when kids are young there is really no need for salt in their diet and gomasio is a nice way to add taste to your cooking with much less salt...AND it's easy to prepare, if you make it yourself then you can also watch the amount of salt that you are using. you can buy raw sesame seeds in bulk at most health food stores and whole foods, so buy a bunch so that you have it on hand when you need it and store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. you can also buy already prepared gomasio but I think it has too much salt, and the smell and flavor is so much better when you prepare it yourself. in fact, I remember when I had our first son Dr. Warren King told me not to use salt until he was 4 years old (dr. warren king is my 'guru' doctor and if you are lucky enough to live in Minnesota you MUST give him a try...you will be amazed!).
I would like to take a moment to talk about a nice iron skillet. I think this is a very important tool in your kitchen and the best is Griswald. now you only have to decide on the size that is right for you and your family, we have both a size 6 and an 8, we use them both every day! I bought them at a flea market ten years ago for about $7 each, years ago and they will last forever (I have been carting them all around the world with me). You should never use soap to clean them, just warm water and a brush work great, then dry them off on the flame on your stove...after awhile they will season nicely to your cooking and they will add healthy iron to your meals that is essential, especially for women.
so take your iron skillet, dry, and put in a couple of hand-fulls of sesame seeds. toast on a medium flame until golden and then add about a teaspoon of salt and toss again. take your seeds off the flame and put them into a suribachi or use a mortar and pestle (I have also used a empty wine bottle and cutting board..so anything can work) and grind the sesame seeds for a bit until they are pretty cracked and the aroma is fantastic! and there you go!
gomasio is such a wonderful and healthy topping for all meals and kids really love it! ...and it's a good source of iron and calcium!
