Baked Goods

January 12, 2017

2017 Low-So Reboot

Happy 2017 dearest internet friends! With the new year, I’m entering my 34th year of life and my 13th year living with lupus and kidney disease. And while the past 365 days have had their ups and downs. And downs. And more downs. They also brought a renewed faith in food and its power to heal. See: 34 years old with the same stage 4 kidneys. Still kicking! As you may remember, last year, I welcomed January with a big anti-inflammation overhaul of my diet — no wheat or gluten, no eggs, no dairy, no sugar, no soy, no nightshade vegetables, NO […]

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October 31, 2016

Super Simple Macaroon Tarts

Now that Halloween has come and gone, it’s time to focus on the next big event in the this holiday marathon: THANKSGIVING. A time when we come together with friends and family to loosen our pants and indulge on all the sweet and savory recipes we love, brimming with tradition and childhood memories. As well as lots and lots and lots of sodium. But before you toss Grandma’s casserole in the trash forever, take a breath. And then take a look around your kitchen and grocery store. Because there are plenty of food swaps and ingredient tricks that will help kick the sodium down a […]

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October 29, 2016

Low-So Good Spooky Cookies

Halloween is around the weekend corner. Which, in my book, means the start of the glutinous holiday season. Lots of pumpkin spice. And most importantly, treats treats treats! And while salt is clearly my b*tch, sugar is my total soft spot. My edible achilles heel. My delicious kryptonite. When sugary treats are around, I can’t help but devour it. All of it. But beyond sucrose overload, most sweet treats are also high in…sodium! NO? YES! It’s true. Whether it is the baking powder and baking soda in baked cookies, breads, and muffins OR actual salt in bars, gummies, and  hard candies — those sweet treats could […]

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October 7, 2016

Low-So Purple Sweet Potato Empanadas

It’s October which means it’s time for Halloween-themed treats, made freakishly colorful by super natural ingredients (see what I did there?). So let’s start out with these purple sweet potato empanadas that were scary easy to make (I did it again!). I mean, seriously, I had these in the oven and ready-to-eat in less than two episodes of Project Runway. And the dough (THE DOUGH!) came together in a literal stir and snap. So don’t be afraid to try it. Now, I’ve been meaning to try empanadas ever since my daughter became obsessed with a book about empanadas. But the […]

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April 1, 2016

Top Low-So Ingredient Swaps

Happy April Fools Day, World!  A time to practice extreme silliness and joy, and plan a prank or two. And, in my opinion, the perfect holiday to play a little (or a lot) with your food. Because really, everyday on a low-so diet (or any diet) is a “fool” day, in which one uses creativity and fun to trick those eyeballs and those tastebuds. And trust me, if I can make vegan, low-so, and gluten-free Twinkies a reality, seriously, anything is possible. So to inspire your own edible tom-foolery — today and everyday — check out some of my favorite ingredients swaps that expertly mimic favorite foods […]

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February 19, 2016

Low-So Cauliflower Vegetable Bread

Kale may be a superfood. But cauliflower is a food unicorn. It’s totally magical. With the right recipe and ingredients, cauliflower can turn into a pizza crust. Or white pizza sauce. Mashed “potatoes.”  Popcorn. Rice. A steak. CHORIZO!!! Vegan macaroni and “cheese.” And even a ricotta-like situation (which I have in my new book and coming soon to theKitchn.com, but you can find a similar recipe here). Come to think of it, cauliflower is not just a unicorn; it’s a top tier impersonator. And if it could, I’m sure it would headline as Cher in Vegas. The point is, now that I’m on an even more limited […]

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October 29, 2015

Unprocessed Purple Sweet Potato Cupcakes

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: low-sodium diets have a major branding problem. Many people — with heart disease, kidney disease, menieres disease, and other health issues — can stand to benefit from eating less salt and sodium. And yet no one takes the bait. Because the bait still sounds pretty boring and bland and more like a prescription than something you want to eat. Here’s the thing, though: A low-sodium diet is food. FOOD! And while yes, it can be boring, any kind of food can be boring. So it’s up to you to make it exciting. To use spices […]

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July 31, 2015

Low-So Frittata Focaccia

  I’ll have to keep things rather short today as MY BROTHER IS GETTING MARRIED THIS WEEKEND! And I’m off for “Best Woman” duties for the weekend. But if you follow me on Instagram, you may have noticed a little confession yesterday: I’ve been doing something called The Whole 30 plan. Now, I’m no dieter and eating for me — especially eating a low-so diet –has always been about adding more to my life versus taking things away. But due to some recent Lupus flare ups and overall, just feeling a bit on the crappy side, I decided to look more […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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