Low Salt, Full Flavor

While I am avoiding the chocolate covered bacon bandwagon, I can understand the appeal of sweet and salty. But I worry about overindulging in salt, particularly in the holiday season when we go to a lot of holiday parties and dinners.

So I was eager to try LoSalt, a low sodium salt made from potassium chloride. It has 2/3 less sodium than regular table salt, with no artificial flavors.

LoSalt, which comes in iodized and original versions, can be substituted one for one in recipes and at the table. One of my kids routinely salts her food before tasting – we don’t put salt on the table, but she’s old enough to get it herself – so this an ideal way for her to reduce her sodium consumption.

I tested LoSalt in homemade bread, and in salted fudge brownies, and in everyday cooking, and couldn’t discern any difference.

Here are the brownies. They are not low fat, low sugar or low in calories, so indulge wisely:

Salted Brownies

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

  1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

 2 cups sugar

 3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon LoSalt

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a 9-inch square metal cake pan with foil, draping the foil over the edges. Lightly butter the foil.

In a large bowl, microwave the butter with the unsweetened chocolate. One at a time, whisk the cocoa, sugar, eggs, vanilla and flour. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the surface. Sprinkle the salt evenly over the batter and swirl in using a butter knife.

Bake the fudge brownies in the center of the oven for about 35 minutes, until the edge is set but the center is still a bit soft; a toothpick inserted into the center should be coated with a little of the batter. Let the brownies cool at room temperature in the pan for 1 hour, then refrigerate an 1 hour. Lift the brownies from the pan and peel off the foil.