Have you eaten your three Teaspoons of salt today ?

Sound crazy right?  Well...the fact is, most Americans consume 3 times what the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences say the average adult needs.  They suggest the average adult needs no more than 2,300 mg , or about 1 Teaspoon,  of sodium  daily to regulate the balance of fluids in the body.

The Mayo Clinic says we take in about 77 percent of our daily sodium from packaged and processed foods, compared to  only 5 percent added while cooking, 6 percent added while eating and 12 percent from natural sources! 

So, If you need to lower your salt intake, more than half  of your  battle is won by not eating prepared or packaged foods. The rest can be accomplished by preparing  and eating fresh foods and season them with natural herbs , spices , oils and juices. 

Here are a few tricks I use to reduce my salt intake. 

Kosher Sea Salt- Because Kosher Sea Salt has so much flavor , you can get by with just a small amount and  stay way below your limits. 

Empty your Salt Shaker -  Replace with an equal blend of Onion Powder, Garlic Powder and Kosher Sea Salt.  Use in place of salt for cooking and at the table. 

Herbs de Provence - Mix with Olive Oil and pepper on sliced or wedged potato. Trust me, you will never want a salty french fry again!     

Olive Oil , Garlic & Pepper - Use these three simple ingredients to season meats. You will surprised how  flavorful  this trinity will make Steaks, Chicken or Chops.   

Basil ,Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar & Pepper -  Blend together as a dressing, or  layer it over tomatoes . 

Truffle Salt- Expensive , but you can not make asparagus  mashed potatoes taste better. The trick here is that because of the strong flavor of Truffle, you use very little. I found a well priced one on adamsextract.com 

Lemon Juice-  Part of the flavor effect of salt is that it brings out the natural flavor of most foods. Try adding lemon juice to your vegetables , fish and seafood. 

These are just a few ideas, experiment and you will come up with many more. 

So remember , Chances are  the more Herbs & Spices you use in your food, the healthier you will be eating. 

Enjoy

What is the connection between Graduation and Bay Leaves ?

Its graduation season , a time when cultures all over the world celebrate academic achievement. So, you ask, What is the connection between the Bay Leave and Graduation? 

It is the Baccalaureate ! 

To better understand the connection, lets look back in history.

Bay leaves, also known as Sweet Laurel, are one of the worlds most commonly used herbs. Its history dates back to the legends of the Greek god Apollo, god of prophecy, healing and poetry. Apollo was madly in love with a nymph named Daphne. She wanted no part of his affections and turned herself into a bay tree to hide from him. When he found out he declared the bay tree sacred and wore a wreath of its leaves on his head in her memory. In this same manner, crowns of Bay Leaves were given to the victors in battle and sporting events in ancient Greece and Rome. Later , Poets received the similar honor as a poets laureate  and Scholars received their honors in a ceremony called the  Baccalaureate.  

Turkish and Greek Bay Leaves are the know best in the world.  Grown wild in the  mountains , the winds blow across the Mediterranean and Aegean seas, picking up moisture and dropping it on the growing trees.  By the end of the summer the wind changes direction and comes from the south. Before it reaches the growing regions , the wind passes over several mountain valleys and ridges making it hot and dry, perfect for quickly drying the leaves with a minimum of flavor loss.  Because of the dry conditions, the winds create a high risk of forest fires , which can effect the bay leaf harvest and leave size.

Another form of Bay Leaves can be found occasionally on grocery Store and Culinary Spice and Herb racks. The California Bay Laurel has a bright green waxy coating and is very uniformed in size. They look beautiful, but cooks beware.  If you try to use this leave, be very careful as its strong and astringent flavor can overpower your dish. I would not suggest using more than 1/2 of a leave in any sauce or dish that  you plan to simmer . This leave is best used to garnish a dish. 

My preference is the traditional Mediterranean or European Leave. 

The flavor of Bay Leaves is perfect for adding to roast pork or chicken, pot roast, turkey, or ham, use 2-3 leaves and remove before serving. Bay Leaves are also perfect for spaghetti sauce and chicken soup, use 2 per quart. A great health tip is a surprising fact is that Bay Leaves improve the flavor of salt-free dishes with their rich flavor. 

The more you use Herbs and Spice to prepare you meals , the healthier you become. 

Enjoy!