Energy Balls & BBQ Sauce

I managed to make it through Whole30 without making a lot of my own condiments. It helps that the salsa we like (Mateo’s from Costco) is Whole30-compliant. As Joe remarked one evening, “Thank GOD salsa is on Whole30.” I stuck with olive oil and balsamic or red wine vinegar for salad dressing and never really needed anything else for those 30 days. After Whole30, a few non-compliant things slipped back into my diet (Sriracha, for one), but I never did buy any barbecue sauce because, inevitably the second ingredient is some sort of sugar. When a craving for some barbecue chicken hit, I decided to make my own.

This is not the kind of gloppy, sticky, molasses-thick barbecue sauce I’m used to, but it’s okay. I had to warn Joe that it was definitely more of a sharp vinegar, tomato-based flavor. I think I will tweak the seasonings in the next batch to try to get a bit more of a rounded flavor, but this did the trick on some chicken breasts one night.

It Starts with Food BBQ Sauce

Ingredients
1 cup Tomato Sauce
1/3 cup unsweetened Apple Sauce
2 Tbsp Cider Vinegar
2 Tbsp Coconut Aminos
1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 tsp Hot pepper sauce
1 tsp Chili Powder
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Paprika
1 clove Garlic
1/2 Tbsp clarified butter or coconut oil

Preparation

In a bowl whisk the tomato sauce, apple sauce, vinegar, coconut aminos, mustard, hot pepper sauce, and black pepper. Heat the butter/coconut oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the garlic and remaining spices to the pan stirring until fragrant (about 30 seconds only). Whisk in the tomato sauce mixture. Bring to a boil, then GENTLY simmer uncovered for 25-30 minutes until it is reduced and flavorful. Remove from heat and allow to cool

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Fueling for long runs is a challenge. Most commercially available products have all kinds of sketchy chemicals and sugars. Some people use unsweetened applesauce or dried fruit, and I’ve had success with Larabars before a run. I purchased a large tub of dates at Costco and wanted to experiment with making my own dried date/nut balls (yes, I am giggling as I type that because I’m 12). These are great mid-run or as a small snack. I made them tablespoon size, which is more than one bite, and covered them in coconut flakes. The cocoa gives them a chocolate flavor as well.

Energy Balls

Ingredients
20 dates, pitted
2 cups almonds or pecans
2 tsp cocoa powder
Coconut flakes or cocoa for dusting

Preparation
First, soak the dates in water until they are soft and easily blended into a paste (an hour at room temperature or in boiling water for a few minutes.)
While the dates are soaking, grind the nuts in a food processor. Add the cocoa powder and pulse to blend together.
Add 6 dates to the food processor, lightly shaking them to dry. You want a little additional water to help them come together. Process on low until they are blended.
Continue adding dates until the mixture becomes a ball or begins to stick together somewhat firmly. Then, pinch off and roll into balls. If desired, roll them in cocoa powder or coconut to coat.

Peach-Cantaloupe Salsa

When life hands you a cantaloupe, make salsa out of it! Except that my original plan was foiled when I cut into our brand new cantaloupe and smelly goop poured out of it all over my cutting board. Panic ensued until Joe suggested I chop up a peach instead. So my cantaloupe salsa turned into peach-cantaloupe salsa.

I really love variations in texture, temperature, and flavor in the food I eat, so this salsa on top of freshly grilled mahi-mahi was perfection. The heat of the mahi mahi contrasts with the coolness of the salsa. The soft, sweetness of the fruit contrasts with the crunch and the heat of the onions and peppers. Per usual, I was worried about the salsa not being hot enough, so I left in the membrane and seeds. Bad idea. Good thing I rationed my avocado to help me quench the flames. You can also take out the membrane and seeds to modify the heat. This salsa would go equally well over a seasoned, grilled chicken breast, and it looks and sounds a lot fancier than it is.

Peach-Cantaloupe Salsa
adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Yields 2 cups of salsa

Ingredients
1 cup diced cantaloupe
1 cup diced peach (about 1 medium-large peach)
1 diced serrano pepper, seeds and membrane removed
1/4 cup diced sweet onion or red onion
2 tbsp fresh-squeezed lime juice
salt to taste

Preparation
Mix all ingredients together and eat immediately.
2 tbsp lime juice

Bread and Butter Pickles

Whenever Joe and I are eating something with cucumbers, the cucumbers always end up on my plate, and most of the time, I don't mind. But when our CSA share came with 4 good-sized cucumbers, that was slightly more than I wanted to eat on my own before they went bad. Then I had a flash of genius, or rather, I remembered the Alton Brown episode where he made refrigerator pickles, and I knew the fate of the CSA cucumbers. I only had to acquire a few extra things: canning jars, pickling spice, and celery seeds.

I'm still sort of amazed that I made pickles and that they are very good, so much fresher tasting than the kind you can buy. Plus you can control your own spices. I made four jars, and we've already eaten through one. Alton Brown says that these will last up to 3 months in the refrigerator since the environment is so acidic, but we'll be lucky if these last to the end of the week.

Alton Brown's Bread and Butter Pickles
source: Food Network

Ingredients

* 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
* 2 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced
* 1 cup water
* 1 cup cider vinegar
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* Pinch kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
* 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
* 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
* 1/2 teaspoon pickling spice

Preparation

Combine onion and cucumber slices in a clean spring-top jar.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a non-reactive saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 4 full minutes to wake up the flavors of the spices.

Slowly pour the hot pickling liquid over the onion and cucumber slice, completely filling the jar. Allow the pickles to cool to room temperature before topping off with any remaining pickling liquid. Refrigerate.