Depending if the salts come from evaporated sea water, mined rock from the earth, or from boiling, they can vary greatly in their texture, flavor profiles, salinity, mineral and trace elements. 

Because finishing salts cost significantly more than kosher or table salt, it is important to learn how to best apply each salt by using them in the right kind of dishes.  

Flakey Sea Salt

These large but thin pyramid shaped flakes are great when added to desserts, salads or really any dish. I learned from the cookbook author, Melissa Clark, that flakey sea salt makes food taste more deeply of itself such as, eggs more custardy or tomatoes more sweet. 

Flakey sea salt add a nice crackly texture and are not overpowering because their thin texture makes them dissipate quickly.

Maldon is the most common but there is also Jacobsen (Oregon), Hana flake (Japan), Halen Môn (Wales) and Marlborough (New Zealand) flaky sea salt.

Fleur de Sel

Fleur de Sel has a beautiful texture and delicate flavor, which make it great for sweet dishes and desserts. 

Compared to flakey salt, it’s more crumbly, smaller and softer. This variety of salt also lingers longer because it contains more moisture and doesn’t dissolve as quickly as other salts. 

Fleur de Sel is hand harvested and processed naturally by the sun and wind. It contains minerals from the brine in the marshes of the Camargue in Southern France, such as zinc, potassium, iron, calcium, and magnesium.

The pink algae gives it its distinctive color, which is also what makes the shrimp (and ultimately the flamingos that eat the shrimp) pink in these marshes as well!

Sel Gris 

Examples of sel gris, or grey sea salt, include Celtic Sea Salt and  Sel de Guérande ( from Brittany, France). It is best sprinkled on roasted meats, fish and vegetables because it has more earthy notes. 

Sel gris also has a pebble-like texture that has a more firm crunch than other finishing salts. 

The grey color comes from the clay bottom salt beds of where it is hand harvested. This also gives it a mineral flavor and makes it naturally high in calcium, magnesium, and potassium.

Himalayan salt

Its pretty pink hue, mildly spiced flavor, and crisp texture make it a great finishing salt for boldly flavored dishes. Its firm texture is why it is often sold in grinders.

The blush color comes from trace minerals where it is mined from salt deposits in Pakistan, such as in the Potwar Pkateau- which is located south from the Himalaya mountains.

Himalayan salt has some of the higher amounts of minerals compared to other salts. In fact, all 84 essential trace elements are found in this salt. Some of the minerals it’s highest in include boron, chromium, copper, fluoride, iodine, selenium, zinc, and iron.

Red Hawaiian Salt

Red Hawaiian salt, also called alaea salt, is estimated to contain the highest concentration of essential trace minerals of any salt. 

This salt gets its color from red volcanic clay (alaea), which also makes it iron rich. The salt mixes with the clay as tidal pools evaporate.

Black Hawaiian salt

Black Hawaiian salt, also called black lava salt, has a slightly sulfurous aroma and does well garnished on eggs, tofu or tempeh. 

It is made from sea water that evaporated in pools formed on hardened lava flows and gets its black color from the activated coconut charcoal. It is naturally high in in potassium and calcium.

The post Finishing Salts 101: How Best to Use Them?  appeared first on Feeling Yum.

This is because salts can vary in their salinity depending on their shape from how it is produced. The taste can also differ depending on what additives are included.

It’s imperative you pay attention to what kind of salt is called for in a recipe, especially when baking.

Let’s break it down into a guide on when to use the most commonly sold salts when cooking or baking. 

Kosher Salt

Kosher salt is defined by its large, coarse grains. 

Diamond Crystal is a common brand, which many chefs and home cooks love.  Its shaped into light flakes that remain somewhat separate, making the food not too salty. 

By contrast, the other popular brand, Morton’s, has dense, heavy cubes that pack together tightly into a measuring spoon. 

Morton’s is twice as salty as Diamond Crystal when measured by volume. For example, one teaspoon of Morton’s salt is equivalent to 2 teaspoons of Diamond Crystal salt. You must be careful when following a recipe (see this chart for more salt comparisons).

Contrary to what one might think, kosher salt is not named because it’s blessed by a rabbi but because its large crystals were traditionally used for koshering meat (removing blood) required by Jewish law.  

It isn’t ionized but may contain anti-caking agents. These give it a less clean flavor. 

In summary: kosher salt is best for cooking but be careful which brand you buy! Use a conversion chart, or salt to taste, when following a recipe if it calls for a salt that differs from what you are using.  

Table Salt

Table salt has tiny, fine crystals which dissolve quickly when sprinkled on food or during cooking. 

It can have a harsh saltier taste that’s slightly metallic. 

It also contains additives such as, sodium bicarbonate to stabilize the added iodine, as well as calcium silicate and sodium ferrocyanide to prevent clumping.

This salt is the most affordable so it can be helpful to have some around for cleaning cast iron skillets or for other uses, such as craft activities. 

In summary: If you’re on a budget and would like the addition of iodine, this is the best choice to use for cooking. However, salt your food conservatively at first, since the salinity is high.  

Common Sea Salt

Common sea salt  is industrially produced from sea water. 

Because it doesn’t contain iodine like table salt, it has a cleaner flavor. 

The size of the granules vary but they are designed to dissolve quickly. This makes it preferred for bakers. 

It can also be used for cooking like adding to pasta water, soups or stews. 

In summary: sea salt is ideally great for baking but you can use it instead of kosher salt for cooking too. Get to know your particular brand to know how to use it best.

If you’d like to take a deeper dive into how salts are made and how to best use them, I suggest reading Melissa Clark’s article: What’s With All The Different Salts? Here’s How to Use Them,

If you have been gifted or collecting some fancier finishing salts, check out this guide on how to make them shine best!

The post What is the Best Salt to Use When Cooking? appeared first on Feeling Yum.

We have outlined 5 pillars of nutritional health to help keep your body and mind on a healthy trajectory when recovering on your postpartum journey. You may need to reach outside of your comfort zone and eat different kinds of meals during this season of your life. For example, my diet often includes smoothies, salads, etc., and is significantly plant-based, however; during the postpartum period, I ate mainly warm porridges and stews that often contained animal proteins. If you are breastfeeding, you will also have to significantly increase your caloric intake by about 450-500 more calories a day from regular consumption. Most likely, you will feel the increase in appetite, which well help you appropriately respond to your body’s needs. Your nutritional intake has never been more important.

Warm Digestible Foods:

When foods are served warm, they are more easily digestible and you’ll receive an increased amount of the nutritional value from the foods. Your digestion will be challenged after giving birth and will thank you for serving it more easily digestible meals. Soups and stews are also conveniently easy to make in big batches, with you can eat throughout the week or pull pre-prepared portions from your freezer. Examples of dishes include Caldo de Gallina, atole, chills or porridges.

Collagen & Protein: 

Collagen can help build stronger hair and nails, increase skin elasticity, replenish bone density and improve joint health. The foods with the most abundant amounts of collagen include bone broths, stew meats cooked with bones and fish with bones (such as sardines).  

Hydration: 

Mothers who breastfeed loose around 24 ounces of fluids a day through their milk output, so they require an increase in water intake to about 16 glasses a day. This can come in the form of foods, such as broth-based foods, water and electrolyte beverages. Serving yourself warm or room temperature water is recommended to help with the ease of digestion. Try adding goji and/or jujube (red dates) to hot water for added iron intake.

Anti-inflammatory Foods:

Provide the body with diverse whole foods which include proteins, plants, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Avoid processed foods, such as white flours and vegetable oils. Avoid trigger foods for inflammation, which could include gluten, dairy, sugar, or alcohol.

Supplements: 

It is generally advised to continue taking prenatal vitamins when breastfeeding to help with baby’s brain development and processing skills. In addition, iron supplementation is often recommended to help restore iron that was lost in blood during delivery. For easier absorption, iron can be taken in liquid form (such as Floradix) and be supported through liver pills. To help support bone health due to bone resorption when breastfeeding, calcium and vitamin D3/k2 can be beneficial. Moreover, fish oil with omega-3 is important for brain function and hormone balance. Arnica supplements can help with the perineal healing, but in small doses taken under the care of a healthcare provider. Red raspberry leaf tea can support uterine and pelvic muscle toning. There are also herbal supplements you can take under a trusted herbalist to help support breast milk production and postpartum health.

The post 5 Dietary Tips for Postpartum Recovery appeared first on Feeling Yum.

1. Rice cracker sandwich with peanut butter and honey
2. Toasted bread (so they taste more like croutons) or Gluten Free Pita Chips with a dip like baba ganoush or hummus
3. Quinoa veggie salad
4. Garbanzo bean salad
5. Gluten-free crackers (i Love SImple Mills) with a tapenade (I prefere olive tapenade)
6. Trail mix
7. Nut butter cup and fresh fruit
8. Fruit nut bars
9. Chips (I prefere Siete tortilla chips) and salsa
10. Hummus with veggies such as cucumber and carrot sticks

What ideas do you have for yummy gluten-free snacks that can be eaten on the go?

The post 10 of my go to Gluten-Free On-the-Go Ideas appeared first on Feeling Yum.

Take a favorite from your heritage. It’s a great way to share where you are from and hopefully a dish you have cooked before or could get directions from a family member.

Some include

1. Guacamole with jicama and chips
2. Salsa or pico de gallo with jicama and chips 
3. Hummus with vegetables
4. Romesco with asparagus
5. Garbanzo bean salad
6. Pasta salad
7. Soba noodle salad
8. Fruit Salad
9. Black bean or refried bean dip with chips
10. Beet Muhammara with vegetables 
11. Chimichurri with potatoes
12. Artichoke dip
13. Deviled eggs
14. Empanadas
15. Quinoa salad
16. Basmati rice with vegetables
17. Bruschetta with toasts
18. Corn bread with cranberry sauce
19. Banana bread
20. Chocolate chip cookies

The post Potluck Favorites for Varied Diets appeared first on Feeling Yum.

1. Melted butter —> for extra-virgin olive oil:

For cooking and baking, I will add. I used to use coconut oil but after seeing my cholesterol levels spike to borderline high, I swapped to a fresh light olive oil and never looked back. Avocado oil is my second choice, but I prefer filling up a jug of fresh pressed olive oil at the market with high polyphenol count, and using that wherever I can. Myself or anyone I have served ‘sweet’ foods to have never detected a vegetable taste. 

2. Browned butter or baking with butter —-> for Myokos Cultured Butter (unsalted)

You can also swap it for butter when baking or when a recipe calls for browned butter. 

3. Hard butter —> for Myokos Cultured Butter (salted)

Slather this goodness on toasted breads, griddled pancakes or waffles or desserts from the oven. 

4. Greek Yogurt —->  for Culina coconut yogurt

It’s so thick and creamy I love it for sweet and savory dishes. I scoop some in smoothies, top it off on a dessert masked as a whipped cream, use it as an icing topping. For savory uses I mix some with aleppo chili oil on turkish eggs, as a labneh substitute or a tzatziki. 

5. Soy milk with 1 tablespoon of vinegar —> for buttermilk

I’ve used this to make Irish soda bread multiple times and have had great success!

6. Frothed milk —> for oatmilk

Makes great lattes!

7. Cashew milk —-> for iced lattes

Makes the lattes extra creamy

8. Dairy Milk —-> Almond Milk 

This is what I used in my most day-to-day for cereal, oatmeal, etc. 

9. Mozzarella or Melted cheese —-> for Trader Joe’s Mozzarella Cashew Cheese d cheese

Don’t let mozzarella fool you, you can use it in quesadillas on baked italian dishes, pizzas

10. Fresh Cheese—-> for Kite Hill Ricotta

This is great for topping on on salads, in shakshuka, in vegan lasagna, etc. I also love eating it on it’s own with crackers!

11. Crême fraiche—> coconut milk

12. Aged Cheese —> Treeline cashew cheese (I like the garlic herb flavor)

13. Creamy dressings (vegan ranch, Caesar salad dressing)—> silken tofu or tahini

14. Creamy smoothies or chocolate mouse—> avocado

15. Sour cream—> cashew sour cream

The post No Dairy? No Problem! 15 Easy Swaps appeared first on Feeling Yum.