Kickass Condiments 20+ LITTLE RECIPES THAT CHANGE EVERYTHING

Kickass Condiments 20+ LITTLE RECIPES THAT CHANGE EVERYTHING Copyright © 2020 Stephanie A. Meyer All rights reserved. Photographs © 2020 by Stephanie A. Meyer Cover and book design by Kim Kalina Kickass Condiments Dedication This book is dedicated to my dear friends and creative collaborators Tracy Morgan and Kim Kalina. There would be no Project Vibrancy Meals—or Kickass Condiments—without them. 3 Stephanie A. Meyer Kickass Condiments Stuck in a dinner rut? I call it the fridge stare. That longing look into the depths of your refrigerator, usually when you’re tired and hungry, hoping there’s something delicious waiting for you. What you see is…ingredients. Before you close the fridge in frustration, consider that in the time it would take to order takeout, you can turn those ingredients into a meal that will blow away whatever you were going to order, made with healthy ingredients, for way less money. How? Condiments! But not just any condiment. I have a few favorites that I buy pre-made, but to me, they’re not delicious enough to make a meal really stand out. I’m talking about condiments that transform simple ingredients into a meal you will love, while also brimming with antioxidants, phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. To me, a great condiment is delicious AND nutritious and really, that’s why we’re eating, right? If you’re working with a healing diet—gluten-free, paleo, autoimmune protocol, Whole30, low carb/keto—or avoiding food allergies, making your own condiments becomes essential. Luckily, it can also be fast and easy. In this e-book you’ll find recipes for 20+ favorite condiments from my Project Vibrancy Meals meal plans and my blog Fresh Tart. They’re not just my favorites—I polled my members and readers and asked for their favorites and these are what they picked. That means they’re highly tested and well loved by people all over the world. These condiments are nut-free, egg-free gluten-free, and/or nightshade-free. Most are vegan. Yep, it’s true. And they ROCK. Bust yourself out of ruts with great condiments and an eye to contrasts and you’ll slay the dreaded fridge stare! 4 Stephanie A. Meyer Kickass Condiments Equipment You don’t have to spend a lot of money to make great condiments, but I will outline a few pieces of equipment that make all cooking go more quickly and smoothly. CHEF’S KNIFE First, a sharp chef’s knife is imperative. I like working with an 8-inch blade. It’s large enough to slice as well as dice and mince, but not so large as to be unwieldy. Second, keep that knife sharp. There are several knife-sharpening devices on the market— look for one with great reviews. Or, buy a whetstone and watch a few YouTube videos about how to sharpen knives the traditional way. It’s actually really simple to do and yields a very sharp blade, so it’s my preferred method. No matter how you sharpen, just make sure you’re working with a sharp knife. It makes prep safer and it makes cooking so much easier and more fun. Third, use a sharpening steel daily to keep a clean edge on your knife between sharpening sessions. HIGH-POWERED BLENDER My Vitamix is hands down the most-used appliance in my kitchen. I use it to make condiments, of course, as well as smoothies, batters, gravies, nut butters, and Healing Green Broth and other soups. A high-powered blender is a very different experience than other blenders, so if you’re on the fence about whether you’d like one, go for it! It’s a workhorse and the cost per use is close to nothing after a year. FOOD PROCESSOR I’ve tried other brands of food processors and always come back to my 14-cup Cuisinart for power, ease of clean-up, great accessories, and how simple it is to use. SHARP VEGETABLE PEELER Did anyone else inherit their grandmother’s old peeler and as a result think peeling vegetables was the most tedious task in the world? The first time I bought a fresh, new, sharp peeler it was a revelation! (This an aside, but don’t forget that many fruits and vegetables with thicker peels or rinds can be peeled by laying them on a cutting board and using a sharp chef’s knife to cut away the peel. This is my preferred method for butternut squash, cucumbers, and even apples.) 5 Stephanie A. Meyer Kickass Condiments How To Use This Book I suggest making one or two condiments each week and using them up as the week goes along, while they’re at peak freshness. Experiment with adding to your old stand-by dishes to give them a new twist. Use as salad dressings or to top simple chicken and fish dishes, or to spoon over a quick burger or sautéed vegetables. Use oil-based condiments like chimichurri or ginger-scallion sauce to cook in—have you ever fried an egg in ginger-scallion sauce? Oh, you should. The most satisfying meals push all the buttons—nutrient-dense, colorful, with contrasts between warm and cool, salty and sweet and zingy, crunchy and creamy and chewy. If that sounds daunting to achieve, it doesn’t need to. A meal hitting all of those notes can be ready in 10 minutes or less. A great condiment alone offers plenty of salty zing, and oftentimes a kick of heat and sweet as well. In effect, a condiment is a shortcut to several of the elements that make a meal memorable and all you have to do is spoon it out of a jar. A WORD ABOUT FAST COOKING AND TIME MANAGEMENT These condiments hail from Project Vibrancy Meals, my meal-planning subscription service, which is based on the time-management concept of batch cooking. If you want to eat fresh meals at home most nights of the week, then you need to plan and manage your time. There are two ways to do this: 1) stock your refrigerator with simple, basic proteins, vegetables, and starches and use condiments to add variety to fast and simple meals, or 2) batch cook (aka meal prep) a couple of proteins, vegetables and starches on the weekend to mix-and-match into a wide variety of interesting and flavorful meals during the week. Working with this book will give you ideas for the first option. Project Vibrancy Meals are the source of many of these condiments. The plans map out instructions, shopping lists, and recipes for the second option. If you’d like to try a free plan, CLICK HERE! Try a week and see if eating healthy, amazing food most nights of the week makes you feel kickass. In the end, this is all about learning. Experiment with whatever method gets you preparing meals at home on a consistent basis, because that is how you transform your health. 6 Stephanie A. Meyer Kickass Condiments Contents Introduction • Equipment • How To Use This Book • Recipes Asian Barbecue Sauce ......................9 Avocado Caesar Dressing ...............11 Avocado Ranch Dressing ................13 Caramelized Onions ..........................15 Carrot Ginger Sauce .........................17 Carrot Yogurt Dressing ...................19 Charmoula: Standard Version .......21 Charmoula: AIP Version .................22 Cheater’s Caesar Dressing ............24 Chimichurri I .......................................26 Chimichurri II ......................................28 Ginger Scallion Sauce .....................30 Green Chutney ...................................32 Green Yogurt Sauce ........................34 Gremolata ...........................................36 Horseradish Cream ..........................38 Maple Ginger Vinaigrette ..............40 Maple Tahini Dressing .....................42 Nuoc Cham .........................................44 Olive Tapenade .................................46 “Peanut” Sauce .................................48 Quick Italian Pickles ........................50 Roasted Pineapple Salsa ................52 Smoky Zucchini Caviar ...................54 Spicy Cilantro Pesto ........................56 7 Stephanie A. Meyer Asian Barbecue Sauce Kickass Condiments Paleo AIP Asian Barbecue Sauce INGREDIENTS INSTRUCTIONS: MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP 1. Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and set over medium heat. Bring to a low boil and simmer for about • 1/4 cup molasses 5 minutes until sauce is slightly thickened. • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 2. Cool and transfer to a glass jar and refrigerate. • 2 tablespoons fish sauce HOW TO USE IT: • 1/4 cup coconut aminos 1. RIBS AND CHICKEN: If you’ve been following the autoimmune protocol and missing licking sticky • 1/4 cup honey barbecue sauce from your fingers, this sauce is for you. Finish your favorite ribs or chicken recipe with • 2 teaspoons onion powder brushes of this sauce—return to heat (grill or hot oven) for a few minutes to crisp things up a bit. Finish • 2 teaspoons garlic powder with one last brush of sauce. • 2 teaspoons powdered 2. GROUND BEEF LETTUCE WRAPS: If you’re in a burger ginger slump, do this instead. Sauté ground beef with chopped scallions, garlic, and minced fresh ginger. Season with salt and pepper. Serve in lettuce wraps drizzled with barbecue sauce. Garnish with sliced radishes and fresh mint. 9 Stephanie A. Meyer Avocado Caesar Dressing Kickass Condiments Paleo AIP Avocado Caesar Dressing Whole30 INGREDIENTS INSTRUCTIONS: MAKES ABOUT 3/4 CUP 1. Add lemon juice, anchovies, avocado, and garlic to the bowl of a blender or food processor. Purée and with • 4 tablespoon fresh lemon the blender running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. juice 2. Taste and add more salt (if needed) and several grinds • 4 anchovies, mashed of pepper (skip pepper for AIP) and blend again. Transfer to a glass jar and refrigerate. • 1/2 ripe avocado, mashed HOW TO USE IT: • 3 cloves garlic, minced 1. SALMON CAKES: as much as I love crab cakes, I love salmon cakes even more. They’re a great way to use • 1/2 cup olive oil canned wild salmon which is nutritious, affordable, and convenient.

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