COOKING WITH HERBS AND SPICES

Did you know we get only 25% of the sodium in our diets from a salt shaker.  The remaining 75% comes from convenience foods.  Do you salt your food before tasting?  Shame on you!  Flavoring foods without adding salt or sodium can be easy when you add herbs and spices to your meals.  Here are some tips when adding herbs and spices to your favorite dishes:

*    Dried herbs are stronger than fresh.  Powdered herbs are stronger than crumbled herbs.  Use this formula as a guide when selecting herbs:

    1/4 tsp. powdered herbs = 3/4 to 1 tsp. crumbled = 2 tsp. fresh  

*    Microwaving retains the flavor of herbs more so than oven cooking.  Reduce the amount of fresh herbs by 1/3 and dried by 1/2 when microwaving a dish with herbs.

*    Use scissors or sharp knives to cut herbs to release their flavored oils.  Chop or cut the herbs very fine before adding to dishes.

*    After fresh herbs are dried, they will need to be crushed to finer particles with a mortar and pestle.  Dried rosemary needles are very sharp and dangerous if they are not crushed.

*    Did you know the shelf life of herbs is only 6 months?  Keep herb containers out of direct sunlight and away from the humidity of the stove.  Purchase in small quantities at specialty kitchen stores so you can use them at their peak flavor.  Split larger quantities with friends.  Store in glass jars rather than cardboard containers.  The cardboard boxes absorb the oil from the herbs, and that's where the flavor is.  Save empty herb jars for storing your fresh dried herbs.

*    Add herbs to stews or soups 45 minutes before the completion of cooking. Add herbs to cold dishes such as dips or salad dressings 4-6 hours before serving, or overnight.

*    Toss fresh basil into a hot dish such as pasta after completion of cooking and before serving for maximum taste results.

*    Strong flavored or dominant herbs should be used sparingly.  These include bay, curry, cardamon, ginger, hot pepper, rosemary and sage.  Start with 1/8 teaspoon for 6 servings, taste, and add small increments until the desired flavor is reached.

*   The medium flavored herbs can be used moderately.  These include basil, celery seed, cumin, dill, fennel, French tarragon, garlic, marjoram, mint, oregano, savory (winter and summer), thyme and turmeric.  Start with 1 tsp. for 6 servings and add in small increments until the desired flavor is reached.

*    Delicate herbs can be used in larger quantities.  These include burnet, chervil,    chives, and parsley.  These also combine well with other herbs and spices.

*    If you grow fresh herbs and want to use in the winter, harvest when ripe, clean and chop, then place in an ice cube tray.  Cover with water and freeze.  When frozen, pop the herb cubes from the tray and store in a labeled plastic bag.  Store the same herb cubes together.  Toss into soups, pasta, eggs, and other dishes for that fresh herb taste.

*   Squeeze fresh lemon over vegetables or pasta for a salt replacement.

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You will find the following nutrition tools helpful.  Cooking With MyPyramid is a family cookbook with helpful tips, nutritious and delicious recipes, and contains many challenges to motivate you to prepare recipes and make changes.  The book comes with a Healthy Snack Turn™ to help you select nutritious foods at the grocery store and a Your Pyramid Connections Slide Guide™ to help you determine your recommended daily food groups and amounts based on your age, activity, and gender.  Each can be ordered separately or as a set.  The cookbook comes with the tools and is $14.95.  Individually the tools are $3.50 each. 

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