Category: Dressings and Sauces

20 Jul 2019
Dressings and Sauces, Recipes, Soups, Salads and Sides Linda 0 comment

Shaved Brusssel Sprout Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette

What says summer better than a light and fresh lemon vinaigrette salad?  One with blueberries it…YUM!!  The vinaigrette is easy to prepare ahead of time and keep in the refrigerator until you are ready to put your salad together.  Just pour over the top and toss.  This would also be delicious with dried cranberries in place of the blueberries but tis the season to use those fresh berries.  Also, the pecans could be swapped out for walnuts or almonds, if you’d prefer.

To make the vinaigrette, I used an immersion blender.  These are really handy gadgets for making dressings/vinaigrettes but I realize not everyone has one.  A blender or food processor will work just fine.

 

Ingredients:

Salad:

  • 1 – 10 oz package shaved Brussel sprouts
  • ½ small red onion, chopped
  • ¾-1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup feta cheese (reserve a small amount for sprinkling on top)
  • ½-1 cup blueberries
  • ¼ cup hemp seeds (optional)

Lemon Basil Vinaigrette:

  • ¼ cup + 1 Tbsp EVOO
  • 1 Tbsp Primal mayo
  • 1 Tbsp spicy brown mustard
  • ½ lemon, juiced (2 Tbsp)
  • 1 tsp jarred minced garlic (or garlic powder)
  • 5 sprigs of fresh basil (more or less based on preference)
  • 1-2 tsp birch xylitol sweetener or honey (optional)
  • salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions:

  1. Combine all the vinaigrette ingredients in a small blender.  Pulse until basil is chopped and vinaigrette is smooth and creamy.
  2. Add all the salad ingredients to a large salad bowl.  Toss together.
  3. Pour the vinaigrette over the top and mix just until the ingredients are evenly coated.
  4. Top with the reserved feta cheese and a few extra blueberries for a pretty presentation.
26 Feb 2019
Dressings and Sauces, Recipes, Snacks and Apps Linda 0 comment

Beet Hummus

Are you having friends or family over or perhaps going to a party and you need to bring an appetizer?  If you’re looking for something a little different and of course something you can feel good about eating, this beet hummus might just be the perfect choice.  

You can make this hummus in about 15 minutes!  Cut up some veggies ahead of time or buy pre-cut if you’re really short on time.  Pull out a platter, arrange some colorful veggies and maybe some quality cheese and crackers on it.  Place a bowl of this vibrant beet hummus in the middle and you have a kaleidoscope of colors that will take center stage on any table!

 

Ingredients:

  • 13 oz can chickpeas, drained (I actually found some in a carton…no BPA concerns)
  • 1 cup cooked beets (I find them in the freezer section at Trader Joe’s)
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic
  • 3 Tbsp tahini
  • 3 Tbsp EVOO
  • 3 Tbsp lemon juice
  • zest of 1 lemon (about 2 tsp)
  • 2+ Tbsp water (for thinning)
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp coriander
  • ½-¾ tsp pink Himalayan salt
  • ½ tsp ground pepper

 

Directions:

  1. Add all ingredients to a food processor.  If you’re using frozen beets, make sure they are thawed out.
  2. Blend on high for 1 minute.  If too thick, add an additional amount of water (1 Tbsp at a time)
  3. Continue to blend until you achieve a smooth and creamy consistency.
  4. Taste and adjust seasonings or add more lemon juice to your likings.
  5. Best if chilled before serving.
  6. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.
  7. Enjoy with some fresh veggies, healthy crackers, or on top of your favorite salad.
11 Dec 2018
Dressings and Sauces, Main Dishes Linda 0 comment

Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Sweet Potatoes and Sausage with Sriracha Aioli Sauce

The night I made this dish our son was coming home from college for the weekend so it only made sense for me to double the recipe.  I went heavy on the Brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes so feel free to cut back on the quantity if desired.

I would be remiss in not taking a moment to talk about the star of the dish.  This sriracha aioli sauce is so delicious and flavorful!  It really does take this  basic dish to the next level.  As the case when making any sauce, taste as you go and tweak it to your personal preferences.  If you like things with more kick, add more sriracha or a few dashes of cayenne pepper.        

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb Italian sausage links, sliced into 1/2″ pieces (I had 4 large links)
  • 4-5 cups brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved (I used more like 6 cups)
  • 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼” cubes
  • 2 Tbsp avocado oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

 

Sriracha Aioli Sauce:

  • 1/3-1/2 cup approved mayo
  • 1 Tbsp sriracha
  • juice of 1/2 lime (about 1-1½ Tbsp)
  • 1-2 tsp jarred minced garlic
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp ACV
  • 1 tsp maple syrup (I used the sugar-free brand, Lakanto)
  • salt to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together sauce ingredients and set aside.
  3. On a foiled rimmed sheet pan, add Brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes and spread out evenly.  Drizzle with avocado oil and season with salt and pepper.  (Feel free to add additional seasonings of choice.)
  4. Roast vegetables for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and stir.  Add sausage and return to oven for an additional 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are slightly tender.
  5. Pour sauce over the vegetables and sausage and mix until evenly coated.  I returned the pan to the oven and broiled for 5 minutes to brown things up a bit.  (This is optional.)
05 Dec 2018
Dressings and Sauces, Recipes Linda 0 comment

Avocado Green Goddess Dressing

Honestly, I could easily eat this dressing by the spoonful!  It is that good!  It is delicious over any salad as well as drizzled over some roasted or steamed vegetables.  You can whip this up in a matter of minutes and have fresh and healthy dressing all week long.  On this particular night, I served it over a bed of arugula with a combination of sautéed onions, mushrooms and zucchini noodles and sprinkled with some hemp seeds.

Note:  If you don’t have MCT oil, use extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup tahini
  • 2 Tbsp coconut aminos
  • 2 Tbsp ACV
  • 3-4 cloves garlic
  • 1-2 Tbsp dijon mustard (or any approved mustard)
  • 4-5 sprigs of fresh herbs (I used parsley and basil)
  • 1/2 lemon, juice and zest
  • 1/4 cup MCT oil
  • ½-1 avocado
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1-2 Tbsp of water, if needed

 

Directions:

  1. Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until well combined.
  2. If dressing is too thick, add small amounts of water and pulse until you achieve your desired thickness.
  3. Drizzle over a beautiful salad or your favorite veggies!
08 Nov 2018
Dressings and Sauces, Recipes Linda 0 comment

Tahini Herb Pesto

I love me some pesto!  Pestos are the bomb for several reasons.  1)  Can be whipped up in 5 minutes.  2) Very difficult to mess up the end product.  3) Extremely versatile.  4) Easy to swap out ingredients.

So let’s just talk a little bit about the ingredients in pesto and how you can just “do you” as long as you have the foundation.  Don’t have spinach?  Use kale or arugula (I even threw in some radish greens).  Don’t like cilantro?  Use parsley or basil instead.  No walnuts on hand?  Try pecans or cashews.  Don’t have tahini or don’t even know what tahini is?  Add additional olive oil.  You get the picture.  And as you can see from my ingredient amounts, no need to be precise.  It’s so easy!

Don’t know what to do with pesto?  Here are a few suggestions.

  • Serve on a burger or chicken thigh
  • Dip your veggies in it
  • Serve over some spiralized zucchini
  • Put on top of a salad
  • Top off a baked sweet potato

Again, you get the picture.  Serve it over everything.  It’s that good!!

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/3 cup tahini
  • spinach (several handfuls) 
  • 1/4 cup walnuts
  • cilantro/parsley (5-6 sprigs)
  • 1/2 lemon, juice and zest
  • garlic (2-3 cloves)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • water, if needed

 

Directions:

  1. In a food processor, add all ingredients and blend until pesto reaches a desired consistency.  Add a little water at a time if pesto is too thick.
  2. Store in a jar with lid in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.  (It probably won’t last that long!)

** Note:  Taste the pesto as you go and adjust your ingredients according to what tastes good to you.

02 Oct 2018
Dressings and Sauces, Recipes Linda 0 comment

Blueberry and Peach Chia Jam

I’ve been experimenting lately with making grain-free breads and what better topping than some homemade jam.  Fall is of course peach season and I had one big, juicy peach left from the farmer’s market so I decided to make a blueberry and peach chia jam.   It turned out delicious and is very easy to make! 

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup organic blueberries (I used fresh but you could also use frozen)
  • 1 cup peaches, peeled and cut into small pieces (riper is better)
  • 1 lemon, juiced and zested
  • 1-2 tablespoons raw honey (I used 1½ Tbsp)
  • 2-3 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

 

Directions:

  1. In a small saucepan, add blueberries, peaches, lemon juice, zest and honey.  Place over medium heat and stir together.
  2. As fruit heats up and begins to bubble, smash the fruit with a potato masher or with the back of a fork.
  3. Once fruit is broken up and has a jam consistency, turn heat to low and add the chia seeds and cinnamon.  (Start with 2 Tbsp of the chia seeds.)
  4. Continue to simmer and stir on low heat for 2-3 minutes to allow the chia seeds to absorb some of the liquid.
  5. Remove from heat and continue to stir for several minutes.  If jam needs to be thicker, stir in the remaining tablespoon of chia seeds.
  6. Allow to cool on the counter.  Transfer to a jar with a lid and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
13 Jun 2018
Dressings and Sauces, Recipes Linda 0 comment

Beet Greens Pesto

Going to our local farmer’s market on a Saturday morning is one of my favorite things to do on the weekend.  I’ll usually come home with a variety of delicious vegetables, fresh herbs, grass-fed meats, pastured eggs and fresh berries.  If you have a weekend market near you, take full advantage of the fresh and organic produce while supporting your local farmers as well.

S0 anyway, back to the recipe.  I usually save the leaves of beets to mix into salads and smoothies but wanted to try something different as well so I decided to try a beet green pesto.  I’d never made pesto before so I looked up a few recipes online and did a little tweaking to come up with this one.  I served it over some grass-fed grilled burgers but it would seriously be delicious on just about anything!

Note:  I used both fresh parsley and cilantro.  Fresh herbs have so many health benefits and add such wonderful flavor to dishes that I’ve been trying to incorporate them more often into my dishes.

 

Ingredients

  • 8-10 larger beet leaves, stems removed
  • 1/3 cup walnuts
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3-4 cloves garlic
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • fresh parsley and cilantro (about 5 sprigs of each)
  • salt to taste

 

Directions

  1. In a food processor, add beet leaves (tear into smaller pieces if necessary), walnuts, cheese, 1/4 cup olive oil, lemon juice and garlic.
  2. Pulse until mixture is smooth.  Add additional olive oil and pulse until desired consistency.
  3. Add parsley and cilantro and blend.  Feel free to add amounts according to taste preference.
  4. Taste and add salt, if needed.
21 Apr 2018
Dressings and Sauces, Recipes Linda 0 comment

Citrus Vinaigrette

Here’s a tasty and refreshing vinaigrette that’s easy to make and will add some zip to any salad.  Mix all the ingredients up in a mason jar or any container with a lid.  Store in the refrigerator for at least a week.  Simply shake it up each time and you’re good to go. 

 

Ingredients (makes about 1 cup)

  • 1 large orange, juiced (about 1/3 cup)
  • zest of orange (2-3 teaspoons)
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
  • 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard or dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon jarred minced garlic
  • 1-2 teaspoons raw honey (optional)
  • salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions

  1. Add all ingredients to a small food processor or a jar with a lid and mix well.
  2. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator.  Will need to shake well before each use.
02 Nov 2017
Dressings and Sauces, Recipes Linda 0 comment

BBQ Sauce

When buying store bought BBQ sauce, it is important to be diligent about reading labels.  Most are loaded with refined oils, sugars, and other additives.  There are Primal-approved ones available, but you will only find them at select stores. (Of course, you could always order some on Amazon).  This recipe is simple to make, less expensive, and pretty darn tasty.  You can add it to pulled pork, cocktail meatballs, or whatever else you like BBQ sauce on.

Ingredients  (makes approximately 1 1/2 cups)

  • 1 6 0z. can tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
  • 1-2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon himalayan salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

  1. Add all ingredients to a saucepan.
  2. Heat on medium, stirring continuously for 5-8 minutes.
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