Cooking

August 4, 2010

Low So and High Five

Sometimes we all need a little inspiration, a fresh perspective to get us out of our cooking ruts and thinking beyond the proverbial pasta boxes. And in the whirlwind of these past few months, my cooking was in desperate need of a make-over. When not dreaming up something for this blog, my feeding schedule has become heavily dependent on three reoccurring meals: frittatas, tomato-based soups, and pork Ragùs. I know, kind of random. But across the board, I find that these recipes are all easy to make, comforting to eat, and successful at using up leftovers in the fridge. After […]

July 26, 2010

The Origins of Spice: Paprika

There’s always that single, awkward moment of parenthood when your child asks you: “Mom, Dad, where does paprika come from?” And just in case your parents danced around the subject, providing answers like “the store” or “that bottle over there,” I wanted to start your Monday by giving you the information that you have been seeking your whole life. Now, when I myself discovered the origin of paprika, I have to admit that I was shocked. I couldn’t believe that in all my years of cooking and using these burnt, ruby grains, that I didn’t already know the plant from […]

July 23, 2010

For the (Epi)curious

Curiosity may have killed the cat (rest in peace, Fluffy), but it will definitely make you a better cook. For someone on a restricted diet – especially a salt-free diet – it is essential to venture beyond your comfort zone and try things that will not only impress your guests, but surprise your palate. If you simply rely on the basics (salt and pepper) and the simple (red pasta sauce and noodles), your options will be limited and your meals will end up – I hate to say it – tasting pretty bland. But once you stop focusing on the […]

July 21, 2010

Low Sodium Avocado and Fish Soup

I’m beyond thrilled to present to you the first ever post of the Salt-Free My Recipe series. Today’s make-over is brought to you by none other than our good friend Mark Bittman (who always comes through in a pinch) because the submission box was a bit bare this week. Ahem, ahem. So for future posts, don’t let Mr. Bittman have all the fun (or hog the spotlight) and remember to email sodiumgirl@gmail.com or comment below with your salt-free recipe challenges. Ok, so back to this week’s “submission.” Last night, our wonderful blogger group (which continues to grow by leaps and […]

June 3, 2010

From Scratch: Chicken Butchery Class

Here’s my personal opinion: when you cook something from scratch, it will by any account be healthier than something you buy that is prepared. When you are cooking from start to finish, you control everything about your ingredients – their place of origin, the method of cooking, and the type of seasoning. As a low sodium cook, I try to continually expand my culinary skills by taking cooking classes so I can make dishes (that are usually salt laden) in the comfort of my own home. I find that the more I know about the food, the more types I […]

May 24, 2010

The Dehydrator

A few weeks ago, when I was having a minor operation, Boy was thoughtful enough to buy me a little get well gift. It was a totally unnecessary, completely adorable gesture that warmed my heart and really did make me feel better. And I bet you’re thinking, he probably got her some flowers, a good book, or maybe a DVD set of the past 800 billion seasons of Lost (which I am so behind on that I think, like the Harry Potter craze, I will have to completely ignore instead of trying to catch up and admit to my complete, pop […]

May 14, 2010

An Altered State of Mind

For some reason, we have no problem buying a pair of pants (that are obviously too long in the leg and trail dangerously past your shoes) and taking them to the local tailor to be shortened, cuffed, and fitted. But when it comes to following a recipe, we seem reticent (if not frightened) to change any detail to fit our needs, as if altering instructions from Julia Child’s cookbook is akin to telling Coco Chanel she got her pantsuit all wrong. But we have to get over that fear for two reasons: (1) adaptation is essential to low sodium cooking and […]

May 7, 2010

Black or White

In 1991, Michael Jackson (RIP, King of Pop) preached to us all that “it don’t matter if you’re black or white.” Amen to that. But what if we apply this statement to the kitchen. Does it hold true when it comes to pepper? And more importantly, what is the difference between black and white varieties? Let’s explore. Pepper comes from ground peppercorns, which are the dried berry of the viney, pepper plant. Much like bell peppers, the color of the berry depends on its maturity. Black peppercorns are picked when the berry is still unripe (and green) and then dried […]

May 5, 2010

Spring Fling

Monday night, SF Tao of Pao, the ladies from Farm & a Frying Pan, and I gathered together for our third installment of our blogger dinner. The theme this evening was “Spring” and the F & FP gals imagined a beautiful menu, consisting of pea risotto, oven baked asparagus, and some iteration of berry cobbler. As the email exchanges flew and logistics were made, I found myself to be the last to respond and suddenly (cue dissonant chord) I was the one in charge of the desert. Dessert means baking. Baking means exact measurements and exact ingredients. And that means […]

April 26, 2010

A Call to Grate-Ness

Sometimes a recipe calls for garlic. But the prep demands that it is not diced, sliced, nor chopped, but…well…mushed. I’m not sure what the technical term is for this action, but I’ve watched many chefs take chopped garlic, some rough sea salt, and with their knife, grind it into a fine pulp. It is a superb technique when you desire a dish to merely have an essence of garlic, rather than chunks of it. But clearly, even a sprinkle of sea salt is too much sodium for this Girl. And I’ve often wondered, is there another solution for pulping garlic besides […]

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