Pineapple BBQ Sauce

BBQ sauce is a staple ingredient in our house.  We love to have it on burgers of all kinds or with dipping foods.  Until now, our favorite BBQ sauce has been from Trader Joe's (I think they only have one kind), but I've been meaning to try making my own for awhile.  When I saw this recipe recently, it looked like a great one to try, especially because I also had a can of pineapple I was looking to use.

This BBQ sauce has a sort of sweet/sour/spicy flavor.  It doesn't taste like a traditional BBQ sauce because of the pineapple, but it's really tasty.  I couldn't stop trying it as I was making it!  The sauce should last for about a week in the refrigerator.  I'm going to try freezing some for longer storage.  If that works well, it'll be great to make a big batch and freeze portions of it to take out as we need it.  I'm also going to be on the lookout for a non-pineapple BBQ sauce.

Pineapple BBQ Sauce

yield: about 2 1/2 cups

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1/2 small yellow onion, diced (to yield about 1/2 cup)
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
• 1 1/4 cups pineapple chunks
• 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced + 1 tablespoon chipotle adobo sauce
• 1 1/2 cups no-sugar added pineapple juice (if pineapple is from a can of pineapple in juice, you can use the juice from the can, but will need a bit more)
• 2/3 cup crushed tomatoes
• 1/3 cup tomato paste
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce/tamari (use tamari for gluten-free)
• 2 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1) Heat oil in a medium sized pot over medium heat.  Once hot, add onion, ginger, and garlic.  Cook until softened, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes.

2)  Add pineapple, minced chipotle peppers, and adobo sauce and stir to combine.  Add in the pineapple juice and stir.  Increase heat and bring to a boil.

3)  Reduce heat and simmer for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Mixture will reduce slightly.

4)  Add remaining ingredients and whisk well.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 25 minutes until sauce has thickened.  Stir every so often.  Note that the sauce will thicken more as it cools.

5)  Remove from heat and let cool.  Blend in a blender if desired.  Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for one week.  For longer storage, you could try freezing it, but I haven't tried that yet.

(recipe adapted from edible perspective)

Pesto Formula

One of the foods I was most excited to make when I first got a food processor was pesto.  I love having pesto as a spread on sandwiches, on pasta or gnocchi, or even on vegetables.

I originally thought that pesto had to be made with basil, pinenuts, and tons of oil.  After lots of experimentation, I have learned that you can make pesto with pretty much any leafy green, any nut you want, and not that much oil.  One of my favorite ways to make pesto is with kale.  Kale is cheaper than basil, has tons of nutritional benefits, and doesn't turn your pesto brown like basil.  I also like to make pesto with almonds and/or walnuts-- much cheaper than pinenuts!

You should view the recipe below as more of a formula.  Use it as a starting point for your own perfect pesto!  Experiment and have fun! :)  And stay tuned because tomorrow I will have a great way to use your pesto!

Pesto Formula

yield: about 1 1/2 cups pesto

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups greens (kale, spinach, basil, or another favorite herb of choice)
• 2 ounces parmesan cheese, grated or cut into chunks
• 2-4 large cloves of garlic, to taste
• 1/3 cup nuts (walnuts, almonds, pinenuts, or a combination... feel free to try another type of nut as well!)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
• pinch of cracked red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
• water

DIRECTIONS:

1) Combine greens, cheese, garlic and nuts in the bowl of a food processor with the steel blade attachment. Process until ground.

2)  Add olive oil, lemon juice and spices.  Process again until combined.  Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

3)  Thin with water until pesto is the desired consistency.  For a sandwich spread, you might not need any water.  For a pasta sauce, you might want up to 1/2 cup of water.