Category: Appetizers

Southwest SunButter Kale Salad

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The thing I love about baby kale is it’s mellow flavor and tender texture that lends itself perfectly to salads and slaws. You don’t have to worry about giving it a super massage session or letting it meld overnight to tenderize. Instead, you make, toss, and eat. That’s just the way I like it.

This Southwest SunButter Kale Salad is a way to make that kale shine. It uses a SunButter-based southwest-inspired dressing that’s sweet, spicy, creamy, and smoky, and the addition of grated sweet potato, red pepper, and fresh corn give it some crunch. The black beans round it out to a full meal with an added protein boost.

The full recipe is available at the SunButter website here: Southwest SunButter Kale Salad and be sure to Like them on Facebook (and me, too!) to see even more allergy-friendly recipes, too.

If you’re into the idea of savory applications of SunButter, you’ll also want to check out my and SunButter Lentil Stew…

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or keep it sweet with these SunButter Coconut Raisin Cookies …

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… SunButter Butter Tarts…

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… Chocolate-Covered SunButter-Pumpkin Truffles…

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… Double SunButter Hi-Hat Blondies...

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and, my favourite, the SunButter Caramel Cookie Strawberry Pie.

SunButter Crumble Strawberry Pie 4(Disclosure statement: I received monetary compensation and free product from SunButter from a recipe development partnership. I only, however, promote and partner with companies I love and use regularly in my own kitchen. As always, all opinions and recommendations expressed are completely my own.)

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Balsamic Espresso Barbecue Sauce

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If you’re looking for the ultimate BBQ sauce, this is it. Sweet and tangy, this tomato-based barbecue sauce doesn’t use ketchup, has a hint of espresso, and adds a kick of chipotle, making it perfect for veggies, (veg) burgers, and everything else for the grill.

Balsamic-Espresso Barbecue Sauce

  • Servings: about 2 cups
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1 1/3 cups passata
1/2 cup traditional balsamic vinegar
4 teaspoons mild olive oil
2 teaspoons espresso powder
2 teaspoons brown mustard
1 small can (5.5oz/156mL) tomato paste
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon  garlic powder

Put all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to medium heat, whisking until smooth, and let cook for about 15 minutes, until slightly thickened. Cool and store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Super Simple Refrigerator Dill Pickles

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I’ve never made pickles before but was a little intimidated by canning, so I figured the fridge variety would start me off… and it definitely paid out. These are amazing and just what I was looking for: super crisp, dilly, tangy (but not too tangy), and garlic-free (low-fodmap). I analyzed a lot of recipes then settled on a combo based on the flavors I was looking for and the ingredients that were easily accessible. My only regret is that fresh cuke season is over!

The recipe might seem a little vague, but I’ll explain it based on exactly what I did, and most measurements are exact. I might get some terms incorrect here — I’m no canning expert — so please let me know and I’ll fix it.

Though the photo shows three jars and one small one, it actually made four large and one small one — the fourth one just went to my mom before I snapped the picture.

refrigerator-pickles

Super Simple Refrigerator Dill Pickles

  • Servings: 4 large jars plus 1 small jar
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For the jars:
1 (3L) basket size two cucumbers (this fit into 3 of the jars)
1 small pile of miscellany veggies (this fit into the final jar, and included peppers, green beans, a couple cukes, carrots, and radishes
~2 teaspoons per jar mustard seeds
Large handful fresh dill weed
Turmeric (see instructions)

For the brine:
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse/pickling salt
1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar

Cut the ends off of the cucumbers, then stuff them into the jars. Trim the stems from the veggies and do the same. Add the mustard seeds and dill weed to the jar. For one of the cucumber jars, I sliced them in half. For the veggies, I nixed the mustard seeds and added about a teaspoon turmeric. I didn’t really notice any difference.

Put the water, cider vinegar, white vinegar, salt, and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil on medium heat, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve. Remove from heat and pour into the jars, leaving 1-inch headspace.  Put on the lids and lightly screw the tops. Let cool completely, then refrigerate.

Notes:

  • As mentioned, I didn’t really notice much difference adding the turmeric. That jar is more vinegary, but the peppers and beans might just absorb more.
  • I read that you pretty much want to do a 1:1 ratio with vinegar and water. I was going to do all cider vinegar but the store only had small bottles, so I went with some white.
  • I added the sugar because I knew I wouldn’t eat them if they were TOO sour. The amount seemed perfect! My mom (who also got a jar) mentioned they could have had more salt, but I found them salty enough (and I really like salt… so maybe it was just her jar?)
  • I love dill, and definitely could have added more!
  • I had a tiny jar and a couple pickles left, and love bread and butter pickles, so added more sugar (about a tablespoon) just into that jar. They are good — still quite sour — but I love the originals so much that I would just make them from here forward.