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June 14, 2013

Strawberries for Papa

Last week, I got a sweet treat: two days of frolicking in the strawberry fields of Carmel Valley care of California Strawberries. I called it my summer straw-cation. And I know. Is this real life? Turns out, it is. And yes, I wore strawberry pink pants. Obviously. From the fields to the bar to the dinner table, this “work” trip was all about strawberries all day long. We met multi-generational farmers, toured strawberry chilling facilities, stood inside huge strawberry trucks, and even had a strawberry “Iron-chef-like” smack down (which my team won, salt-free, NBD). And while I learned some really […]

June 8, 2013

Pork and Pinto Chilaquiles

I eat a lot of beans. Is that weird? And until recently, I have been known to eat them pretty much the same way, every time, as chili. It’s my go-to, I-don’t-have-time-to-cook-a-real-meal meal. It’s easy and delicious and terribly filling. And that’s where my bean (slash, chili) obsession came from. So there’s that. But then I stumbled upon an issue of Eating Well magazine and I realized that beans could be so much more than slowly cooked legumes. They could swim with tortillas and even a bean poached egg. They could get topped with cool Greek yogurt and bright green […]

May 24, 2013

Root and Fruit Salad

It’s that time of year for potato salads. (Can I get an amen!?) It’s that time for potato salads and picnics. Potato salads and BBQs. Potato salads for long lunches in the park. Potato salads for hot days at the beach. Potato salads for breakfast. Don’t judge. It’s time for potato salads and this Memorial Day weekend, I wanted to give you a very special version to try. One that celebrates the freedom to make this classic dish without globs of mayonnaise or lots of potato skin peeling or even any hot steaming. Or even potatoes for that matter, if […]

May 9, 2013

Mama’s Green Bean Casserole

I’m not here to debate the idea that diamonds are a girl’s best friend. I accept. But I do want to point out that some people of the female persuasion have different notions of best friends (of the material persuasion). Things that, like diamonds, make them light up with joy and excitement. And if you are my mother, those things include roasted cauliflower and eggplant and sweet potatoes, steamed zucchini, and pan fried brussel sprouts. Pretty much anything of the vegetable persuasion. I’m not kidding. So if you want to get her something for mother’s day, be sure to add […]

April 24, 2013

Quinoa Crusted Chicken

Let’s just get this out of the way. Wiener Schnitzel. (God bless you). It’s a silly name for a pretty simple dish: veal cutlets, pounded until they are Kate Moss skinny, dipped in egg and seasoned bread crumbs, and fried until golden brown. Because the meat is so thin, they cook up real quick. And because the outer layer is so crispy, they disappear real fast too. Which in my book equals a recipe for happy hosts and happier guests. And explains why this fried meat treat is the national dish of Austria — well done, Austria. But how do we […]

April 12, 2013

Creamy Sweets & Grits

This post has been a long time coming. Thank you for being patient. I promise, by the end of this short intro, you’ll be happy. Shrimps and grits. It’s been requested a few times. Times a hundred. And while I’ve know all along that I could conquer this high sodium recipe — with its typical cheese and shrimps and salty spices — I wanted to do it perfectly. Without the shrimps. Without the cheese. And without the sodium. But with all the creamy, smoky, succulent flavors that you’re looking for. I wanted to create something that would not only satisfy […]

March 29, 2013

Sneak Peep

I would be lying if I said I didn’t have a sweet tooth. I have several. Actually, a mouthful. And I can’t help but eat handfuls of sweets at a time. Anytime. Like even morning time. Or nighttime. Or all the inbetween times. It’s kind of amazing that I’m not eating candy right now. I get gitty at the movies. I get a rush during the holidays. And I fall madly in love with anyone (friend or friendly bunny) that comes to my house bearing sour chews, licorice strips, chocolate covered anythings, and fluffy marshmallow treats. And last week, my […]

March 18, 2013

Writing Through Illness

Flight. In a single moment, with a single jump, you suspend in the air. Putting life on pause for one, joyful, split second, only to moments later land safely back on your two feet, either lifting off again or climbing down to solid ground. But when something unexpected double-bounces you off life’s trampoline, suddenly, the suspension of reality feels less free and more threatening. The landing pad looks less even and more unsteady. The fall becomes fearful and threatening. And the next few moments, days, months, and years…uncertain. We’ve all had those moments — a shocking diagnosis, the discovery of […]

March 13, 2013

Salt-Free Smoked Sole

Usually, during Salt Awareness Week, I would warn you to stay clear of foods accompanied by words “brined,” “pickled,” “cured,” and “smoked.” But today, as a part of Salt Awareness Week (and Kidney Health Month), I’m changing the tune a bit. And I’m gonna tell you to get ready to prove that warning wrong. Because, with a little creativity, you can approximate foods that are usually brined, pickled, cured, and SMOKED all without salt or high-sodium ingredients. For a while now, people have been asking for a salt-free’d, low-sodium salmon spread and I too have been craving that luscious husky […]

March 1, 2013

Eat, Meet, Write

I’m overwhelmed. Not in the stressy way. But in the “oh my god this is what makes life so grand” kind of way. Because over the last two weeks, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to meet so many of you out there in the blogosphere. I’ve heard your stories. We’ve swapped low-sodium recipes. We’ve even had a hug or two hundred. And I’m blown away by the amazing low-sodium community that exists. And they waves that, together, we are creating in the culinary and health world. We’re changing the look of salt-free food, people. And things are only going to […]

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