Meet chard. It is a beautiful, leafy green vegetable whose stems come in an array of colors, from red, to white, to gold, to even rainbow. Chard is super healthy for you and an excellent source of vitamin A and iron. It can be sauteed, steamed, even baked and I throw it in everything from pasta to frittata. The leaves have a slightly bitter, salty taste (which is actually a plus for a low sodium cook as it provides savory notes, naturally). The stems have a bit more of a buttery flavor and add a great a great crunch to dishes, especially if you are pairing it with a noodle or soft grain.
Now meet me. Sodium Girl, by day and now the SF Healthy Foods Examiner by…well, by day as well. By night, I’m usually asleep. But either way, for the majority of the day, I am your devoted guide to healthy eating in this wonderful city by the bay and beyond.
I kind of feel like I am suddenly balancing two personalities, like Clark Kent and Superman or Miley Cyrus and Hannah Montana, and I kind of like it. But rest assured that these alter-egos, unlike my predecessors, will not lead completely separate lives. That just sounds exhausting and who has the time (or flexibility) to undertake major costume changes in a phone booth.
Instead, I’ve decided on the much saner schedule of linking to my new content on the Examiner each week as a part of Sodium Girl’s “Good Eats” category. As the SF Healthy Foods writer, I will be reviewing restaurants and local food-related activities that are “special diet friendly” and of course, can accommodate any health related food need. So I promise, it is information that you can use, not just shameless promotion. Although, I’m not beyond that either.
If you’re ready to give it a go (and I am!) here is the first of the articles, a snap shot of supper at Absinthe Brasserie & Bar and Chef Jamie Lauren’s willingness to rethink her menu to meet her diners’ needs. And to see where else you can find Sodium Girl on the interweb, check out the new “Press” tab. See, I told you I’m not beyond shameless promotion.
Now, I must be off to save the world, one sodium free meal at a time. ‘Til then, read freely and chow on.
Congratulations…your first article was perfect! Your wonderful writing (always makes me laugh) and worthy cause (get rid of the salt!) will change the way people eat! Thanks for the good information…clearly “cutting edge” doesn’t just apply to your knives.