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.
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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
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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.