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

The post Savory, Smoky, Tart and Sweet: 4 DIY Gourmet Seasoned Salt Recipes appeared first on EcoSalon.

Time stands still as the best blend of flavors melt in your mouth.

Two summers ago, I had a dream: Salted. Caramel. Ice Cream. Just hearing those words together, I could taste the cascade of sweetness, saltiness, coolness and warmth, all at once, melting in my mouth. And so, the quest began to experience what I imagined would be the sweetest delight on earth.

And then, it happened. Salted Caramel Ice Cream hit the charts. Nearly every micro-creamery was whipping up the flavor. To make it all worse for a tantalized vegan, some began to add crispy bacon to the affair. And yet, my search for a vegan version remained futile. With that, I vowed to concoct my own variety (and acquire an ice cream maker to get the consistency just right).

So, here we are, nearly 730 days later. I’ve whipped up batch after batch and tasted spoonful after spoonful to create the richest, smoothest, creamiest and yes, even healthiest, recipe for all to enjoy. The base of this melting concoction is handmade cashew nut milk. While rich in fats, an ice cream staple, cholesterol-free cashews are full of monounsaturated fats, the “good kind” of fats. They are also full of copper, magnesium, zinc and even Vitamin E—critical to stabilizing a healthy blood pressure and preventing against heart conditions, all while supporting a balanced nervous system and with it, a good mood. It’s no wonder you’ll feel so joyful with every little spoonful.

The Original – Salted Caramel Ice Cream
From Brown Eyed Baker, adapted from David Lebovitz’s original

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (divided)
• 4 tablespoons salted butter
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 5 egg yolks
• ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

The Vegan Version – Salted Caramel Ice Cream
Makes approximately 2 pints

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups cashew nut milk (divided):
• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked
• 3 cups water
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup coconut milk (optional—can substitute with an additional cup of cashew milk)
• ½ teaspoon gaur gum
• 1 cup granulated sugar (divided)
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon salted vegan butter (I used Earth Balance soy-free butter)
• ½ teaspoon (or more—to taste) fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pecans or other nuts (optional topping)

Directions

1. To make the cashew nut milk, first soak the 1 cup of cashews in tepid water for at least 3 hours or overnight. Then, in a large blender, mix the following for at least three minutes, until thoroughly blended: cashews, water, agave nectar, coconut oil and vanilla extract. Once the cashews are thoroughly blended, use a nut milk bag or very fine cheesecloth over a large bowl or Mason jar to strain the milk. You should be left with a creamy mixture (just like milk) in your bowl or jar.

2. Pour 2 cups of the nut milk back into the blender and add the coconut milk, if using, along with the guar gum and vanilla. Blend together and let stand.

3. In a quart size pot, melt the sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly until liquefied. Once the sugar begins to turn to a copper-red color, add in one tablespoon of butter and stir until melted. Then, slowly add in the ½ cup cashew nut milk and stir together until fully mixed and boiling. Remove the mixture from the heat. Let cool slightly, and pour ½ cup of your caramel mixture into the cashew nut mix in the blender. Blend together until fully combined.

4. Pour the custard mixture into your ice cream maker and use according to the manufacturer’s directions.

5. Meanwhile, add at least ½ teaspoon of fine sea salt to your remaining ½ cup caramel mixture. Once the ice cream custard has been mixed together in the ice cream maker for at least 15 minutes, add in the remaining caramel by simply pouring it into the custard base.

6. Freeze your ice cream until it’s reached the desired consistency, and enjoy!

* Note, top this sweet summer delight with your choice of nuts, caramel, chocolate sauce, cherries or any other vegan toppings you can dream of. I made a candied pecan topping by chopping a few tablespoons of pecans and toasting them on the stove top (in a shallow cast iron pan), with 1 teaspoon melted vegan butter, 1 teaspoon of light brown sugar and a dash of cinnamon and sea salt, until lightly brown and crunchy.

Images: Jennifer Barckley

The post Vegan This: Salted Caramel Ice Cream (That took 730 Days to Perfect) appeared first on EcoSalon.

A childhood favorite gets a massive revamp.

Pop-tarts may look like fun and games, but their festive colors and playful sprinkles are where the goodness ends. These famous breakfast treats are no way to start the day.

One Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts Frosted Strawberry pastry contains 200 calories, 5 grams of fat, 170 milligrams of sodium, 2 grams of protein, and 16 grams of sugar. Its ingredient list includes the likes of wheat flour, high-fructose corn syrup, sugar, coloring, preservatives, and a slew of other hard-to-pronounce artificial ingredients.

The most alarming feature of store-bought pop-tarts is their sugar content. With 16 grams of sugar and less than 1 gram of fiber, the famous treat is not fit for breakfast. Its white flour and sugar content only offers something to chew on, not thrive on. And with two pastries per bag, the risk of having more than just one is worrisome, ultimately doubling all the aforementioned statistics. This begs for a recipe that lets you get some pop-tart love, without the handles.

These Strawberry Spelt Pop-Tarts use a simple spelt flour crust and no-added-sugar strawberry preserves. For a sweet and decadent finish, coconut butter is infused with strawberry flavor and slathered on top of the pop-tart. When all is said and done, you’ll be licking your lips and asking for more.

Spelt is a better alternative to white flour because it contains more B-vitamins, protein, and complex carbohydrates. It is also easier to digest. Coconut butter and oil are among the healthiest fats on earth. Most oils change biochemically when cooked at high temperatures, rendering them toxic and acidic in our bodies. Coconut oil has a relatively high burning temperature and is thus a better bet when cooking and baking. Studies have shown that coconut oil and butter both contribute to increased HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

This recipe should be tweaked to your fruit preferences. Use any flavor preserves you like! Make the dough on a Sunday night and each morning of the following week, roll out a piece of the dough, assemble pieces with preserves, and bake to a crispy finish, all under 15 minutes. It’s deceivingly simple. Now, let’s get poppin’!

Strawberry Spelt Pop-Tarts

Makes 6

Ingredients:

For the crust

• 2 cups spelt flour
• 1/2 cup coconut oil* (semi-hard)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 tablespoons ice cold almond milk

For the Filling

• 3 tablespoons strawberry preserves

For the Icing

• 1/2 cup coconut butter*
• 2 tablespoons strawberry preserves

*Note: coconut oil and butter are not the same thing. Coconut oil is extracted from coconut meat, while coconut butter contains the meat.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a medium bowl mix together the spelt flour and sea salt. With a fork, begin to press the coconut oil, which should be soft but not melted, into the flour.

Add the almond milk and knead the dough with your hands until it holds together in a ball.

Form a disk and cover with plastic wrap. Place into the refrigerator for at least an hour, so that it becomes easier to work with and roll out.

I make one pop tart at a time. Sprinkle spelt flour on the counter surface, take a handful of the dough, and roll it out until it is 1/4-inch thick, using more spelt flour when needed to prevent sticking.

Use a pizza wheel to cut two, 3×4-inch rectangles. Place 1/2 tablespoon of preserves onto one of the rectangles, leaving a half-inch space between the preserves and the edges.

Place the other dough slice on top of the one with preserves. Use the edge of a fork to seal the edges.

Place the sealed pop tart on a baking sheet greased with coconut oil. Brush a layer of coconut oil on the top layer as well. Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned.

While the pop tart bakes, prepare the icing by mixing together the coconut butter and strawberry preserves until evenly combined. Each pop tart will get a hefty teaspoon slathered on top.

Garnish with strawberries and mint and pop ‘em in your mouth! Enjoy!

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

Photo Credit: Oksay

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