Dips & Spreads

February 11, 2013

2013 Love Your Heart Recipe Rally

Let’s begin with the facts and the numbers, because that’s always a very good place to start: The recommended daily sodium intake for a healthy American is 2,300mg, which equals 1 teaspoon of salt The recommended daily sodium intake for over 50% of adults (due to health problems, age, and other needs) is 1,500mg, which equals just over 1/2 teaspoon of salt Nine out of 10 Americans (that’s 90%) eat almost double the recommended daily intake, averaging over 3,500mg per day (and if you really consider the soy-sauced sushi, chorizo burrito, and milk swamped cereal…that number climbs even higher and adds […]

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March 16, 2012

Low-Sodium Thousand Island Sliders

A few interesting things happened this morning. I lugged every piece of heavy cooking equipment out of the cabinets. Food processor. Stand up mixer. Blender. I covered my kitchen in flour. I whipped up salt-free burger buns in less than an hour. Really. And I totally dominated an all veggie, low-potassium, low-sodium slider with low-sodium drippy and delicious thousand island dressing. A recipe that not only completes this week’s run of drive-through makeovers for Nick Cannon. But also lends itself perfectly to introducing you to a low-sodium reuben sandwich recipe (made by my amazing sis-in-law and her boy-toy) that you can enjoy this […]

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February 23, 2012

2012 Love Your Heart Recipe Rally

Let’s begin with the facts and the numbers, because that’s a very good place to start: The recommended daily sodium intake for a healthy American is 2,300mg, which equals 1 teaspoon of salt The recommended daily sodium intake for over 50% of adults (due to health problems, age, and other needs) is 1,500mg, which equals just over 1/2 teaspoon of salt Nine out of 10 Americans (that’s 90%) eat more than the recommended daily intake of sodium, averaging over 3,300mg (and if you really consider the soy-sauced sushi, chorizo burrito, and milk swamped cereal…that number clilmbs even higher) More than 800,000 […]

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September 23, 2011

Low-Sodium Spinach Leek Dip

Just in time for the weekend football lineup (there are games on Sunday, right?) here’s the second of my low-sodium, super healthy tailgate treats. And oh my goodies, is this one scrumptious. But don’t think I’ve lost my sense of modesty. It’s still right next to my love of watching horrible reality TV with my mother (a.k.a never going anywhere). No, no. The tastiness of this dish has nothing to do with me. I mean, I practically threw a bunch of delicious aromatics in a pan, mixed it with naturally tangy Greek yogurt, and called it a meal. Truly, the […]

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July 13, 2011

Edamame Education: The Ultimate

Today is completely dedicated to edamame pate. Because sometimes people don’t like chicken livers. And also because a dish like this exemplifies why (and how!) low sodium cooking can be so much more than just a restricted diet. Or worse yet, a boring diet. In reality, low sodium is the ultimate test of your creativity in the kitchen. And once you’ve whole heartedly accepted the salt-free challenge, your mind starts coming up with some crazy ideas. Like edmame pate. Which is just silly crazy. And it tastes equally bonkers. For my dear reader who asked for a salt-free and equally […]

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May 27, 2011

Tomato Free Ketchup

There are some rules that I strictly adhere to: 1) White pants are always appropriate, even for dudes. 2) When it is raining, flip flops are a fine choice. 3) And ketchup is good on anything. Even pancakes. I’ll understand, though, if you use syrup. Now ketchup can cost you a few hundred mg of sodium depending on how much you squeeze. The brand I looked at today had 190mg of sodium in it. Per tablespoon. And I’m pretty sure neither you nor I are only going to use a tablespoon. That’s plain ridiculousness. Which is why I am so, […]

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May 16, 2011

Can't Believe It's Not Mayo

People have phobias. Weird ones. I have a few and I’m sure you have some too. I think it is just a part of life and those quirky qualities that make us so adorable. At least that’s what I tell myself. I for one hate ants. Okay, hate is kind of a strong word and now I’m feeling a bit guilty saying I hate ants because I’m sure, in the whole Lion King circle of life situation, they do fulfill some important (maybe even cute) purpose. Like hauling small twigs to their mounds or drinking dew drops from a lily […]

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March 4, 2011

Salt-Free Ranch Revealed

Ok. Now I know how my parents felt when my brother and I begged for a puppy. After weeks of being told “no” and that “just because” is a perfectly acceptable answer, they finally caved in. And Snickers, our cocker spaniel that eventually went blind and deaf but was a cuddle bug all the same, was eventually welcomed to the family. Arm, twisted. So after weeks of receiving wonderful emails from you all, requesting the ingredients for the secret low sodium ranch dressing – that I was going to save for the book – I just couldn’t resist any longer. […]

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January 5, 2011

Ganoush is the New Guacamole

Move over guacamole, there is a new boy in town. (Don’t worry, this is only for dramatics. I could never really lose my love for a creamy avocado). But for those dinner parties and friendly gatherings that need a little extra class and sass, the hot new dish is ganoush – babaganoush – and it is taking all the chips. A few years ago, I discovered a very purple and very low sodium spread at the San Francisco Ferry Building Farmer’s Market. It turned out to be a delectable babaganoush that was bursting with flavor. As I licked my tasting […]

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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 – […]

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