Picnics

March 17, 2015

Low-So Green Sauces

Pardon the interruption of Salt-Free Salt month. But I though, it being St. Patty’s day and all, I’d bring you something green. Well two things: First, my Low-So Spinach Sauce. And then, my Kale Pesto French Toast. They are both superhero condiments of edible proportions. So let’s start with spinach. I love this sauce not just for it’s velvety texture. Nor its tangy taste. Nor the fact that you can sneak in a whole load of vegetables into your next pasta, salad, or steak dinner. What I love so much about this sauce (or dressing, depending on how you use it) is that it uses spinach. […]

January 30, 2015

Low-So Boule, Challah, Challah Buns

I love my daughter’s preschool. But there are two stand-out reasons why it has changed my life: 1) they are helping me potty train a toddler and 2) they make fresh challah every Thursday. Not at the same time. As we’ve been discussing all month, bread can seem like a big low-sodium challenge. The store-bought loaves can equal upwards of 200mg per slice. And because we tend to eat a lot of bread for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, those numbers can really add up. But with many low-sodium products on the shelves and many more creative low-sodium swaps at your fingertips, you now know how […]

January 26, 2015

Low-So Bread Swaps

If last week’s baked bow-tie pasta blew your mind, just wait until you see the countless other ways to give favorite bready ingredients a low-sodium makeover. From crackers to breadcrumbs to baguettes, I’ve got you covered with creative low-so stand-ins that will stand up to the original. And satisfy anyone, including salt eaters. Because they’re fun and fresh and way more exciting than, well, white bread. Plus, they’re simply easier to make than a loaf, from-scratch. Which is great for those times when you are in a rush or faced with unexpected guests. Or simply not in the mood to bake. Of course, later this […]

August 15, 2014

Quick Cracker Hack

I will never forget how I felt when I discovered my first bag of salt-free potato chips. It was a low-sodium snacking revelation! Then came salt-free tortilla chips, beet and sweet potato chips, and finally, salt-free rice crackers. All products that increasingly improved my ability to stay fueled and well appetize’d throughout the day and evening. But what about feeding others? Most of the time, my guests were surprisingly pleased with the taste and texture of these salt-free options. Many starting to opt for the salt-free versions. But as for the flavor options — well, they all fell to the blander […]

July 26, 2014

Blistered Bean and Nectarine Salad

Peas and carrots. Rice and beans. Peanut butter and jelly. Just like Hollywood and history books, the food world has its own set of iconic duos. And if you’re looking to play matchmaker in your own kitchen, you need look no further than what’s in season. Right now, stone fruit and beans (of the green, cranberry, and yellow wax variety) are taking over the market. They are, as you might say in the tabloids, “hot items.” And while they might seem like a totally odd couple at first glance, they actually work beautifully together; the crunch of the beans balancing […]

June 13, 2014

Salt-Free Chunky Carrot Dressing

Carrots aren’t just for rabbits. Or dips. Or stews. Or over-steaming in microwaves. Fresh carrots are a thing of beauty. They actually come in a rainbow of colors, which will easily jazz up a raw veggie party platter. And they are pretty much “in season” all year long. Which you can’t say for asparagus or cherries or white pants. Best of all, carrots are higher in natural sodium than most whole ingredients. It charts in at 50mg per large carrot. Seriously. Take a look at a bottle of carrot juice the next time you’re at the market. Which is why they […]

May 29, 2014

Cauliflower Rice and Corn Salad

Hold your lunch, things are about to change. Forever. I recently discovered the wonders of cauliflower rice, a darling of Paleo, raw, and vegetarian diets alike. And now, a darling of mine too. It’s a super creative solution for grain-free versions of things like sushi rice or couscous tabbouleh. You know, things like that. And while I was skeptical at first, after giving it a cauliflower rice salad try, I’ve become seriously obsessed. Not just because it is easy and surprisingly filling. But also because, once you ‘ve made it, there are so many ways you can use it. And note: even though […]

April 18, 2014

Matzo-Tizers & Rocky Matzo Road

I promise we’re almost done with matzo makeovers. But seriously, matzo is one incredible low-sodium ingredient that can go from breakfast to dinner, from snacks to sweets. And I just can’t help myself. It is just so fun to play with them. So this weekend, when you find yourself with only minutes to prepare something wow-worthy for Eastover brunches and sunny picnics (please, lord, let it be sunny), try these two easy matzo non-recipes. The first is the mighty Matzo-Tizer, aka matzo crackers covered in delicious things. You can spread the matzo with avocado, yogurt, or my favorite, a smashed […]

March 26, 2014

Falafel Wraps

There are two big lessons that I want to impart to you today: first, cabbage makes an amazing, low-sodium pita replacements and second, cooking with dried chickpeas is kind of amazingly more amazing than using the canned kind. Now I’m all for convenience. Trust me on this. I’ll happily buy peeled garlic, no-salt-added canned tomatoes, and pre-mixed no-salt spice blends. Anything that makes me low-sodium life and cooking easier. And when it comes to beans, I’ve never, I repeat, NEVER used the dried kind. I always rely on the trusty no-salt-added pre-cooked version and a can opener. But yesterday, I […]

January 6, 2014

Breathing and Blueberry Banana Bread

As I kid, I announced new career aspirations as often as the months changed. In January, I wanted to be a veterinarian. By August, an archeologist. And come October, a mermaid. So let’s just say commitments and resolutions have never been my thing. Which is why each new year, I don’t make promises. I choose mantras. A word that helps define my every move for the days and weeks to come. A word that remains the same even as plans change and life does its twisty turny thing. And this year, I picked the word BREATHE. To remind myself to […]

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