Meat

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 […]

May 18, 2016

Low-So Bacon-Spiced Ribs & Relish

I’m actually wearing a tank top and shorts. Sandals. And sweating glistening. Which means we are officially entering BBQ season. And I’m a huge fan of BBQs, for a few reasons: (1) With a little prep, the grill does most rest of the work, like a hot sous chef, while you mix and mingle with friends or make guacamole. (2) You can accomplish some genius batch cooking by cooking extra meet and vegetables (and FRUIT!) for the week ahead, all while the coals are still hot. (3) The grill itself gives food an extra smoky flavor, adding something special to everything it touches. […]

March 25, 2016

3 Flexible Easter Feasts!

Whether or not you plan to celebrate Easter, it is a perfect time to start perfecting your brunch game. Because it is SPRING! And spring means warmer(ish) weather. And a great excuse to start gathering friends together — inside or outside — to enjoy an array of sweet and savory treats. And maybe a low-so good beet bloody Mary or two. But here’s the challenge: How do you feed a gaggle of guests all while tending to your low-so needs as well as the dietary needs of others (think: egg-free, gluten-free, Paleo, Whole30, vegetarian, etc). All while making something stunning. And not too time or budget consuming? The answer is the […]

November 19, 2015

Low-So Good Thanksgiving Roundup

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year. I repeat: Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year. That’s because it marks the start of “snuggle” season, where the air gets cooler. The neighborhood gets covered in lights. The music on the radio changes from Top 40 to jingle bells. Evenings get filled with alternating smells of squash soup and cinnamon. And, as for the holiday itself, the home and the table gets filled with tradition, memories, and family and friends. But if you’re on a low-so or really ANY kind of special diet, holiday season may give you both stress and indigestion. And that’s because so […]

March 6, 2015

Salt-Free Salt and Lamb Jam

This month we are going to cover yet another seemingly impossible sodium challenge: salt. Yup. Salt. Because when it comes to a truly low-so good diet, if you simply take out the salt, you will still find yourself longing for it. And that’s why you cannot just remove it from your life and diet and favorite roast beef recipe; you have to replace it. I’m not the only one saying so. The recommendations for the new 2015 Dietary Guidelines (coming later this year) actually highlight this very essential fact as well — i.e. putting emphasis on replacement versus removal — and make a few […]

February 27, 2015

Cauliflower Chorizo and Pork Chorizo

We are at the very end of our low-so bacon and sausage month. And what better way to celebrate another four weeks of incredible low-so-good makeovers than to make chorizo two ways. One with traditional pork. And the second with mind-blowing cauliflower. BOOM. But before we get to the recipes, let me say a few words about what we learned this past February. We learned that making salt-free bacon is not only possible, but really easy. We learned that making salt-free sausage at home is not only possible, but again, really easy. And we learned that with the right salt-free spices and […]

February 13, 2015

Low-Sodium Homemade Sausage

Two things stand between your love of sausage and your low-so diet. One, the salted casings and two, the salty brines or cures or just plain salt used in the stuffing. So pretty much, the whole shebang. But hold up. Because there are a few, easy, non-salty solutions to this sausage dilemma. Meaning, yes, you can still enjoy your sausage fix by making it at home. Without the salt. And with a ton of flavor. The first step is to make fresh sausage versus cured (or “hard”) sausage. This basically means you will use fresh meat, grind it, stuff, it and, then […]

November 24, 2014

Roasted Lamb Thanksgiving Roundup

Alright friends. Get ready for a roundup of Thanksgiving dishes that is going to be bigger than last year’s 26-pound turkey. Hint: anytime you see anything bolded in orange, that is a link to a recipe or tips. So click away for total Thanksgiving domination. But before we jump into the lentil gravy boat (see how I did that?) and talk stuffing, sides, and other non-traditional dishes, let me say this about this year’s low-sodium holiday feast: break tradition. I give you permission. It’s the easiest way to free yourself from the salty brines and canned soups, and create a whole new […]

September 16, 2014

Whole Foods Market Hack Challenge

Yesterday I expressed my love (obsession) for Whole Foods Market. And today, I am going to show you — in great detail and delicious food — exactly why their store rocks my low-sodium world. As a part of the Whole Foods Market Hacks challenge, I was tasked with the task of creating TWO MEALS A DAY to feed the THREE MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY all for $125. Or in other words roughly 42 PLATES OF FOOD FOR $3 DOLLARS EACH. Got that? And let’s be honest, while I keep to a strict low-sodium diet, I do not keep to small (slash: normal) portion sizes. Sometimes I eat steak the size of my […]

November 25, 2013

Thanksgiving Obsessions

I hope you’re wearing a loose pair of pants right now because I’m about to STUFF you full of Thanksgiving ideas, tips, and yes, some turkey. We are four days away from the big day, people. So it’s time to get seriously serious about all this holiday cooking stuff. But before we get to mashed potatoes and brine-free birds, I want to pass forward this piece of wisdom. To make the best Thanksgiving feast of your life, you only need to do one simple thing: MAKE WHAT YOU WANT. It’s that easy. Forget about recreating the soggy green beans and […]

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