A Quick Peek

While low sodium cooking began as a part of a medical routine, I can say with full honesty that it is now a true passion. Maybe that’s already obvious by the fact that I blog on my adventures three days a week. Or the fact that I own an apron that says “Sodium Girl.”

But in a second bout of honesty, I’ll admit that low sodium cooking does take time and effort – at least at the very beginning. Your taste buds must adjust, you must adjust, your kitchen must adjust. Once you get started, though, and outfit your home and your brain with as many low sodium tools and as much knowledge as possible, you will find that living a successful low sodium life becomes a breeze. And ultimately, it becomes enjoyable.

So first, on this Hump Day morning, I wanted to give you a glimpse at my favorite kitchen accoutrements that make cooking low sodium food easy and fun.

First off, my wall of aprons. There’s no reason not to look your best while stirring a pot:

Then there’s my wall of spices. You can never have enough flavor, and everything tastes better when it doesn’t take up your whole counter:

Not to be out shown, there is also my wall of pots, pans, and other doo-dads (see a theme here). A red frame plus a peg board equals kitchen magic. While I believe you can never have enough equipment, I also know that it pays to have a place for each spatula, stock pot, and frying pan. That way you’re kitchen feels “cute” and clutter-free. I’m not OCD, just CAO – crafty and organized:

Of course, there’s also my trusty Dustbuster, which keeps me from losing my mind when I have a mid-cooking spill:

And finally, my ultimate, favorite kitchen companion – the immersion blender:

You can make anything, from soup to whipped cream, in seconds with this utensil. It requires no lifting, sifting, or pouring, which means less mess for you and more meals that are made in mere minutes.

I can’t say enough about this gadget, and trust me, I’ve talked about it before. And if you can only buy one thing to better outfit your cooking space, this secret weapon would be my first choice.

So now that I’ve given you a behind-the-scenes tour of what makes my low sodium kitchen tick, I wanted to also give you a VH1-esque, behind-the-music look at how I arrived in this enthusiastic, positive, and ultimately organized space. You definitely don’t get there in a day. It’s a journey. A full-fledged road-trip from the starting point of “oh my god, I have to do what?” to a final destination of “oh my god, I really did that!” with a lot of fun explorations and surprises in between.

I am honored to share that the Lupus Foundation of America is presenting a three-part series this week on my blog and my story.

If you’re hankering for more backstage glimpses of the Sodium Girl story, check out part one on their blog. And if you’re gearing up for a low sodium kitchen make-over, feel free to shoot questions my way.

Chow (and cook and clean) on.