Effort

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. […]

February 11, 2011

Big Love, Big News, Big Treats

Love food. Love others. But most of all, love yourself. That’s the message of today’s post and my attempt to tie three big topics together under one little photo of a chocolate covered quinoa treat. To begin, I wanted to give a quick update about next week’s “Love Your Heart Recipe Rally.” (BIG LOVE) Yes, the whole idea was a bit last minute, but amazingly, in just a few days, some wonderful bloggers – none of whom have any low sodium dietary restrictions – have joined the Rally and have agreed to take on the challenge of cooking food with […]

February 4, 2011

Sausage Pepper Poppers

Sausage Pepper Poppers. Try saying that ten times fast. No seriously, try it. It’s hard. So if you’re looking for something much easier to do, you should try making these bite-sized, low sodium snacks instead. All you need is some baby peppers (of the bell or jalapeno variety), some ground meat (turkey, pork, beef, or chicken…any kind will do), some fresh herbs and spices (fennel, cumin, paprika, and onion powder work well), and your creative caps (which needed to be dusted off anyways). In a small bowl, make your own sausage, which basically consists of the ground meat, any spices […]

January 21, 2011

Me, You, Blue River Stew

It has been a food education-palooza this week. I’ve clocked approximately 8.7 hours of watching Food Network competitions and past episodes of Top Chef. I’ve made shrimp-less shrimp curry with fellow blogger and Wiley Publishing author, Allison Fishman, over Skype. And tonight, I’m taking a very prestigious course in chicories (read: free wine and fun Bi-Rite staff) at 18 Reasons. That’s a lot of info-cramming for one low sodium brain. But of all the didactic shenanigans, I have to say that one of the must fulfilling (and filling) events in these past seven days has been recipe testing for food52.com’s […]

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 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 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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