Food Shopping

April 13, 2011

Low Sodium Questions and Answers

Today we are going to take a slight departure from our normal Wednesdays and I’m going to tell you about all the things I love. I love the rain. I like the sound of it. I like the way the air smells after it. I particularly like it when I am not wearing shoes. I don’t necessarily love the rain – achem – when it comes in April. April is supposed to be about flowers, spring cleaning, and candy. Which I love to eat after dinner and for breakfast. But I like the rain – ok, I’ll say I love [...]

April 8, 2011

Sushi Picks

No sodium. Lots of flavor. Thanks to Ginger People, homemade, salt-free sushi just got a whole lot sexier. Chow on.

April 4, 2011

Short Story on Shrimp

There are a few things we just inherently trust: parents (excluding years 13 to 22) the pythagorean theorem weather predications made by groundhogs and when it comes to low sodium cooking, nutrition labels To live a successful (and almost effortless) low sodium lifestyle, one has to be educated. You’ve got to know your stuff. By reading blogs and books and searching the internet, you will be able to confidently approximate how much sodium is in that piece of celery, that muffin, or that plate of pasta on the menu. Which will enable you to make smart eating decisions quickly, without [...]

April 1, 2011

Serious Spice

Readers, meet Furikake. Furikake is a magnificent Japanese seasoning made of sesame seeds, bonito flakes (dried fish), nori, and that enigmatic fifth flavor, umami. And guess what? While most Furikake mixes contain MSG, you can find no-salt, no MSG versions at your favorite Asian market. With just a few shakes, you can infuse dishes with exotic Eastern flavors. And your new friend, salt-free Furikake, can be used to spice up pickling blends; home-made sushi; or as a decorative and delicious topping for a simple rice bowl. Furikake can even help you more accurately recreate low sodium versions of traditional Japanese [...]

March 2, 2011

Salt-Free Bun in the Oven

For the majority of the past seven years, bread has played a very minor “roll” in my low sodium diet. Booya – that is a bread joke. I had no idea that my weekly apple fritter, the occasional bagel, and my daily tuna sandwiches had upwards of 400mg of sodium. And as soon as I found out, they were swiftly cut from my sodium-safe list. Of course, no one can completely cut out the carb craving and from time to time, I enjoy slices of the pre-cut, salt-free bread available, like the kind from No Salt Added Alvarado Street Bakery. I [...]

February 23, 2011

Low Sodium Veggie Burgers

This one’s for the vegetarians. As much as I love a hunk of steak and a medium-rare burger that drips with meat juices – and I confess, I am now a proud participant in a beef CSA! – red meat can actually be high in natural sodium. Three ounces of chuck can land you upwards of 90mg, depending on brand and percentage of fat (other kinds can be much lower). So like any health conscious Jack or Jill, sometimes a beef overload gets the best of you and you want to balance your carnivorous tendencies with occasional herbivore fare. That’s [...]

February 11, 2011

Big Love, Big News, Big Treats

Love food. Love others. But most of all, love yourself. That’s the message of today’s post and my attempt to tie three big topics together under one little photo of a chocolate covered quinoa treat. To begin, I wanted to give a quick update about next week’s “Love Your Heart Recipe Rally.” (BIG LOVE) Yes, the whole idea was a bit last minute, but amazingly, in just a few days, some wonderful bloggers – none of whom have any low sodium dietary restrictions – have joined the Rally and have agreed to take on the challenge of cooking food with [...]

February 9, 2011

Do You Yuba?

What is a Yuba, you ask? Well to begin, let’s talk about what it is not: A musical instrument that makes fart noises. A new dance craze that consists of squiggly moves and Gumby arms. A cross-breed of a Lama and a sheep, although this would be a great name for that combination. So crazy scientists reading this blog post, take note. But because “no’s” don’t get you very far in life (and neither do double negatives), let’s move on to what a Yuba actually is. Yuba is the name for fresh tofu skins. Silky and pliable, they are an [...]

January 26, 2011

Product Alert

Here are things I love: fried chicken, french fries, tempura, onion rings, and when it comes to low sodium living, being wrong. Which has nothing to do with being dipped in hot oil…thank goodness. My great mistake begins with yogurt. For years, I have avoided it since many dairy products are high in sodium. But with my recent travels, I started contemplating the yogurt compromise. At airports and on-the-road, low sodium food is scarce. I tend to look for things like steamed white rice, fresh fruit, and hard boiled eggs to keep me fueled and my stomach quiet. But often, even [...]

January 17, 2011

Fraiche Start

Nothing says “Happy Monday” like a spoonful of fresh crème fraiche sitting atop a crispy fried potato. Taste buds, start your engines. Thicker (and less sour) than sour cream but richer than mayonnaise, this cloud of dairy velvet is one of my favorite low sodium ingredients. You can find crème fraiche in most markets – from a Safeway to a French épicerie – and most brands have incredibly low sodium contents, landing somewhere around 10mg per tablespoon. It works as an exceptional substitute in recipes that call for saltier spreads and I love to use it in everything from egg salad sandwiches, to a [...]

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