February
2008
Homemade Condiment Creations
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Tomatoes - yep. Vinegar - seems fine. Sugar - wait, what? Even ketchup isn’t safe from the wrath of sugar. Think you have to ditch the bottle - the condiment bottle that is - in order to avoid these hidden sugars? Not a chance, especially if you have the baseline kitchen skills necessary to whip up some of these homemade alternatives.
Ketchup:
There’s no need to give up ketchup if you can opt for this sugar-free (but no less delicious) 3-minute variety.
6 ounces tomato paste
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup water
2 tbsp of your preferred sugar substitute (optional)
2 tbsp onions
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp pepper
Combine ingredients in food processor and blend until the onion disappears. Spoon mixture into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.
Mayonnaise:
If using raw eggs in mayonnaise makes you nervous, try this recipe, which not only dramatically reduces the sugar content but also partially cooks the eggs!
2 large egg yolks
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp water
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
1 cup pure olive oil
Heat the egg yolks, lemon juice, water, and sugar in a small skillet over very low heat, stirring constantly. At the first sign of thickness, remove from heat and submerge in a large pan of cold water (you should continue stirring here to avoid creating citrus-y scrambled eggs…trust us!) Scoop mixture out of pan and into a food processor. Blend for a few seconds and then let mixture sit uncovered for at least 5 minutes to cool. Add remaining dry ingredients, and blend on low speed. Drizzle oil slowly into the mixture until all ingredients are combined. Scoop into a large glass container and chill immediately. Mayonaise should keep for at least one week if stored correctly.
Mustard:
Ahhh…mustard. Another childhood favorite. But did you know many varieties contain a hefty dose of brown sugar? Cut the carbs - and synthesize the taste - by following this spicy mustard recipe
1/4 cup white or brown mustard seeds
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup dry mustard
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground allspice
2 tbsp cold water
Place mustard seeds, wine vinegar and wine in a small bowl and let sit for 3 hours. Pour the contents of the bowl and the water into a food processor with a steel blade. Blend until seeds are broken up and then add the dry mustard, salt, allspice, and water, and process until smooth. Scoop into glass container and refrigerate 12 hours before serving.
Faux Honey Mustard:
This is perhaps one of the most delicious (and kid-friendly) ways to sweeten the appeal of a chicken dish!
1 cup mayonnaise (extra credit if you use your own homemade version!)
1/3 cup mustard (again, there’s no harm in using your own!)
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 packet sugar substitute or a bit of honey
Combine all ingredients in bowl and mix thoroughly. To store, refrigerate in airtight container.
Barbeque Sauce:
Ever wonder what makes barbeque sauce so delicious? Perhaps it’s the 30 grams of sugar per 1/4 cup serving? Don’t want to give up this comfort food favorite? Then try this innovative recipe, which uses diet soda in place of the sugar!
2 strips of thick bacon, chopped fine or 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, or chipotle powder to taste (this gives the sauce its smoky flavor, so using either the bacon or the spices is fine!)
1 small onion (minced)
1 clove garlic (minced)
1 6oz can tomato paste
1 tsp liquid smoke
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup ketchup (again, use your homemade version!)
3 tbsp mustard
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch cinnamon
Hot sauce to taste (any variety is fine!)
If using bacon, fry in a 2-qt pan (no oil) until cooked through. Add the onion and cook over a medium heat for 3-5 minutes (or until onion browns). Add in garlic and cook for a minute, then mix in all other ingredients and simmer for about 30 minutes. Test the mixture and add other spices, more vinegar or hot sauce until you achieve the desired taste. To store, scoop into a large plastic container and keep refrigerated.
Almond Butter:
Looking for a peanut butter alternative? Try this almond butter recipe - its quick, easy, and super nutritious!
3 lbs raw, unsalted almonds
Spread almonds on cookie sheets and toast in a 350 degree F. oven for about 10-15 minutes, stirring them around occasionally to ensure that they are toasting evenly. Let cool for 30-45 minutes. In a food processor, add handfuls of almonds at a time through the shoot opening and blend on high. Periodically open blender and scrape down sides to make sure that mixture is blending evenly. If you prefer a chunkier almond butter, save a handful for the end and then add in while pulsing food processor to attain desired consistency.
Share your favorite homemade condiment making tips and recipes in the comment boards!
erikadotnet, hexod.us, WordRidden, mightymightymatze, my amil, sproutgrrl Flickr Photos (CC)
Further Reading:
Choose Your Own Salad Adventure
FitSugar: Amazing Almond Butter Attributes
Sugar Shock: Heinz Wants Sweeter Tomatoes
Technorati Tags: sugar, condiments, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, barbecue, sauce, bbq, almond butter
Just printed it! Thanks for the suggestions. By the way, you can do other nut butters too. My all-time favorite is cashew.
There’s no need for any sugar in mustard! And I’d be careful of that recommendation for “sugar-free” cola in the barbecue sauce. First of all, colas that don’t contain sugar often contain high fructose corn syrup, to say nothing of their other ingredients. Also, per the sugar-substitute suggestions, I’m wary of all the fake sugars out there. Sugar is terrible for you, sure, but I’d rather eat unsweetened food than eat a very processed fake sugar that hasn’t been around long enough to see long-term effects. Or I’d rather use a little honey; it’s bad for you, but at least it’s a natural food.
I love this nut butter recipe which I created. I have made many combos but this is my fav:
1 c chop walnuts, 1 c chop pecans, 1/3 c flax seeds
whirl/process/scrape and enjoy
I also make my own mayo–
1 egg with juice of 1/2-1 lemon, pinch salt, 1 spoon
stoneground natural mustard (no sweeteners in it–usually use Eden or westbrae), 1 c EVO (I find no prob with it)
Thanks for your recipes. Will give em a try!
Huckleberry -
The mustard recipe doesn’t call for sugar.
Sugar free cola never has HFCS, otherwise they wouldn’t be able to call it sugar free.
I sort of agree with your sugar substitute comment. Though, I haven’t seen any studies to suggest Splenda is bad. Have you? Sweet things rarely are a part of my diet, but if a certain recipe calls for sugar I’d take a packet of splenda over a cup of sugar any day…
ooh! i’m actually excited to try this! but i gotta say, giving up my ketchup… you might have to fight me for it.
Real Mayonnaise never has sugar in it! So there is not need to take it out. That creamy stuff labelled ’slad dressing’ that looks like mayonnaise does have sugar which is one one many reasons to avoid it. And why do you say not to use extra-virgin olive oil? I thought “pure” olive oil was super-processed oil? I use a mix of cold-pressed almond oil and a French extra-virgin olive oil so that the olive oil taste is not too strong, but it can be made with all extra virgin olive oil if you like the taste.
I’m a little concerned about the use of sugar substitute.
I think it’s better to adjust to the natural taste of food than to add unnatural substitutes. There is some data out there that supports the idea that the brain gets confused between the apparent ingestion of calories yet no carbohydrate to metabolize. It turns out, you’re not really doing yourself any favours since you tend to eat the “saved” calories later on.
You guys are hardcore! The sugar substitutes seem to be just a small part of a couple recipes. If you don’t like them, don’t use ‘em.
I took the EVOO non-recommendation to mean that EVOO is too good/expensive to be used in mayo - that is, you lose the nuances of the taste of EVOO when it is used in an amalgamation like mayo. I have heard other people suggest things to this effect in the past.
We’ll be doing a full length blog post on sugar substitutes soon. Stay tuned!
These are great. Sometimes you just have to have these condiments, but hate using store bought stuff. Finally, some better options. Thanks.
Diet cola? Really? That seems so antithetical to everything this website is about.
And also, most storebought mustard is unsweetened and sugar- (and calorie-) free.
But really. Sugar-free cola is pretty much diet cola, no? Chemical grossness.
Unless I misread it, the first time I looked at the mustard recipe it called for a small amount of sugar. Did I misread it? Was it edited?
Thanks for this article, great stuff.
Okay, now I’m confusing myself by mixing up words. I actually meant the mayonnaise recipe, not the mustard one, but it also now doesn’t have sugar listed. I thought the first time I read it it had a small amount. Did it previously and was it edited out?
The small amount of sugar was cut out of the mayo recipe even though it was only 1/2 tsp (literally only about 8 calories directly from sugar for the whole lot of mayo) just to avoid any confusion. There never was any sugar in the mustard recipe.
surplusj -
Give ‘em a break. They aren’t suggesting you suck down diet sodas every day. That certainly could mess with your system. They are giving you an alternative bbq sauce that you would probably use a couple of tablespoons of tops once in a blue moon. These things are matters of degrees and life is all about compromises. Again, if you don’t like it don’t include it - no biggie.
Walter - I only object so strongly because it’s so random and unnecessary. There are plenty of ways to make bbq sauce (or buy it!) without tons of sugar *or* a diet coke. If the whole point is healthier alternatives, why offer one up with needless crap?
I love mustard, i always season chicken, meat with mustard and red pepper before cooking,, it really flavors it up!
I think you are kind of over-reacting too, surplusj. I too think it is a little out of the ordinary for Mark’s Daily Apple. But in the bigger context of things it is but a small part that is pretty harmless in my estimation.
Thanks for the comment, Donna! Mustard and spices can do wonders to pep up a boring old dish without any additional calories whatsoever.
I definitely see where you are coming from, surplusj. We’ve got a new Worker Bee working for us at MDA that is still in training.
You’re right that a few points weren’t spot on with our usual diet suggestions, or could at least be a cause of some confusion. But I think the message of finding sensible alternatives for often times not-so-sensible staples of the American diet was solid. I’m going to make a few amendments to avoid any further confusion. Thanks for the feedback, everyone!
My experience is that EVOO mayonnaise tastes bitter. I did read somewhere that this is because of the high-speed blending in the food processor or blender. It is possible, but time-consuming and kind of boring (or maybe I mean “zen”), to make mayonnaise with a bowl and whisk, and it may be less bitter that way. I’m only saying what I’ve heard - I haven’t tried it myself yet.
re: sweeteners. I almost never use artificial sweeteners, and when I do I always cut the amount the original recipe calls for in half (or even less). If that gets me down to 1 tsp or less per serving, I use real sugar instead. But I also sympathize that it can be very hard the first few days you are trying to give up sugar, and I definitely used artificial sweeteners more liberally until I gave up the sugar habit.
I didn’t mean to attack anyone, especially not a new Worker Bee. I’m all for flexibility. The diet cola just seemed unnecessary, and why waste junk food where you can’t even taste it?
You’re welcome Aaron,
Fish is also great seasoned that way to cook. I learned to season my food that way growing up in Louisiana, red pepper is a big deal down there,(spicy!) Bon’Apetite’
I have a very successful recipe for rice milk (my wife is lactose intolerant.) Simmer a cup of brown rice in two cups good water with about 1/2 tsp of sea salt for 25 minutes. Put the cooked rice (with any water left) into a powerful blender (like a Vitamix), and add 2 more cups good water. Start blender on medium and add about two tbls olive oil, about 1/2 tsp of soy lecithin, about 2 tbls honey and a squirt of vanilla.
Increase blender speed to high until the emulsion takes hold and run until the blend is smooth. Then add 2 cups more of good water, mix well and your milk is done. Refrigerate in glass until cool; you can add a little more water and shake it if it is too creamy for your cereal taste.
[...] versus nuts themselves, it’s your choice. However, be sure to select nut butter (I recommend almond butter) without added ingredients, especially added sugars. And, again, I’d favor raw and organic over [...]