Lunch (on the go)

January 12, 2017

2017 Low-So Reboot

Happy 2017 dearest internet friends! With the new year, I’m entering my 34th year of life and my 13th year living with lupus and kidney disease. And while the past 365 days have had their ups and downs. And downs. And more downs. They also brought a renewed faith in food and its power to heal. See: 34 years old with the same stage 4 kidneys. Still kicking! As you may remember, last year, I welcomed January with a big anti-inflammation overhaul of my diet — no wheat or gluten, no eggs, no dairy, no sugar, no soy, no nightshade vegetables, NO […]

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October 7, 2016

Low-So Purple Sweet Potato Empanadas

It’s October which means it’s time for Halloween-themed treats, made freakishly colorful by super natural ingredients (see what I did there?). So let’s start out with these purple sweet potato empanadas that were scary easy to make (I did it again!). I mean, seriously, I had these in the oven and ready-to-eat in less than two episodes of Project Runway. And the dough (THE DOUGH!) came together in a literal stir and snap. So don’t be afraid to try it. Now, I’ve been meaning to try empanadas ever since my daughter became obsessed with a book about empanadas. But the […]

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July 24, 2016

Banh Mi Lettuce Wraps

When I was about six, I saw my first live musical. I think it was Les Miserables, which looking back (and with a kid of my own) seems like a rather strange choice for a tiny human who could barely tie her own shoes and thought her stuffed animals came alive at night. For the sake of the story, though, let’s just say it was something grand. And during intermission, I turned to my mother with wide eyes to ask, “when can I do that?” She answered, “not until you’re eight.” And while everyone thought the passing months would erase this date from my […]

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July 13, 2016

Low-So Cabbage Shumai

I’ve thought a lot about this post. I’ve written it and rewritten about a dozen times in my head. I’ve questioned how much to share, how personal to get, how much to keep this post free from deep thoughts and politics. And I can promise that after today, things will return to their regularly scheduled food programming. But I want to risk something. The truth is, I’m white. I take Soul Cycle classes. I shop at farmers markets and Whole Foods. Although I’ve hit the glass ceiling a few times as a woman, I’m treated with respect and I’ve been raised to believe my […]

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June 10, 2016

Genmaicha Microwave Noodle Soup

Last week, I had the TOTAL JOY of taking over the WHOLE30 recipe account for all seven days. And if you don’t already follow them, you should definitely head over now, because I posted over 20 recipes. All low-sodium and full of flavor. And all so easy that you could make them on a busy Wednesday. OR…even your office kitchen. Which brings me to the GENMAICHA MICROWAVE NOODLE SOUP. One of my favorite recipes from my new book, LOW-SO GOOD: A Guide to Real Food, Big Flavor, and Less Sodium. Which will hit stores and your mailbox next week!!! So […]

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April 22, 2016

Low-So Summer Socca Pizza

I had a dream about pizza last night. A thin, crispy crusted pizza slathered with rich, gooey cheese all mixed with creamy sauce. It had all the right flavors and textures. And I couldn’t gobble up enough of it. In my dream. That’s because pizza is just the best. It’s so wonderful, that it even tastes good cold. Like, straight from the fridge cold. And it is one of the foods that people miss most when going on a low-sodium diet. Not just for its flavors and cheese. But for the comfort. And the convenience. The good news is that several low-so […]

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April 1, 2016

Top Low-So Ingredient Swaps

Happy April Fools Day, World!  A time to practice extreme silliness and joy, and plan a prank or two. And, in my opinion, the perfect holiday to play a little (or a lot) with your food. Because really, everyday on a low-so diet (or any diet) is a “fool” day, in which one uses creativity and fun to trick those eyeballs and those tastebuds. And trust me, if I can make vegan, low-so, and gluten-free Twinkies a reality, seriously, anything is possible. So to inspire your own edible tom-foolery — today and everyday — check out some of my favorite ingredients swaps that expertly mimic favorite foods […]

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February 19, 2016

Low-So Cauliflower Vegetable Bread

Kale may be a superfood. But cauliflower is a food unicorn. It’s totally magical. With the right recipe and ingredients, cauliflower can turn into a pizza crust. Or white pizza sauce. Mashed “potatoes.”  Popcorn. Rice. A steak. CHORIZO!!! Vegan macaroni and “cheese.” And even a ricotta-like situation (which I have in my new book and coming soon to theKitchn.com, but you can find a similar recipe here). Come to think of it, cauliflower is not just a unicorn; it’s a top tier impersonator. And if it could, I’m sure it would headline as Cher in Vegas. The point is, now that I’m on an even more limited […]

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July 31, 2015

Low-So Frittata Focaccia

  I’ll have to keep things rather short today as MY BROTHER IS GETTING MARRIED THIS WEEKEND! And I’m off for “Best Woman” duties for the weekend. But if you follow me on Instagram, you may have noticed a little confession yesterday: I’ve been doing something called The Whole 30 plan. Now, I’m no dieter and eating for me — especially eating a low-so diet –has always been about adding more to my life versus taking things away. But due to some recent Lupus flare ups and overall, just feeling a bit on the crappy side, I decided to look more […]

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May 1, 2015

Low-So Lunch: Rock the Roll

To complete our month of packable, low-so-good lunches (also known as April), I want to tell you about the almighty Lunch Roll. The principle behind the Lunch Roll is very basic: you take a few ready-to-eat-things (including a good slather of a something sticky or pasty and edible), and wrap it all up in another ready-to-eat-thing. It’s very simple lunch math. Now the hard part is finding those things in low-sodium form. Some of the most popular rolls tend to be the lavash roll (sodium) filled with prepared hummus or pesto (sodium) and pre-cooked deli meat or chicken (sodium). Of course, there is also […]

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