Main Ingredient

September 27, 2013

Kidney Friendly Pumpkin Quesadillas

Fall. It’s the time of year that people go totally bonkers over pumpkin. Pumpkin spiced lattes. Pumpkin muffins. Pumpkin perfume. Pumpkin colored pants. Pumpkins in windows, on doorsteps, and pretty much every which way you look. Which leads me to this announcement: It’s officially gourd season, people, and we want to be a part of it. So I started thinking of new ways to get more pumpkin in my food and my life. Because as a kidney-friendly and low-sodium ingredient (both in the canned and fresh forms), it will help you spice up and switch up favorite recipes. Of course, there’s […]

September 9, 2013

Baked Tofu Fries

I’m actually going on a vacation. A real life break from real life (kind of). And I can’t wait to tell you all about when I return. But in the meantime I’m leaving you with a Bon Voyage pre-vacation souvenir. I call them Tofu Fries and I really think you should give them a go while I’m gone. They’re really easy to make. Super low-sodium, as long as you make sure your firm tofu contains 0 to 15mg of sodium. And they’re completely addictive so don’t say I didn’t warn you. And apparently Mark Bittman loves them too because a […]

August 30, 2013

Bake-less Low-Sodium “Cheese” Cake

Cheating as a kid is bad. I think I did it once and I’m pretty sure it didn’t make me feel very good. But when you enter adulthood, the rules totally start bending. And “cheating” a bit to make life’s to-do list a little easier, faster, and mostly easier starts being a good thing. And whether you call it cutting corners or life hacking or dry shampoo — taking a short cut every now and then is always acceptable, often genius, and when it comes to overcoming dietary challenges, totally necessary. So let’s do it. Let’s cheat on cheesecake. And let’s […]

August 26, 2013

Freezing Summer: Float Pops

We learn most lessons in kindergarten: it’s kind to share, paint is for your hands, naps are essential (as are cookies and milk), and while playdough isn’t tasty, if you eat some, it won’t kill you either. But today’s pearl of wisdom hails from beyond the childhood homeroom and from nature itself. Or bears more specifically. Beyond preventing forest fires, bears know what’s up when it comes to preparing for the winter months. As summer closes up shop, they stock up. They hoard, they save, the pluck the best of what the warm days had to offer and make sure its […]

August 9, 2013

Zucchini Tortilla Bites

There are exactly three things I am super good at: 1) putting two words together to make one new word; 2) feeding friends during spontaneous gatherings, and 3) finding awesome substitutes for high-sodium ingredients. And low and behold, all three of these highly-useful talents have finally come together in one small bite of food. The Zucchini Tortilla Bite. It’s a snappetizer (snappy appetizer) that can be easily thrown together when unexpected guests arrive, wowing everyone with the pure geniusness (and tastiness) of stringy, melty zucchini used in place of salty cheese. So I’m going to keep it short and spicy this […]

June 21, 2013

Greek Yogurt Egg Salad

I never understood why tea was for two. I mean, it’s fabulous to have one-on-one time with a special friend. But if I’m making tea (or cocktails) you better believe the more is always the merrier. And summer seems to be filled with these kinds of last minute get togethers. Whether it is a beautiful sunny day and you skip work for a picnic in the park. Or have breakfast plans for a few that quickly turns into brunch for many. Needless to say, I’m the queen of over-inviting and finding reasons to rally people around my table (or bar). […]

June 14, 2013

Strawberries for Papa

Last week, I got a sweet treat: two days of frolicking in the strawberry fields of Carmel Valley care of California Strawberries. I called it my summer straw-cation. And I know. Is this real life? Turns out, it is. And yes, I wore strawberry pink pants. Obviously. From the fields to the bar to the dinner table, this “work” trip was all about strawberries all day long. We met multi-generational farmers, toured strawberry chilling facilities, stood inside huge strawberry trucks, and even had a strawberry “Iron-chef-like” smack down (which my team won, salt-free, NBD). And while I learned some really […]

June 8, 2013

Pork and Pinto Chilaquiles

I eat a lot of beans. Is that weird? And until recently, I have been known to eat them pretty much the same way, every time, as chili. It’s my go-to, I-don’t-have-time-to-cook-a-real-meal meal. It’s easy and delicious and terribly filling. And that’s where my bean (slash, chili) obsession came from. So there’s that. But then I stumbled upon an issue of Eating Well magazine and I realized that beans could be so much more than slowly cooked legumes. They could swim with tortillas and even a bean poached egg. They could get topped with cool Greek yogurt and bright green […]

May 24, 2013

Root and Fruit Salad

It’s that time of year for potato salads. (Can I get an amen!?) It’s that time for potato salads and picnics. Potato salads and BBQs. Potato salads for long lunches in the park. Potato salads for hot days at the beach. Potato salads for breakfast. Don’t judge. It’s time for potato salads and this Memorial Day weekend, I wanted to give you a very special version to try. One that celebrates the freedom to make this classic dish without globs of mayonnaise or lots of potato skin peeling or even any hot steaming. Or even potatoes for that matter, if […]

May 9, 2013

Mama’s Green Bean Casserole

I’m not here to debate the idea that diamonds are a girl’s best friend. I accept. But I do want to point out that some people of the female persuasion have different notions of best friends (of the material persuasion). Things that, like diamonds, make them light up with joy and excitement. And if you are my mother, those things include roasted cauliflower and eggplant and sweet potatoes, steamed zucchini, and pan fried brussel sprouts. Pretty much anything of the vegetable persuasion. I’m not kidding. So if you want to get her something for mother’s day, be sure to add […]

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