Cilantro Ginger Sauce

 In a blender:

2 C packed cilantro leaves

1/4 C + 1 T vegetable oil

1/2 jalapeño pepper

1" peeled fresh ginger root, finely grated

2 T lime juice

3 scallions, green part only

Salad Dressings

Almost all commercial salad dressings have added sugar. Luckily, it's quick and easy to make your own! Here are my 3 favorites. Not so much a recipe as guidelines. Play with amounts and ingredients and make what you like best.

Creamy Parmesan & Balsamic Vinaigrette

Vinaigrette
Delicious in 2 minutes

1/3 C vinegar that you like the taste of. My favs are balsamic or pomegranate
2/3 C olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 t fresh or dried herb that you like - I like basil or tarragon. Mince or shred fresh herbs.
salt and pepper to taste

Put ingredients in a mason jar with a lid and shake. Taste and adjust seasonings.

I leave this on the counter (up to a week) because the oil will solidify in the fridge. Shake before use!


Creamy Parmesan
Delicious in 5 minutes

1/3 C mayonnaise
2/3 C plain yoghurt (if using Greek yoghurt, add 1/4 C milk or dressing is too thick)
1 T lemon or lime juice (juice of 1/2 lemon or 1 lime)
1 C parmesan cheese, finely grated (can substitute other hard cheeses)
2 t white wine or rice vinegar
2 t dijon mustard
1 t soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce (has added sugar so I used GF soy sauce)
3 t freshly ground peppercorn
salt to taste (cheese is salty so you don't need much)

optional - red pepper flakes or sauce if you like a little hot with your zing

Put ingredients in a mason jar and stir. Store in refrigerator.
Adapted from A Fork's Tale

Blue Cheese
Delicious in 7 minutes

1/3 C mayonnaise
2/3 C plain yoghurt (if using Greek yoghurt)
1 T lemon or lime juice (juice of 1/2 lemon or 1 lime)
2/3 - 1 C blue cheese, crumbled (bleu, gorgonzola)
2 t white wine or rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Put ingredients in a mason jar and stir. Store in refrigerator.

Barbeque

I'm not going to post many dinner recipes. Gluten and sugar free dinner is easy if you cook real food and don't serve bread. However, there are certain dishes that I love that are traditionally made with sugar. Of my two favorites, barbeque and sushi, we make both at home with great success. 

My children love this bbq sauce, and when they have more traditional sauces elsewhere, they don't like them! This recipe is adapted from Epicurious, first published in Bon Appétit magazine, March 2005, submitted by Joan and David Oswalt of Pasadena, California. Although I have made it with fresh berries, frozen works just as well.

The recipe as written is terrific, but I've slathered the sauce on chicken and pork chops as well. It's best when combined with the simple spice rub.

The rub:

4 teaspoons chili powder

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon salt

The sauce:

2 1/2 cups fresh blackberries or frozen, thawed

1/2 cup salsa

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup minced peeled fresh ginger

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce

2 slabs baby back pork ribs (about 2 pounds)

Preheat oven to 400°F. 

Mix chili powder, garlic, and salt in small bowl; rub mixture into ribs. Place ribs on large rimmed baking sheet, meaty side up. Bake ribs 50 minutes.

Meanwhile, puree sauce ingredients in blender until almost smooth.  Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. 

Brush ribs with enough sauce to coat. Continue baking until sauce browns and forms thick glaze, about 10 minutes longer. Cut slabs between bones into individual ribs. Serve with remaining blackberry sauce. 

This sauce stores well in the freezer, and this recipe makes more than enough for two delicious dinners.