The Break-up Struggle is Real
As I sit here eating tortilla chips and homemade salsa I think to myself, "I might be able to handle this break-up thing"... That's right, I'm ending things... with sauces. I've been a huge fan of all things liquid zest for quite some time now so I knew this was an important switch to make due to how much we consume. I know ending things with all toppings won't be do-able right away, but I have recently started with a few main condiments my husband and I use regularly. The three toppings that we've made the switch to homemade are: an Asian-style Sauce, Peach-Strawberry Jam, and Spicy Salsa.
Peach-Strawberry Jam
- Fresh -> frozen peaches, approximately 1 cup
- Fresh -> frozen strawberries, approximately 3/4 cup
- Agave, 1/2 Tbsp.
- Apple juice, 1 Tbsp.
- Chia seeds, 2 Tbsp.
I freeze the fruit when it is at it's ripest, tastiest, peak after washing and trimming the skin/stems. Helpful tip, when you use frozen fruit for this recipe it gives off more liquid as it is being thawed. You can use the microwave or heat from the stop top to thaw the fruit; using a fork to break-up as it softens. Since I am all for convenience I like to use the microwave in 30-second increments and use 2 forks to break the strawberries and peach slices up as if I'm shredding chicken. Once the fruit is fully thawed and broken up into small chunks that is when you add the other 3 ingredients, stir, and store in the refrigerator.
Spicy Salsa
- 3-4 Pickled jalapeños
- 2-3 Tomatoes (I typically get on-the-vine for this)
- 1 tsp. Minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp. Onion powder (I don't use raw onions because my hubby isn't the biggest fan)
- 1 Hefty pinch of pink Himalayan salt
- Bundle of cilantro to taste
- Lime juice, on occassion
For this recipe it depends on preference for heat level, sometimes I use more or less of either the jalapeños or tomatoes depending on what I'm using the salsa for. For my jalapeños I like to purchase the La Costena brand because they typically run spicier and are easy to find in most grocery stores. I use my Ninja blender or Cuisinart food processor depending on how chunky or smooth I want the salsa. All you have to do is simply place all of the ingredients into your blender or food processor and pulse away until you reach your desired consistency. Then of course enjoy with some tortilla chips or on top of tacos; my personal favorite.
Spicy Asian-style Sauce (or "bomb sauce" if you're my husband)
- Olive oil to coat the pan initially
- Minced garlic
- Sesame Oil
- Soy sauce
- Agave
- Red pepper flakes
This sauce is a little tricky because it's done by taste and how much I need each meal. So it's up to you to find out the ratio you prefer of each ingredient. Our favorite way to use this is by coating blistered shishito peppers, which just so happened to go insane in our garden this year, hallelujah. We've also done this sauce with stir-fry veggies, chicken, and rice noodles.
These substitutes made their appearance in our home about 7 months ago and I don't intend on going back to our old ways. I've also made homemade hummus and salad dressings countless times... more to come on those in the near future. For now I will continue to make the transition to more homemade options since it feels better to make and even better to eat!
Peach-Strawberry Jam
- Fresh -> frozen peaches, approximately 1 cup
- Fresh -> frozen strawberries, approximately 3/4 cup
- Agave, 1/2 Tbsp.
- Apple juice, 1 Tbsp.
- Chia seeds, 2 Tbsp.
I freeze the fruit when it is at it's ripest, tastiest, peak after washing and trimming the skin/stems. Helpful tip, when you use frozen fruit for this recipe it gives off more liquid as it is being thawed. You can use the microwave or heat from the stop top to thaw the fruit; using a fork to break-up as it softens. Since I am all for convenience I like to use the microwave in 30-second increments and use 2 forks to break the strawberries and peach slices up as if I'm shredding chicken. Once the fruit is fully thawed and broken up into small chunks that is when you add the other 3 ingredients, stir, and store in the refrigerator.
Spicy Salsa
- 3-4 Pickled jalapeños
- 2-3 Tomatoes (I typically get on-the-vine for this)
- 1 tsp. Minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp. Onion powder (I don't use raw onions because my hubby isn't the biggest fan)
- 1 Hefty pinch of pink Himalayan salt
- Bundle of cilantro to taste
- Lime juice, on occassion
For this recipe it depends on preference for heat level, sometimes I use more or less of either the jalapeños or tomatoes depending on what I'm using the salsa for. For my jalapeños I like to purchase the La Costena brand because they typically run spicier and are easy to find in most grocery stores. I use my Ninja blender or Cuisinart food processor depending on how chunky or smooth I want the salsa. All you have to do is simply place all of the ingredients into your blender or food processor and pulse away until you reach your desired consistency. Then of course enjoy with some tortilla chips or on top of tacos; my personal favorite.
Spicy Asian-style Sauce (or "bomb sauce" if you're my husband)
- Olive oil to coat the pan initially
- Minced garlic
- Sesame Oil
- Soy sauce
- Agave
- Red pepper flakes
This sauce is a little tricky because it's done by taste and how much I need each meal. So it's up to you to find out the ratio you prefer of each ingredient. Our favorite way to use this is by coating blistered shishito peppers, which just so happened to go insane in our garden this year, hallelujah. We've also done this sauce with stir-fry veggies, chicken, and rice noodles.
These substitutes made their appearance in our home about 7 months ago and I don't intend on going back to our old ways. I've also made homemade hummus and salad dressings countless times... more to come on those in the near future. For now I will continue to make the transition to more homemade options since it feels better to make and even better to eat!
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