Get the Salt Out (21 page)

135
Try whole grain sourdough bread for a great change of pace.
Since sourdough bread is not made with yeast, it has no sugar and also is low in salt and sodium. Instead of yeast, sourdough bread is naturally leavened with fermenting agents that break down the flour’s cellulose structure, neutralize its mineral-inhibiting phytic acid, and release more nutrients into the dough. The result is a bread that supplies more minerals that are easier for your body to absorb. French Meadow Bakery makes a particularly nice line of sourdough breads that are low in sodium (even though they don’t taste low in sodium). It is also one of the few companies I know of that goes to the extra trouble and expense to use healthy, unrefined sea salt in its products instead of table salt. Look for this healthful
brand in natural food stores throughout the country.
One to Two Salt Shakers
(depending on the variety).

136
A dab of sweet butter is a satisfying way to top toast, even when you use unsalted butter.
For additional sweetness as a spread, top butter with a light sprinkling of cinnamon. (If you’re concerned about eating butter, see the Bonus Tip to tip 109 for additional information.)
One Salt Shaker.

137
Is rye toast with unsalted butter too bland for you?
Try dressing it up German-style with savory Caraway Butter. This idea and recipe was developed by nutritionist Melissa Diane Smith.
One Salt Shaker.

Crush the caraway seeds between 2 spoons for the freshest flavor. Put the unsalted whipped butter in a coffee cup or small bowl and let it soften slightly at room temperature. Then cream the butter and the crushed caraway seeds together with a spoon until well mixed. Spread on toasted rye or sourdough rye bread by the teaspoonful or store in a covered container in the refrigerator for a few days.
Makes about
¼
cup.

BONUS TIP:
Add a few teaspoons of un refined flaxseed oil or walnut oil (which you can find in health food stores) to the recipe above to increase your intake of beneficial Omega 3 essential fatty acids (EFA’s). Often called the “good fats,” Omega 3 EFAs are necessary for proper functioning of the heart and can lower high blood pressure.

138
Another great spread to top toast
is unsalted peanut butter or any other unsalted nut or seed butter of your choice. Nut and seed butters are rich sources of heart-healthy magnesium
and potassium, which are in short supply in the typical American diet. In addition, whole grain bread spread with unsalted nut butter is one of the ultimate fast foods: it’s quick to make, low in sodium, and packed with nutrition. Look for nut butters labeled “unsalted” or “no salt added” by companies like Arrowhead Mills, Marantha Natural Foods, or Roaster-Fresh by Kettle Foods in natural food stores. These brands do not contain the unhealthy hydrogenated oils and sugar found in most commercial nut butters.
One Salt Shaker.

139
Skip the bagels
and opt for a slice or two of low-sodium, whole grain bread. Bagels are surprisingly high in salt: one three-ounce plain Sara Lee bagel, for example, contains 580 milligrams of sodium. If you want to treat yourself to a small amount of cream cheese (which has only 84 milligrams of sodium per ounce), spread it on low-sodium bread instead of a bagel.
One to Two Salt Shakers.

140
Yogurt cheese is a delightful spread for bread as well.
To make it, simply line a colander with cheesecloth and place a bowl underneath. Pour 2 cups of plain nonfat yogurt (by itself or mixed with a dash of nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, or vanilla extract) on top of the cheesecloth. Put everything in the refrigerator, cover the yogurt, and let it drain overnight. What remains is a delicious cheese that is low in sodium and a good source of calcium and potassium.
One Salt Shaker.