I’m a sauce gal through and through. You’ll never find me with a bare poached egg out at a restaurant – if it’s not completely drenched in hollandaise then I’m not happy. I’m the person who wants sour cream, hot sauce, guacamole and pico de gallo for my tacos because they’re all just so good and a taco can never been too saucy and messy. One of my best friends, who I won’t name names, hates condiments. It’s blasphemous in my eyes and it’s pretty much like she’s eating cardboard on the daily, but hey, you like what you like. (If you’re reading this than I am expecting a text in .02 seconds 😂)
There are 5 sauces/condiments/dressings that we keep in our fridge weekly. They are all so versatile and we use them for so many things!
- Pickled Onions – Who knew how easy it could be to pickle onions?! I love these scattered on top of rich barbacoa tacos, on top of a chili dog, or juicy burger! I love how the acidity cuts into the richness of the meat and gives great texture to anything you put it on.
- Basil Pesto – we keep two different types of pesto in our fridge constantly – the first one is basil pesto which we literally put on everything. A smear on avocado toast, a dollop on-top of lamb or grilled chicken, or simply mixed in with chunks of tomato with a little parmesan.
- Sun-dried Tomato Pesto – I could eat this stuff by the spoonful. Once again, it makes any piece of toast so much better. It’s amazing slathered on a sandwich or mixed with cucumbers and feta to make a summery side dish!
- Avocado Cream – Avocado+ Cream, how could that not be amazing?! We use this dressing for spinach and quinoa salad, on top of enchiladas and dolloped on top of our curried quinoa stuffed sweet potatoes.
- Last put not least, Tahini Dressing. I am obsessed with this stuff. Honestly making any kind of homemade vinaigrette to keep in your fridge is a good idea, but I love this one because you can toss it in a kale salad, drizzle it on top of roasted root vegetables, or use it as a base for soba noodles.
Pickled Red Onions
Ingredients
-1 medium red onion, about 5 ounces
– 1/2 teaspoon sugar
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 3/4 cup rice vinegar, white vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
Instructions
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Slice the onions: Start 2 or 3 cups of water on to boil in a kettle. Peel and thinly slice the onion into 1/4-inch moons.
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Dissolve the sugar and salt: In the container you will be using to store the onions, add the sugar, salt, and vinegar, Stir to dissolve.
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Par-blanch the onions: Place the onions in the sieve or mesh colander and place the sieve in the sink. Slowly pour the boiling water over the onions and let them drain.
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Add the onions to the jar and stir gently to evenly distribute the vinegar mixture
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Store: The onions will be ready in about 30 minutes, but are better after a few hours. Store in the refrigerator. They will keep for several weeks, but are best in the first week.
BASIL PESTO
Ingredients
– 4 oz of fresh basil, stems removed
– 3 cloves of garlic
– 1/3 cup Parmesan
– 1/2 tsp salt (more to taste)
– Juice of quarter of a lemon
– 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
– 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (optional)
What to do
- Pulse all of the ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
- This recipe is so flexible, so add a little more oil, salt, or lemon juice to your liking.
Note: Pine nuts can be pricey, so we don’t always use them in pesto, but they are delicious and add a sweet, nutty flavor.
SUN-DRIED TOMATO PESTO
Ingredients
– 4 oz of fresh basil, stems removed
– 3 oz package of sun-dried tomatoes (the more you add the deeper the red color will be)
– 3 cloves of garlic
– 1/3 cup Parmesan
– 1/2 tsp salt (more to taste)
– Juice of quarter of a lemon
– 1/4- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
– 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (optional)
What to do
- Pulse all of the ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil first to check the consistency, and then slowly blend more in as you need it.
- This recipe is so flexible, so add a little more oil, salt, or lemon juice to your liking.
Note: Pine nuts can be pricey, so we don’t always use them in pesto, but they are delicious and add a sweet, nutty flavor.
Tahini Dressing
Ingredients
– 1/3 cup (80 g) tahini
– 1 lemon, juiced
– 1-2 Tbsp (15-30 ml) maple syrup (or sub agave – or honey if not vegan)
– Pinch of salt
– 1 clove garlic, minced
– Water to thin (~3-6 Tbsp or 45-90 ml)
What to do
Whisk all the ingredients, and add a tablespoon of water until you reach your desired consistency.
Avocado Cream
Ingredients
– 1/2 cup sour cream
– 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
-1/2 cup olive oil
-1 ripe avocado
-1/3 cup lime juice
-2 cloves of garlic
– Half of a jalapeño (optional)
-handful of cilantro (we like a lot!)
-1/2 cup of milk or water, use more or less depending on how thick you want it
-1/2 tsp salt
What to do
- Mix all ingredients in a blender! Add more cilantro, jalapeño, salt, or lime juice to taste
