A great sauce is the hallmark of a great dish. It loads our food with great big shells of flavour. The trouble is, for people pursuing a ‘healthy’ diet, many shop-bought, pre-prepared sauces can come with dietary annoyances. Even basic pasta sauces can be very high in salt, and favourites like sweet chili sauce are very sugar-heavy. Let’s have a look, then, at some easy ways to rustle up some delicious homemade sauces in Healthy Sauces: 5 Mouth-Watering Recipes You Can Make from Scratch!
1. Spinach & Peanut Sauce
This recipe originates from Cameroon, and has as much to offer in the flavour department as it does in the nutrition one. We all know spinach is an iconic superfood, and peanuts offer a fantastic protein boost. To make, simply blitz peanut with stock until it makes a smooth mixture. Then, finely chop some spinach and combine with the peanut mixture. Add to a saucepan and bring to the boil, before simmering for about half an hour to thicken up to a rich, nutty sauce.
2. Plum & Rosemary Sauce
This might sound a bit fancy, but it’s really easy and tastes great. To make, fry a finely chopped onion until soft (add a splash of balsamic vinegar for depth of taste). Half 3 or 4 plums and take out their stones, before placing them flesh first in the saucepan. Their juices should seep out to make a rich, sweet sauce! Finely, add about 100ml of stock, and a few teaspoons of dried rosemary. Mmm!!
3. Avocado Hummus
Hummus has gone from hipster to a home-essential. Even better, whipping it up yourself is easy and the perfect compliment to any fitness routine. Avocado is packed full with healthy fats, and magnesium which is useful for muscle building. Blitz chickpeas with olive oil, tahini, garlic and lemon juice until smooth, before adding avocado and cumin, blending once again until smooth. Serve with literally anything.
4. Lentil Dhal
This is an Indian classic. Its thick, spicy and creamy comfort tricks your taste buds into loving healthy food. The main ingredient is lentils, which are effectively low-calorie discs of protein. To make, fry a finely chopped onion in a saucepan with as much seasoning as possible (garlic, chili, cumin, garam masala and turmeric are all welcome); add in the lentils with stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes until creamy.
5. Mojo Verde
We move to Spain for a zingy taste of freshness! This is maybe the easiest sauce to make on the list. Simply blend garlic, coriander, cumin, lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a food processor until it has become a paste. Then, continue blending whilst slowly pouring in olive oil. It’s quite strong, so it doesn’t need a lot to bring a great whack of flavour to a dish. It can be used to jazz up the simplest of recipes: drizzled over beans on toast or stirred into boiled rice.
