Use herbs and you won’t even miss the salt
BY SANDY THORN CLARK September 4, 2012 10:41AM
Flavorful herb laced dressing perks up summer's best beans and tomatoes.
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Updated: October 6, 2012 6:03AM
The delicious made-from-scratch vinaigrette on the Fresh Bean and Tomato Salad, created by Spice Islands, makers of herbs and spices, is a perfect solution for M.L.P. of Arlington Heights, who wanted a low-sodium dressing.
Also, Lou Bank shares his decadent recipe for South-of-the-Border Banana Pudding for M.W. of Oak Brook.
Bank created his recipe — time-consuming, but worth every hour — for a Cinco de Mayo menu at Inspiration Cafe.
Spice Islands culinary wizards offer tips on how to reduce your salt intake:
† When eliminating salt in a recipe, increase the recipe’s amounts of herbs and spices by 25 percent (for example, if a recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of oregano, use 1¼ teaspoons).
† Use onion powder and garlic powder in place of onion salt and garlic salt.
† If a recipe calls for fresh herbs and you only have dried on hand, simply use 1/3 to ½ as much dry for fresh.
† For long-cooking soups and stews, reduce the salt. And then save about ¼ of the spices called for and add them at the end of cooking for more intense flavor.
Requests
I’m trying to locate an apple fritters recipe.
H.R., Des Plaines
I would appreciate the old-fashioned recipes for burnt sugar cake and frosting. That was my favorite as a teen — years ago!
M.L.A., Chicago
Send recipes and requests to: Swap Shop, Chicago Sun-Times, 350 N. Orleans St., 9th Floor, Chicago 60654 or by e-mail, swapshop@suntimes.com. Please include a daytime telephone number.
