One item of advice from my doctor was to get “aggressive” about cutting my sodium intake. This meant more than not adding salt to food, he said, but to read labels. Read a milk label, he said, and prepare to be surprised at how much sodium it has.
I’ve been in label shock ever since. He recommended 1500 mgs or less of sodium a day. A tablespoon of soy sauce has 920 mgs, more than half my quota. Breads were another surprise. One slice usually has 200 to 300 mgs. A couple slices of toast in the morning and a sandwich at lunch and, boom, 1200 mgs, not counting fillings and toppings (or dinner). I decided to begin this project by reducing the sodium in bread. If that went well, then I would move on to the other major food groups, such as meats and cookies.
Most of the salt in commercial bread is a preservative, not flavoring. but some sodium is needed for slowing the rising action of yeast. After weeks of trial and error, I realized I couldn’t get a good loaf if I eliminated sodium entirely but I could at least reduce it. My final version below has a good flavor, toasts well, yet has only 35 mgs of sodium per LOAF (not slice!). The yogurt provides both sodium and acids for good rising. But because the bread has so little salt, it dries out faster than store bread so wrap well or freeze.
Patricia’s Low-Salt Bread
In a large bowl mix: 1 cup whole wheat flour 2 cups bread flour 1 Tbs. yeast | In a quart measuring cup mix: ½ cup plain or vanilla yogurt ¼ cup honey water to equal three cups |
Heat yogurt mixture in microwave to 115-120 degrees, approx 2-3 min on high. Add all at once to flour. Beat by hand or with mixer 2-4 minutes. Gradually beat in additional bread flour, 1 cup at a time until dough is “kneadable,” approx 3 cups.
Turn out on floured board. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding a little flour as needed. Raise in greased bowl in warm place until doubled, about an hour. Punch down. Raise again. Grease two pans. Shape into two loaves. Raise again. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven about 40 minutes until golden brown.
Tips: Success with lower-sodium dough, I’ve discovered, means being very careful with temperature. Test the water with a candy thermometer. Make sure the rising spot is truly warm, 80 to 90 degrees. My over-the-stove microwave has a light underneath so with the light on, the interior of the microwave is perfect. Or put a pot of boiling water in the oven with the dough. Actually preheat the oven; don’t cheat; preheating makes a difference in the final taste of the bread. Oh, and one more thing, make sure the grease for bowls and pans is unsalted. I use unsalted butter.
One of these low-sodium loaves was the model for today’s drawing.
Above: Bread with Basket, pastel on paper, 11x14 inches. Copyright 2010 ptw.
