Main Ingredient

January 18, 2010

Couscous, Sunny Side Up

First off, a gigantic thank you to Sodium Girl readers for passing on the link to Friday’s post. A big ‘ol check for $300 smackaroos is being sent off this afternoon to help recovery efforts in Haiti. And while I wish Ed Macmahon could be the one handing it over to the Red Cross, I think we can all be quite proud of participating in this necessary call-to-action. Now that our hearts are filled by good deeds, it is time to fill our tummies with good food. This rainy California weather demands something hearty and warm and this dish is […]

January 14, 2010

Holly Holly Hollandaise

Happy Semi-Hump Day (just two more afternoons to go until the weekend) and a special thank you to those readers who wrote in their votes for this morning’s post. The winner, of course, was the perfectly poached Eggs Benedict that Mom whipped up during Stanford’s bowl game on New Year’s Eve. The origin of this dish is still a mystery. Multiple people and places have been accredited for its creation, from a special order by a hungry (and demanding) patron at the Waldorf Hotel circa 1894, to a traditional French cuisine named œufs bénédictine, consisting of a toasted piece of […]

January 12, 2010

Take Home Take Out

Chinese chicken salad is to an extensive menu as “Don’t Stop Believing” is to karaoke. It is the ultimate go-to. History has proven that, without fail, you will find satisfaction with this choice. A cold bed of cabbage topped with juicy chicken, silky dressing, and those delicious crispy things. It is delicate enough to make you feel healthy, but full of savory bites so that you feel full. Now, as you’ve probably guessed, most prepared versions contain a high amount of sodium due to either the dressing, which is usually soy based, or the spice blend used to flavor the […]

January 8, 2010

Dream a Little Dream Bar

This recipe for Dream Bars is care of my wonderful Nana, who I am sure pick-pocketed it from someone else, but for the sake of legacy and honor, we will just go ahead and give her full credit. The brookies (brownie cookies) make the most of baking’s basic ingredients and the extra flare of sugar-soaked coconut will transport your taste buds to a magical, tropical island in the dead of winter. They are perfectly chewy and hold up well when given a deep dunk in a glass of coconut milk. You will use one bowl, one pan, and only 40 […]

January 6, 2010

Not Your Average Tamale: Part Two

Now that you have your carnitas filling ready to go, it is time to prepare the salsa, the masa, and the corn husks. So let’s wrap this dish up, literally, so you can get your tamale on the table and chow on. Pineapple and Serrano Chili Salsa Ingredients: 1 whole pineapple, cut into 1/4 inch cubes 3 tomatoes 2 tomatillos 2 serrano chilies 1 white onion, diced 8 cloves garlic, diced 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped Directions: 1. To prepare the tomatoes, wash and remove the stems. For the tomatillos, remove stems and the outer leaves and wash off the […]

January 5, 2010

Not Your Average Tamale: Part One

Here we go, everyone. We are about to embark on a journey through the creation of homemade, low sodium, high-kicking tamales. A two-part adventure filled with mouth watering photos and step-by-step instructions will whisk you off to a world where fresh herbs, roasted tomatoes, and a juicy pork butt are transformed into a decadent and edible celebration for your mouth. For those of you who have never been privy to the fun of these little steamed presents, a tamale, or tamal, is a Latin American dish that traditionally consists of corn husks filled with masa, meat, cheese, chilies, salsa, and […]

January 4, 2010

Crispy Fried Chicken

Happy new decade! I have a great feeling about this one and since I am always scheming on how to push the boundaries of low sodium cooking, I have a lot of fun low sodium projects ahead. The last weeks of 2009 were filled with a host of low sodium feasting and as promised, these next few days will be spent recapping each delicious bite: low sodium tamales, low sodium Chinese chicken salad, low sodium dream bars, low sodium gumbo. They are all coming your way and will blow your mind in due time. But to kick us off, I […]

December 22, 2009

Egg in a Basket, Toad in a Hole

The Egg in a Basket, also known as Toad in a Hole and Bird in a Nest, is the perfect weekend breakfast for one, two, or twenty. The classic recipe takes mere minutes to complete and offers endless enjoyment in its nutty flavors and playful presentation. The ingredient list is minimal – low sodium bread, sweet/unsalted butter, and eggs – but you can always spice things up with freshly chopped herbs (chives or parsley would be delicious), a light mustard sauce by combining crème fraiche (0mg of sodium) with dry mustard (0 mg of sodium) or low salt stone-ground mustard […]

December 18, 2009

Pot Roasted Pappardelle

To avoid holiday hostess stress, I’ve come to realize that it is best to prepare dishes that can cook uninterrupted and unattended for long periods of time. Whether in a crock pot or an oven safe casserole dish, your one pot pièce de résistance will simmer, thicken, and marinate on its own while you mingle with guests (and charm them with your wit and wile). And when it’s time to sit down (or stand as is often the case in our San Fran apartment), your meal is ready to be plated and served with little hassle. Another tip and host/hostess […]

December 16, 2009

Sticky Tummy Bread Pudding

Let’s start the morning with a shot of some beautiful, homegrown eggs. Cage free and totally enchanting with their varying shapes and colors. They were a most special gift from some good friends who are raising chickens of their own and I could not wait to use them. Well actually, I had no other choice. I am leaving for a bit of a holiday break and with two dozen eggs, a fresh loaf of no sodium bread, a whole block of Heluva good cheese, and a bunch of fresh kale, I was tasked to use up the goods as quickly […]

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