In December, I had high blood pressure at the Doctor's office. In January, it was higher and he put me on medication. Since then, I have been working with my old Nutritionist to mold my diet to my health needs. In December, he did blood work. I had a slightly Hypoactive Thyroid. It wasn't high enough for medication but we will check again in June. Last week, my weight hadn't changed but my blood pressure was back to a good range. The Doctor even double checked if he could do the blood work for the Thyroid again but it's too soon. He suspects it will still be high.
With these new dietary needs I needed a new source for new recipes. I haven't found that many recipes from Good Housekeeping in recent months but I knew the company that publishes my Fine Gardening Magazine also makes a Fine Cooking magazine. I picked an issue up at the grocery store and have since subscribed. I organized binders for recipe collection and started a spreadsheet to keep track of the nutrition information on all the recipes I get from magazines. Good Housekeeping and Fine Cooking both provide this information.
Good Housekeeping:
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/
Fine Cooking:
http://www.finecooking.com/
I don't cook with salt and pepper and when I use garlic it's always garlic powder instead of garlic salt. I have been doing that for years. It's funny, I spent the last two Novembers looking for hobbies for the gardening dormant season and this Winter stumbled into two I have been doing all along, drawing and cooking. Cooking becomes a hobby when you aren't just looking for the quick and easy stuff. It's not just about making dinner because you have it. I make the quick and easy stuff during gardening season. I don't have the energy then for something more. But in the dormant season I have the energy for something that requires more work and time and have re-discovered favorite recipes.
This recipe is a quick recipe. It's great for gardening season and makes great left overs. It's a low sodium recipe if you use garlic powder instead of garlic salt. When you have high blood pressure you cherish the tasty low - sodium recipes. As Spring sprouts it's nice to turn to foods that are easier and more picnic - friendly. This goes great with meat from the grill.
I created it myself, inspired by my Fine Cooking magazine (and the back issues I ordered). I experimented with three different recipes and put them in a row. Josh and I went down the line, trying one bowl at a time. In the end we took the favorite first recipe but added the basil from the third version. Josh loved doing a taste test and I imagine a similar process is used at magazines when creating recipes to publish. We'll do something similar again since it was fun. Everyone, including Zach, who has tried it has said "this is really good". I called it Lo - So for Low Sodium. I can't think of a better name.
Lo-So Pasta Vinaigrette
2 C. Small Shell Pasta
8 C. Water
½ C. Shredded Carrots
2 Stalks of Celery
1/3 C. Canola Oil
1 tbsp. Vinegar like Tarragon Vinegar by
Heinz (estimated: sprinkled on)
1 tbsp. Spicy Brown Mustard
2 tsp. Oregano (estimated: sprinkled on)
2 tsp Garlic POWDER (estimated: sprinkled
on)
2 tsp. Basil (estimated: sprinkle on)
Note: To keep Low Sodium MUST use Garlic
POWDER
Boil
the water
While
boiling, clean and dice the celery stalks.
·
First cut in half, cut each half in half then
cut into small pieces
Once boiled, add the Shell pasta
and stir periodically until done.
Drain the pasta and add to
serving bowl.
Add:
·
Celery
·
Carrots
·
Oil
·
Vinegar
·
Mustard
·
Oregano
·
Garlic Powder
·
Basil
Stir then cover with plastic
Chill in the fridge for 3 hours.
Stir before serving
Note: If it’s dry, add a tsp more oil and stir before
serving. This might happen once it’s been in the fridge over night
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