Effort

June 12, 2012

Low-Sodium Asian Slaw & Spareribs

I know it’s Father’s day this weekend. But I want to talk about grandparents. My grandparents. Nana and Papa. Yeah, they were as adorable as they sound. Their house was filled with knick knacks and chachkis from around the world. Shoots and Ladders. Tons of crossword puzzles. Books by Shell Silverstein. PBS programming. Origami paper and party hats for crafting. And re-crafting. And then fashion shows for everyone after dinner. The kitchen was filled with Hansen’s soda (because it was natural). The smell of toasted wheat bread. And a rotating schedule of cornflake crusted chicken parmesan and some other chicken dish […]

May 29, 2012

Mistakes and Low-Sodium Pickled Cherries

Last week I posted about Labor day and roasted garbanzo beans. Turns out, it was Memorial day. This is what some people refer to as a “mistake.” And like frittatas, it is something I make with healthy frequency. At least once a day. And that’s probably a generous underestimate. For the frittatas and the mistakes. As for this latest mishap? It is definitely more embarrassing than misreading the package of Gluten Flour while baking gluten free crumble (which I did last week). But way less disastrous than setting my kitchen oven on fire while making tortillas (which I did last […]

May 25, 2012

Low-Sodium Labor (slash, Memorial) Day & Baked Garbanzos

(Before you read, be warned: this post mentions Labor Day many times which, as you may have noticed, should actually be Memorial Day. But because I believe in embracing mistakes, I’m leaving it. So please, enjoy. Even if it’s a few months early) Do you know why we celebrate Labor Day? Neither do I. But I do know that I love three day weekends, especially those filled with picnics, potlucks, and BBQs. So here’s a recipe for a crispy snacketizer — salt-free’d from Heidi Swanson’s Super Natural Everyday vegetarian food bible –which will keep you and your friends satisfied between […]

May 8, 2012

Carrot Soup By Color

When introducing a carrot to your friends, what do you tell them? Do you begin by describing it as healthy? A betacarotene and fiber-filled vegetable? Peas’ better half? Or do you tell your best buds stories of how this wonder root likes to be the center of attention in salads and slaws; how, at times, yes, they can be loud and crunchy, but mild and gentle when the moment calls for it; and of course how they’re so flexible to your silly whims, ready for any culinary adventure you decide to throw at it. Broiling? Carrot says lets do it. […]

May 3, 2012

Thank You Krispies

Sometimes you want to say thank you but words just don’t seem to cover it. And for those times when you can’t muster up the right verbs and nouns and adjectives and conjunctions to show your gratitude, all you need is sodium-free marshmallows, wheat cornflakes, dried blueberries, and coconut oil. A baking sheet and parchment paper will also prove quite helpful. A few moments of melting followed by thirty minutes or so of setting and you have an edible gesture of appreciation (a.k.a. low-sodium krispy treats). With all the gooey decadence of the original recipe, without any of the sodium, […]

April 23, 2012

Low-Sodium Kimchi Umami Burger

Did you ever think you’d see all those words together in the same sentence? Well believe it. Because it’s here. The low-sodium, salt-free kimchi umami burger. A creation that takes any notion that low-sodium food has to be tasteless and boring and gives it a karate chop in the pants. But let’s back up. Because I can’t take complete credit for this tower of power. Although I did make everything — from the buns to the BBQ ketchup — by hand. Just for the record. Before these burgers landed in my kitchen, their journey began in LA, where one dude […]

April 17, 2012

Low-Sodium Brisket Taco

Life can change on a dime. One day, you’re a brisket. The next, a beef taco. But before we get to talking about either dish, there is one important truth you need to know about this particular cut of meat: Brisket can be juicy, luscious, drippy, and moist. Or it can be dry, dry, dry. So it is the sauce — along with a slooooow roast — that makes this cut of meat tender. Not to mention a perfect place to experiment in building low-sodium flavors. For a quick beef tutorial, I turned to the Pioneer Woman’s Passover Brisket recipe and […]

April 12, 2012

Low-So NOJO Avocado Salad

Picture this: The dim light of bulbs and moon beams bounces off the recently rained streets of San Francisco’s cultural axis point: Hayes Valley. And tucked away from post-Symphony rush hour and late-night staples sits NOJO, a Japanese restaurant that makes traditional cuisine with careful hands. But no California rolls. Meaning “farm,” Nojo combines the art of yakitori (things on sticks) with izakaya (traditional bar food) and of course, fresh local ingredients. Like crisp asparagus topped with pink easter radishes and a hen-fresh egg. Or chewy duck neck sprinkled with the chef’s personal stash home-dried and crushed cayenne pepper. An […]

April 10, 2012

SAVEUR This

Have you heard about all the crazy things you can do with salt? According to the book, Solve it With Salt, you can put that salt shaker to work to: remove water stains from your porcelain tub (if you have one); make grease, red wine, and ketchup disappear from your rug; shine up your favorite brass candleholders; clean up oven spills (in place of smelly, toxic cleaners); razzle dazzle art projects with home-made salt glitter; keep ants out of your house; and soak up that smelly odor from your shoes. But are you also aware of the number of crave-worthy […]

March 28, 2012

Low-Sodium Citrus Pasta

What do you do with a bushel of grapefruit, oranges, and lemons? If you said juice, that’s a great idea (and, yes please, I’d love a glass). If you said pasta, that’s even better (and I’ll take a whole bowl, thank you). I can’t take credit for this idea. It’s genius. I was actually served citrus pasta while dining out at one of my favorite local restaurants: Firefly. They always do me right with incredibly thoughtful, salt-free food. And this bowl of noodles proved to be no different–and, I mean, I’m talking giant soup bowl that was twice the size […]

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