Effort

July 28, 2010

Summer Awakening: Tacos

I love a taco. They are quick and comforting and a great way to feed many mouths without too much effort. But after numerous nights of seasoned ground beef, chopped iceberg lettuce, and yellow corn tortillas – you know, the standard – a girl’s palate can begin to desire something more. Something exotic and unexpected. Something like fried squash blossoms and tilapia. As I’ve said in past posts, there are two key tricks to successfully cooking low sodium food. The first is to find flavor elsewhere, whether it is in your ingredients, spices, fresh herbs, or condiments. The second, and […]

June 25, 2010

Through the Grapevine

You know what doesn’t have any sodium in it? Having a glass of wine with good friends. It is as sodium-free as sodium-free can be. And sometimes, after a rough week, when medical needs seem to swoop in unexpectedly like a rainstorm in June (seriously, what is going on with this weather?), what you really need is some quality hang time with your buds while sipping on something that can be directly ordered off a menu. The truth is, although completely possible–and just wait until you see the incredible restaurant reviews coming next week–dining out with a restricted diet can get […]

June 23, 2010

Creamy Chicken Curry

Pack your knives and hop into your time machine, because we are heading back to 2008. It’s time for another installment of the Biting Mr. Bittman, series and today we take a recipe from Mark’s Diner’s Journal column, in which he remixes an Indian classic – Creamy Chicken Curry. Before I launch into the recipe for this dish, I will take a second to add a small disclaimer: I’ve only eaten real chicken curry once before in my life, and that was almost eight years ago after a few bottles of beer (I was in Europe, so it was legal). So, I […]

June 17, 2010

Low-Sodium Yakisoba

For the second installment of the new, Biting Mr. Bittman series, I figured I should stop fooling around, take a big risk, and attack a recipe that relies heavily on salt. You know, just in case Mr. Bittman is actually reading this blog–good morning, Mark!–and wants some proof that this Sodium Girl really knows how to cook everything, without salt. So I scoured his recent recipes for a true challenge–searching for a dish that usually comes in a take-out box and that uses a lot of soy sauce–basically, something of Asian origin. And after sifting through asparagus pesto and laid-back […]

April 23, 2010

It's a Cracker, Jack

I’ve always been quite jealous, when watching TV cooking shows, to see chefs quickly whip up crispy, parmesan wafers, that add an inexplicable flare and crunch to even the most boring dishes. Like a Caesar salad. All it takes is a grater, a block of parm, and a non-stick baking sheet. But due to parmesan’s high sodium content, to make and enjoy this treat also requires a body that is not salt sensitive. So parmesan wafers were out. But as usual, when I’m told no, I become even more obstinate and determined to find a solution. It just so happened […]

April 15, 2010

The First Supper

After five days of the pre-surgery, liquid-only meal plan, I was finally allowed to dig into something hearty that did not come served in a mug. I love you broth, but it was time to move on. Since I was still in recovery mode, my first meal out of the gate had to be something mild and delicate. Nothing with too much fiber or spice. But bland just isn’t in my vocabulary. So, even though the recipe I had in mind was somewhat colorless, I wanted to make sure it still had flavor. In the fridge, I had some leftover […]

April 12, 2010

Prep Work

There is one low-sodium topic that we have yet to cover. Although rare, it’s definitely important, and as someone on a restricted diet, it’s definitely a bit more complicated. Surgery. I’m having it. And no, it’s not for any “enhancements” and no, it’s not a big deal. I’ll be back blogging and cooking by Wednesday. And all of this personal pish posh is beyond the point. So let’s move on to the more interesting content. For many procedures, doctors require you to take certain precautions to – I’ll gently put it this way – clean out your system. But many […]

April 9, 2010

Pack Up Your Picnic

As we head into the weekend – that is hopefully filled with sunshine and lawn games – I wanted to sign off with a perfect picnic recipe for curried chicken salad. There is something about the cool temperature of the chicken mixed with the flavorful heat of the curry that screams summer. Or at least whispers spring. And what really makes this dish a favorite is the balance between the creamy mayo and other crisp ingredients. But mayonnaise, the key ingredient, usually hovers around 100mg of sodium per tablespoon, and this recipe often doesn’t make the low sodium cut. Boy’s […]

April 7, 2010

Lemon Meringue Pots

Ok, before we even start this post, I have to ask. Does anyone else see a baboon in the picture of the lemon meringue above? Or perhaps Simba from the Lion King? It is kind of like a sighting of the Virgin Mary, but without any religious implications or unexpected media attention. But perhaps this is a forewarning of one, truly wild dessert…so with that in mind, off we go. For the Mom’s birthday dinner menu, I was given three simple, low sodium requests: (1) risotto cupcakes, (2) juicy lamb, and her ultimate, favorite dessert, (3) lemon meringue pie. As […]

April 2, 2010

Popsicle, My Popsicle

I am a truly loyal woman. Monogamy is my middle name. Strange choice for a middle name, yes, but you get the point I am trying to make here, so let’s not spend too much time questioning it. I am also fully aware that I have already professed my undying love and commitment to my single, favorite kitchen utensil – the great immersion blender. But seeing that it is Good Friday and almost Easter (and we’ve recently celebrated Passover and apparently National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day), there is a palpable spirit of confession and forgiveness in the air. So with […]

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