Good Living

January 15, 2010

Help Me, Help You, Help Haiti

I wish I had a more eloquent way of saying this, but here are my simple thoughts. When we band together, the strength of our actions are exponentially multiplied, and the results will be far greater than they would have been if we were only moving by ourselves. So in the wake of the disaster in Haiti, I am doing just that and joining other bloggers on the Help Haiti Blog Challenge – raising money, bit by bit, to be donated to a disaster relief organization of our choice. The idea is for bloggers to sell their services for a […]

December 21, 2009

Table Manners

To have the best low sodium dining experience, two things are of utmost importance: 1. Be clear as to what you cannot eat 2. But more importantly, be informed as possible on what you can I’ve spoken before about the basic tips that make dining out a breeze: call ahead of time bring a list of your restrictions frequent favorite spots regularly to build a relationship with the staff and chefs. The more they cook for you, the more adventurous (and comfortable) they will become in making sodium free meals But let’s get a little more detailed on how your […]

December 14, 2009

The Joy of (other people) Cooking

This weekend I attended 3 tree trimmings, two Chanukah parties, a birthday dinner, and an engagement lunch. It was a whole lot of season’s eatings. And throughout this whirlwind of celebrations, I not only enjoyed the company of my loved ones, but I was treated to some very special no sodium cooking as well. First, the cupcakes. Sprinkles cupcakes have slowly crept up the coast from LA to the mouths of hungry, sweet toothed San Franciscans. I’ve had nibbles of the haute muffins before, but due to the sodium content, I have never fully partaken in the decadent enjoyment of […]

December 7, 2009

Eating Amongst Friends

Let me first apologize for my brief blogging hiatus this weekend. But let me assure you that while I kept my computer quiet, I carried on my voracious eating habits as usual which is evident from the Mexican fiesta shown above. I was invited to join my friends, post wreath making party, for an evening of corn fritters, taco salads, and margaritas. While helping my friend cook said spicy feast, it dawned on me that I have failed to discuss a very important dietary topic: THE DINNER PARTY I do not mean the dinner party that you host, at your […]

November 24, 2009

On the Road Again

Off again on another whirlwind adventure! I decided to make the most out of my Thanksgiving holiday on the east coast and head out a week early to visit my ladies who left the warmth of sunny California for the fall chill of Boston, DC, NYC and beyond. And I have to admit, although I am a Californian to the core, the holiday spirit combined with the comfort of bundling up has my heart singing show tunes. Three plane rides, a train, and endless house visits along the way, I knew I needed to prepare a slightly larger-than-usual snack pack […]

November 16, 2009

Battle Citrus, No Sodium

There is a lot coming up this week: home-made pickles, homemade cheese (hopefully), an appearance at 18 Reason’s “Jam It” event on Thursday, and a starters list on how to create your own scrumptious and salt free Thanksgiving meal. But while we wait for the pickles to pickle and for the cheese to curd and whey, I wanted to write a quick post about a groundbreaking event that occurred last March: Iron Chef Battle: Citrus, No Sodium The culinary smack down was the second in a series of two Iron Chef competitions, originally hosted by our good friends Kwame (who […]

October 22, 2009

Black Dress Theory

Let’s face it, food tastes good with salt. French fries, pasta water, even chocolate – salt is everywhere and is the universally adored flavor enhancer. We are so accustomed to eating meals laden with the shimmering crystals that, to cook or eat a dish without them seems like an impossible feat, or at least impossibly boring. When people find out that I cannot have salt, they often react with horror and remark that, if they had to do such a thing, they “would commit hara-kiri.” But this morning, I thought of an analogy that might illuminate the ultimately positive reality […]

August 3, 2009

Happy Trails

I’ve been a bit behind on my blogging due to some recent travels (WEDDING SEASON!) and am off again early this week for more fun on trains, planes, and automobiles. However, the time I have spent on the road reminded me that it is high time to write on one of the more challenging low sodium subjects: eating well while on the go When traveling, everyone must forgo their fresh, healthy food options for fast(er) food. And for those of us trying to maintain a strict diet (health required or otherwise), it seems almost impossible to stay within our limits. […]

March 2, 2009

Design Your Diet

There are two things you need to best plan your new diet: inspiration and information. For me, inspiration came first – I dove into cooking meals from scratch (nothing canned or pre-packaged) and experimenting with spices, herbs, and different flavors in the kitchen. My first two cookbooks – and still my favorites for breads, sauces, and desserts – are The No-Salt Cookbook and The No-Salt Lowest-Sodium Cookbook. The recipes tend to be simple (great for the novice cooker) but the basics are the best place to start and will help you build more complex flavors or tackle more difficult food […]

February 27, 2009

Hold the Salt

My journey with Lupus began with quite a bang – a 3 month hospital stay, chemotherapy, and too many ups and downs to count. The most lasting effect was renal insufficiency – meaning my kidneys only work at a fraction of the normal capacity. I cannot rid my body of toxins or water retention at a normal rate and this leads to high blood pressure and other functional complications. Amazingly/luckily/unbelievably – my kidneys actually regenerated enough that I no longer needed a kidney transplant (thank you, Dad) and my dialysis tubes could be removed. Now it was up to me. […]

Next Entries