Award Shows

March 13, 2012

Low-Sodium Nuggets for Nick Cannon

In case you missed it, there was big news in the lupus and kidney world last week. Nick Cannon, star of such films as Drumline (which I’ve watched three times in one night — thank you TBS), the host of America’s Got Talent, and hubby to Mariah Carey announced that his recent kidney troubles are due to a form of lupus that attacks the kidneys, called lupus nephritis. Sound familiar? What’s thrilling for the lupus and kidney disease communities is that Nick is so open about his diagnosis, helping raise major awareness about both conditions. But what is equally exciting [...]

February 23, 2012

Hearts for Hearts

Turns out, taking care of your teeth is mighty important. I was reminded of this during my hour and a half dentist appointment this morning. (Don’t worry–I get to keep all of my teeth. And they even told me I am a super brusher. Not gonna lie. I may have blushed a little. And I’m considering putting it on my resume) But there is another part of your body that needs love. Maybe even more so than your teeth. And that’s your heart. This rubber band knows what I’m talking about. Even if you don’t have any health problems, [...]

August 16, 2011

Salt-Free Cake Pops

I’ve decided to give up sugar. Just kidding. Have we met? I love my sugar. And to celebrate the fact that I adore sweets of pretty much any flavor and variety, I made cake pops. Salt-free cake pops, to be specific. Now you may have seen these little sticks of dough and frosting on Starbucks counters or on bookshelves (Chronicle has published some pretty rad guides on how to DIY the little suckers). But please excuse me as I toot my horn for a moment and say this: I have been popping cake long before it was popular. Or at [...]

February 25, 2011

Oscar Worthy Apps

So the Academy snubbed you out of an Oscar nod. Again. And apparently Wolfgang Puck is busy on Sunday evening. Already. That leaves you, your gaggle of pals, and your own creativity to turn this weekend into an award winning celebration – with or without Hollywood’s help. If you plan on hosting an Oscar Watching Party, there’s no need to go into a Black Swan panic. The recipes below will surely turn you and your treats into the stars of the evening – watch out Anette Benning. And between the top-shelf snacks and your expert analysis of this year’s fashion [...]

January 3, 2011

Low Sodium Stickers

Hello and happy new year, everyone. And what a year it will be. While I was gone, eating my way through New Zealand and Bangkok for a month – tough life – it seemed like the reasons to celebrate in 2011 were piling up almost as high as my mail: Stanford goes to the Orange Bowl, a handful of friends get engaged, and I get a….well, this last one will just have to wait for a few more weeks to be revealed. And it’s not a baby. But back to the point, the signs from the universe were undeniably clear: [...]

December 8, 2010

Pâté Cake, Pâté Cake

Lately I’ve been reading Good Meat, by Deborah Krasner. Part text book, part cook book, Krasner implores readers to give sustainable meat a try and provides the advice, resources, and techniques that will make the culinary adventure worth it. When I say sustainable meat, I am talking about buying lamb, duck, beef, and poultry in their quarter, half, or full state – not just the the pre-cut packages of ribs, legs, and thighs we are accustomed to. She enthusiastically shares the joys of eating shoulders, loins, and even offal as well as the recipes needed to master these more unfamiliar [...]

March 30, 2010

Hi Ho Hummus

As we continue our journey through Moroccan cuisine, there is one Mediterranean staple that cannot be left off the menu: hummus and pita bread. Lucky for my blogger friends and I, the ladies from Farm & A Frying Pan whipped up a mean batch of both. Now, if you are anything like me, you have tried to make hummus many times. Whether you decide to eat it as dip or slather on a sandwich, hummus is the perfect quick fix for a lunch or pot luck party. And with five simple ingredients – chickpeas, lemon, tahini, garlic, and parsley – [...]

March 9, 2010

The Art of Raw Fish

Let’s take a moment to really appreciate fish in its most untainted state. Ceviche, sashimi, and other forms of thinly sliced sea food are a perfect, low sodium dining option. If you stay away from the saltier schools, like mackarel, squid, and shellfish, and leave off the usual soy-based or salt-infused sauces, these light appetizers will generally rank low on the salt scale, hovering around 50 mg of sodium per serving (my best estimation). As I had mentioned yesterday, I substituted a Peruvian-inspired seafood ceviche for the Puerto Rican octopus salad. Although the recipe, and result, was different from the [...]

February 1, 2010

Once You Pop, You Can't Stop

Sometimes, it’s nice to take tradition and flip it on its head. The oyster po’ boy sandwich is an old favorite – a seaside comfort food that stirs up memories of overcast Half Moon Bay weather, a cold brew, and a bonfire. There is something clunky and majestic about this treat that calls for it to be eaten from a paper boat plate, away from the rugs and white couches of one’s home. So to make it a home-cook, classic, I needed to repackage the recipe and turn it into a one-bite wonder. I took all of the sandwich’s magical [...]

December 1, 2009

Cookie Hang

Oh me oh my – it’s the holidays. 96.5 has been blasting Christmas carols since the middle of November, store-front windows are sporting a menagerie of lights and pine needles, and people are gathering regularly for exchanges of gifts, goodies, and sweet treats. Last night my book club traded in well-read pages for a cookie hang which, for those of you who do not craft on a regular basis or own an absurd amount of tupperware, is an event in where people gather with enough baked goods for everyone to share. There are oohs and ahhs, a lot of munching, [...]