Skip to main content

Cut The Salt; Rethink Flavor Development From The Ground Up



with campus executive chef Tom Barton

As a chef, seasoning and flavoring of food is one of the most important things that we do.

What is the difference between seasoning and flavoring? 
Seasoning is enhancing the natural flavor of a particular product while flavoring is changing the natural flavor of that product.
For example: when roasting a chicken simply adding salt and pepper enhance the natural flavor of the chicken but if you were to enhance with a BBQ rub, that would change the natural flavor.

Knowing when and what to season and flavor foods with is a skill that I am constantly working on. Hopefully at this point everyone knows that excessive use of salt is a health issue that should be taken seriously. As someone who prepares food for others, we have an obligation to serve tasty food that is also good for you.

Here are a few ways to reduce the amount of your salt intake:

Read nutritional labels
You would be amazed at the amount of sodium in some of your favorite foods especially those that are pre-prepared. If you do buy pre-prepared foods compare a few different brands as they typically vary between brands

Prepare foods
Prepare foods yourself as much as possible that we you have direct control over seasoning and flavoring. Experiment with using fresh herbs to enhance flavors

Reconsider portion sizes of your food

Try making herb salt
  1. Take 2-3 cups loosely packed herbs such as parsley, oregano, sage, thyme, cilantro, rosemary or basil and combine with ½ cup coarse salt such as kosher salt. 
  2. Place in food processor and pulse until you have achieved a course grind being careful not to process into a paste. 
  3. You can spread evenly onto a baking sheet and leave at room temperature for several days until the mixture becomes dry or alternatively you can place in a 200 degree oven and for approx  one hour or until dry. 
  4. In either case place into an air tight container and can be stored for up to 6 months.
The most important thing is to experiment and see what tastes good and what flavor profiles you enjoy and have fun!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Eat Right Live Well - December 2014

Fish For Your Heart?

Cutting back on red meat is a common recommendation for both health and sustainability. What’s less clear is what we should replace the meat with. A recent study looked at this and the results may surprise you. If not red meat, what? Red meat appears on many lists of foods to eat less of due mostly to its saturated fat and cholesterol content, and the fact that we tend to eat too much of it. A recent study looked at what we should consider substituting for red meat when we follow the advice to cut back. Of all of the substitutions the study looked at, one stood out as the best choice – fish high in omega-3s. The fatty fish showed more benefits for heart health than poultry, unprocessed meat and even lean fish. Is fish safe to eat? Fish, especially the kind that gives us omega-3s, has long been considered a healthy choice. Warnings related to contamination by mercury and other toxins has left many people wondering if fish is safe to eat. For most people, the benefits of eating fish far ...

National Nutrition Month 2017: Plant Power

If you follow food trends, you’ve surely noticed that plant-based foods, recipes and restaurants have been getting a larger share of the spotlight lately. Does this mean that more of us are becoming vegetarians? Should we be? Why more plants? Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, peas, nuts and seeds are key features of some of the healthiest diets in the world. Plant based foods are a common theme in the Mediterranean Diet, the DASH Diet and most dietary guidelines. The balance of health promoting nutrients with moderate calories and less of the stuff we should be limiting make plant based foods an easy fit for most people. Looking beyond personal health, to the health of our planet, plant based foods tend to more sustainable and less taxing on the environment. What is a flexitarian? Or a pescatarian? With the expansion of plant foods on our plates has come an expansion of how we refer to the way we eat. Vegetarian still refers to people who don’t eat meat, fish or poultry, but the...