jessg23

January 19, 2011

The Simplest Recipe

As a low sodium eater, lunch is the most difficult meal of the day, especially when you are constantly on-the-go. Most people eat lunch out, during a busy work day or while ticking off a long list of errands. And for the salty population, there is a plethora of options to choose from: an overflowing turkey sandwich, a bowl of hot chicken soup, or even a slice (or two) of pizza ordered by the office. But for us, the salt-less crusaders, choices are slim: steamed white rice from the local chinese take-out, a create-your-own salad bar, or maybe the occasional […]

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 […]

January 14, 2011

Homework and Kimchi Pancakes

What you see before you is a bonito flaked Kimchi Pancake made by Namu at the SF Ferry Building Thursday street cart Farmers Market. And this, my salt-free friends, is a foursome of salty but succulent duck sliders from Tilth restaurant in Seattle. And if turf is not your thing, then behold! A crisp skate wing with frothy chorizo/clam broth from Redd in Napa will do the trick. Or maybe your taste buds want to travel and they’re ready to hop on a plane and try some real pad thai from a market in Thailand. Before you commit me to […]

January 12, 2011

Staying Alive – Herbs

Earlier this week, I tweeted about herbs (see above) and the arsenal of low sodium flavor one can uncover when cooking with them. As a quick aside … just in case some of you do not know what “tweeting” is – and yes, I realize that is probably .2% of the population – let me explain. I’m not talking about tooting in public or partaking in illegal substances. I’m talking about dispensing advice (or for some, a poetic recounting of the frozen yogurt they just ate) on the site Twitter, using 140 characters or less. It’s like the radio of […]

January 10, 2011

Cacciator-Me if You Can

On Saturday night, my mom and I decided to throw a little family love fest. With eleven relatives and one small dog in attendance, we decided to keep it casual. Nothing fancy. Just hearty food to beat the winter chill and good conversation. But when someone says the words “dinner party,” I have a hard time holding back. The hostess gene gets activated (I have five aprons that need wearing, for goodness sake) and I want nothing more than to give my guests a great eating experience. And if that means three hours of simmering meat, then that’s exactly what I’ll […]

January 7, 2011

Small Post, Big News

First, a confession: I recently realized that I am spending too much time in the kitchen when, just the other day, I turned on my broiler and as the oven read “high,” I actually said “hello” back. Yikes. But it turns out that the hours I’ve spent in front of my stove (and the resulting insanity) have not been for naught. In fact, they are really paying off. Because over the holidays, I not only received another notch on my birthday belt (hello, 28!), as well as some much needed massages (thank you, Mochi), but I also nabbed a book deal with […]

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 […]

January 3, 2011

Low Sodium Stickers

Hello and happy new year, everyone. And what a year it will be. While I was gone, eating my way through New Zealand and Bangkok for a month – tough life – it seemed like the reasons to celebrate in 2011 were piling up almost as high as my mail: Stanford goes to the Orange Bowl, a handful of friends get engaged, and I get a….well, this last one will just have to wait for a few more weeks to be revealed. And it’s not a baby. But back to the point, the signs from the universe were undeniably clear: […]

December 23, 2010

Hot Holiday Tamales – Part Dos

Right in time for Christmas Eve (and in advance for New Year’s Day), here is the second part of the low sodium tamale making process – the corn husk wrapping. Get ready to rock and roll up these meaty poppers, and because you’re on the low sodium “good list,” I’ll throw in a few extra dips and sides to give your taste buds something to sing (on high) about. Happy holidays to you and yours, and remember, be merry, by thankful, and be full. Chow on. PINEAPPLE and CHILI SALSA Ingredients: 1 whole pineapple, cut into 1/4 inch cubes […]

December 17, 2010

Hot Holiday Tamales – Part Uno

As I cleaned out my camera this morning – apparently a year’s worth of food photos had eaten up all the space on my memory card, fancy that – I was transported to the Christmas tamale feast I shared with my family a year ago. Smells of roasted tomatoes and memories of creamy masa made my heart pump and my stomach grumble. Since I am not able to partake in the festivities this year, I thought it only appropriate to revisit this wonderful two-part adventure of corn husking and rolling. So please, feast with your eyes and if you are […]

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