I absolutely love, love, love sauces! Sauces are a great way to spice up any meal or snack. If you like eating  simply, organically and nutritiously, sauces can add great flavor and variety to your meal. These recipes are just meant to be a guide, I encourage you to add or subtract whatever tickles your fancy.

Pesto:
½ cup pine nuts or almonds
2 cloves garlic
3 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
½ cup Parmesan, freshly grated
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt & pepper – to taste
-Blend and serve / store.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus:
2 roasted or raw red bell pepper or 1 jar roasted red bell peppers (drained)
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained or 2 cups soaked
½ jalapeno pepper
2 lemons, juiced
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon tahini
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon sea salt and pepper – to taste
-Blend and serve / store.

Hummus:
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained or 2 cups soaked chickpeas
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons water
10 basil leaves
1 lemon, juiced
2 teaspoons tahini
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon sea salt – to taste
-Blend and serve / store.

Texas de Brazil Chimichurri:
1 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons of fresh chopped garlic
1 tablespoon of dry oregano
1 tablespoon of red crushed pepper
½ teaspoon sea salt & pepper – to taste
-Mix, marinate and serve / store.

Creamy Sweet Potato Dip:
3 small sweet potatoes, boiled and soft
1/2 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained or 1 cup soaked chickpeas
½ cup almond milk, unsweetened
1 tablespoon dried mixed herbs – to taste
1 tablespoon tahini
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 sage leaves
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons tamari (gluten free soy sauce)
½ teaspoon chili flakes & sea salt – to taste
-Blend and serve / store.

Verde Sauce:
1 Avocado
2 cloves garlic
1 jalapeno
1 lime, juiced
½ cup parsley
½ cup cilantro
½ cup olive oil
½ cup pistachios
½ cup water
½ cup sea salt & pepper – to taste
-Blend and serve / store.

Herbed Mayo:
2 tablespoons mayo
1 1/2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped basil
1 teaspoon chives
½ teaspoon fresh thyme
½ teaspoon black pepper – to taste
-Blend and serve / store.

Curry Mayo:
2 tablespoons mayo
¼ teaspoon Madras curry powder\
¼ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon sea salt – to taste
-Blend and serve / store.

Avocado Dip:
2 avocados, peeled
½ lime, juiced
1 small tomato, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon sea salt & pepper – to taste
-Blend and serve / store.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip:
2 – 3 cans artichoke hearts, quartered
1 10-ounce bag + spinach, fresh or frozen/thawed
½ cup Parmesan, freshly grated
½ cup mayo
1 teaspoon sea salt & pepper – to taste
1 tablespoon dried mixed herbs – to taste
-Mix in large bowl and bake in oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 min. Serve / store.

Tzatziki Yogurt Sauce:
1 medium cucumber, diced
1 tablespoon fresh dill
¼ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon lemon, freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
½ teaspoon sea salt & pepper – to taste
-Mix and marinate in refrigerator 1-2 hours, blend and serve / store.

Boom-Boom Sauce:
¼ cup mayo
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
¾ teaspoon Strachan
-Mix and serve / store.
*Delicious for shrimp/fish tacos.

Vanilla & Cashew Butter:
1 baking tray/3 ½ cups of cashew nuts
2 teaspoons vanilla
-Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or golden brown, cool and blend until runny, serve / store.

What are some of your favorite sauces and dips?

Rooted in gettin’ saucy.