Vegetarian

July 28, 2010

Summer Awakening: Tacos

I love a taco. They are quick and comforting and a great way to feed many mouths without too much effort. But after numerous nights of seasoned ground beef, chopped iceberg lettuce, and yellow corn tortillas – you know, the standard – a girl’s palate can begin to desire something more. Something exotic and unexpected. Something like fried squash blossoms and tilapia. As I’ve said in past posts, there are two key tricks to successfully cooking low sodium food. The first is to find flavor elsewhere, whether it is in your ingredients, spices, fresh herbs, or condiments. The second, and […]

June 30, 2010

Biting Mr. Bittman: Succotash in Disguise

It’s officially summer! And between a few warm afternoons in San Francisco (made even more spectacular by parades and baseball games) and now the sweltering heat of the New York City streets (yes, I’ve left the best coast for the east for a quick work/pleasure getaway), I’m slapping on sunscreen, putting on my jumper, and soaking in all that this season has to offer–which above all else includes perfectly ripe, summertime produce. Two of the poster children for this season’s pantheon of vegetables include corn (yum) and summer squash (yummer). And when you put them together, you have a dish […]

May 10, 2010

Braise the Lord

Flavor. Most of us assume it comes from a jar or from a small container on a crowded spice rack. But if low sodium cooking has taught us anything, it is that flavors can be created in many unexpected ways. Luckily, as cooks, we aren’t beholden to any one spice – whether it is salt or pepper or something more exotic – to flavor our meals. We have a range of options at our fingertips. But sometimes we can get a bit heavy handed with our pinching and shaking and it is important to remember that, to create taste, you don’t […]

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 […]

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 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 18, 2010

Island Sides

Today, we continue our expedition into the world of low sodium Hawaiian cuisine. But first, a spoiler alert: Friday brings a big bang of a recipe for drippy, delicious, fall-off-the-bone Char Sui Spare Ribs. So leave your restraint and dignity at the door and grab yourself a bib for this one. Until then, I’m tiding you over with some low sodium Island sides that are as essential to a complete Hawaiian meal as a tropical drink with a miniature umbrella. First, Coconut Black Rice, or as it is also called, “Forbidden Rice.” This black grain turns a deep purple when […]

March 1, 2010

Gimme A Beet

It is the end of February and that means San Francisco has had a few days of faux-spring weather, causing me to swap the soup ladle for the grill. While I love a good beef patty, there is something about the taste of a nutty veggie burger. But the pre-made brands are skyrocketing with sodium and, although I have tried creating a chickpea patty of my own, the addition of breadcrumbs made it taste more like a falafel than a hamburger. This isn’t a bad thing, just not the result I was looking for. So I wondered, what vegetable is […]

February 25, 2010

The Vampire Slayer

While I am not a Twilight junkie, I’ll admit that I am quite intrigued by the current living dead cultural phenomenon. If I knew pale skin and stringy hair was “hot,” I wouldn’t have spent so much time trying to soak up sun and groom myself. I also would have bought those Ray-Bans from the ’90s. But it isn’t just the Vampire look that excites me, it is the social embrace of an aromatic that I dearly love. Garlic, welcome home. I rely heavily on garlic to infuse my low sodium foods with a deeper flavor. A few cloves will […]

February 9, 2010

Cooking with Kaz – The Novel

I’m sure none of you could sleep well last night, awaiting today’s big reveal of Kaz’s five-course, Shojin feast. I think I’m personally working on about four hours of sleep. So let’s jump right in and get to the good stuff. I just can’t wait any longer. Last Friday, I invited three friends over to share in my low sodium, Japanese cooking project and our evening with Kaz couldn’t have been more special. He is one of the warmest people I have ever met and Kaz immediately made himself at home. He regaled us with stories from Japan, LA, and […]

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