TIPS Tuesday: Vim and Vinegar

Don't skimp on vinegar. You don't need to buy top-of-the-line, but at least have these four on hand: balsamic, red wine, white wine and rice. Each offers different help for various dishes, and while they can sometimes be subsituted for one another, it's best to use the right kind. Vinegar provides the savory, tartness or bite for which so many recipes depend. And, hundreds of years of experimenting by cooks better than I have found they mesh well, and enhance or support a variety of flavors you'd never think about needing such help. The Vinegar Institute is a good resource, as is About's Vinegar recipes page.

TIPS Tuesday: Pass...on the Salt

This week's tip was going to be about the equipment needed to run a kitchen on a no-refined-carbs diet. However, I'm still putting that list together. (a cutting board, yes, but what else?....)

Meanwhile, let's talk about salt--do you really need so much of it? As a salt-lover, I've been amazed at how little salt I really need. I'm not giving it up--after all, iodine is a nutritional requirement. But, setting aside nutritional values, too much sodium can lead to hyper-tension and range of other problems. It's tempting, when not using refined carbs in your cooking, to over-salt food.

Instead, try upping the quantity of other spices--paprika, cilantro, cumin, turmeric, cayenne--you use, along with fresh herbs, like dill, mint, parsley and basil. As well, onions (and this includes red onions and scallions) offer distinct flavor to dips, dishes and salads that may well obviate the need for salting the food.Vinegars (wine, balsamic, rice--watch this last one, as sugar is often added to it) also provide flavor when used judiciously.

While your at it, consider choosing unsalted peanut-butter, and unsalted nuts, when shopping for these items. You will be surprised at how little you miss the salt.