jessg23

December 14, 2010

Green Bundles of Joy

For those of you who have read this blog for a while, you know about my tumultuous relationship with bacon. I live for the stuff and as a child, weekends and Sunday mornings (before going to temple – isn’t that ironic) were synonymous with the smell of bacon. Even though I had to give the salty-stuff up, I still find myself craving the crisp bite and smoky flavors that define this breakfast treat and for the past few years, I have been determined to find a low sodium substitute. I even went so far as to try and cure it […]

December 8, 2010

Pâté Cake, Pâté Cake

Lately I’ve been reading Good Meat, by Deborah Krasner. Part text book, part cook book, Krasner implores readers to give sustainable meat a try and provides the advice, resources, and techniques that will make the culinary adventure worth it. When I say sustainable meat, I am talking about buying lamb, duck, beef, and poultry in their quarter, half, or full state – not just the the pre-cut packages of ribs, legs, and thighs we are accustomed to. She enthusiastically shares the joys of eating shoulders, loins, and even offal as well as the recipes needed to master these more unfamiliar […]

December 5, 2010

Four Days of Honeymoon and a Funeral

Eggs. They are a symbol of life, fragility, wisdom, even your brain on drugs. They represent great successes (like a delicately crafted poach) and challenging disasters (like a carton cracking in the back seat on the way home from the store). They represent the good, the bad, the everyday, and the unexpected. They are life in an egg shell. This whole last week has been about eggs, which is my simple explanation for why I haven’t been posting as frequently. First of all, I’ve been on my honeymoon. I had, and still have, full intention of writing while I am […]

November 24, 2010

Low-Sodium Thanksgiving Stuffing

As you probably can tell, I’ve been busy in the kitchen getting ready for tomorrow’s feast. And I can promise, between this family of twelve, the word feast will not be an exaggeration. But before I sign off for the holiday, I wanted to be sure to give one final tip. So let’s talk stuffing. Just because there is broth and bread involved – both ingredients which tend to be commercially produced with loads of sodium – there is no need not to make it. And you also don’t have to spend all day baking your own bread and broth […]

November 22, 2010

Low-Sodium Mash

What you see above is not ground mustard or white pepper gone bad. Or gold. It is nutritional yeast. But we will have to come back to that in a moment. First, let’s talk about Thanksgiving and specifically about an important side dish: mashed potatoes. This one’s for you, Michelle. My mother is quite famous for her creamy, parmesan mashed potatoes. I remember eating them as a kid, scooping seconds and thirds onto my plate, and the only thing I can compare them to is a puppy with a mean streak – they are sweet and fluffy looking with a […]

November 19, 2010

The Bird and the B

With Thanksgiving creeping (ok, barreling) around the corner, it is time to talk about turkey (the bird) and that other b word – brine. Here’s the deal: a lot of poultry, especially around the holidays, is already plumped and brined. So when buying your bird, to make sure it is absolutely as low in sodium as possible, you have to do a little research. The best option is to shop at a butcher or at stores like Whole Foods, which can provide in-depth information about their meat products and the farms on which they are raised. You can explain your […]

November 17, 2010

Salt Free My Recipe: Pecan Pie

For two days in a row now, I’ve had pie for breakfast. Sorry I’m not sorry. And sorry I don’t fit into my pants. But as someone that rarely enjoys the lusciousness of baked goods, I’ve been digging into my latest creation with abandon. Pecan pie. There are two things about this gooey holiday dessert that usually deter me from eating it. First, there are the pecans. I happen to not only be on a low sodium diet, but also quite allergic to nuts. Fun. And second, there’s the corn syrup, which (surprisingly) happens to be high in sodium – […]

November 15, 2010

Do You Fuyu?

While it may not feel exactly like fall (oh hey, 70 degrees and sunny in November), the market sure looks like fall. Oranges, reds, and tans line the produce aisle and all the fun, cool-weather fruit and veggies are just begging to be eaten. That’s how we find ourselves with the beautiful fuyu. Persimmon, that is. There are two types of these golden fruits that you will typically find in the grocery stores and markets: fuyu and hachiya. The fuyu is stumpier and looks more like a mini pumpkin. It can be eaten raw, like an apple, although most people […]

November 12, 2010

Dinner in Delhi

Well, without an ounce of modesty, I have to say that this first foray into Indian cooking was a big success. Yes, the beef could have been slow-cooked for the entire day in order to achieve a truly melt-in-your-mouth texture. And of course the spices could have all been measured with more precision and toasted for deeper flavor. But all in all, with sixty minutes, some simple instructions, and spices from my cabinet (and not a specialty store), I think I accomplished something that comes close to what you’d find at your favorite neighborhood Indian takeout restaurant, with healthier ingredients […]

November 10, 2010

All Dal-ed Up

There is nothing quite like a basket of colorful ingredients to help brighten your day. Or distract you from the long list of to-do’s that seem to be constantly starring you down. I see you, dry cleaning. This afternoon, I took a nice trip through Whole Foods, picking up red lentils, green chili peppers, some beautiful lamb, and two juicy Meyer lemons. What was the reason for this vibrant haul? Other than needing some inspiration for dinner, I also wanted to take a quick culinary pause before we dive head first into low sodium holiday meal makeovers. Today, we’re going […]

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