These days, it’s fairly simple to find healthy recipes. A quick search online reveals a vast number of possibilities for any number of entrees and side dishes that won’t make you buy a belt two sizes larger. Something a bit more difficult to find, however, are sauces. Making baked chicken can be simple, but what do you dip it with when it’s time to eat?
A Simple Barbecue Sauce Recipe
Is there a sauce more American than that of the barbecue variety? The people of this country love drenching their meats in sweet, tangy, delicious barbecue sauce, with good reason. While recipes seem to vary from region to region, the recipe below will give you great flavor with little to no guilt.
- 3 tbsp ketchup
- 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp yellow mustard
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
Here comes the hard part: mix everything together. Yes, that’s it. Once you’ve got your barbecue sauce ready, marinate your favorite meat and get to grilling. You can enjoy this wonderful sauce on ribs, burgers, pork, chicken, and anything else you would normally glaze. To try it as a side, check out this Barbecued Sweet Potatoes recipe, which works as an alternative to French fries.
Sweet-and-Sour Sauce
Perhaps one of the most versatile sauces next to barbecue, sweet-and-sour can be used to enhance almost any food. Chicken, pork, eggrolls, meatballs, seafood, pineapple, vegetable casserole, and even pasta all pair well with this deliciously tangy dipping sauce.
- 3 tbsps water
- 1/4 cup apricot all-fruit spread
- 3 tbsps fresh orange juice
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp cornstarch
Use a whisk to mix together all of the ingredients in a microwaveable bowl. When the cornstarch is dissolved, put the mixture into the microwave and heat, covered for 90 seconds, or until the sauce is thick. To see what the American Heart Association (AHA) did with the sauce, check out their Sugar Snap Peas with Sweet-and-Sour Sauce recipe.
Mango Sauce
Perhaps a little less conventional than the previous two sauces, mango sauce is still a big winner when it comes to options. People enjoy this chunky delight with Mexican food, including tacos and chips, on salad, or straight out of the bowl. The AHA even has a wonderful Jerk Pork Sandwiches with Mango Sauce recipe that will be sure to please.
- 1 large mango, diced into ¼-inch cubes
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp finely chopped red onions
- juice of 1/2 lime
- 1 tbsp chopped, fresh parsley
This one, like the barbecue sauce recipe above, is simple: mix everything together. That’s it.
The wonderful thing about these easy-to-make, affordable homemade sauces is discovery. Tweak the recipe and refine it to make it your own. Experiment with your favorite foods to find a pairing that works for you. Bon appétit!
Resources
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/meals.html