Tabitha Brown Rarely Ever Cooks With Salt: Here’s Why
Don’t worry, her food still packs plenty of flavor.
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Andrew Eccles for BHG
If you’ve been on social media at all in the last six years, chances are you’ve caught a glimpse of Tabitha Brown. The Los Angeles-based multi-hyphenate, who follows a vegan diet to improve her health, first went viral in 2017 after tasting a tempeh bacon, tomato, lettuce, and avocado sandwich from Whole Foods. Brown’s praise of the vegan meal and her unbridled positivity earned the video millions of views, and was the start of her social media stardom.
Now, with millions of followers across several social platforms, the actress, author of four books, Emmy-winning host of her own children’s series, vegan chef, and businesswoman is on the cover of Better Homes & Gardens’ Food Issue opening up about her rise to fame, her viral recipes, and her nonjudgemental approach to veganism.
Related: Tabitha Brown’s Trick for a Fresh-Smelling Home Is So Easy and Uses Just 1 Ingredient
When it comes to cooking, Brown is nothing if not consistent, even if it means rarely using a popular pantry staple in any of her beloved plant-based recipes, including her carrot dogs, jackfruit tacos, and more. “I cook the same way I’ve always cooked. I’m from the South, so you know we layer with flavor, but I’m also not a salt person. I normally cook without salt,” she shares, noting that this piece of controversial cooking advice came from her grandmother. “She said, ‘Listen, when you go into a restaurant, where’s your salt?’ I said it’s on the table. She says, ‘That’s where it belongs—on the table. It doesn’t belong in the kitchen. You layer first with herbs and spices, and then if you need the salt, you add it, but it shouldn’t be the main ingredient.’”
Salt or not, Brown, who has created a line of seasonings for McCormick, knows how to guarantee that her food is always packed with plenty of flavor. “I love herbs and spices. I love garlic. I love cumin and curry, and all these different spices,” she explains. “I taste, layer, and season as I cook. It’s got to be flavorful and good, but it also has to be something that reminds me of home. I’m not taking anything away from myself. I’m giving myself something new.”
Related: Kosher Salt vs. Sea Salt: What’s the Difference?
And while there are more vegan products at the grocery store than ever before, such as pre-made plant-based burger patties and fish, Brown prefers to focus on whole foods that aren’t ultra processed. “Instead of a fake meat burger you buy at the store, I’d rather have something with black beans, mushrooms, onions, or grains,” she says. “If we cook for ourselves, we know what we’re eating, instead of getting things that are processed where we don’t really know. If I gotta read all these ingredients and can’t understand them, then I’m not making the best choice.”
Still, despite following a vegan diet, Brown wants others to know she’s not critical of whatever it is they choose to consume. “I’m never hypocritical about my journey. I never want people to feel judged by how they eat and live their life,” she declares. “I did it to save my life. And when it changed how I felt and my health improved, I only wanted to share that with people.”
The Food Issue of Better Homes & Gardens featuring Tabitha Brown hits newsstands on February 23.
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