eating

NEW! Reader Recommendations page

~ thedailydish ~ 3 Comments

For those of you reading through from my “day job” — this morning I launched a new READER RECOMMENDATIONS page. I hope this will become a valuable feature of the site; a place to share and collect information about low-sodium products (and the all-important where to find them), salt-free recipes & other cooking tips.

I created the THE DAILY DISH website to be a COMPLETELY FREE resource to those in need. I myself despise those obnoxious flashing banner ads and loathsome deceptively-placed promotional links. So contrary to (what many see as) good sense, a year into this venture I still continue to run my website gratis for the world. Over this past year I have garnered a dedicated and growing readership. Hundreds of people visit the site each week and find it a useful tool. So… Here’s your chance to give a little bit back!

AS AN EXAMPLE.. People google into THE DAILY DISH each day looking for places that sell salt-free or low-sodium bread and lavash. If readers would just take a second to email about where they buy their bread, I can post a list of stores by state and location. I myself can provide information about not only Philadelphia, but Atlanta, as well as some parts of Vermont. And I’m just one person. If Knowledge is Power, then collectively we can all be stronger.

My readers are valuable, and I KNOW they have valuable information to share. People on low-sodium diets suffer from inconvenience as well as health ailments. Some feel alienated from life and loved ones, particularly when it comes to social (read, eating) situations. Eating out isn’t fun when you have to check and re-check orders! And having to explain your medical history to strangers is embarrassing. But life on a salt-free diet doesn’t always have to be so hard. Through this forum, YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE and all it takes is a moment of your time. I look forward to hearing from you.

One mixed-up omelette.

~ thedailydish ~ 4 Comments

Sunday morning we went to have breakfast at our favorite diner. For sake of anonymity, I’ll just say it’s a place here in Philly where we usually eat once a week, sometimes more if I’m too sick to cook. Anyway, over the past year we have become well-known fixtures at this diner and are greeted like family whenever we walk though the door. We’ve gotten to know many of the wait staff personally, and whenever we’re there, many of them come by our table to say hi, check in on us and chat. One waitress has even so befriended us that she often buys presents for our daughters.

So, Sunday morning, we go to the diner. It was super crowded (usual for the weekend) and we were seated at a table with a waitress we didn’t know (a rarity). Since I’ve been having vertigo, I made a point of asking for a vegetable omelette (low in sodium = GOOD!) and she said sure, whatever veggies you’d like. So I said okay – I’ll have tomatoes, onions, green pepper. Cheese? NO CHEEESE. And please, I can’t have any salt on the omelette or the side of potatoes. Check. They never add salt, but just to be sure – no salt. Okay, so we wait patiently – a little longer than usual, no big deal, it’s crowded bigtime.

Soooo.. finally our food arrives, we’re all hungry!! and she puts the omelette in front of me. Only, it’s not what I ordered. It’s an omelette all right, but oozing (with cheese?) and filled to the frickin brim with chopped shrimp. Now, I am normally a very docile person and would probably have eaten this without another word, but at this point the room is spinning and all I want is a meal I can eat without fear of reprisal. I have forgone even swiss cheese in an effort to keep this as low in sodium as possible, and a whole bucketful of shrimp ain’t gonna help. So I very politely tell her this is not what I ordered, and by the way I think it has cheese on it.

No big deal, right? Well, I certainly thought so. She took the plate away, presumably to set the order straight. The rest of my family begin eating, I sit there watching. My stomach’s growling, the room is spinning mildly. Not sure if I feel sicker from the dizziness or hunger. 5 minutes pass, uneventfully, I figure the food’s almost on its way, when the waitress and manager(??) appear at my side and thrust the plate in front of me. The manager (a Greek man, I’ve always found very pleasant) says to me in a deeply accented voice – What’s zee probleem??! The shremp, we must chop zem to cook zem. [Accusing stares from said waitress and manager – along with accusing/curious stares from all and sundry nearby.] AND CHEEZZE? Zere is NO CHEEZE on zis omelletteee!! [Waitress nods and “hmphs” at me accusingly].

I cannot believe 1) this is happening – I’m actually being interrogated over an omelette (and on a day when I already feel like c-r-a-p), 2) this is happening at a restaurant we’ve come to think of so highly and 3) this waitress instead of simply redoing the order that either she or the cook messed up – which just unfortunately happens to be some crazy ass (and probably expensive) omelette stuffed with shrimp that someone’s gonna have to pay for (BUT NOT ME! cuz I didn’t order no crazy ass shrimp omelette) – instead went to the manager to complain – about ME! WTF???!!! Trying to pass the buck onto the poor slob of a customer – who happens to be ME!!!??!! Let me tell ya – I may be dizzy, and at this point I might just be drooling, but I ain’t no dummy.

I probably turned 2 shades of crimson – blasted fair skin! – but I knew I had ordered clearly. I stood firm. I didn’t order shrimp. I did not order shrimp. I ordered a VEGETABLE omelette. VEGETABLES – tomatoes, onions, green pepper, no cheese.

The manager looked at me – looked at the waitress – and then, finally, he understood. This waitress had made him a patsy for her own foible and he’d just humiliated a regular over some godforsaken shrimp-filled mistake.

At this point, my husband is throwing visible daggers at the manager, I can practically see the steam shooting out his ears and he’s stopped eating in solidarity. I tell the manager to forget it – I’ll just eat the toast. He says NO! No, It’ll just be a minute. I spend the next five staring blankly out the window, around the room at no one in particular, hungry, dizzy as ever and wishing the seat would swallow me whole.

The waitress arrives again, places the plate in front of me and then adds, “they seem to have forgotten your tomatoes…” I look down, and sure enough… DAMN!! am I gettin the royal kick in the pants or what?! At that moment though, I could not have cared less. All I was thinking was screw the tomatoes, please God let no one have spit in it. I barely glanced at her, said it was just fine, and and ate the whole damn thing in 2 minutes. She seemed surprised, as though I – this perceived obstructionist, this unreasonably finicky and demanding customer – should have flung the thing back in her face with flourish.

The manager and waitress both came over to apologize before we left. I tried to be gracious. But the whole thing – well, it bothers me. WHY?? It’s all so stupid, this shrimp omelette saga I’ve been describing. I know, I know. I am being petty even thinking about it a week later. Right? RIGHT> But here’s why it’s stuck. What bothers me isn’t the event itself – but the fact that it was so completely unnecessary. The waitress could have – and should have – just redone the order. I know it was busy and accidents happen. No big deal, who cares! 5 minutes later I would have been eating. But rather than chalk the error up to experience, the waitress made it into a totally ridiculous (and completely avoidable) confrontation. And WHY? Because she was unwilling to own the mistake. Somehow, here in Philly, it just fits. I don’t know about where you live, but this city is chock full o’ people unwilling to admit anything – mistakes, weaknesses, violent propensities. We are a town mired in a state of denial.

I miss our diner friends and having a “safe” place to eat on a low-sodium diet (which trust me, isn’t easy). So should I be a donkey and not go back on principle? Of course not. But when I shrug it off and fall cozily back into my booth, am I becoming part of it all?

Thanksgiving is nigh !

~ thedailydish ~ Leave a comment

For those of you reading through from The Daily Dish, I wanted to do a quick run-down of all the holiday preparations I’ve been working on. Unfortunately, last week had to be written off work-wise due to a bout of vertigo, but this week I’m back in the kitchen and cooking up a storm.

The past several days have been devoted exclusively to holiday standards. Yesterday, for instance, I did a simple roast chicken with sage dressing and homemade cranberry sauce. I plan on creating a second orange-flavored cranberry sauce and another dressing – which I think will be an apple stuffing with raisins. I will be posting all of these recipes in the coming days, so stay tuned.

As for the the turkey, this year I’ve selected a kosher bird, which is much lower in sodium than the standard butterballs. But there are always other options – as I’ve said, roast chicken is a healthy substitute, and many butcher shops have fresh birds that have not been treated with the broth/salt injections commonly afforded the processed birds. I will be cooking dinner at home this year, so we didn’t need an enormous turkey, but my younger daughter picked out a decent-sized one and I just went with it. So I will likely be doing a follow-up recipe or two after the big day focusing on how to use up all those lovely leftovers.

Not to overlook vegetarians, I have recipes for several meat-free entrees that are sure to please. Vegetarian Holiday Loaf is adapted from a Vegetarian Times recipe of the same name. Vegetarian Lasagne, Zucchini Cakes, Baked Ziti, and Mushroom Quiche are all delicious, and there are other vegetarian main dishes in the recipe index.

Several days ago, I posted my recipe for pumpkin pie on the site – which is a must-have at our house. But there are some other absolutely delicious pies to consider as well – Squash and Pear Pie and Sweet Potato Pie are particular stand-outs this time of the year. And there’s also my recipe for Apple Cake, which makes an easy and beautiful dessert, and can be dressed up with a little vanilla or cinnamon ice cream.

Now, let’s talk sides. The baked apple slices I just posted are delicious with fowl, and are a sure hit with kids. Another idea is topping Mashed Sweets with some marshmallows, baking, and serving as an irresistible sweet potato casserole. Or you could try your sweet potatoes roasted, as in Fingers and Sweets. Standard roasted potatoes are also terrific. Baked potatoes are of course supremely healthy, and can easily be popped in the oven along with the turkey. Simply scrub the potatoes, pierce multiple times with the tines of the fork, wrap tightly in foil and bake. An hour at 350 degrees (or higher) and they’re done. For green sides, I highly recommend simple steaming. Green beans (6-7 minutes), brussel sprouts (15+), squash, are all incredibly easy to prepare, and totally delicious without the addition of butter or sauces. Or, simply boil some baby carrots until fork tender, drain, add a couple tablespoons unsalted butter and brown sugar, maybe a little ground cinnamon, and you’ve got another yummy low-sodium dish. And if you can find fresh corn on the cob, 7-8 minutes in boiling water, perfection.

Since most of us love some bread with our meal, try the simple rolls I made this summer with my daughters. Incredibly easy and delicious – and a great time even if you don’t have children of your own.

Finally, don’t forget beverages! I recommend a nice chilled white wine to complement the meal, but if you don’t drink alcohol, there’s no reason to feel deprived. Try some sweet milky Chai Tea with dinner or dessert.

Just remember, Thanksgiving is set aside as a day for giving thanks for all of our blessings, enjoying friends and family, and celebrating life. So don’t let your kitchen time stress you out so much you lose perspective. If things burn, flop or turn out just plain ugly, laugh and put your feet up, knowing you tried your best. There was always plenty of cursing around the kitchen while I was growing up, and my mom often sat simmering long after the meal was over. But there’s no reason to sweat the little things. So enjoy yourself, and enjoy a big satisfying meal without having to worry about the aftermath.

My First Cruise

~ thedailydish ~ 2 Comments

We left a week ago, October 28th, for 6 nights of fun onboard the Norwegian Spirit: departing from New York, with stops in Halifax, Nova Scotia; Bar Harbor, Maine; Boston; and Martha’s Vineyard.

I’d never taken a cruise before, had never really considered taking one, but my parents (former cruisers) were treating the whole family and how could we say no to that? I was psyched to visit Nova Scotia, a place I’d always wanted to see, in addition to Acadia National Park. And so we went, no need to ask twice.

My maiden voyage was an experience and I’ve certainly come away from it a more enlightened person. The most amazing thing to me was actually living on the sea for a week, on a massive ship, and to think about what it’s like for the employees who live and work there.

For those who’ve never taken a cruise, it’s sort of like being stranded at a resort. There’s more than enough food, plenty of booze and entertainment, but you really can’t leave. If you get bored, if you want to stay longer in port, if you want the effing motion to STOP ALREADY – it ain’t happening! If you cruise in a warm climate, you’ll probably be so busy sunning, swimming, and drinking that you couldn’t care less. But the cruise we took had by necessity more of an indoor theme (it was cold + windy), the water was rough, and we spent a lot of time wandering around the ship, gambling in the casino, and of course eating. Having Meniere’s disease, I undertook the voyage with slight trepidation, thinking overly rich, salted cuisine was gonna throw me for a loop, but the food was delicately seasoned and everything was fine.

The ship itself was beautiful and unbelievably enormous – like a floating hotel, but more.

And the decor was lovely (other than our circus tent bedspread) and subdued with a lot of Asian detail. The trained staff continually amazed me, performing all of the requisite functions without regard to the movement of the ship. It must come with practice, but was impressive nonetheless. The Kids Crew children’s program rocked and the girls couldn’t wait to go back every night. On Halloween they took the kids all around the ship for trick-or-treating and many of them said it was their best Halloween ever (not surprising – they made out like bandits).

Our first night on the ship though.. UGH. I wasn’t seasick – I’d taken a ginger pill or 2 earlier and felt peachy in that regard, but I’d been fighting a cold before we got onboard and wasn’t feeling 100%. The water that night was rough and the wind raged and howled against our balcony most of the night. Between the rocking of the boat and the screaming wind (and the newness of it all to me), by bedtime I was a nervous wreck, convinced I’d be awakened in the middle of the night having to jump ship. By 6:30 am, while most others were sleeping off their hangovers, I was out of bed practically dancing I was so happy to still be alive. I threw on my jacket, headed to the top deck and walked laps for an hour. The sky was gorgeous, and the sea sparkled and stretched for miles in every direction. The dolphins I saw swimming off the bow were just icing on the cake.

The remainder of the trip (save for the last night) was great. We visited the Citadel and art museum in Halifax, bought some Nova Scotian whiskey for my husband. Stood on the top of Cadillac Mountain in Bar Harbor, took in the spectacular foliage, walked all over Boston, as well as treating the kids to the children’s museum, and rode bikes around half of Martha’s Vineyard. We had a blast in the casino, won over $350 on the slots, and enjoyed nightly shows – especially the Second City comedy troupe and Richie Byrne.

But the last night.. When we left Martha’s Vineyard on Friday evening, Hurricane Noel was coming up the coast – and fast. The small transport (temper) boat that we rode back to the ship was being slapped around like a naughty child, and people were frightened. The captain of the Spirit wisely decided our best chance was to try outrunning the storm, which we did manage – blazing from Martha’s Vineyard to New York full-steam ahead. The gale force winds shook us like popcorn, heaving the island-sized boat around like a toy. People kept making jokes about us eating our last supper onboard. HAHAHA – Not funny. After spending a week at sea sanitizing my hands 30 times daily, it seemed unwise to actually press lips to the dirt, but when we arrived in NYC Saturday morn I wanted to kiss the ground.

It’s great to be home, though I’m still swaying back and forth with the movement of the ship. At this moment the room is tilted at a slight angle and I feel as though I may teeter off my seat. Last night while uploading photos from the trip, I felt positively nauseous. It must be an effect of Meniere’s as the rest of my family are fine, but oh how I wish it would stop. How ironic for me to be seasick now – back in PHILLY – when I felt great all week on the boat. Cursed sea legs ear!


In Bar Harbor: The biggest lobster claw I’d seen in my life – you could live off that guy for a week!


My older daughter is obviously thrilled to be participating in the emergency drill. Go Team Z1 !


A photo of the pool on one of the calmer days – looks like the water is trying to liberate itself. John and the ladies went hot tubbing while I snapped pictures snuggled warmly in my parka – it was about 50 degrees outside and WINDY – then of course John had to go swimming in the big pool (which even at 80 felt cold). We were all surprised to learn the pool’s filled with salt water. It makes sense – but we weren’t expecting it.


A pilot boat had to escort our ship each time we entered or left a port. Here’s a pic from Bar Harbor of the escort returning to his boat. It was always neat to watch – and the first time we saw we didn’t know what was going on. I was like hey – did someone miss the boat? are those pirates? Duh. Good thing my parents were there to explain all those little things.


The hardworking Canadian border patrol. This one’s strictly for my sister who marveled (several times) about the quality of the men in Halifax. (She is from PHILLY after all).

For more pix – check out my photo gallery.