Sauces for Flavour

I just love Sauces & I find any meal can be turned into something delectable with the simple addition of a really flavoursome sauce or dressing. Collecting a repertoire of assorted recipes opens the doorway for a favourite to be whipped up at a moments notice, a few simple ingredients come together in the blender & Voila! .....the whole meal can actually become a mini extravaganza.
Here are 3 wonderful Sauces to get you started

Mock Peanut Sauce, makes about a cup
1/2 cup almond butter
1/4 cup water
1 Tab freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
2 teas maple syrup
2 teas tamari
1 clove garlic
1/4 inch of peeled ginger root
Dash of cayenne or Red curry paste
salt to taste
Blend all the ingredients well, keeps for 5 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator
I especially love this sauce as a salad dressing on an Asian inspired salad, as a dip with crudités, or as a sauce on a Thai rice bowl, which might include brown rice, steamed broccoli, shredded red cabbage & carrots & perhaps some sauerkraut. It also goes well with zucchini noodles or pasta

Creamy Red Pepper Sauce, makes about a cup
3/4 cup cashews well soaked
3/4 cup water
1/2 chopped red pepper
2 tabs of lemon juice
1 clove garlic
1tea onion powder
1/2 tea Dijon mustard
1/2 tea salt
2 tab minced parsley after blending
Blend everything well & finally pulse in the parsley to mix. Keeps for 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed jar. I love Creamy Red Pepper Sauce as a salad dressing, but it is also wonderful with some quinoa, lightly steamed kale, ( can keep it raw by massaging with salt & a little olive oil if you prefer) shredded red cabbage & carrots with some chopped hazelnuts sprinkled on top

Creamy Avocado Lime Sauce, makes about a cup
1 mashed avocado
1/2 cup water
1 tab lime juice
1/4 tea salt
Blend & will keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator. Once again great over a crispy salad or with rice & veggies with coriander sprinkled on top

I suggest you try these 3 Sauces, & then try experimenting further; once you have a repertoire of 5-10 different sauces that you love, you will never again buy dressings & sauces from the Supermarket & you will always have a flavoursome meal that is absolutely delicious. You will notice that each of these have the added bonus of including healthy fats in the recipe & transform salads into a hearty meal.