Himalayan salt lamps create a peaceful, calming effect as the salt molecules are released into the air. Salt caves in the foothills of the Pakistan, where the lamps are sourced, have been used for their healing qualities since ancient times. Today, chunks of the salt are excavated, hand chipped, hollowed out, and then transformed into a gorgeous lamp. 

I first noticed Himalayan salt lamps in a home decor shop in Asheville, N.C. when I was visiting for a yoga retreat. First drawn by its glowing beauty–an orange and pink hued lamp cut out of a chunk of salt–I wondered if there were any health benefits to the lamps. It turns out that Himalayan salt not only enhances the flavor of your favorite high quality eats, it also has healing qualities.

The salt lamps produce negative ions. Negative ions are attracted to the positive charge of dust, making them too heavy to float through the air. As a result, they drop down to the ground so you won’t breathe them in. While you still have to dust the floor to completely remove particles, the air is cleaned.

This natural air detoxicant is great for people with asthma, COPD, allergies, or other lung conditions. The lamps come in a number of sizes from small to large depending on the size of your room, but a good basis for choosing the right size is 1 pound of lamp weight for 10 square feet of floor space.

Leave the lamp on at all times to clean the air naturally. (Although, you can turn it off at night in your bedroom so the light doesn’t disrupt your sleep.) It’s also a great idea to add a salt lamp to your meditation space because it’s naturally calming.

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Gourmet seasoned salt blends add delicious flavor to your meals and they make great gifts, too.

Salt, while highly overused in the Western Diet, is still an essential ingredient for a healthy life. Knowing where to cut out the bad stuff and where to add in the good can make all the difference. Limiting your intake of processed/ fast food–which are usually excessively salted for flavor and preservation–is a great place to start. And making these simple DIY gourmet seasoned salt  recipes can consciously connect you with your salt intake and take it to a new level.

Adding herbs and spices to your salt reduces the overall sodium content and adds lots of delicious flavor. Most anything is fair game—and half the fun is in experimenting.

When making salt blends, I recommend working with a high quality mineral salt such as Himalayan, Peruvian or a Mediterranean Sea salt. But you can also use a natural sea salt—just avoid any products with an image of a lady with an umbrella in a rainstorm. You want a natural salt, not a chemical one.

I prefer a coarse salt, but if you like a finer texture, that works well, too. The ideal ratio is about ¼ cup of salt to 1 tablespoon of herbs or 1 teaspoon of spice. For anything exceptionally hot (like cayenne), reduce the teaspoon to half, adjusting for more flavor as your taste buds dictate.

A few favorite recommendations:

Image: L. Marie

1. Citrus: Dried citrus peels such as lemon, lime or tangerine, can bring a wonderful fragrance and flavor to your salt. Peels will dry easily in a dehydrator or in an oven at a low setting of 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Once dried, macerate the peels with a mortar and pestle or in a spice grinder. A little texture is nice; so don’t pulverize into a powder.

Image: Katerha

2. Fresh dried herbs: Herbs add quite a bit of depth to salt—and vice versa—the salt brings out the essence of fresh herbs. You can easily dry your favorite herbs by hanging them upside down for a few days. (You may want to lightly cover them in muslin or cheesecloth to keep dust and bugs from settling on them.) For a savory herb blend, try any of the following: rosemary, marjoram, parsley, sage, oregano and thyme. You can also use dry leafy greens such as spinach, kale or even a spicy arugula for a nice green kick with lots of flavor. For something a bit sweeter, try mint (peppermint or spearmint), lemon balm, lavender or even chervil.

Image: slightly everything

3. Mushrooms: Dried mushrooms are aromatic and full of flavor. Truffles are of course the holy grail of fungus, if you can get your hands on some, use them sparingly (their price will ensure that!). Dried shiitakes are widely available in the macrobiotic section of health-minded stores and add a lovely umami flavor—but essentially any dried mushroom will do, even crimini or buttons. Grind them well once they’re dried and add a little at a time as their strong flavors can vary from cap to cap.

Image: djwtwo

4. Peppery: Of course, what goes better with salt than pepper? I personally recommend a variety of coarsely ground whole peppercorns. Pink and white are so aromatic, and so is a nice Tellicherry black, too. You can also go the hotter route with a nice smoky paprika, cayenne or crushed pepper flakes.

image: Eve of Discovery

Store salt blends in a well-sealed glass jar. They should keep indefinitely. Enjoy!

Keep in touch with Jill on Twitter @jillettinger

Top image: QuintanaRoo

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I’ve heard that, when asked what kind of salt to use for a dish, Julia Child once replied, “salt is salt”. Even though I’m not sure if she really said this or if it’s a Julia legend, it certainly sounds like something she’d say. I can relate. Sometimes, when faced with the nearly obscene numbers of salt choices on the shelves of a typical gourmet grocery store – everything from truffle salt to pink Himalayan sea salt – I become inclined to embrace Julia’s essential approach to cooking: you can’t hide poor execution under fancy ingredients. In other words, “salt is salt”.

But if I did I’d be a bit of a hypocrite. The fact is I have a small collection of special salts that make their way into my cooking on a regular basis. I have a weakness for sprinkling crackly shards of Maldon on my salads and meats, because I love the texture. Both avocados and tomatoes are greatly enhanced with a dash of Butterfly Salt, a blend of black trumpet mushrooms, pepper and two salts made by Aaron French, eco-chef, and colleague. I have less use for salts blended with too many acrid herbs and overpowering flavors like lavender, but then, I’m a rabid purist. Still, I urge you to cook out of the box (I mean the round Morton’s box) and go beyond plain old iodized table salt, and at least use kosher salt or natural sea salt. How far beyond is up to you.

Why? Even though salt tastes like salt, the texture matters, as do the additives.

Texture: Iodized table salt is very fine so when you put it on your tongue it tastes almost unbearably salty and it tends to just sit on one part of your tongue. In contrast, if you put a flakier sea salt or kosher salt on your tongue, you will perceive a more gentle saltiness that spreads slowly among your taste buds. The same thing happens when you add it to food.

And don’t forget, in cooking, it is easier to salt to taste with a flakier or coarser salt because you can actually “pinch” it between your index finger and thumb, giving you more control than you would have if you were pouring fine salt from a box or shaker.

Additives: Iodized table salt has iodine added to it because, at one time, humans who did not live near the sea suffered from iodine deficiency (iodine occurs in the soil and is taken up by vegetables and also exists seafood and natural sea salt). Today, because we get our food from a variety of areas, this is not a problem. Iodized salt should not be used for pickling because it will darken their color. In addition, fine table salt has anti-caking agents added to it to keep it flowing freely. Sea salt has nothing added but contains beneficial trace minerals.

As for the fancier salts and flavored salts, I’ll leave that up to you. Salt Works is a good place to begin your explorations.

As for me, I use kosher salt for everyday cooking, baking, and even pickling because I like the texture. I also keep a flaky salt on hand for finishing salads and crusting meats, and then maybe a smoked salt, or mushroom salt, just for fun. What type of salts do you keep in your kitchen, and why?

Image: D Sharon Pruitt

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