I'VE MOVED

yes, I did it, I made the move to wordpress for a slightly more professional look.  Sorry blogger, I love you and I love google, but it was time for a switch.  It's me not you, and I really do hope we can be friends.

So check out the new site and add it to your bookmarks immediately.

Better yet, sign up for an email subscription  and receive direct notifications of new SODIUM GIRL posts without ever having to troll the site.

I hope you like the new look - very figure flattering I think - and stay tuned on the NEW site as I hope to have my very own SODIUMGIRL.COM domain running by the end of the week.

Moving on up!

Tips & Tricks: Low Sodium Thanksgiving, Get Stuffed

My tummy is rumbling in anticipation of my favorite day of the year...THANKSGIVING!  And don't be fooled, just because you are limiting your sodium intake this festive season, you do not have to miss out on any of the rich earthy flavors that make this holiday so memorable.

I was reminded again last night, as I was cooking dinner - Moroccan stew, couscous, and a cauliflower salad with apple and fig chutney - for a group of 8 strangers, that it is easy to build rich flavors without salt.  It is the limitation of your ingredients that forces you to become a more creative cook, dazzling your guests with spices and pairings that they do not expect.  The element of surprise will add exponential enjoyment to your sodium free cooking.

This Thanksgiving, whether you are attempting a single sodium-free side-dish or gunning for a full-blown, sodium-free dinner, I challenge you to think not of what you can't eat, but of what you can.  Can't have cheese on your mashed potatoes?  Make them silky with cream or mascarpone and add a kick of flavor with roasted fennel, browned butter, truffle oil, or some eye-popping pesto.  Your masterpieces will have the other guests drooling and who knows, it may be a sodium-free thanksgiving for everyone next year. To get your inspiration engines started, check out these tips and tricks and recipe ideas that will have friends and families colonizing your kitchen.

Tips and Tricks: Foul Play 

 

Since we (the royal we, that is) often spend the holidays at the homes of others, you will most likely need to bring your own bird, sides, and pies for the evening. Thanksgiving dinner can be a huge undertaking for the hosts and if you want it to be certain that your meal is sodium free and safe, I suggest you spend the time "getting your bird on" in your own kitchen - and if you can cook Thanksgiving dinner, you can cook anything.

I spent many years lugging along a bland piece of chicken breast as my entrée, staring longingly at the crispy, golden skin of the juicy, salt-brined turkey on everyone else's plate.  Clearly, cooking an entire turkey for myself was a little excessive and too big of an undertaking.  If I was hosting the dinner and feeding a handful of other guests, an entire sodium-free turkey would make sense. But for a single plate of Thanksgiving deliciousness (or let's be honest, 3 to 4) a whole bird may be too much...Or not.

SECRET SODIUM ALERT:

Most turkeys, even if you do not brine or salt them, will be injected with some sort of saline solution to keep them moist. So if you are cooking a whole bird, make sure yours is truly sodium-free.

Then, a moment of holiday brilliance, I realized I could substitute the typical turkey for a much smaller piece of poultry: a Cornish game hen.  Besides being easy to cook, these little juicy poultry nuggets also happen to be absolutely adorable and they are just big enough that there is plenty of juicy meat to nibble on the next day.  These birds are rather flexible in terms of cooking technique - you can stuff and roast them, debone and sautée, or plop them on open beer cans and let the fun really begin - look at their posture!

This, year, I will be roasting my little friend next to my Aunt's behemoth bird.  They should get along quite nicely and can be roasted at approximately the same temperature, just a shorter amount of time.

Recipe Box: My Thanksgiving Menu

What you may begin to realize is that even when you are limiting your sodium intake, you can continue to use regular recipes.  All you have to do is be conscious of where sodium may be hiding - butter, broths, brines,seasoning blends, dairy products, pie crusts/doughs/breads, baking sodium and baking powder, and packaged sauces - and then, get creative with your substitutions.  I love using Epicurious for recipe starters and find Cooks Illustrated to be one of the best culinary resources (for every level cook) available.  Christopher Kimball, I heart you and your test kitchen.

Here are some of the recipes that I will using for my sodium free recipes.  I've included my own substitutions, but if you have other flavor twists that you want to share, pass them along to sodiumgirl@gmail.com and I'll be sure to steal them.

Appetizers:

• A spread of sodium free pickles
• curried, pickled carrots and dill pickled green beans and fennel
• Sodium free spinach dip and crudite (fancy for raw vegetables)
• substitute mascarpone, ricotta cheese, or crème fraiche for the sour cream and cream cheese
  

Starters and Sides:

• Brussel sprout hash and caramelized onions 
• use sweet butter and leave out the Kosher salt
  
• Root vegetable gratin
• brown sweetened butter to give it a nutty flavor, add some farmers cheese if you can find some (or you can make your own!) and grate some fresh nutmeg on top for added "je ne sais quoi" spice 

Main Course:

• Cornish game hen 
• Although I will be using an altered beer can chicken recipe - straight up succulent - I like the idea of this cider brine (sans salt).  Although salt is an essential part of the brining process, I think the cider helps denature the protein, making it juicy and more melt-in-your-mouth delicious.  If you can't brine, but want to add an extra juice-assuring technique to your holiday cooking, I would give this a try.  Ply, the gravy recipe also looks good!
  
• Sodium-free stuffing with wild mushrooms 
• I'll will be using sodium-free bread and my favorite sodium free chicken broth to give this crunch and kick and bought a bounty of wild mushrooms to give it a meaty texture
  

For more low sodium/sodium free Thanksgiving recipes check out Dick Logue's Low Sodium Cooking Newsletter - the Thanksgiving issue.

Happy eating, happy holidays, and I'll see you at the gym...if I can get off the couch.

Tips & Tricks: On the Road Again

Off again on another whirlwind adventure!  I decided to make the most out of my Thanksgiving holiday on the east coast and head out a week early to visit my ladies who left the warmth of sunny California for the fall chill of Boston, DC, NYC and beyond.  And I have to admit, although I am a Californian to the core, the holiday spirit combined with the comfort of bundling up has my heart singing show tunes.

Three plane rides, a train, and endless house visits along the way, I knew I needed to prepare a slightly larger-than-usual snack pack to keep me full and energized throughout the trip.  So I prepped a few perishables: (a) a giant pack of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cooked in ground mustard and balsamic vinegar and (b) some Heidi's Hens no-salt turkey meat (30mg per serving).  And rounded up a cornucopia of non-perishables as well: (a) dried cranberries, (b) Enjoy Life Cinnamon Crunch Granola, (c) shelled, salt-free sesame seeds, (d) salt-free pop corn to pop, and (e) some delicious fruit leather - remember that stuff?  Like fruit roll-ups without the chemicals.  As an added bonus, I found at a Bostonian Whole Foods a new brand of low-sodium lavash bread that has packed nicely in my bag and remained incredibly soft and fresh for the remainder of my travels.

As for eating out, it has been a breeze. In most kitchens, fish will be left naked (cat call whistles appropriate) until preparation - sans seasoning and sans marinade - and it is a safe bet that you can order a simply grilled or sauteed, salt-free fillet for dinner.  If you have reservations somewhere, though, it always helps to call ahead and ask the chef to set aside some meat or fish for you as well as some fresh veggies that have not been dunked in a pot of boiling salt water.

Perfect example: Rocca Kitchen & Bar.  They were incredibly accommodating and delighted me with a roasted whole Branzino (wowzer) that was steeping in a delicate broth of roasted tomato juice.  Although the flavors weren't overwhelming, I have come to truly appreciate the simple enjoyment of fresh ingredients.  The potatoes also happened to be cooked perfectly - slightly crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and thick enough to soak up the broth like a piece of out-of-the oven bread.

It was delicious and looked a lot more appealing than the bowl of lettuce that the girl next to me ordered - really?  Lettuce?  When you have the opportunity to order this pasta sampler?

All and all, a wonderful trip filled with good eats and lots of fun diversions.  Yesterday Boston, today DC, tomorrow Philly and a fantastic Thanksgiving ahead.

Recipe Box: I made CHEESE

Usually I try to come up with a somewhat intriguing title.  But this time, the subject was so exciting that I had to rush past the presentation and skip to the good stuff.

I made cheese. No seriously, I did it, all by myself.  And most amazingly, it was really easy.  And most surprisingly, people (who usually eat salt, lots of it) really liked it.

So the scenario goes like this: like I said in my last post, I signed up to attend the Jam It session at 18 reasons on Thursday night at which jamming, pickling, and DIY-fooding enthusiasts and professionals would gather to share their recipes and their home-made goods.  I figured that this was a perfect testing ground to see how normal, everyday sodium-freaks would respond to my no-sodium food.  And I feel pretty confident in my pickling ability.  But to kick this conquest up a notch, I decided to risk it all, make cheese, and feed it to the masses.

Two friends sent me paneer and buttermilk cheese recipe - both very similar and simple - requiring the use of milk, lemons, and salt.  For my first attempt, I decided to use hemp milk.  I mean, I couldn't look more like a crazy northern Californian if I tried.  Hemp milk has virtually no sodium in it (5mg per serving), but it also has virtually no ability curdle.  So I threw the tie-dyed cartoon in the recycling bin and decided to use the real deal.

I passed on the whole milk and went with a lower-sodium option: soy milk.  It has 85mg of sodium per serving  and I knew, from an unfortunate previous experiences, that it indeed will curdle (unlike its free-loving substitute).  I bought a quart of unsweetened soy milk  and used half of it for my cheese.  I figure that the majority of the milk was not used to produce the curds and that the end product would be very low in sodium.

The entire cheese-making process lasted about 40 minutes max, with endless hours of eating enjoyment to follow.  I will be bringing this winning recipe to the east coast for Thanksgiving Day appetizers along with some curry carrot pickles and dill and fennel green bean pickles.  You better believe I'll impress the pants off of those Pilgrims.

1.  Heat half a quart of soy milk in a heavy saucepan - but let's be honest, I used a pot.

2.  When it begins to boil and starts to rise, immediately take it off the heat.  Be sure to watch for this, because the milk will rise quickly and if you don't have cat-like reflexes, you will end up with one hot, sticky mess on your stove.

3.  Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to the milk and stir for two minutes to help separate the curds from the whey.

4.  Let the curdy milk sit for 10 minutes.

5.  Pour the milk into a colander that is lined with 3 layers of cheese cloth.  When it is cool enough to handle, close the cheese cloth tightly around the curds and squeeze out the extra liquid.

6.  At this point, since there was no salt in the cheese, I added 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons of cumin, 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and 2 teaspoons of fresh dill.  Mix the spices in with the cheese and close the cheese cloth again to remove the remaining liquid.

7.  Place the cheese (still in the cheese cloth) on a plate and flatten to about 1/2 inch thick.

8.  Place another plate on top of the cheese and weight it with your heaviest (or two heaviest) cooking books.

9.  After 20 minutes of flattening, you can refrigerate overnight or use immediately.  If it turns out to be a little more chunky and loose, use it as a spread on some crackers with your fennel relish that you made.  If it is harder, try preparing it like traditional paneer and fry it in some hot oil.

And just for fun, here is a shot early into the 18 Reasons event.  A special shout to Karen Solomon for eating my cheese, liking my pickled fennel relish, and for writing a kick ass book that I can't wait to plow through.  happy chowing everyone.

Recipe Box: Pick a Pickled Pepper

Or carrots.  Or fennel.  Or grapes. On Monday night, I rushed home with vinegar in hand to prepare for the 18 Reasons Jam It event as well as create some down-home gifts for my relatives in Philadelphia.  It's Turkey Time people, and nothing says "thank you" on Thanksgiving like a jar of pickles.  Am I right?  I know I am.

Let me tell you this - sodium-free pickling is not only possible, it is easy and can be even more thrilling than your typically transformed cucumber.  Without salt, you become more creative with your seasonings and spices.  And if you are a nervous to create your own pickling blend, lucky for us, salt-free pickling spices already exist in cute little pre-packaged packages (available at your local Whole Foods).

So put your pot on the stove and get ready to infuse some veggies with sweet and sour tang.  Here are three zippy recipes for mind-blowing treats that can be equally impressive as an appetizer or as an accompaniment in salads, side dishes, and main courses.

Pickled Fennel 
"Licorice never tasted so good" - Me

1.  Take two bulbs of fennel, cut off stems, and slice in to crescent shaped spears

2.  Stuff fennel slices, some of the soft fennel fronds from the stem (packs extra flavor), three cloves of garlic, and two dried chili peppers into a small mason jar

3. Zest one orange and place in the mason jar with fennel

4.  Heat 2 cups of white wine vinegar, 1/2 a cup of sugar, juice from one orange, and a teaspoon of black peppercorns in a pot.  Remove from heat once it begins boiling

5.  Carefully (it's hot!) fill the mason jar with heated pickling liquid (step 4).  The heat tends to reduce the size of the fennel almost immediately, so if you have left over slices, stuff more into the jar

6.  For added punch, slice fresh ginger and put in jar as well.  Once lid is closed, shake it up, allow to cool, and stick it in the fridge.  In two days, it will be ready for munching.

Pickled Grapes 
"Not jam, not wine, just plain delicious" - Me 


As a quick disclaimer: I stole this recipe from Smitten Kitchen who was inspired by Orangette  and tweaked it according to my sodium girl needs.


1.  Pick up some plump, seedless back or red grapes and slice off the belly buttons - the top part where the stem was - of five or six handfuls.  By taking off their tops (get your mind out of the gutter) you will allow the pickling juices to seep into the fruit immediately.

2.  Fill a small mason jar with the grapes, 2 teaspoons of yellow mustard seed, and one stick of cinnamon- or, as in my case, three teaspoons of ground cinnamon because I forgot to buy cinnamon sticks

3.  Heat two cups of white wine or champagne vinegar (how fancy) in a pot with 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns.  Remove from heat once it boils

4.  Let the pickling liquid (step 3) fully cool before filling the mason jar.  This will keep the fruit from becoming too mushy

5.  Shake and shimmy your mason jar and put in refrigerator.  Will be good to go in two days.

BONUS TIP: on my quest to find a good substitute for olives, I realized that a savory grape pickle could do the trick.  I think they could act as a mischievous doppelganger in tapenade and Mediterranean salads, fooling any palate.  I can't wait to test out this theory in the weeks to come.

Pickled Carrots
"Curry in a hurry" - Me

1.  To make this as effortless as possible, buy some pre-washed, pre-peeled carrots.  I went with some beautiful yellow carrots and I think if I had more time, I may have even chosen to go with the more colorful  heirloom variety

2.  Stuff a small mason jar with carrots, three cloves of garlic, teaspoon of freshly sliced ginger, and two dried chili peppers, 1/2 a tablespoon of turmeric, 1/4 tablespoon of curry, and 1 tablespoon of salt-free pickling spices

3.  Heat 2 cups of distilled vinegar,1 cup of water, and 1/2 a cup of sugar.  Remove from heat once it is boiling

4.  Carefully fill jar with pickling liquid, wait until it is cool, and place in the fridge.  Wait 2 days before cracking open and noshing on some healthy and spicy carrot nuggets

Now wasn't that easy?  Just wait until you taste them!

Recipe Box: Battle Citrus, No Sodium

There is a lot coming up this week: home-made pickles, home-made cheese (hopefully), an appearance at 18 Reason's "Jam It" event on Thursday, and a starters list on how to create your own scrumptious and salt-free Thanksgiving meal.

But while we wait for the pickles to pickle and for the cheese to curd and whey, I wanted to write a quick post about a groundbreaking event that occurred last March:

Iron Chef Battle: Citrus, No Sodium

The culinary smack down was the second in a series of two Iron Chef competitions, originally hosted by our good friends Kwame (who is now in cooking school, lucky) and Mei (who is now in London writing for Wired UK and igniting some Go-Game awesomeness across the pond).  The first battle was centered on the delicious meat product we all lovingly call "bacon."  My attendance at this battle and my minor participation (Mei made me some sodium-free, bacon-free dishes because she is amazing) sparked discussion with fellow judges on sodium-free cooking.  To say they least, they were not convinced that sodium-free food could be as flavorful or exciting as more traditional, sodium-filled recipes.

So the challenge was set.  12 guests, with well-versed and discerning palettes, were invited to Boy and my apartment for an 8-course course on sodium-free food.  Over a period of 24 hours, endless shopping for random citrus products (Yuzu juice to Buddha's hand), and a brief period in which words were not exchanged - Boy and I poured our hearts and souls into the dishes and what resulted was proof that cooking excellence (or at least satisfaction) could be achieved without salt.

But don't take my word, judge for yourself.

Good Eats: Bacar

The niners beat the bears - in a heart-attack inducing finish - and it was date night.  How could this evening get any more magical?  I'll tell you.  A fresh, thoughtful, earthy meal at Bacar.

I called the restaurant around 3:00pm, when most begin answering their phones for dinner service, and made sure to forewarn of my dietary needs.  They had walu on the menu (a meaty but juicy white fish) and I asked that they save me a cut.  I also made sure to have a few veggies left aside so that they were not parboiled in advance.

Tip: In many kitchens, prep includes blanching or parboiling the vegetables in salted water, leaving few green options.  But if you call ahead, you usually can secure a handful of healthy nibbles for your meal.

Back to the restaurant - it is quite big (two floors) and urban feeling, but cozy due to its warm lighting.and comfy booths.  I was delighted to see that the wine list not only included your standardbottles, half bottles, and glasses, but tastings as well - how decadent.  So yes, I had a tasting of two white wines, an Albarino and a Sauvignon Blanc, making the start of my dining experience all the more entertaining and well, boozy.

Then the main course.  When the waiter arrived at the table and I attempted to launch into my dietribe (that's wordplay, folks), he sweetly interrupted and said, "Yes, no sodium."  Always a comforting start.  He then assured me that the chef would happily accommodate my needs and was there anything in particular that I wanted from the menu.  The fact that I was given options, and was not beholden to just one entrée, was very impressive.  I'll have to take them up on the offer some other time.  But for this particular evening, I stuck with the walu.  It looked delicious and I figured it was a safe bet.

As for the result - well, first of all, the presentation (see picture above) was meticulous.  Clearly, this was not a flavorless piece of fish thrown on a plate.  Roasted brussel sprout leaves and simply

sautéed chantarelle mushrooms cushioned the walu which was delicately cooked with a strong smoky flavor, possibly from the use of liquid smoke or an actual smoker. The whole dish was then topped with a festive tapenade of what I thought was garlic and parsley.  There was a burst of citrus flavor and of course, the always lively taste of fresh herbs. I realized by the third bite, however, that the garlic bits were actually olives and unless they were specially cured without salt, I'm pretty certain this beautiful topping had sodium.

Now, I write this fact (with some hesitancy as I know Bacar went to the ends of the kitchen to create a safe meal for me) to exhibit the importance of going over all the details of your sodium needs with the waiter, even if it seems repetitive and annoying.  Do not be afraid to SPELL IT OUT.  It took me six years to understand where sodium hides, so I surely cannot expect people to remember to look at the back of a bottle or to connect the no-sodium dots, especially while they cook in a busy kitchen.

Now if you're thinking, damn, Bacar failed the no-sodium test, I assure you they did not. The care with which they treated my meal was obvious and there are multiple menu items I can order in the future, which is not often the case.  In addition, when I ordered sorbet for dessert, the waiter rushed back to warn me that there were a few pinches of salt in the sorbet, demonstrating that they clearly understood my needs and that the olive situation was simply a blip.  

And now, just in case you forgot what it looked like...one more look at the walu masterpiece.

Tips & Tricks, Good Eats, and Recipe Box: This Spud's For You

I think potatoes are (a) utterly delicious and (b) really confusing to spell.  I like them fried, baked, sliced, in soups and stews ... but mostly, I like them fried.  At first, I thought it would be impossible to find low-sodium or sodium-free versions of these beloved potato products - and I took to making my own sweet potato fries at home (which, if I say so myself, was not a bad substitute...recipe below).  But I had completely underestimated the possibilities of no-sodium/low-sodium snacking and in almost 6 years of searching for a salt-free French fry or a sodium-free bag of chips, I've compiled the following list of delicious salt-free options, which even have the salt freaks exclaiming snacking nirvana.'

For A Sit-Down French Fry Fix:

Hop into Frjtz - a Belgium fry and mussel palace located in the Mission and Hayes Valley.  Just ask the incredibly accommodating staff (yes, they know me by name) to hold the salt on your LARGE cone of fries.  Don't hesitate to explain your reason for salt shaker resistance - the more they understand your situation, the more serious they will take your request.

As for the sauces - for which they are famous - they are all heavy in sodium content.  So to be absolutely safe, ask for a wedge of lime to give it a zest of flavor.  Or douse the fries in pepper.  I've even recently seen malt vinegar available at the condiments counter - that has a nice kick too.  And if you're really craving something more substantive, I have been known to bring my own bottle of low-sodium mustard in my purse.  Don't be embarrassed.  It's totally cool and the people staring are just jealous. But if you're not up for social defiance, you can eat them sauce free.  These fries are so perfectly crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside that they don't need any cover up.  They are natural beauties.

Added tip:  If you attempt ordering French fries at other restaurants, and I do, just remember to ask if they cut them fresh or if they come from a bag.  If they come from a bag (i.e. frozen) they most likely have sodium.  Also, make sure the potatoes are not blanched in salt water before being cooked.

For Out-Of-The-Bag Snacking:

My first experience with no-salt/low-sodium snacking was with Kettle Chips unsalted, proud spuds.

In 2007, during a crisp fall afternoon and a mostly unproductive work day, I spent an hour and half crafting a heartfelt letter to the Kettle Chips crew thanking them for their bravery and leadership in the production of a salt-free chip, which had filled a large void in my junk-food junkie soul...and would they be so kind as to create another innovative salt-free chip product to dazzle my taste buds (balsamic vinegar and rosemary anyone?).  The next day, I received a kind response, but no mention of any future salt-free lines and no shipment of a life-time supply of unsalted chips to my door.

While I continue to wait for my free box of Kettle Chips (wink wink), these other brands are also jumping on the salt-free train and making my no-sodium snacking dreams come true.

Utz has unsalted potato chips and no salt BBQ 

Terra Chips has unsalted potato chips, unsalted Hickory BBQ (so delicious!), and unsalted Sweet Potato chips for a totally wild taste experience.

Added tip: When I make my own tuna tartar - yeah, you've got some drool on the side of your lip - I line the plate with salt-free potato chips and use them to transport the dreamy, diced fish from the plate to my mouth. East meets west in a dazzling salt-free appetizer.

For A DIY, At-Home Adventure:

When Super Bowl Season rolls around, grab a few sweet potatoes and follow these instructions:


1.  Turn on oven, preferably to 400 degrees.

2.  Wash and scrub your spuds, but no need to peel.  I think the skin, when crisp, makes them extra delicious.

3.  Cut the sweet potato into fourths and then into thin strips - you want each fry to be about half and inch wide at the most (check out the picture here to get a good idea of size and length).  The thinner they are the crispier they will get.

4.  Put all of your potato sticks on a pre-greased or pre-sprayed baking sheet - you want most of them to be touching the bottom of the sheet so they all cook evenly - and sprinkle olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) and a mixture of the following spices:

For spicy - cumin, paprika, white pepper, and cayenne
For herby - rosemary (fresh or dried), white pepper, ground mustard, a pinch of cayenne
For special - use a flavored olive oil (like orange, avocado, or truffle!)

5.  Toss the potato sticks so they are evenly coated with the oil and spices.

6.  Bake for 20-30 minutes.  Watch the first batch carefully and from then on, you'll know how long it takes.

7.  Repeat until all the potatoes have been cooked and gobbled up - make sure you set a good handful (or ten) aside for yourself.

Good Eats: mmm mmm Murray Circle

I have to admit, it felt pretty silly to travel less than 15 minutes for a one-night staycation at Cavallo Point - but the experience went beyond any expectations I had. First of all, the property (set in old Fort Baker buildings) does an extraordinary job of fitting in with its natural surroundings - gorgeous fields of long, sweeping grass; seats strewn about the property to sit and admire a sunrise or sunset; fire pits for late night chatting with fellow guests; and simple architectural designs so as not to distract from the natural beauty of the surrounding hills, wildflowers, and Golden Gate.

But on to the good stuff...Murray Circle is the restaurant at Cavallo Point, open to guests as well as the public. I've read about it in SFgate, 7X7 and Tablehopper and have been waiting to make a trek over the bridge to check it out. I wrote to Murray Circle about two weeks prior to our reservation with a complete lists of dietary cannots and more importantly, cans. When we arrived, the hostess confirmed that the chef had received the list and our waitress also promptly displayed an actual printout of the email I had sent. To say the least, I was impressed.

As for the menu: Diners can choose to either order separate plates from the menu (separated into three categories: vegetables & fruits; fish & shellfish; and meat & poultry) or order a chef's tasting (at an incredibly reasonable $65). My man friend and I asked if it would be possible for both of us to order a chef's tasting - his being the normal fixed-menu items and mine a slightly altered version. This is where things get really good - not only did the chef say he could make a custom tasting menu for me, but that I could pick ANYTHING from the entire menu. The world was my oyster, and yes, I could have some of those too. This amount of dining freedom never happens. My choices are usually few and to have everything on the menu at my fingertips was just something that I had not experienced in the past five years. All three courses were beautiful, delicious, and sodium-girl safe. For a fairly new, one-star Michelin restaurant - Murray Circle lives up to all the accolades. Prices are pretty San Francisco affordable (avg $20 per plate), the service was friendly, and the overall feeling was casual and warm. Also of note, our sommelier, Sabrina, (yes, there are three and a huge wine list of ranging prices) was a gem. After chatting with her about her own history in the Bay Area and her favorite wines, we were treated to a glass of a no-longer-in-production Ladera Vineyard Merlot. I have never tasted a red like this before and meeting someone like Sabrina makes dining out an unforgettable experience. Being friendly and inquisitive always leads to good things...like a memorable meal, an unforgettable glass of wine, and maybe a new friend too.

So get on your bike or in your car and make your way over to Cavallo Point and Murray Circle for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or just some wine on the porch. And for those of you with restrictions, let your mouth drool and heart melt over this menu:

And for those of you with restrictions, let your mouth drool and heart melt over this menu:

Course 1: Young lettuces salad with winter fruits, thinly sliced vegetables (beautiful rose colored turnips) and a home-made champagne vinaigrette - I tasted citrus and star anise as well as freshly chopped herbs. It was crisp and light with a perfectly silky dressing. Clean plate number one.

Course 2: Wild halibut with purple cauliflower, peas, and carrot shavings. The fish was cooked perfectly: melt-in-your mouth creamy texture and the plate was very colorful. No outrageous burst of flavor here, but it was simple and well prepared. Clean plate number two.

Course 3: The true knock-out. Side-by-side cuts of slow roasted duck breast with crispy, golden skin. Flanked by more of the purple cauliflower, pea, and carrot combo and in the middle, a surprise treat of caramelized turnips. Vegetables prepared right = candy. The molasses flavor of the turnips brought out the natural sweetness of the duck. It was hard to share this dish...but I had to let my companion experience the ingenuity - just a little bit of creativity goes a long way in sodium-free cooking. Clean plate number three.

Course 4: No room for dessert, but had an endless pot of french press coffee and too much wine (half a bottle of Crocker and Starr). Will have to come back for a smaller tasting and some sweet treats.

Breakfast: Yes, Murray Circle does it all. I ordered the farm fresh egg omelet with mushrooms and spinach. Reading this on paper doesn't exactly sound exciting. But when I received the fluffy, sunshine yellow omelet and split it open, to my surprise I found some beautiful chanterelle mushrooms. My breakfast was another example of how good ingredients need very little to be full of flavor. The farm fresh eggs had their own nutty essence, the chanterelles were meaty, and even the spinach had an herbal bitterness for balance. A little olive oil and pepper...and BAM, a delicious breakfast.  Thank you to Murray Circle for such incredible service and the willingness to make so many sodium-free delicious meals. 

And a quick update: I have dined here now three times, every experience being equally impressive - the food has proved more flavorful and inventive with each visit.  During my last trip, my dining partner and I ordered the same dish, which was accompanied by an uni (sea urchin) reduction sauce.  Of course, I thought my sodium-free version would be uni-less.  But SURPRISE!  Not only did my plate look equally gorgeous as the regular version sitting across the table, but I was served my very own, sodium-free, freshly prepared uni reduction.  That is incredible service and proof that extraordinary food can be sodium-free.

Tips & Tricks: The Ultimate Kitchen Utensil

I mean this with all my heart when I say it.  Everyone needs one.

The glorious IMMERSION BLENDER (cue solo spotlight and angels singing) is the culinary gods' gift to cooking.  I mean, it is seriously the nicest thing those guys have done since inventing the spatula or maybe Mickey Mouse shaped waffle irons.  And I liken the creation of the immersion blender to the brilliance of Velcro shoes.  They are both simple, time-saving devices that also happen to look pretty awesome.  Do you want one yet? Just wait.

In 1950, a Swiss genius named Roger Perrinjaque invented the immersion blender by basically taking the blades of a normal blender and sticking them on a long rod, or "wand"(magic), that can then be dropped directly into a pot of to-be-blended ingredients (like lumpy vegetables or boiled potatoes), eliminating:

(A) the need for transferring liquids from a pot to a blender to the counter and floor while on the way back to pot

and (B) the unnecessary dirtying of multiple kitchen appliances, making clean-up a SNAP

So why am I peddling this gadget?  I believe, there are two main reasons why people generally steer clear of home cooking:  MONEY and TIME.  But I think, and know, it is possible to make delicious, nutritious, and quick meals in your own kitchen without spending too many dollar bills or wasting too many hours.  To do this, you need to become somewhat comfortable in your kitchen.  But more importantly, you need the right tools.  And that's where our friend, the immersion blender, comes in.

When I'm exhausted or in a hurry and I need to make a quick meal, I almost always make soup.  Without much effort or culinary skill, I can cook, clean, and sit down to eat a bowl of freshly made, vegetable-heavy soup in a Rachel Ray minute (which generally averages around 30).  Since I always have frozen peas or corn in my fridge, I can even make soup when I don't have time to go to the store. It's a vitamin rich dish, out of virtually nothing, in virtually no time.  Add a little ground black pepper or crushed red pepper flakes and boom! you've got yourself one large bowl of tasty.  And if you have the time to pick up fresh veggies or happen to have some wasting away in your fridge, begging to be used, you can simply simmer those in a pot before blending or take a few minutes to broil in the oven, creating a deeper, smokier flavor.  Slightly more time-consuming, but slightly snazzier.

As for other uses, I take my immersion blender to town to create pestos (great for pizzas, appetizer toppings, and of course pastas), sauces (spicy, creamy, BBQ, curry), and even whipped cream!

If you are not convinced yet, this appliance is also a space saver - it is at least 1/3 of the size of a normal blender and fits easily on your counter top or in your cupboard.  It's dishwasher safe if you're lazy (like me) and also super easy to clean if you scrub on your own time (like me).  And it earns you money while you sleep.  Well that part is not true, but if you think of it in terms of cost in time saved, I'm sure it amounts to some sort of profit.

So seriously, do yourself, your stomach, and your clock a favor and grab one of these gems immediately! And mom, if you're reading this, I also think I want a pair of these.

Let's Make This Personal

Check it out Sodium Girl lovers - I have finally set up an official gmail account (and figured out how to take a sweet screen shot of it - no big deal) so that you can directly send me your sodium-free cooking questions, requests for tips and tricks, or recommendations for friendly restaurants.  Just sent a cyber note (also known as "email" to those of you who are super tech savy) to sodiumgirl@gmail.com and let me know what sodium-free quandary has been plaguing you.  And please, keep date requests to a minimum, cause this lady is taken.  Let the email spree begin!

Recipe Box: Project Bacon - Update

Round one of Project Bacon is complete - but we are far from finished. Although the pork smelled like bacon and even looked like bacon, it did not cook up like bacon. I tried frying it, baking it, and frying and baking it - but to no avail. My hypothesis - my cut of pork was too fatty and there was not enough meat. In the weeks following, I compared my strips to those at Whole Foods and they look quite similar, but not as marbled.

With test round 1 done, it's on to round 2. There is no giving up here until we have a sodium-free bacon and egg sandwich on the table. For round two, I'm going for a meatier piece of meat and a similar seasoning blend - cumin, smoked paprika, bonito flakes, pepper, brown sugar, cayenne pepper - maybe a little lemon juice?

It may be impossible to cure meat without sodium as the salt plays a major role in preserving and protecting the meat from developing botulism (no one wants that). It also breaks down the protein which gives it its texture and color. However, I have read that acids - such as vinegars and citrus - have similar molecular capabilities. So we will try a combination of a wet soak and a dry rub for the next go. And remember, it isn't about creating an exact replica, but an approximation that is equally satisfying - and like the pickles I made this summer, sometimes even better than the salted version.

In the meantime, feast your eyes on the transformation of my pork blocks into beautiful slices of "could-be" bacon. I cannot wait until they taste as good as they look.


And to keep your appetite whet for other sodium-free, impossible possibilities, the recipe-box will feature the following how-to's before the close of 2009:

PICKLING (salt-free, majorly successful, and really fun - also make great gifts!)
CURING OLIVES (just have to find some uncured olives to start...but I think I have my guy)
SAUSAGE MAKING (we have the grinder! now we just need the casing)
SOY and TERIYAKI SAUCE (you better believe it - it exists and it is delicious)

Tips & Tricks: A Terrible Parable - but helpful nonetheless

Let's face it, food tastes good with salt. French fries, pasta water, even chocolate - salt is everywhere and is the universally adored flavor enhancer. We are so accustomed to eating meals laden with the shimmering crystals that to cook or eat a dish without them seems like an impossible feat, or at least impossibly boring. When people find out that I myself cannot have salt, they remark that it must be horrible and if they had to do such a thing, they "would commit hara-kiri."

But this morning, I thought of an analogy that might illuminate the ultimately positive reality of eating sodium-free. Although it takes some getting used to, not relying on salt has helped me discover other ways to heighten the delicious factor in my food. Eating salt-free does not mean eating without flavor. Sweet butter (when browned) can add nutty, earthy and delicious notes to your food. Vinegars, which are mostly sodium free and can help lower your blood pressure, come in many varieties - apple cider, rice wine, balsamic to name a few - and lend a tang and a zip to meats, greens, and even ice cream when reduced to a sauce. And don't forget about spices - no one said you can't have spices, you just have to look for the brands that are salt-free. Cayenne, cumin, curry, star anise, coriander, fennel seed, mustard, white pepper, wasabi - holy mole, there is no shortage of options here. And then there's wine reductions and beer baths, honey and molasses, citrus and fresh herbs. Choices abound, your meals will never fall flat.

So here is a small tale to help highlight the silver lining of sodium-free living. And bare with me, this gets girly:

Limiting your sodium intake is like someone telling you that you cannot wear black anymore. Ok, at first, that seems like it would be difficult. People love wearing black. It's slimming, it's bad-ass, it's professional, it's easy. We all have the little black dress or the killer, I'm-going-to nail-this-meeting black suit. So at first, having to clear the closet of all your go-to black items feels like a bad practical joke. And having to re-fill it with other things (what could those even be?) and re-style your wardrobe (what will I wear!) seems like an expensive and ultimately time-consuming venture.

Then, a moment of brilliance. You realize, a nice navy dress doesn't look half bad and is just as snappy for business meetings. And actually, that metallic gold number you've had your eye on forever but didn't think you had the guts to pull it off, is actually way more bad-ass than that cliché (and face it, fading) black dress.

The point is, in having to limit your choices, you begin to discover new worlds, new combinations, new possibilities that you would have never otherwise explored. And when that black tie event rolls around and you can't put on the standard black outfit, you'll just have to settle for the fuschia pink pantsuit and honestly, standing out never ends up being a bad thing.

Recipe Box: Project Bacon

I just bought $15 worth of pork belly from the amazing butchers at Prather Ranch Meat Co. housed in the SF Ferry Building. While it might be easier to braise large chunks of the monster or dice and fry the fatty parcels - I'm going whole hog on this project and spending the next five days curing my very own, sodium-free bacon. With little bit of time, creativity, and advice from meat professionals, it is possible to open culinary doors that seemed permanently closed.

After a brief chat with my bacon Sensei, we devised a salt-free curing plan as follows:

1. In a metal baking dish, set the pork belly (skin/fat side up)

2. Cover with approximately a 1/4 inch thick of the following dry rub mixture: brown sugar, course black pepper, smoked paprika, and some crushed Emerald Cove Organic Nori to help leach out the moisture. Refrigerate.

3. After a few days, drain the meat juices and cover with another coat of the rub. Return to the refrigerator.

4. Apparently it only takes 5 days for a proper cure but letting it sit for longer will produce stronger flavors and the bacon itself will last for two weeks instead of one.

5. As for slicing, I am hoping to take the cured belly to my local butcher, Drewes Bros Meats, to cut it into the familiar long strands.

Stay posted for the end result and the delicious, bacon, hand-made pasta that will enfold!

Tips & Tricks: Happy Trails

I've been a bit behind on my blogging due to some recent travels (WEDDING SEASON!) and am off again early this week for more fun on trains, planes, and automobiles. However, the time I have spent on the road reminded me that it is high time to write on one of the more challenging sodium-free subjects:

eating well while on the go

When traveling, everyone must forgo their fresh, healthy food options for fast(er) food. And for those of us trying to maintain a strict diet (health required or otherwise), it seems almost impossible to stay within our limits and not starve.

For almost 2 years after I was diagnosed with Lupus, I did not travel beyond the 4 hour drive to Tahoe and back. I thought it would be difficult if not impossible to find safe, sodium-free food when far from the comfort of my own kitchen. But over time, I found some simple tricks (and readily available food items) that make traveling with a full belly easy and attainable. Below are some of these staple, sodium-free snacks that keep me a satiated while on my journeys and enable a jet-setting lifestyle. Bali, you're next.

AT THE AIRPORT

Fruit - any coffee/cafe/breakfast "establishment" will have whole fruit options (bananas, apples, oranges) or cups of fresh fruit (think grapes, cantaloupes, and pineapple). I often buy extra fruit to cram in my bag for in-flight snacking - bananas are especially good and filling.

Baked Potato - this sodium-safe starch can be found at some in-airport restaurants. Also, keep your eye out for a Wendy's as they have a baked potato side option on their menu. This was my mainstay meal for three days in Vegas. Thank you Wendy's and your chive-filled treat.

Hard Boiled Eggs - another easy find at any coffee/cafe/breakfast kiosk. On a side note - when road tripping - hard boiled eggs are also found in most gas stations. So if you are really hungry or hankering for a protein fix, this is a great option.

Steamed rice - if there is a Japanese or Chinese restaurant in the airport food court, chances are they have steamed rice on the menu. Just make sure it is not "sushi rice" which usually has salt in it and ask if they add salt to their water when steaming.

Frosted Mini-Wheats - believe it or not, they have only 5mg of sodium, are a really filling snack, and are sold at most breakfast spots in the airport. Pure gold.

EASY TO PACK

Granola - there are a lot of sodium-free options available but my current favorite is
Erin Baker's Oatmeal Raisin Granola - 0mg sodium. The granola has a nice chunky-texture and fits easily in a purse or suitcase. One bag will last you a long weekend at minimum - just keep other sneaky hands from grabbing fistfuls for themselves.

Corn Tortillas - check the nutrition label, but most corn tortillas (not wheat or flour) are sodium free. Because of their flat shape they pack well and add substance to a breakfast or lunch dish (like a veggie salad or an egg scramble). Who knows, you may even be lucky enough to stumble upon an avocado and then you'll be really glad you brought those doughy discs with you!

Just Peas/Corn/Fruit - I know I've posted about these freeze-dried treats before, but they have a wonderful flavor and are great snack to have on hand. As an added plus, you are getting your daily dose of veggies and fruit...now how's that for eating well on the go!

Dried Fruit/Nuts/Sunflower seeds - before I leave for a trip, I hit the bins at Whole Foods and fill up on dried strawberries, figs, apple rings, and sunflower seeds (since of course, I am also allergic to nuts). What is especially great about traveling with these snacks is that you can eat them to curb mid-day tummy rumblings and you can use them to brighten up salads or other dishes. Their dual purpose makes these snacks a packing priority!

Tuna Fish - okay, so it can be smelly and there is that whole "mercury" thing, but for a guaranteed tummy filler a can of tuna will get the job done. There are two kinds of low-sodium tuna that you can find at most grocery stores: BumbleBee and StarKist. Just remember to pack a can opener... and some breath mints.

Popcorn - this suggestion is dependent on proximity to a microwave oven. But, popcorn is such a delicious and filling snack and, when not popped, it is completely flat and negligible in terms of space. So, it never hurts to throw a bag of salt-free popcorn in your suitcase or purse just in case the opportunity to snap, crackle, and pop arises.

Safe Travels and Safe Eating!

Tips & Tricks: Grocery Store Detective

I've been hitting the street and doing some undercover shopping (all in the name of sodium safety) to discover the latest no-sodium, time-saving products.

For a long time, no-sodium sauces and breads were only available on the world wide web or by making them by hand, at home. Now, they are showing up on the grocery store shelves in droves and are making no-sodium cooking and snacking even easier.

So here is the beat on my latest discoveries that will be sure to become shopping list staples.

FOUND
Multiple brands of no salt tomato sauces (0-15mg per serving)

LOCATION
Consistently seen lurking around Real Foods and Whole Foods markets

CHARGES
Canoodles with noodles (in less than ten minutes - quick dish, lots of flavor)

USUAL SUSPECTS
Muir Glen No Salt Added Tomato Sauce
(Also available: No Salt Added Crushed Tomatos, and No Salt Added Tomato Paste)

Anna's Marinara Sauce
(they don't have a website yet, but it is a black and white hand-drawn label with an Italian woman cooking over a big delicious pot of sauce - second shelf to the top on the far right in the picture above)

*Bonus Tip: Check out your local Italian Pasta Shop and ask about their hand made pasta - they generally do not use salt in their pasta recipe (usually a combo of semolina, egg, water, and flour) and can flavor their noodles with garlic, lemon, and herbs - bonus on taste! Also, keep an eye out for Rega San Marzano products - these sauces tend to have 0mg sodium, just remember to check the label before purchasing.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOUND
A new bready option (0mg of sodium)

LOCATION
Consistently seen lurking at Whole Foods markets

CHARGES
Impersonates sandwich bread, pizza crust, crackers, and pita chips

USUAL SUSPECTS
Eastern Bakery Whole Wheat Lavash Bread
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOUND
Low-sodium milk product (20mg per 1 cup)

LOCATION
Consistently seen lurking at Whole Foods markets

CHARGES
Does a body good - and can top your low sodium cereal, make your cream of wheat creamy, and substitute for whole milk in your favorite recipes

USUAL SUSPECTS
Oat Dream

Recipe Box: Pea Soup

My mom, boy's mom, and I decided to meet for lunch one beautifully sunny afternoon and I wanted to treat them both to something light, bright, and delicious.

I was aiming to fix a meal that was quick to make, full of flavor, and of course, sodium-free. So, I settled on curried egg salad sandwiches and some cold pea soup - my cup of soup, of course, is the one topped with hot red chili flakes - it may have been chilled, but I am always hankering for some heat.

The recipes are simple and the tastes are just complex enough to wake up your palette but there is plenty of room for personal preferences and to make the flavors more robust. They also stay good in the fridge for a few days, so save some room for left-overs.

Curried Egg Salad Sandwiches - A Spicy Celebration on Two Pieces of Bread

Ingredient List:
Half a dozen eggs
1 Container of Creme Fraiche or WholeSoy & Co Plain Yogurt
1 bunch green onions
1/4 lb of currants
Curry Powder, turmeric, white pepper, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin
Ezekiel 4:9 Low-Sodium Bread
Flat leaf parsley (only if you want to really show off)

1. Boil eggs (6 eggs made for approximately 8 sandwiches)
Don't know how to boil eggs? Check this out!

2. Once your eggs have cooled, separate egg yolks from egg whites into two bowls.

3. Add 3 tablespoons of creme fraiche or half a container of WholeSoy & Co Plain Yogurt(25mg of sodium for one container) to your egg yolks and mash together until it becomes a yellow paste. It shouldn't be too gummy or thick - so you can always add more creme fraiche, yogurt, or some olive oil to loosen it a bit more.

4. Add 1 tablespoon of curry powder, 1 tablespoon of turmeric, 2 teaspoons of white pepper and 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika to the egg yolk paste. These are all estimated portions. Taste as you mix ingredients together and add more if you want stronger flavors - also feel free to add in some cumin and cayenne pepper for more spice.

4. Dice egg whites into little cubes.

5. Chop 3 stalks of green onions - the smaller the chop, the better!

6. Mix egg whites, onions, and currants (a few handfuls) with the egg yolk paste. You can also add chopped parsley to put more color and a fresh herb flavor in the mix.

7. Toast your bread
Don't have a toaster? Use the broiler in your oven! Just don't forget to flip the bread, to take out the bread, or turn off the oven - I speak from (in)experience.

8. Spread your egg salad onto the bread and cut into your favorite childhood shape - I prefer the triagonal (diagonal triangles) - but I'm sure a rectangle with the crusts cut off would taste just as a delicious.

9. Enjoy!

Cold Pea Soup - Green Never Looked So Good

Ingredient List:
1 shallot
5 cloves of garlic
1 small white onion
Olive Oil
1 bag of frozen peas (check the label for sodium content)
1 bag of frozen corn (check the label for sodium content)
Herb-Ox No Sodium Chicken Broth
White pepper
Creme Fraiche

1. In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons of oil.

2. Dice shallot, garlic and half of white onion - no need to dice too finely as everything will be blended later on.

3. When oil is hot, add shallot, garlic, and onion to pot and stir until shallot and onion look translucent.

4. Add bag of peas and half a bag of corn to pot. Stir and heat for about 5 minutes.

5. Mix 2 packets of Herb-Ox Low Sodium Chicken Broth with 2 cups of water, throw in pot, and bring to a boil.

6. After it has boiled for a few minutes, remove pot from heat to cool for 5 minutes. If you blend while still hot, your risk some serious splashage, so it is important to cool the soup down a bit before the next step. Patience here will result in less time scrubbing the counters and your face.

7. Transfer soup to blender OR for an incredibly easy and mess-free means of creaming ingredients, use an immersion blender. Possibly my favorite kitchen utensil - I have two.

8. Blend until smooth.
An optional step is to then sieve the soup which will make it incredibly silky in texture, but this is only if you are going for Michelin star perfection.

9. Reheat soup on low until it has reduced about a third - this thickens the soup. Add the white pepper and any other spices at this point.

10. Chill soup in fridge.

11. Ladel into small bowls and top soup with a dollop of creme fraiche.
Other optional crunch worthy toppers include: a few Unsalted Kettle Chips or a handful of Organic Just Peas or Just Corn.

12. Your soup is now ready to serve and ready to disappear.

Recipe Box: Fridge Frittata

First off - go see Food, Inc. I've read the books, I volunteer at the Ferry Building, I shop at Farmer's Markets whenever I can. But this movie, even for the most food-enlightened, is a huge wake up call. We truly are what we eat and our food industry is the cornerstone of our community's and our world's health, social, and environmental issues.

So I have to say, after I left the movie, I was glad to know that my fridge was full of locally produced, seasonal ingredients - all of which needed to be eaten right away if I was going to keep them from ending up in my compost bin. And yes, that was probably the most typical Northern Californian sentence I have ever written - sorry I'm not sorry.

My refrigerator had the following items to work with:

chard (grown from my own potted garden)
heirloom tomatoes (from my monthly Farm Fresh To You delivery- thank you Capay Farms)
potatoes
eggplant
half of a red onion (woopsies...a few weeks old)
one slice of Heidi's Hens no-salt turkey breast
and two eggs

What do you get when you combine all of those ingredients?
A delicious, oven-baked dinner frittata! Here's how:

1. Set oven to 360 degrees.

2. Heat oil in a pan. When hot add diced red onion and cook until translucent. I was low on olive oil and added a few dashes of champagne vinegar to help deglaze the pan and add some extra moisture to cook the onions. When softened and clearer in color, transfer onions to a bowl.

3. Slice one small eggplant into half-inch disks and wrap in paper towels. Find something heavy - I used a cutting board and a potted plant on top - to squish the water out of the eggplants. Most people sprinkle eggplants with salt to get out the extra moisture but this is my sodium-safe trick. It will allow you to brown the little nuggets more easily.

3. Add more oil to pan and reheat. When hot, add diced potatoes and eggplant and sauté until brown (because they are small, this should take about 5-10 min). I added a little curry powder and red wine towards the end to add some extra flavor. When cooked, take out potatoes and eggplant and put in bowl with onions.

4. Add oil to pan again and reheat. Take off stems of chard (keeping them on is also completely OK - they will soften in the oven - just dice more finely to help cooking process) and chop the chard into bite sized bits. Throw into hot pan for 3 min or so. I added some no-sodium mustard and a few dashes of balsamic vinegar towards the end.

5. In an oven safe dish, coat bottom with oil or salt-free (sweet) butter and add the onion, eggplant, potato mixture.

6. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs. I added some white pepper, cumin, and a little water and red wine.

7. Pour egg mixture over onion, eggplant, potato-ness.

8. Cover the top of onion, eggplant, potato, and now egg-ness with your softened chard - building a top layer.

9. Slice one heirloom tomato into 1/4 inch or smaller rounds.

10. Put tomato rounds on top of the chard and sprinkle some black pepper on top.

11. Bake in oven for 30 min (or until all egg is cooked).

12. Put under broiler on high for 2-3 minutes to crisp the chard and tomatoes.

13. Invite friends over to marvel your ingenious fridge-spiration...or eat it all yourself. This recipe will feed 2-4 and although the picture is a bit hideous, it is really delicious and works with any veggie combination!

And the next day...I used the leftover eggplant to make EGGPLANT CHILI! Sounds weird but seriously good. I cubed the eggplant - mimicking chunks of meat - and used all my other standard chili ingredients: tomatoes, black beans, peppers, cumin, cayenne pepper, a pinch of oregano, and paprika. After little it simmer for an hour, I topped it off with some arugula and avacado and even used some really old Matzoh crackers for dipping. It tasted chili-tastic and was full of good, healthy things. This seemed a little bit daring but I am glad I tried it and was successful in heroically saving the food in my fridge from going unused and transfered it safely to my belly. All in a day's work.

Tips & Tricks: Beef Cakes

Just a quick warning - the beginning of this story is sodium-heavy - but, I promise that the ending holds a savory surprise.

For the Boy's birthday, I decided to dive into a baking adventure and make MEAT CUPCAKES - inspired by my friend Gina's meat cookies and Mei's salmon cupcakes. So, at five a.m., I rolled out of bed to begin creating two delicious bite-sized tins of celebratory meat muffins: a bacon, beer, & chive cupcake with blue cheese "frosting" and a fig and prosciutto cupcake with goat cheese "frosting." I did not intend on making these sodium-girl friendly, but I soon realized that I had stumbled upon a new flavor-saving discovery.

As I was kneading and measuring and sprinkling and whisking, I was enjoying the delicious aroma's of the bacon sizzling in my cast-iron griddle (okay, it was a teflon pan, but I think the image is nice). I found myself thinking, wouldn't it be nice to have just one slice of bacon? But by definition, bacon is a long strip of meat from the back, side, or belly of a pig that has has been cured, smoked, and brined to perfection - which also translates to mean "high in sodium." I've considered making my own bacon - i.e. buying strips of pure pork from the butcher - but somehow, I just didn't think it would taste the same. But my, how did I misjudge the situation.

Out of curiosity, or maybe torture, I flipped the package of bacon over to the list of ingredients. And low and behold the angels did sing - 75mg of sodium per serving / 2 slices of bacon. Whaaat? Did I read that correctly? Yes, 75mg of sodium per serving! To put this in a more palatable context - two slices of pork heaven equals one egg. A completely safe and kidney-friendly amount if you are craving a bacon fix. Clearly, this is not an every-day diet item (for people with or without kidney problems). But if that pasta needs an extra hint of something naughty and crunchy or that piece of halibut could use a nice pork belt, then you have found the ingredient.

So, what kind of magical bacon product had I come upon? Turns out, Whole Foods's 365 brand makes uncured bacon with a very low amount of sodium. There are even internet rumors that they make a uncured turkey bacon with 0mg sodium - but I will need to do more detective work to verify.

To make the bacon flavor rival that of its cured / brined / smoked siblings, I sprinkled smoked paprika and a little cumin on the suckers before throwing them into the frying pan. None of my blind tasters had any idea that their bacon cupcakes lacked its most recognizable ingredient. On that point - smoked paprika is a wonderful substitution for adding a richer, "cured" flavor to any of your meat dishes. You can also buy liquid smoke or hickory flavoring to add a grilled taste without the grill - but there does seem to be some concern with the safety of using liquid smoke, so use sparingly and maybe stick to the smoked paprika for now!

And now another close up of the beauties and the official beef cake recipes, with sodium-free substitutions:

Cupcake base
Mix the following dry ingredients:

- 2 cups of flour

- 2 teaspoons of baking powder

- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup brown sugar

Add Wet Ingredients:

1 cup softened/melted butter
4 eggs beaten

I halved the above cupcake base into two separate bowls and then added the following ingredients:

Bacon, Beer, Chive Cupcake

1/2 cup of pale ale
Cut chives

1 whole package of bacon
- fried in pan with cumin, smoked paprika, and ancho chile poweder
- when cooled, crumbled and thrown into the oven for some extra crisp

Prosciutto and Fig
one package of prosciutto
one jar of fig jam

Baking
line mini muffin tin (should make around 30) and fill 3/4 of each tin with batter
bake at 375 for 25 min
let cool at room temp for 30 min

Frosting
For the bacon beef cake:
- mix mild blue cheese with some creme fraiche and spoon into a ziplock bag
- cut tip of edge and pipe onto cupcake
- sprinkle bacon and chive bits

For the prosciutto beef cake:
- mix goat cheese (herbed or plain) with some creme fraiche and spoon into a ziplock bag
- cut tip of edge and pipe onto cupcake
- cut bits of dried fig and make rosettes with prosciutto slices

For a sodium free version:
- Use the uncured bacon
- substitute Mascarpone for the cheese and add more herbs to increase flavor
- still working on a no-sodium prosciutto...but that may just have to be a fig cupcake...