Smoky BBQ sauce

Rich and smoky….

Reminiscent of hot summer cinders, a dwindling fire and a full belly….

Welcome the BBQ dip!

The perfect marinade, sauce or dip…it’s so rich and full flavoured that a little dab will go a long way.

As a bonus there is no cooking required…so no slaving away over the stove on a hot summer’s day.

This recipe is largely based on this recipe by Healthy Happy Life  as I was keen to have a go at making a deep rich but healthy bbq sauce and the recipe ticked all those boxes. I actually changed very little (other than the odd ingredient here and the overall quantities). This sauce was made specifically for a BBQ we had last weekend with my family, my brother was visiting from Southampton as an early celebration for my mum’s birthday and it was great to spend time together in the sunshine!

I’m not a big fan of ketchup (shock horror) although my homemade version was a million times better than the sweetly synthetic stuff bought in shops (oops..sorry Heinz), however I have always loved a bit of BBQ sauce and so a healthy homemade version has been on the cards for a while now.

Give it a go…it won’t disappoint! I used it as a baste over a batch of Mexican bean burgers (made especially for the occasion- recipe to come soon) and also as a marinade for the veggie skewers. Also pictured is my super speedy satay sauce which makes for another fabulous marinade. Both sauces were total winners with my family.

 

Recipe: BBQ dip

Makes approx. ½ cup

Ingredients

2 tbs apple cider vinegar

2 tbs molasses

1 tbs agave

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp chipotle smoky hot sauce (or similar)

1 tsp olive oil

Pinch dry mustard

1 tsp soy sauce*

3 tbs tomato puree

1-3 tbs water (depending on thickness desired)

1 tbs arrowroot powder

Salt and pepper to taste (I used approx. 1/6^th tsp each)

¼ tsp paprika

¼ tsp cumin

Method

Mix everything together really well by hand or in a mini blender until, you have a smooth thick paste. Best made in advance and allow flavours to meld for an hour in the fridge before using for dipping/basting.

Add between 1 and 3 tablespoons of water depending on desired thickness. I used the thicker version for basting and would use a thinner version for dipping or drizzling.

* for further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

peanut butter and lentil dip

This is the best one yet…I promise you!  I’m actually surprised I haven’t got it up on here before now.

I love this dip so much I haven’t really had much need for exploring other dip or hummous type recipe in recent weeks…and that is very unlike me!

So simple. I use my freezing method and whip up a big batch (often  doubling the recipe) and then freeze dollops ready for when I need a dip or sandwich filler at short notice.

This dip is deliciously smooth and creamy and with a lovely warming amount of spice. Not overly spicy (well that’s up to you!) but just super tasty and also smoky if you use smoky chipotle sauce (I really recommend you do!) I love the peanutty taste, if you make your own PB make sure you roast the peanuts first to give it a great depth of flavour. You could of course use other nut butters if you fancy, although I find peanut butter has a strength of flavour that works really well with the lentils.

I nearly always serve this dip warm with a load of raw veggie sticks, as that’s my personal preference, but if you prefer it cold….go right ahead.  If serving from frozen, defrost a ‘dollop’ and then mix through with a spoon, adding a splash of oil or milk alternative as necessary to get a good cream texture. Warm through in the microwave for a few seconds…and there you have it..

So, how would you dress this dip up? When I’m not simply ‘dipping it’, I use it as a base for a sandwich or a wrap,  I have also used it to fill a jacket potato…now that was yummy! With a little more liquid it would probably make a great pasta sauce too.

Get creative…have fun!

Recipe: PB and lentil dip

Makes approx. 3 cups

Ingredients:

1 tbs olive oil

1 onion- chopped

1 cup red lentils

2 cups veg stock

1/3 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)

½ tsp each garlic powder, cumin powder, chilli or smoky chipotle sauce

Method:

Cook onion in olive oil for approx. 5 minutes to soften.

Add the lentils and veg stock and cook for 20 minutes. Drain the lentil mixture and return to a food processor/blender.

Add the remaining ingredients and puree all together to get a thick smooth dippy paste.

Store in the fridge (eat within 2-3 days) or spoon serving sized dollops on a baking sheet and freeze individually on the sheets before removing and storing together in the freezer.  Simply defrost to serve.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.