CHAPTER 4

THE BASICS: DRESSINGS, SAUCES, AND STAPLES

Commercial condiments are catastrophes because they are sugar apologists: salad dressings, sauces, even pickle juice. This is very much on purpose. In this chapter, you’ll find easy alternatives to bottled and canned dressings, sauces, stocks, and staples. Want salt and crunch? Bypass the Ruffles and and try some Kale Chips or Roasted Chickpeas. Think bread is too difficult to make? Our Whole-Wheat Sponge Bread, with all the fiber you need and none of the added sugar of store-bought bread, requires only one bowl, one pan, one rise, and 20 minutes of active time.

It may sound really extreme to make your own ketchup and barbecue sauce. But they keep for quite a while, and you’ll notice that many of the recipes in this chapter make large batches. That way, if you do get ambitious enough to make ketchup, you’ll only have to do it every few weeks. Salad dressings can be used in other things besides salad: Marinate meats in them, or toss vegetables in them before roasting. A bonus: All of these things taste better when they’re homemade. And they won’t make you sick, the way conventional processed foods will.

None of these recipes is difficult, honest. They just take a little bit of planning and a little bit of time, in many cases just five to ten minutes.

RECIPES:

Blue Cheese Dressing

Italian Vinaigrette Dressing

Ranch Dressing

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Caesar Dressing

Enchilada Sauce

Marinara Sauce

Barbecue Sauce

Ketchup

Cauliflower Béchamel Sauce

Stock—A Tutorial

Spinach and Ricotta Filling

Roasted Tomatoes

Fajita Seasoning Mix

Barbecue Rub

Roma Tomato Basil Salsa

Fresh Fruit Salsa

Marinated Olives

Roasted Chickpeas

Kale Chips

Edamame Spread

Basil Pesto

Whole-Wheat Sponge Bread