Vegetarian

September 5, 2014

Low-So Broccoli Tater Tots

You may be skeptical, you may be amazed. But either way, behold the broccoli tater tot! (I think I just won motherhood) But before we get into specifics, let me explain something: I’m not a believer of “hiding” vegetables from my daughter or a green-fearing person of any age. But I sure do love the idea of stuffing vegetables in really yummy things, wherever and however possible. Like tater tots. Everybody loves tater tots. This is not up for discussion. And recently I’ve found that broccoli can do a lot more than steam and turn into mush. It makes a great pesto. I love it chopped and […]

continue reading
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 […]

continue reading
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 […]

continue reading
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 […]

continue reading
May 2, 2014

Avocado Sesame Dressing

I refused to eat avocados for a long time. Which now seems just weird and wrong. But when I was younger, the fact that they were green and mushy perked up all my childhood taste bud fears. But then, some creamy avocado dip landed in my mouth one day and everything changed. And I realized avocado’s are Mother Nature’s way of telling you to just go ahead and treat yourself. Which is what I want you to do this weekend. With this Thai-inspired cucumber and papaya salad, smothered in a very special Avocado Sesame Caesar Dressing inspired by Gaby Dalkin‘s […]

continue reading
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 […]

continue reading
April 11, 2014

Salt-Free Matzoh Nachos and Crackers

It’s that time of year when matzoh makes its way to the main market aisles (not hidden in the “ethnic food section”). And while the rest of the world may associate matzoh with Passover, matzoh ball soup, and a vehicle for eating bowls of charoset, us low-sodium folks know matzoh is one of the greatest tools for a creative salt-free kitchen. That’s because most matzoh, unless seasoned, contains zer0 milligrams of sodium (zer-OMG!). And whether you use them for to scoop up your egg salad, as an open-faced sandwich, as bread crumbs, or a pie crust, and even as a […]

continue reading
April 2, 2014

Low-Sodium Coconut Cinnamon Ice Cream

Plug your ears, because everyone is about to scream for ice cream. Something happened last week. I baked a batch of botched gingersnap cookies, which I promptly turned into crumbs with the help of a plastic bag and a heavy pan. I then made those crumbs into a pie crust (which also resulted in a major baking fail). And then, after all of that, I decided to make ice cream. Without dairy. Without an ice cream maker. Without having ever done it before. Now before I go on to tell you about this ice cream, let me tell you a […]

continue reading
March 28, 2014

Weekly Obsessions 3.28.2014

Oh hot damn! Savory salt-free mini tarts. Homemade. Real deal. Let’s talk about it. If you’re like me you live at coffee shops. And while you love your cup of joe, you eye those golden pastries, nestled in the glass shelves, with longing. Maybe sometimes you sneak in a bite (no judgement – if no one sees you, it doesn’t count). But your low-sodium ways keep you from ordering the puffs and popovers and muffins and glazed thingamajigs. Sigh. Now if you’ve read this blog for a while, you know what I’m about to say – make them at home! […]

continue reading
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 […]

continue reading