Holidays

December 16, 2011

Holiday Q & A

This is wild rice, pomegranate stuffing. It was my take on a recipe I found in one of these torn pages from one of many holiday-themed magazines. It was a dish that my mom specially requested for Thanksgiving. And one I happily made over for my salt-free diet. I added pickled cherries and pomegranates. Caramelized onions and fennel. And fresh apple and dill for some bite. And soon, I not only fulfilled my mother’s holiday cravings, but I had created a new recipe and tradition of my own. I want the same to be true for you and your holidays […]

December 13, 2011

No Buttermilk, Yes Sweet Potato Biscuits

I’m a planner. When I start my day, I usually know how I want to spend every single second of it. I overstuff and jigsaw errands, work, and various activities, until everything I want to accomplish snuggly fits within the hours of daylight (and many in the dark) that I have to play with. But I’m also human. Which means my perfectly stacked agendas easily crumble to pieces when a last minute doctor’s appointment, broken lock, minor kitchen fire, or two hour wait at the social security office completely throws off the schedule. Of course, at this point in my […]

November 28, 2011

Small Bites for Big Feasts

I am happily stuffed from Thanksgiving. But I’m far from being done with my holiday eatings. And I hope you aren’t giving up on the feasting any time soon either. Because this holiday season, I want to hit everything on your wish-list. I want to make sure all your wildest culinary dreams come, whether it is salt-free caviar or the perfect low-sodium BBQ spice blend. Or the personal butler to make you french fries any time of day or night. And while I can’t actually help you with the butler thing (sorry, backordered on Amazon), I can most definitely help […]

November 23, 2011

Honey Five Spice Candy Apples

Before I sign off for a few days of feasting, I wanted to leave you with a sweet thought. Honey. Chinese five spice. Mini apples. They are a perfect final bite for any holiday meal. Or if you wrap them up real nice in some parchment paper, you can give them away as party favors for everyone to take home. The recipe does require some caution (hot caramel) and a candy thermometer. But other than those two warnings, it is extremely simple. And the results are extremely worth it. The original hails from natural cooking guru, Heidi Swanson, and her […]

November 22, 2011

Salt-Free Any Holiday Recipe

This is a salt-free curry coconut gravy. That took twenty minutes to whip up. That’s a perfect substitute for saltier, meat-based gravies. That comes from a recipe I borrowed from Todd & Diane. And this Thanksgiving, I want you to do a little borrowing too. I challenge you to cook from a cookbook. From memory. Or by the smells you remember and the tastes you crave for so-and-so’s so-and-so that you look forward to eating every November. This Thanksgiving, I dare you to salt-free your favorite holiday recipes. It doesn’t matter how much cheese, bacon, brine, or store-bought, sodium-filled ingredients […]

November 18, 2011

Low-Sodium Thanksgiving Turkey

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! And turkey day is quickly approaching. But before you grab your bird for next Thursday, give a gander to these low-sodium tips on how to keep your meat light, dark, juicy, and low-sodium. A WORD ON THE BIRD Like chicken, Thanksgiving turkeys tend to come majorly pre-plumped with sodium and many are brined as well. Yikers. If this is new news to you, it probably just took the wind out of your Mayflower sails. But it doesn’t mean you can’t carve up a beautiful bird this Thanksgiving. And there are actually a lot […]

November 15, 2011

Turkey Talk: Low-Sodium Thanksgiving Tips

Thank goodness for Thanksgiving. Seriously, the best holiday ever. One that is completely centered around gorging yourself silly. Oh, and spending awesome quality time with family and friends too. And parades. Lots of parades. I generally like to spend my Thanksgivings in the comfort of my own home, in the comfort of my pajamas. But often, I’m invited warmly into the homes of others, to share in giving thanks. And eating from their buffet spread. In real people clothes. As someone with very special dietary needs, though, I understand that the idea of eating at someone else’s table can make […]

November 9, 2011

Jess Do It

As if one marathon wasn’t enough, my wonderful dream friend, Natty, decided to put on her running sneaks and tackle that 26.ridiculous mile New York course again this year. All in the name of Lupus research. All so that someday, people like me won’t have to feel tired, run-down, or kidney-less because of this chronic disease. While Natty ferry’d over to the starting line, the rest of us bundled up and leisurely walked across the Island, bundled up of course, to await her passing. And as we slowly strutted our way uptown, I reflected on this wonderful dream friend of […]

October 18, 2011

Orange Tahini Popcorn Clusters

You have been so patient. You’ve watched me unpack my website boxes. You’ve kindly tapped my shoulder when something is not working right. You haven’t even complained about posts being a tad late or that they are slow to be emailed or that the corn dogs I gave you last week were a little cold. Thank you. Many of you have even taken the time to re-subscribe, which is amazing. And for all of you who have yet to sign your name in permanent electronic ink and declare your undying loyalty to low-sodium food, no worries. Please, take your time. […]

July 5, 2011

Magic Mini Cornbread Madeleines

Rule number one: you eat with your eyes. In a sensory-overload kind of way. Not in actual chewing and digesting. Which brings us to rule number two: do not try to stick a forkful of food near those pretty little lids of yours. It will only lead to disaster. But back to the first lesson…presentation is perhaps one of the most important tools for a low-sodium cook, other than an immersion blender. It can be just as flavor-enhancing as a good shake of cayenne and salt. And if you play around with the look, feel, or structure of a traditional recipe, the […]

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