This is our go to BBQ sauce and just the thing to cook up a southern feast. Grill up some green beans served with cornbread, creamy Mac & Cheese, a Caesar salad, and your choice of BBQ baked beans, tofu, or roast cauliflower for a plate of tangy goodness.
This homemade coffee BBQ sauce is rich, flavourful and tangy. It will have you reaching back for more and your friends asking for the recipe!
What are your favourite things to smother in BBQ sauce?
Southern Coffee BBQ Sauce Recipe
- 3/4 cups ketchup
- 1/4 cup tomato purée
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup Worcestershire (make sure it's vegetarian!)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup or sugar
- 1/4 cup strong dark-roast coffee with coffee grinds
- 1 tbsp steak spice
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp (optional) Cornstarch
- Combine all your ingredients in a small saucepan, and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer for 10-15 minutes until it starts to thicken, stirring occasionally.
-
If necessary, combine 1 tbsp of cornstarch in 2 tbsp of water, and whisk into the mixture to thicken further.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.
- Store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.
In Vancouver there is a restaurant called The Naam. It’s a quirky vegetarian institution, open 24/7, and is the perfect place to meet friends for an inspired and healthy meal regardless of the hour. One of the most popular dishes is the Dragon bowl, made with the secret-recipe Naam miso gravy. The popularity can’t be understated; it’s even sold by the bottle.
The Sails & Spices take on this addictive, easy, and healthy vegan gravy recipe is here for you to enjoy on a dragon bowl, smothering roasted vegetables, or alongside apple-walnut dressing for a wonderful Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
Vegan gravy is boring? Not a chance.
When we are invited over to someone’s house for thanksgiving we always find it helpful to offer to bring the gravy if they are not vegetarian, and everyone loves trying this miso gravy and discovering how tasty it is!
One year I accidentally I made this gravy exceptionally spicy (a few too many tablespoons of sriracha), and even though everyone found it quite delicious it gave quite the kick. Since then the running joke in our family is don’t make the gravy too spicy! Unless that’s what you like of course.
Absolutely Delicious Miso Gravy
This healthy and delicious miso gravy is great for Thanksgiving dinner, over roast veggies, with poutine or fries, and Dragon or Buddha Bowls!
- 1/2 large onion, diced
- 5 small white or brown mushrooms
- 1.5 tsp. chopped or grated ginger
- 1.5 tbsp. chopped or crushed garlic
- 1 tsp. rosemary
- 1 tsp. thyme
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp. (optional) sesame oil
- 1/2 tbsp. Sriracha (or another chili paste)
- 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp. tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. agave nectar or maple syrup
- 3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup white flour ((could substitute for 1/4 cup cornstarch) )
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1/4 cup miso paste
- Dice the onion and sauté with 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a medium saucepan for 5 minutes, until translucent.
- (Optional) Dice the mushrooms and add to the onions, and saute for another 5 minutes until they start to release their juices. Don’t worry non-mushroom lovers, this is all going to blended up together to contribute to the beautiful umami taste.
- Add ginger, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and continue to sauté until golden. Add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil to help sauté everything together.
- Add the sesame oil (optional), Sriracha (to taste), apple cider vinegar, tamari or soy sauce, agave or maple syrup, and broth. This is such a versatile recipe, the more flavours you have to add the better it will taste, but if you need to substitute something generally you will still get good results.
- Whisk it all together, bring to a boil, and simmer on med-low for 15 minutes (or longer if you have time). Note that most of the flavour is going to come from the miso that is added at the end so you are aiming for a nice base flavour to accompany the saltiness of the miso.
- In a small bowl, mix the flour and water together until smooth, making a slurry. Add the slurry to the gravy in a thin stream while whisking, and simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes until thickened. Slurry can be tricky to work with since it changes consistency depending on how long you heat it for, once the gravy cools down, and the type of flour you use. Add more if necessary after boiling for 5-10 minutes (or when reheating to serve).
- Remove from the heat, and stir the miso paste into the gravy. To make your life easier you can loosen the paste in a bowl with a little liquid before adding to the gravy. By adding the miso paste at the end of cooking you preserve more of the nutritional value.
- Blend the gravy together in a blender or using a stick mixer to make it smooth.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
For this recipe it’s helpful to note that 4 tbsp = 1/4 cup to help with measuring out ingredients.
Servings – some people suggest 1/3 cup of gravy per person, so this recipe could serve 10 people.
This recipe also freezes well so we will often do a double batch and freeze it in 2 cup servings to use later over a bowl of veggies and rice. A quick blend will help get the right consistency when you are reheating it.
]]>
When you live abroad, perspective is found equally in the new things you discover and the familiar things you miss. On our first thanksgiving in Australia, we had a heck of a time finding cranberries for the ubiquitous holiday sauce. Persistence paid off that year, and we cheerfully brought home the bright red berries to make this simple staple family heirloom of a recipe. It’s so good, we almost didn’t want to let the recipe out…
The beauty of the sauce is in the simplicity and brightness of taste. The addition of whole holiday spices and orange zest set this version apart. Whether you’re new to cranberry sauce, or used to the tinned variety, prepare to hear your tastebuds sing.
Serve alongside a traditional Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner of smashed potatoes, apple-walnut dressing, roasted vegetables, and plenty of miso gravy.
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
This is the recipe we use time and time again when we are looking for a quick and easy, deliciously tart, cranberry sauce to serve along side our special holiday meal.
- 10 oz 284g bag of fresh or frozen cranberries
- zest from 1 orange
- juice from 1/2 orange
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 cloves
- 1/4 – 1/3 cup natural sweetener like maple syrup (coconut sugar or honey)
- Combine the cranberries, orange zest, orange juice, cinnamon stick, cloves and sweetener in a small saucepan, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- The sauce is ready when the cranberries have burst and start to thicken together.
- Taste for sweetness and adjust as needed.
- Remove the cinnamon stick to serve.
The combination of garlic & parsley in this pesto brings to mind French cooking and delicious dishes like beurre à la Bourguignonne. Ooh la la.
However unlike parsley butter or beurre à la Bourguignonne, this sauce is based on a traditional Genoa pesto, and the richness in the dish comes from pine nuts, olive oil and a shaving of parmesan (optional). A handful of basil balances the flavors nicely.
Traditionally pesto is made with a mortar and pestle, and while undoubtedly this is the best option for flavor, we see no harm in cheating and using the food processor or hand blender for this one. You’re still making your own homemade pesto after all!
Parsley give the pesto a bright fresh taste, and it’s also a nutritional powerhouse. Filled with vitamin K and vitamin C, parsley is good for digestion, detoxifying, reducing inflammation, and so much more.
Cooking Tip: did you know you can use chopped parsley as a garnish instead of lemon juice to balance out a dish?
This pesto is easy to whip up and it goes with just about everything. Try it with: garlic bread, sandwiches, grilled cheese, burgers, pizzas, pastas, roast veggies, in soup, and stirred through mashed potatoes.
Next time you see a big batch of basil and parsley at the store, farmers market, or growing in your garden, don’t think twice about making this easy parsley and basil pesto!
Parsley & Basil Pesto Sauce
Fresh parsley & garlic pair together perfectly in this pesto, alongside traditional pine nuts, basil and olive oil. A quick and easy pesto that adds a delicious flavor to many savory dishes.
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1-2 garlic cloves
- 1/4 tsp rock salt or sea salt
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup fresh parsley with stems
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp or more grated parmesan cheese*
- In a food processor or using a hand mixer, blend pine nuts and garlic together until they are the consistency of course sand.
- Wash, dry, and roughly chop the basil and parsley, and add to the food processor.
- Blend until you have a coarse paste with some texture.
- Stir through the olive oil into the sauce.
- Add the grated parmesan and combine.
- Serve with garlic bread, sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, pastas, roast veggies, in soup, or stirred through mashed potatoes.
- Keeps 5 days in the fridge, sealed or covered with a light layer of olive oil, and freezes well in an ice cube tray.
*Leave out the parmesan to make this vegan, be sure to check if it is gluten free if necessary, or that it does not have rennet to make it vegetarian.
Have fun in the kitchen! You can try different combinations like mint, arugula, pistachios, walnuts or sunflower seeds. Or add some lemon juice to taste. Some pestos even incorporate vegetables like avocado, peas, or broccoli. Do you have any favorite pesto combinations to share with us? We’d love to hear your recommendations in the comments.
]]>
Chances are you have everything you need to make this quick and easy stir fry sauce or marinade.
Reminiscent of honey garlic wings, this makes a delicious sweet and salty sauce for your weeknight meal. With just four ingredients, it comes together super quickly and is very versatile!
Homemade Honey Garlic Sauce & Marinade
A homemade honey garlic sauce or marinade with only 4 ingredients for a quick meal.
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp tamari (soy sauce could be substituted, but is not gluten free)
- 1-2 garlic cloves (crushed)
- 1/2 teaspoon of fresh grated ginger
- Gently warm up the honey
- Add the tamari, crushed garlic cloves and grated ginger
- Stir to combine and use in your favorite stir fry or as a marinade.
Try making a stir fry bowl with a combination of:
Veggies (broccoli, carrots, onion etc)
Protein (tofu, tempeh, peas or edamame) and
Grains (rice, quinoa, or asian noodles).
Or, marinate some veggie & tofu skewers and throw them on the BBQ with a side of rice. Also great mixed with crisp steamed green vegetables as a side dish.
Tzatziki is a refreshing Greek cucumber yogurt dip. It’s a great summer side dish that adds protein and a fresh cool flavour to any meal. It pairs perfectly as part of a full Greek Feast with Super Greens Spanakopita, Greek Lemon Potatoes, and Greek Salad, or can be enjoyed alongside falafels, zucchini fritters, in wraps, burgers, or as a sandwich spread.
Cucumber boasts several health benefits thanks to its B-vitamins, vitamin-K, and actually has cooling properties to help beat the summer heat!
This dip lasts well for a few days when sealed in the fridge.
Tzatziki
Tzatziki is a refreshing Greek cucumber dip or sauce. This is delicious with pita, lemon potatoes, falafels, burgers, carrot sticks etc.
- 1 cucumber
- 1 cup 0% fat Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- Grate the cucumber and place in the center of a cheese cloth, clean dish towel, or 2 paper towels doubled over. If you’re preparing other dishes, you can lightly salt the cucumber and leave it for some time while water extracts
- When you’re ready, gently squeeze the cucumber to remove most of the liquid.
- In a bowl, mix the cucumber, yogurt, dill, garlic powder, lemon juice, and pinch of salt.
- Taste and season as needed
- Chill in the fridge to let the flavors mix & mingle.
- Drizzle with 1 tsp. of olive oil and serve.
