If you enjoy cooking, it is likely you’ve whipped up some tasty meals. Perhaps you’ve even tried your hand at desserts, like home baked cakes, pies, or cookies. But if you’re like most people, you have probably never considered making your own condiments from scratch.
We tend to take condiments for granted. We grab them off the grocery store shelf and unload them into the fridge or pantry to use as we need them. But homemade condiments can take a meal to an entirely new level. When you prepare them fresh, without added preservatives and sugars, they can provide a sensational complement to your culinary efforts.
Here are three that are easy to prepare, and scrumptious:
1. Ketchup
For many people, ketchup is the chief source of lycopene, provided by tomatoes. But don’t settle for a bottle of that red sugary glop; make your own delicious ketchup. Here’s a recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie.com:
3 cups of cherry or grape tomatoes
¼ cup of sliced onion
1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon of salt
Sugar to taste (or not)
Preheat your oven to 400 ℉, roast the tomatoes and onions for roughly 45 minutes, and then blend the ingredients together. Cool in the refrigerator.
2. Mustard
Mustard seeds help fight inflammation in your body. You’ll be surprised at the taste of fresh made mustard. Here’s a recipe from David Lebovitz.com:
1/3 cup of mustard seeds
1/3 cup of white wine vinegar
1/3 cup water or dry white wine
1 tablespoon of maple syrup
1 teaspoon of turmeric
½ teaspoon of salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Combine all ingredients in a stainless steel bowl and let sit for 2-3 days. Then, place them in a blender and grind until smooth.
3. Vegan Mayo
Homemade mayonnaise with egg is great, but you may prefer this vegan version from Alissa Segersten at Nourishing Meals.com.
1 cup of raw cashews that have soaked for 3 hours
¼ cup of water
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
½ tablespoon of mustard powder
¾ tablespoon of sea salt
6 tablespoons of olive oil
After the cashews have been soaked, add all of the ingredients, except the olive oil, into a high-powered blender and stop when the mixture is thick and creamy. Then, add the olive oil and blend until it is combined and smooth.
