Not your friend! Photo by Ramon Gonzalez |
SXC.

While recent government initiatives have eliminated trans fats and have us eating more whole grains, two villains hidden in prepared foods have been relatively quiet on the media radar. More often than not, too much salt and sugar are hidden in recipes and prepared foods.

Some salt is needed for normal functioning, but the American Heart Association recommends that you cap your intake at 1,500 mg of sodium (salt) per day. That’s 500 calories per meal, not allowing for snacks.

But within a meal, one item—a sauce or a prepared vegetable—can contain more than 500 mg of salt. That’s why the average American’s salt intake is more than twice the recommended limit: 3,436 mg sodium daily.

Even good recipes and good restaurants can use too much salt. Prepared foods are overly laden with it—just read the labels.

Dr. David Katz, founder/director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center, recommends a 1:1 ratio of sodium to calories. If the ratio is higher, the food has too much sodium. Most people’s recommended daily calorie intake is around 2,000 calories, so the formula provides more salt than the American Heart Association recommends. But it’s still less than what most of us consume!

What’s Wrong With Sodium?

Too much sodium can increase blood pressure, for starters. The Mayo Clinic explains why “just a pinch” of salt here and there adds up to unhealthy levels. Even if you feel young and healthy, you may want to take notice now.

It’s not difficult to make small adjustments. So we’re passing on these tips from John Bosse, of USANA Health Sciences:
 
1. Be an educated consumer. Read nutrition labels and choose foods that are low in sodium. Ideal foods have 5% or less of the daily recommended value of sodium per serving. Try your best to avoid foods containing 20% or more of the daily recommended value.

2. Savor the flavor. Flavor food with spices and herbs instead of salt. Use chile, curry, garlic, lemon and lime juices, onions, oregano, paprika, pepper, vinegar, wine and other favorites. THE NIBBLE’s favorite addition to savory dishes is fresh herbs—from basic parsley to fragrant fresh basil.

3. Consider a sub. Lite salts and salt substitutes offer an alternative that, when used in place of salt, will lower sodium intake and increase potassium intake, while still providing the desired saltiness. Always consult your physician before using one of these products as they are not appropriate for individuals with certain conditions or on certain medications.

4. Look for low sodium options. Look for lower sodium alternatives. Some manufacturers have created sauces and soups with half the sodium of their original recipes. Here are the differences between low sodium, reduced sodium and other terms. We also love raw almonds and other nuts; most nuts can be found without salt (see the health benefits of nuts).

5. Ask and you shall receive. Many restaurants are happy to make modifications to satisfy their customers. Many sit down restaurants can provide olive oil, vinegar, and lemon wedges as a dressing substitute; you just have to ask. Ordering pizza? Ask them to put half the amount of cheese on it. You might find the pizza still tastes just as good and probably has the same amount of cheese it would if you made your own. Not only will you have greatly reduced the sodium you consume, but also the calories and saturated fat.

6. Make a trade. We all know that fruits and vegetables are healthful foods, but most of us don’t eat enough of them. Packaged snacks and deli meats are high in sodium. If you consume salty snacks, make a daily effort to sub out one with fruit—an apple, banana, orange or pear, for example. If you don’t like fruit, choose vegetable alternatives such as baby carrots. At THE NIBBLE, we make salt-free potato chips and other veggie chips in the microwave, using this clever device. Swap out processed cereal for a bowl of sodium-free oatmeal (not the instant kind, which has added salt).

7. Switch the sandwich. If you enjoy a daily sandwich, in most cases, cooked chicken or turkey breast will be lower in sodium than ham and other deli meats. To change it up, use different condiments and salad vegetables, and look for pickles and other pickled vegetables that are low in sodium (or make your own—it couldn’t be easier).

8. Tip the potassium balance. Professional consensus supports aiming to consume potassium at roughly double the recommended sodium intake. Be sure to eat foods that are rich in potassium, such as low-fat dairy, fruits, vegetables, and unsalted or low-salt nuts and seeds. These are also solid sources of calcium and magnesium. Potassium, along with calcium and magnesium, help to rid the body of excess sodium.

If You Use Salt, Use The Tastiest Salt

Check out our Salt Glossary. While all salts have similar sodium and nutritional values,* sea salts and other culinary salts have more flavor than refined sea salts.

*Sea salts have trace minerals that are removed from refined table salt.

You can make Irish soda bread for St. Patrick’s Day with this recipe. It’s delicious for breakfast and lunch.

We’re also partial to this Irish brown bread recipe, with raisins and Guinness.

But if you want something less sweet for the dinner table, try this Potato Rosemary Rolls recipe, courtesy of Spice Islands. Don’t wait for St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th): Whip up a batch today!

POTATO ROSEMARY ROLLS RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

1. Make dough. Preheat oven to at 375°F. Combine 1-1/2 cups flour, yeast, sugar, onion, salt and rosemary in a large bowl. Heat milk, potato flakes, water and oil until very warm (120° to 130°F). Stir into dry ingredients. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 4 to 6 minutes. Cover; let rise 10 minutes.

2. Divide into rolls. Divide dough into 12 equal portions. Roll each piece into 12-inch rope; tie a loose knot in the center of each rope.

3. Raise dough. Place rolls 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Cover. Let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 20 to 40 minutes.

4. Bake. Brush tops of rolls with egg. If desired, sprinkle with sesame seed, poppy seed or rosemary. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until done. Remove from baking sheet; cool on wire rack.
Find more recipes in our Gourmet Bread Products Section.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The producer of the cooking video has withdrawn it from circulation, so we have provided this link to another celeriac rémoulade recipe.
 
 
ABOUT CELERIAC, A.K.A. CELERY ROOT

Celeriac (Apium graveolens), a large, gnarled globe of a root vegetable, is one of the less attractive items in the produce section. Most people would pass it by without investigation.

But peel away the skin and you’ll discover creamy flesh like a parsnip’s—to which it is related. Its botanical family, Apiaceae—commonly known as the carrot or parsley family—includes numerous* well-known vegetables.

*Some other cousins include angelica, anise, caraway, celery, chervil, coriander/cilantro, cumin, dill, fennel, lovage and sea holly. Celeriac developed from the same wild plant as our familiar long-stalk green celery, but you’d never know from looking at them that they are kin. Over the millennia, different strains of original plants were developed for different reasons, some focusing on the root, others on the stems or leaves.

A Vegetable Of Several Names

Called céleri in French and celeriac in English, the vegetable is also called celery root, knob celery, and turnip-rooted celery. It can be eaten raw or cooked.

We first discovered celeriac as a child, ordering from a menu at a French restaurant. We didn’t know French at the time, which made food choices difficult. But céleri rémoulade sounded like celery, a vegetable we enjoyed. We were instantly converted, and still order the dish every time we find it on a menu.

While there are many wonderful ways to prepare celeriac (check beneath the video), with this recipe we introduce you to our childhood favorite, a classic French appetizer salad.

The raw celeriac knob is peeled and cut into matchsticks and dressed with a Dijon mustard-accented homemade mayonnaise called rémoulade sauce. It is delicious as a first course in a lettuce cup or atop greens, or as a side with anything you might serve with coleslaw, including charcuterie.
 
 
MORE WAYS TO ENJOY CELERIAC

There are many wonderful ways to prepare celeriac—from soups, stews and purées to fish and seafood dishes. Search out recipes for:

 
Recipe Tip: If you find the raw celeriac a bit too raw, blanch the peeled halves briefly in acidulated water before slicing.
 
 
CELERIAC HISTORY & NUTRITION

Native to the Mediterranean Basin, celeriac grows both wild and cultivated around the world. It was used in ancient civilizations—Egypt, Greece, and Rome—and is mentioned (called selinon) in Homer’s Odyssey, composed circa 800 B.C.E. (the exact dates of Homer’s birth and death are unknown).

But in ancient times, celeriac was used largely for medical and religious purposes. It did not become an important food crop until the Middle Ages. The first mention of celeriac as a food plant comes from 17th century France (1623). It was commonly cultivated in most of Europe by the end of the century.

Nutrition
In addition to flavor, celeriac delivers high levels of magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, and vitamins B6, C, and K. It’s also an excellent source of dietary fiber, which is important for digestive health and general satiety.

Celeriac has just 40 calories per cup, and zero fat or sugar.

Find more of our favorite vegetables.
 
 
WHAT IS RÉMOULADE SAUCE?

Rémoulade is a variation of mayonnaise sauce, one of the five mother sauces of French cuisine (along with sauce espagnole, tomato sauce, béchamel, velouté, and hollandaise, which is the fraternal twin of mayonnaise).

According to EtymOnline.com, the term rémoulade is derived from remolat, a dialect word for horseradish, the botanical name of which is Armoracia rusticana. There may have been horseradish in earlier European recipes; horseradish is used in Louisiana-style rémoulade.

[1] Celeriac fresh from the field (photo © Good Eggs).

[2] Trimmed celeriac (photo © The Chef’s Garden).

[3] According to The Guardian, this is the perfect celeriac remoulade. Here’s the recipe (photo © The Guardian).

[4] Salsify and celeriac soup. Here’s the recipe (photo © In Simone’s Kitchen).

Once you see how easy it is to make homemade mayonnaise—just whisk together egg yolks, lemon juice, and vegetable oil—and how much better it tastes, you may find a new kitchen favorite.

Many recipes will tell you to serve the céleri rémoulade immediately. That’s because the cut celeriac will start to turn brown when it is exposed to air. While the rémoulade dressing is a protective coating, the celeriac will ultimately turn brown after a few days in the fridge—but it will still taste great. The flavor even improves as the ingredients meld over time.

This creamy cocktail recipe is courtesy McCormick. Whip it up in just five minutes.

Want the real deal? Here are the history of Irish coffee, the original recipe and recipe variations, including Irish Hot Chocolate for the kids.
IRISH COFFEE MARTINI RECIPE

Ingredients Per Drink

Ingredients For Vanilla Whipped Cream

 
Optional Irish Whiskey Whipped Cream

 
Preparation

1. Make whipped cream. In a medium bowl, beat whipped cream ingredients with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Makes about 2 cups.

2. Optional rim garnish. Wet outside rim of martini glass with peppermint extract. Dip glass in green sanding sugar or uncolored coarse sugar to lightly coat rim.

3. Mix and shake. Fill cocktail shaker half full with ice. Add first 4 ingredients; shake until well mixed and chilled. Strain into martini glass.

4. Garnish. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and optional green sprinkles.

The toast: sláinte (SLON-teh), or “health” in Gaelic.
  

Want more melt? Try a different cheese.
Photo by Paul Johnson | IST.

If you like melted cheese on your burger, veggies, casseroles and other foods—and appreciate the flavor of good cheese—go ditch the bland American cheese slices.

Take a look at the options below: Somewhere on the list is the melting cheese you’ll prefer.

Why do so many people use American cheese slices? It’s what they grew up with.

Due to its superior melting factor and unctuousness, caused by the emulsifying agents in the cheese, American cheese is the most popular cheese chosen for burgers and grilled cheese sandwiches.

These days, Velveeta is up there too, thanks to their use on nachos in ball stadiums.

It’s not even real cheese! American cheese is a “processed cheese product,” called “cold packed cheese food” (as one of our colleagues jokes, “It’s what you use to feed your cheese”).

So is Velveeta. Here’s the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations that describes them.

There are far better melting cheeses to be had; we’ve compiled this list for you.

The more moisture in a cheese, the more easily it melts. Not surprisingly, these cheeses are also the best for fondue.

Fresh cheeses: These cheeses are made for cooking: mozzarella, queso blanco, queso oaxaca, paneer, panela.

Soft-Ripened Cheeses: Cheese board favorites like Brie and Camembert have naturally runny centers. They also have subtle mushroomy notes, so are delicious topped with sautéed mushrooms on that burger. Soft-ripened cheeses are uncooked, unpressed cheese, which, as a result, are creamy or even runny when fully ripe. They melt very easily. Don’t trim off the rind—it’s considered a choice part by cheese connoisseurs.

Semisoft Cheeses: These cheeses, springy to the touch, melt easily. Brick, Fontina and Port Salut are popular examples, as are blue cheeses, Butter Käse, Edam, young Gouda, Havarti, Limburger, some Monterey Jacks, Muenster, young Provolone, Teleme and some Tilsits.

Semihard Cheeses: This group, which includes Cheddar, Manchego and Swiss cheeses, is most popular on burgers (after the tonnage winner, American cheese). Although they don’t melt much, they maintain their shape. The difference between semi-hard and semi-soft cheeses is one of moisture: Semi-soft cheeses contain more than 45% water, while semi-hard cheeses contain 30% to 45%. A cheese can start as semi-soft, then move to semi-hard via aging, which evaporates the moisture.

Hard Cheeses: Want Asiago, Parmesan or Romano on your burger or potato? This group has the lowest moisture content, so it will melt only in small shavings. We use a Microplane ribbon grater to get it to melt.
 
 
> CHECK OUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHEEESE

> HOW TO MELT CHEESE

> CHEESEBURGER RECIPES