Tea

October 27, 2011

Low-Sodium Cabbage Spring Rolls

What do you crave? Burgers? Enchiladas? Pate? If your answer was spring rolls, well then you’re in for a real treat today. But before we dive into the low-sodium wrapping and rolling, let’s back up and take a look at why the traditional spring roll may pose a sodium problem. Spring rolls can come in both fried (golden brown, nice and crispy, and often called egg rolls) or non-fried versions (transparent in color and served cold). Either way, they tend to be filled with combinations of noodles, shrimp or crab, shredded carrot, mushrooms, bean sprouts, fresh cilantro, and even bean […]

October 14, 2011

Low-Sodium Collard Sandwich Wrap

It usually starts with a big flappy sheet of lavash or a soft tortilla. Those flat, towel-like breads that so easily twist and snuggle around your sandwich fillings. And while I’ve bought salt-free lavash and no-sodium corn tortillas before, they are either special grocery store items that only show up once in a while (lavash) or they tend to crack and break apart when you roll them (tortilla). Which means a sturdy, low-sodium sandwich wrap is difficult to make for a simple Wednesday lunch. Le sigh. But you didn’t think I was going to give up that easily, did you? […]

September 2, 2011

Kohlrabi Chicken Salad

Here we are on our last day of the kohlrabi adventure. Most of our kohlrabi has been enjoyed in the raw. Or as art. But it’s time we enjoy this green veggie in a sandwich. With some curry and paprika. Some Greek yogurt. A pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Some quinoa (for texture). And of course, juicy chicken thigh. Cooked. I just popped these suckers in the oven at 375 dg F for 45 minutes, until the inside was no longer pink, and mixed it in with the kohlrabi cubes and other ingredients. And in less time than it […]

August 16, 2011

Salt-Free Cake Pops

I’ve decided to give up sugar. Just kidding. Have we met? I love my sugar. And to celebrate the fact that I adore sweets of pretty much any flavor and variety, I made cake pops. Salt-free cake pops, to be specific. Now you may have seen these little sticks of dough and frosting on Starbucks counters or on bookshelves (Chronicle has published some pretty rad guides on how to DIY the little suckers). But please excuse me as I toot my horn for a moment and say this: I have been popping cake long before it was popular. Or at […]

July 8, 2011

Crispy Rice and Green Tea Pops

A few things happened this past month. I rediscovered root beer (hello, Hansens) which led me to rediscover ice cream (thank you, So Delicious). Which ultimately brought me to today’s post. And these crispy rice and green tea pops. You see, when foods – that you thought were permanently off your safe-eating list – make a grand re-entrance, the possibilities suddenly feel endless. And when one salty-barrier is broken down, I generally experience a flooding of new ideas. Edamame pate. “Shrimp” and grits. Dolmas. There have been so many new projects filling my brain that it was hard to focus. […]

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 […]

October 28, 2010

A Pumpkin in the Oven

Last weekend was filled with one huge celebration after another. It was homecoming,my friends got engaged, and five years out of college…we are having our first baby! And by we, I don’t mean my manfriend and I, but my friend Dyani, her husband, and the rest of our girl gang. Baby doesn’t know it yet, but he has ten moms. Lucky boy. So to ring in the little muffin, we decided to take over our sorority house (sorry ladies and thanks for the punch) and throw Dyani a proper shower. And by proper I mean cakes made from diapers (see […]

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 14, 2010

Grape Expectations

For any cook – low sodium or not – constant inspiration is essential to keeping your food fresh and fun. And there are two places, in particular, where I know I can always find my cooking muse: the farmer’s market and TV cooking shows. A few nights ago, while trying to distract myself from the third day of a liquid-only diet, I watched one of the best Iron Chef America shows I had seen in a while. Battle Grape. Now, I had already been introduced to the surprisingly, sweet compliment that grapes can add to savory dishes. Boy had made […]

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 […]

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