. I don’t like that ubiquitous green bean casserole that always seems to be featured at holiday time, but I like the crispy onions part.

A little while ago I came across a homemade version and decided I had to give it a try. If the recipe worked, I’d have another tasty & crunchy casserole or vegetable topping. It comes from Alton Brown’s "Best Ever Green Bean Casserole" recipe. I’ve made it twice so far. The first time I followed the recipe exactly as written, but I found the oven temperature to be too high. The second time, I adjusted the temperature and did things a bit differently. I was really pleased with the end results. Crunchy onion bits perfect for topping all kinds of things. I had made some braised cabbage for dinner that night. The crispy onions elevated such a ho-hum vegetable dish to an entirely new level. I didn’t use them all, so I refrigerated the leftovers. Now the only thing I have to do is keep myself from snitching them while no one is looking.


Crispy Onion Topping
Adapted from Alton Brown
(Printable Recipe)

2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons low sodium panko or bread crumbs
Nonstick cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Combine the onions, flour, and panko in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine. Coat a sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray and evenly spread the onions on the pan. Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake until golden brown, approximately 20 - 30 minutes. Toss the onions 2 to 3 times during cooking. Once done, remove from the oven and set aside until ready to use.

My Notes:

I used 1 large onion. The first time I made these, I tried to keep the onion slices in rings, but that made slicing difficult. The next time, I cut the onion in half and cut the thin slices. Much easier.

I tossed the onions, flour, & Panko crumbs together with two forks. As I tossed, I also pressed down on the onions to thoroughly coat them with the flour mixture. The moisture released naturally from the sliced onions was enough to get most of the flour to adhere.

The first time I made these, I came close to burning all the onions.The original 475 degrees temperature was just too hot. The second time, I turned the oven down to 450 degrees. That worked much better.

I lined a jelly roll pan with Reynold’s Non-Stick foil. Then I sprayed the bottom of the pan with nonstick cooking spray. After spreading the onions on the pan, I sprayed the onions too. Each time I stirred the onions during cooking, I also sprayed them again.

I set the timer to remind me to stir & redistribute the onions after 10 minutes of cooking. I stirred them once again ten minutes later.

I didn't bake for 30 minutes. I turned off the heat after 20 minutes but left the onions inside the oven. The onions continued to crisp up but didn’t burn. I probably left them in another 10 minutes or so. This last step really made a difference. The resulting onions were quite crisp and browned but had escaped burning.

The Low Sodium Pantry: Crispies, Crunchies, & Crumbs (Part 1)

I know crumbs don’t sound very exciting, but they do play an important role in living with and enjoying a low sodium diet. Eating is a sensual experience. Food must taste good, appeal to the eyes, and have a pleasing texture. When salt is removed or lessened, taste is compromised. Judicious use of herbs, spices, and other flavorings can mitigate the loss of flavor to a certain degree, but there are still limitations. So, in order to compensate, it’s important to emphasize visual appeal and especially textural appeal. Thus, crumbs! They truly are a formidable weapon in the low sodium battle.

Bread Crumbs

I make homemade low sodium bread frequently and save the ends for running through my food processor. I do the same with low sodium store bought breads too. I like to grind or grate them when the bread is fresh (I think it’s easier) and then let them dry before storing. I just put the freshly made crumbs in a baking pan and stick them in the oven. I either just let them stay in the cold oven, stirring daily, until they’re dry, or I’ll set the oven for about 250 degrees and bake until dry but not browned. I don’t include flavored breads when making basic crumbs. I want just plain, unflavored breads – no caraway rye, etc. I prefer to process my own bread crumbs; they come out crunchier with different sized crumbs. They’re not ground to a finely uniformed powder. Thus more textural interest.

Dried bread crumbs add a wonderful crunch to baked fish, chicken, & pork. When dealing with baked fish fillets or boneless, skinless chicken breasts, I usually put crumbs on the top. Saves calories & mess. I’ll season both sides of the fish or chicken with whatever salt-free blend strikes my fancy at the time. Then I’ll place them in a baking pan that’s been drizzled with a flavored olive oil. I brush on a thin layer of mayonnaise, homemade or store bought.

In a small sauté pan, I combine dry bread crumbs with some butter and/or flavored olive oil. I usually add one or two crushed cloves of garlic and whatever herb and spice combination I think would work. I sauté this mixture just until the butter is melted and stir well to combine everything. Then I spoon a thick layer of the crumbs onto the fish or chicken and bake. The results are pretty impressive considering how little work was needed. The crumbs are nicely browned and make the rather plain, light colored fish or chicken look lovely. And the crunch adds a wonderful dimension to what could have been a rather bland & uninspired meal. This works well for boneless pork chops too. Just be sure you don’t overcook the fish, chicken, or pork.

Flavored crumbs are also great as a coating (after dredging in flour and dipping in an egg wash) for fried or sautéed fish, chicken, and pork chops. They are wonderful when baking or frying vegetables like eggplant, squash, potatoes, and even sweet potatoes. And, of course, they make a great topping for casseroles and cooked vegetables.

Pasta Sprinkle

One of my favorite ways to use dried bread crumbs is as a topping for pasta. My husband & I love to eat giant bowls full of pasta – pasta with homemade marinara sauce, pasta with homemade meatballs, pasta with homemade Italian sausage, etc. But we also like what I call “plain” pasta – without any tomatoes, meats, vegetables, or any other stuff. Sauced with just a combination of olive oil, butter, crushed garlic, a bit of  NSA chicken broth, and possibly some red pepper flakes. But this is the kind of pasta dish that begs for some sort of topping. Straight shredded Parmesan is out because of the high sodium content. No fear! Flavored & toasted bread crumbs to the rescue.

Pasta Sprinkle
(Printable Recipe)

I combine about 1 cup of dry bread crumbs with about one tablespoon of unsalted butter and one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a small sauté pan. I add one or two crushed cloves of garlic (or more) and at least a teaspoon of dried basil and oregano. If I have fresh herbs on hand, I’ll chop some up and add them too. I sauté this mixture until the butter is melted and the combined mixture is a bit toasty. Then I’ll take the pan off heat and add about a tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese.

I sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on our “plain” pasta just like I used to sprinkle on shredded cheese. It adds a nice textural component and the addition of some Parmesan in the crumb mixture makes us feel less deprived. I keep any leftover flavored crumbs in the fridge. Good with vegetables too.

Panko

Many people love Japanese Panko crumbs because they tend to be lighter, crispier, and crunchier than ordinary bread crumbs. Panko is an extruded crustless bread product that produces flake-like crumbs. They have a large surface area and tend to stay crispy longer than regular bread crumbs. You can find them in the Asian foods sections of most grocery stores now; you can also find them online at Amazon. Panko crumbs are a wonderful product, but you need to look at the labels carefully. Some brands may contain MSG, and the sodium content varies.


If you cannot find a good source for Panko crumbs, you can always make your own. Follow this technique published in the July, 2005, issue of Cook's Illustrated:

“Fit a food processor with a medium or coarse shredding disk. Trim the crusts off the bread slices (five slices will make about one cup of crumbs) and cut the slices in half. Drop a stack of three or four pieces (or as many as will fit comfortably) into the feed tube. Put the feed tube plunger in place and turn on the machine, allowing the weight of the plunger to push the bread through the shredding disk (do not apply additional pressure by pushing down on the plunger). Spread the crumbs in a thin, even layer on one or two rimmed baking sheets and let them dry at room temperature overnight.

If you can't wait that long, you can bake the crumbs in a 300-degree oven until dry to the touch, about eight minutes; stir intermittently, but do not allow them to brown. The crumbs tend to clump in the oven; when the crumbs are cool, break up the clumps by rubbing them gently between your fingers. Once dried, the homemade Panko can be stored in an airtight container or zipper-lock bag for two to three weeks at room temperature or for several months in the freezer.”

By the way... when crusting baked fish, chicken, vegetables, etc., I always mix in some oil or butter with the crumbs. Many recipes call for drizzling melted butter or oil over crumbed foods, but I’m not a good drizzler. So I end up with parts of the foods with lots of butter and other parts without. I’ve tried spraying with Pam, and don’t like that option either. The force of the spray sends the crumbs flying all over my counters. By mixing the crumbs with butter or oil before baking, the fat content is evenly distributed.

Croutons

I make my own croutons. Just cube up some plain white or whole wheat bread, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with herbs and garlic powder. Bake in a 300 degree oven until dry and toasty. Pretty simple. Then, after cooling, I bag them up & stick them in my freezer. They make perfect additions to salads, of course. But they can also be sprinkled on soups or crushed over vegetables. I’ve even used them as a basis for my own homemade Stove-Top style stuffing.

Mashed Potato Flakes

There are all kinds of other choices for adding textural interest to foods. One of my favorites is instant mashed potato flakes. Look for a brand like Betty Crocker’s Potato Buds that doesn’t have any salt added. The dry potato flakes make a fabulous coating for baked or sautéed chicken, fish and vegetables. Use the potato flakes in the same way you’d use bread crumbs. They give a wonderful potato-flavored crunch. I especially like baked eggplant slices crusted with potato flakes.

Cracker & Pretzel Crumbs


You can run unsalted or low sodium crackers through the food processor to make cracker crumbs. They too are good for breadings & crunchy toppings. You can find different brands at most grocery stores. Crushed, unsalted pretzel crumbs also make good breadings. Snyder’s of Hanover makes Unsalted Mini Pretzels. You can find them at most grocery stores. Unsalted matzo crackers are another good source. You can find them in the ethnic food sections of most grocer stores or order them online from  Healthy Heart Market.

Unsalted rice cakes can also be crushed for crumbs.

The Low Sodium Pantry: Supermarket Broths

OK, so it goes without saying that homemade salt-free broth is best. But it also goes without saying that sometimes people don’t have entire afternoons to devote to simmering a pile of bones, straining the broth, and then freezing it up in two cup containers. So why even worry about broth? Because it can add a lot of flavor and interest to what might be bland, tasteless dishes when the salt is removed.

Canned/Boxed:

First things first, though. Swanson’s Low Sodium Chicken Broth boasts 1/3 less sodium than their regular canned chicken broth. Sounds good but… The reality is that even their low sodium broth contains a whopping 570 mg. of sodium per cup of broth. That’s a lot! Unfortunately, Swanson many times is the only so-called low sodium canned chicken broth available in local grocery stores. Swanson’s broth is often on sale too, making its lower price attractive. Also, Swanson's taste pretty good, with a true chicken flavor. However, I still prefer not to use it, but if I do, I’ll be sure to water it down to lower the sodium content.

But there is some good news. Kitchen Basics is another brand of broth/stock found in most grocery stores, and it has come out with two new products -- unsalted chicken stock (130 mg. sodium per 1 cup) and unsalted beef stock (130 mg. sodium per 1 cup). That’s good news because Kitchen Basics products are readily available in most areas, and they’re reasonably priced.

Also more & more supermarkets are including natural foods sections. Look for either the Imagine or Pacific brands where the health foods are located. Check out your local health foods store too. Imagine has only 115 mg. sodium per cup of broth.

Pacific brand has even less sodium at 70 mg. per cup of broth, and Trader Joe’s low sodium chicken broth also has only 70 mg. sodium per cup.

I did a taste test of the four lower sodium chicken broths. Why chicken broth? Because I think it's more versatile than beef broth. I use it for all kinds of things -- chicken dishes, vegetables, pork, soups, and sauces. The Imagine and Kitchen Basics broths both had prominent vegetable flavors, similar to what you might end up with if you had made your own broth. Pacific had a pretty decent straight forward chicken flavor, and I thought Trader Joe’s was weak and the least flavorful. Pacific, Trader Joe's, & Imagine had a hard to define "murky" quality to their broths. OK to use in situations where you add a lot of additional flavorings.

My suggestion? Buy a carton of Imagine, Kitchen Basics, Pacific and/or Trader Joe’s chicken broth. Taste them yourself and see what you think. Be forewarned though, Imagine & Pacific broth cartons are more expensive than the much cheaper store brand broths.

I’ve also found canned Health Valley no salt added chicken broth in the natural foods section of my local grocery stores and local health food stores. It contains 130 mg. of sodium for 1 cup of broth. Imagine also has a low sodium beef broth with 125 mg. of sodium for 1 cup of broth. Kitchen Basics’ low sodium vegetable stock has 210 mg. sodium for 1 cup. And both Imagine and Pacific make a low sodium vegetable broth with about 140 mg. per cup.

Dry Granules:

I keep boxes of Herb-Ox Sodium Free Instant Broth & Seasoning packets on hand. I can find them in all my local grocery stores. This product is completely sodium free and is in dry granular form. The chicken bouillon tastes just like the Lipton instant chicken noodle soup mix. It reminds me of the chicken broth flavoring used in packaged rice & stuffing mixes. It can be used when making homemade flavored rice. I throw a packet in long cooking braised dishes where I know its artificial flavor won’t be overpowering.

The Herb-Ox beef bouillon tastes better. I use it all the time to enhance beef dishes. You can make a salt free French Onion Dip by combining a pint of sour cream with 2-3 beef broth packets and about 1 tablespoon of dried minced onions. Add a shot of low-sodium Worcestershire sauce. Let the mixture chill and serve with crudités or chips.

Pastes/Concentrates:

Trader Joe’s has an interesting broth product I really like, reduced sodium chicken liquid concentrate packets. Each pouch contains enough flavoring to make 1 cup of broth with 360 mg. sodium per cup. The individual packets do not need refrigeration; that’s a real advantage. I think it tastes really good, but the salt content is a bit too high to use all the time. The only time I use it is if I’m making something with at least two cups of liquid (such as a stew or chili) to dilute the salt content.

Another broth option is paste-style concentrates. These moist-packed broth bases dissolve easily in hot water and must be refrigerated after opening. One real advantage is that a single jar of concentrate lasts a long time. You hardly ever have to worry about running out.

Superior’s Better Than Bouillon is a well-known brand. Unfortunately, their low sodium bases leave a lot to be desired. One teaspoon of concentrate makes 1 cup of broth, but that one teaspoon contains about 520 mg. of sodium. That’s a lot! I ordered their low sodium products based on their reputation; at the time their website did not offer nutritional information. I was shocked when the low sodium bases arrived and realized I could not in good conscience use them.

Since then I’ve found another online sources for the paste style concentrates, Minor’s. I’ve been using both the Minor’s chicken broth base for quite a while now. It contains 130 mg. sodium for the ¾ teaspoon of concentrate needed to make one cup of broth. I don't mind ordering this base online because each individual container lasts such a long time. Even with shipping charges, I think the products are well worth the effort & cost.

I keep all these varieties of broth flavorings on hand – the cartons, the instant granules, and the concentrated bases. I use the different varieties depending on the dishes I’m cooking. For example, if I’m making a braised dish with a lot of flavorful ingredients, like chili, spaghetti sauce, green chile pork stew, pot roast, etc., I’ll use either the instant granules or concentrated bases. I just want to add an additional flavor dimension to the dish, but the broth itself will not be the star. My main hesitancy is in using the chicken granules when I’m making a gravy or sauce where that artificial chicken flavor will be prominent. In those instances, I’ll use either the broth cartons or the concentrated bases. The concentrated bases are great when you end up with a weak tasting sauce, gravy, or soup. Just a bit adds so much flavor.

For delicately flavored chicken based soups, I'd suggest sticking with homemade broth; if that isn't feasible, then diluted Swanson's low sodium broth or unsalted Kitchen Basics. The other low sodium chicken broths are good mainly if the broth itself isn't the star.

(For more info check out these two posts: New Product - Swanson UNSALTED Cooking Stocks and  The Search for Low Sodium Broth Bases.)

The Low Sodium Pantry: Oil

Along with my many bottles of vinegar, I’ve got several bottles of oils. For all purpose cooking, I use olive oil. Yup, it’s in my Greek blood. I use a lighter olive oil for sautéing and extra virgin for everything else. The extra virgin olive oil has a rich flavor that adds so much to dishes. It’s great to drizzle over any tomato-based dish right before serving too. It adds a sumptuous flavor to pasta and is perfect for dressing cooked and raw vegetables. Extra virgin solidifies when refrigerated, so it’s best to use half light and half extra virgin when making salad dressings.

I also keep garlic, lemon, and rosemary flavored olive oils on hand. Must haves include Asian toasted sesame oil, Asian chili oil, and toasted walnut & toasted almond oil. I don’t use these flavored oils much for cooking, mainly for finishing or sprinkling on right before serving.

A bit of garlic or lemon olive oil is wonderful on cooked vegetables. Lately I’ve been using the lemon oil when I bake fish. I’ll coat the baking dish with it and combine it with breadcrumbs for a crunchy lemon-scented topping. I’ve done the same thing with either the garlic oil or rosemary oil & boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Of course, any of the flavored oils would be good in a salad dressing. Be sure to use a light flavored oil when making the dressing and then substitute just one or two tablespoons with a flavored oil. A splash of rosemary olive oil combined with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar reduction, and you’ve got a wonderful tasting salt-free salad or vegetable topping.

I use the Asian chili oil when I want to add some subtle heat to a dish (just be sure to add only a few drops at a time – it’s hot). The toasted sesame oil is great in Asian salad dressing. You can also use it when making hummus, especially if you don’t have a jar of tahini handy. It also makes a quick Asian inspired sauce for cooked vegetables. Just combine equal parts toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, & low sodium soy sauce. Add a bit of ginger & garlic if you’ve got them handy. Pour over your vegetables and sprinkle with toasted sesame seed. A deliciously different take on vegetables.

Add a couple of tablespoons of toasted walnut oil to a basic vinaigrette recipe. Then sprinkle chopped toasted walnuts on your salad. You get a double whammy of walnut flavor. You can do the same thing with toasted almond oil and slivered or sliced toasted almonds. Great on a salad or on any cooked vegetable.

Grocery stores carry several brands of olive oil. It’s good to have both extra virgin and a lighter olive oil on hand. You can find chili oil and toasted sesame oil in the Asian food section of most grocery stores too. My local grocery stores also carry some La Tourangelle products, including their roasted walnut oil. I originally ordered a trio of their roasted walnut, roasted almond, and roasted hazelnut oils from Amazon. I’m fortunate in that I am able to buy flavor infused olive oils from my local farmer’s market. That’s where I picked up the lemon and rosemary flavored oils. Trader Joe’s usually has garlic infused olive oil as do most of my local grocery stores. Specialty food shops, Cost Plus World Market, and even some natural foods stores also carry some flavored oils.

Good quality flavored olive oils can be purchased online too. I realize that purchasing products online can be expensive. The thing to remember about any of these more expensive flavored oils is that they pack a big flavor punch when just using a tablespoon or so. So one bottle can last a long time.

The Low Sodium Pantry: Vinegar

When you remove extra salt from your cooking, vinegar becomes a favorite friend. I always have at least five kinds on hand: Red wine, white wine, dark balsamic, white balsamic, and unseasoned rice vinegar.

The balsamic vinegars have a touch of sweetness, and the rice vinegar is very mild. Flavored vinegars are great too. I usually have some raspberry vinegar on hand along with Trader Joe’s Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar. Probably the most expected use for all these vinegars is in making salad dressings. That goes without saying.

Basic Vinaigrette
(Printable Recipe)

1/2 cup olive oil (Extra Virgin has a stronger flavor & will solidify when refrigerated)
1/4 cup vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon low sodium Dijon mustard
1-2 teaspoons honey
1 clove crushed garlic
1-2 tablespoons water

Combine ingredients in jar & shake or whisk together in bowl.

By changing the vinegars and/or oils, adding different herbs, using different sweeteners, or substituting different ingredients for the mustard & water, you can come up with a variety of flavors. For example, changing out just a couple of tablespoons of plain olive oil with a flavored oil will add an entirely new dimension. Similarly, using a flavored vinegar or citrus juice for the acidic ingredient will do the same. Instead of honey for the sweetening, consider using brown sugar, maple syrup, or even jams/jellies. Pepper jelly adds a nice combination of sweet & spicy. And ketchup or even mayonnaise can be substituted for the mustard.

I make a delicious & easy Raspberry Vinaigrette by using raspberry vinegar and Torani Raspberry Syrup in place of the mustard and honey in the basic vinaigrette recipe. Many variations are possible from such a simple & basic recipe.

When making classic American potato salad, I toss the drained, warm potatoes with some of the basic vinaigrette (I usually add a bit more vinegar). It flavors the potatoes nicely and adds moisture so I don’t end up overdoing the mayonnaise. The vinegar provides the zip that salt usually adds. I do the same thing when making old-fashioned American macaroni salad too. Oh, and I do NOT salt the cooking water for either the potatoes or macaroni.

I make quick dressing combos for both cooked and raw vegetables too. Usually equal parts vinegar & oil with a little added sweetener. I vary the oils and vinegars used and add whatever herbs or spices I think appropriate. Top the vegetable off with some toasted nuts or buttered breadcrumbs and you’ve got a “fancy” no-salt vegetable dish.

I also use vinegar in cooking. Whenever I make a braised dish (stew or pot roast), I always add 1-2 tablespoons of vinegar to the pot. Red wine vinegar with beef or lamb and white wine vinegar with chicken or pork. Again, the vinegar adds a zip that salt usually provides. A splash of vinegar ten minutes before finishing cooking can also brighten a braised dish.

I also add some red wine vinegar to any type of tomato sauce I’m cooking (lemon juice is also good with tomato sauces). Sometimes the unsalted tomato products not only taste flat but they taste overly sweet. Reasonable enough – salt is a foil to the natural sweetness in tomatoes. So I’ll add a dribble of vinegar to my spaghetti sauce and chili during cooking. Again, a splash ten minutes before finishing cooking can also brighten tomato sauce based dishes. A light splash of sherry vinegar right before serving can also add some sparkle to bean soups.

You can easily make a balsamic vinegar reduction. You’ll end up with a dark brown syrupy glaze that can be drizzled on fish, chicken, or vegetables to add a sweet-tart zing to any dish. If you’re artistic, swirls of balsamic vinegar glaze make a lovely edible plate decoration sure to impress guests. (Please note: I am NOT artistic as the accompanying picture will show.) I use the dark balsamic vinegar from Trader Joe’s and buy two bottles. Rather than making a little bit at a time, I use up an entire bottle. That way, I have a good supply of balsamic vinegar syrup always on hand.

Balsamic Vinegar Reduction
(Printable Recipe)

Pour the contents of one bottle of balsamic vinegar into a heavy bottomed non-reactive saucepan (stainless steel works well). Bring the contents to a boil, and then lower heat to a simmer. (Because you’re dealing with vinegar and its fumes, be sure to turn on your kitchen exhaust fan. There’s no danger; it’s just that vinegar can be a strong odor.)

Continue simmering until the vinegar is reduced by about half. It should be slightly syrupy, similar to a glaze, and coat a spoon. Take the reduction off the heat when it is still just a bit thin. It will continue to thicken as it sits. Let the vinegar stand at room temperature until it is cool. Pour into wide-mouth container, and store in the refrigerator.

Before using, be sure to set the container out until it comes to room temperature, or, if necessary, heat it a bit in the microwave or set it in a warm water bath (similar to what you do with crystallized honey.)

Use a spoon to drizzle desired amount. (Instead of making your own, you can purchase ready-made balsamic glaze at Trader Joe's and at many supermarkets.)

You can also make your own herb-infused vinegars. The National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP) website gives complete directions. (NCHFP is the authoritative source for information about canning, pickling, and other safe preservation methods and techniques.)

You can find wine vinegars and balsamic vinegar at most grocery stores, and rice vinegar is usually found in the Asian foods section of most grocery stores. Specialty food shops, Cost Plus World Market, Trader Joe’s, and even some natural foods stores also carry a good selection of vinegars, often including some flavored ones. I consider red & white wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and plain rice vinegar as basic necessities. But I do love the flavored vinegars as well.

The Low Sodium Pantry: Introduction

Your pantry is your most formidable weapon in the Low Sodium Battle. Just removing salt from favorite recipes is not enough. Let’s face facts: Salt makes food taste good. So if you’re going to lower the salt content in food, you’ve got to be prepared to use your imagination, to experiment, and to come up with tasty alternative seasonings.

There is nothing intrinsically evil about salt. Even the Lord recognized its importance when He told His followers, “You are the salt of the earth...” It has been used for thousands of years as a preservative and seasoning. Hams, sausages, cheeses, anchovies, pickles, sauerkraut – all these salted foods and more have been mankind’s way of preserving the earth’s bounty.

Perfectly seasoned food is NOT salty. However, the last fifty years or so has seen an explosion of packaged, processed, and prepared foods in the grocery stores and of fast food restaurants near our homes. We are accosted by overly salty food everywhere we turn, and many people are unable to overcome the salt shaker habit.

In my Greek family, we never had a salt shaker at the table. My mom was a good cook, and everything she made was well-seasoned. Lots of tomatoes, onions, garlic, herbs, & spices. I never encountered the salt shaker habit first hand until I was in college. I was with a bunch of friends at a local restaurant. One of the fellows ordered a typical American breakfast – eggs, hash browns, & sausage. I looked on in absolute horror as he sprinkled everything on his plate with a white layer of salt. Then came the black/grey layer of ground pepper followed by a layer of bright red ketchup. He cut everything up and started to eat. I was aghast! Since then I’ve noticed people in Chinese restaurants salting chow mein and fried rice or in Italian restaurants salting spaghetti and lasagna. Salt on enchiladas and salsa; salt on a chef’s salad; salt on pizza; salt on already salt-laden French fries. It boggles the mind!

So, considering our national addiction to overly salted foods, it’s no wonder that staying on a low sodium diet is difficult for many. Serving grilled chicken sprinkled with Mrs. Dash every night is not enough incentive. That’s why having a well stocked pantry is so essential. It’s your arsenal in the Low Sodium Battle.

My goal is to cover what I consider essential pantry items for good tasting low sodium cooking. I will try to discuss how the items can be used and to include some brand names and shopping sources. Obviously, I can’t discuss everything in one post, so there will be several parts.