Make It Yourself: Gomasio

A blend of toasted sesame seeds and sea salt, gomasio is a condiment that adds flavor and texture without delivering too much sodium. You may encounter gomasio in Japanese restaurants or health food stores, but there's no need to restrict it to Asian dishes—it gives a flavor boost to everything from sautéed green beans to roasted peppers to tossed green salads. And it couldn't be easier to make.

Toast half a cup of sesame seeds in a dry pan. Keep a vigilant eye on them, as they can scorch very quickly—the toasting shouldn't take more than a few minutes. Then grind the seeds with two teaspoons of sea salt. If you don't have a spice grinder, a clean coffee grinder works wonderfully.

That's it!

You may soon find yourself reaching for the gomasio instead of the salt shaker.