Main Ingredient

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 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 […]

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 5, 2010

A Crumby Situation

First of all, drumroll please. Welcome to the 100th post of Sodium Girl! That’s right, it’s a momentous day over here in Sodium Girl land, and if I had a penny for every post I’ve written in the past year, I would now have 100 pennies. So, to commemorate the occasion, the first lucky reader to open this special post will receive the grand prize of: a shower of confetti (clean up not included) a really big bear hug (from a real bear) and a low sodium dinner cooked just for them. And since I can pretty much guarantee that […]

April 1, 2010

The Last (Moroccan) Meal

No April Fool’s Day joke here, my friends. This is truly the last of the recipes from the low sodium, highly organic, and super flavorful Moroccan feast. May I introduce to you the evening’s piece de resistance: vegetable couscous and lemon, chicken tagine. I have to admit that, for a while now, vegetable couscous has been a quick-fix favorite of mine. Couscous is very easy to cook and it is a wonderfully forgiving grain. You can mix whatever veggies you have in your fridge with a few spices and a cup of couscous, and you’ve got yourself something hearty and […]

March 30, 2010

Hi Ho Hummus

As we continue our journey through Moroccan cuisine, there is one Mediterranean staple that cannot be left off the menu: hummus and pita bread. Lucky for my blogger friends and I, the ladies from Farm & A Frying Pan whipped up a mean batch of both. Now, if you are anything like me, you have tried to make hummus many times. Whether you decide to eat it as dip or slather on a sandwich, hummus is the perfect quick fix for a lunch or pot luck party. And with five simple ingredients – chickpeas, lemon, tahini, garlic, and parsley – […]

March 29, 2010

Morocco Had a Little Lamb

Let’s kick off this week with a simple dish that features one of Spring’s finest cuts of meat: lamb. As an “appetizer” for our Moroccan Feast, we decided to begin with something light. Which in my world translates into a lamb stew cooked in orange juice, mint, and a bevy of other spices. Served, of course, with a cool cucumber and yogurt salad. It’s a palette cleanser fit for vikings. The trick, to making the lamb as succulent as it sounds, lies in two key steps: (1) marination and (2) slow cooking. So this recipe does take patience, but little […]

March 23, 2010

Risotto Cakes

I am sucker for texture. As a low sodium cook, it is essential to trick the senses with an unusual spice or unexpected crisp. When someone is overcome by food that is exciting, they do not have the time to miss the salt. It’s like a magician distracting the audience from noticing the cards already tucked up his or her sleeve. When it comes to noodles and rice, I also love to have a bit of broiled crunch on the top. Whether it is mac and cheese or in this case, risotto, the oven-fried pieces make the traditional “mushiness” all […]

March 19, 2010

The Grand Finale

Today, our Hawaiian journey comes to an end. Time to pack up your bags and head back home to oven cooked risotto cupcakes and Moroccan lamb. What? That’s not what you’re planning to make next week? Cause I am. But before we close out this chapter of our low sodium Hawaiian adventure, I have one last recipe that will really set your tongues wagging and heart racing. Low sodium, Char Sui Spare Ribs. This is that illustrious, unnaturally colored Chinese pork meat that always sends a pang of jealousy my way. Whenever Boy and I take a shopping excursion to […]

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