80- - - BBQ Sauce x 3

As promised-- here is homemade barbecue sauce! I am labeling these as 80 because they ARE homemade, and we know every single ingredient that goes into them. No high fructose corn syrup, no preservatives, controlled sodium levels. They do contain sugar and a little butter, but for the amount that is typically consumed (2-3 Tbsp) does not typically cause the calories, sugar, or fat to add up.

I made THREE different sauces, because I really didn't know what I was doing. DISCOVERY: barbecue sauce is so easy to make! Don't buy sauce ever again. Make your own and truly MAKE IT YOUR OWN. Make a signature product!

Some Like it Smokey (middle spoon)
Makes ~ 3 cups

1 cup yellow mustard
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp liquid smoke or hickory flavoring

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until brought to a low boil. Reduce heat to a simmer for 30 minutes. Cool slightly prior to refrigerating.

Some Like it Tangy (top spoon)
Makes 2 cups

1 cup yellow mustard
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp cayenne

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes.

Some Like it Spicy (bottom spoon)
Makes 3 cups

3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup Thai chile sauce
1/2 cup spiced rum
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp ketchup
3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, pressed and finely minced
2 tsp ground dry mustard

In a medium saucepan, saute garlic until slightly browned. Add remaining ingredients over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally. Cool and refrigerate until ready to use.

80-- Mio Marinara

Marinara sauce is so versatile. However, what comes in a jar is often laden with corn syrup, salt, and other foreign ingredients. This is the time of year when garden-fresh tomatoes are plentiful! Use them to make your own marinara sauce! It can be frozen or stored for up to 2 months in the refrigerator. And all it takes is a few SIMPLE ingredients.

Tomatoes contain large amounts of lycopenes, carotenoid antioxidants that can aid in cancer and heart disease prevention. It has been found that organic tomatoes and tomato products contain even more lycopene than their non-organic counterparts. Look for deep red tomatoes for the highest concentrations!

Mio Marinara

Serves 6

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 large garlic cloves, pressed and minced

3 pounds ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/8 tsp sugar

2 springs fresh basil

2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

Salt

In a nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook just until fragrant, stirring approximately 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, basil sprigs, and salt and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring often, until thick (~30 minutes). At the end of cooking, add chopped basil and salt or additional seasonings to taste.

Nutrition Info per 1/2 cup serving: 52 calories, 2 g fat, 1.5 g protein, 4.5 g carbohydrates

80--- California Bruschetta

Bruschetta is a classic hearty Italian appetizer consisting of grilled bread rubbed with olive oil and garlic and topped with a combination of tomato, garlic, basil, and onion.

MY bruschetta recipe has a little Cali twist to it by adding black olives and avocado and placing it on homemade flatbread chips.

Avocados are another one of the world's magic fruits. They have a lot of healthy monounsaturated fats, and also vitamin K, folate, potassium, vitamin E, lutein, magnesium, vitamin C, and vitamin B6. WHOA. However, I often get the question, "So, avocados are good for me, right? So I can eat a lot of them?" My response is "Yes, they are good for you, but even though the fat they contain is healthy fat-- it is still fat which provides your body with extra calories." One 3" avocado contains approximately 300 calories. If you are eating one a day-- those calories can really add up. My suggestion is to eat 1/2 of an avocado a few times a week.

This bruschetta is a lovely light lunch (my hubby just had this and only this for lunch and said "This is one of the best things you have ever made", and he is NO vegetarian!). This is also a great summery appetizer or side dish! I have also used this bruschetta on top of a grilled chicken breast. Just top each breast when the chicken is ALMOST done cooking, and let it heat through.

California Bruschetta with Flatbread Chips

Serves 6 (1/2 cup bruschetta and 4 chips)

Chips

3 rounds whole wheat flatbread/ pita bread

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp Johnny Salt (or seasoning salt of your choice)

Bruschetta

1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes (I used grape tomatoes-- lots of flavor, not a lot of seeds and pulp)

1 avocado, diced (not TOO ripe, you do not want it to end up looking like guacamole)

2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced

1 cup sliced black olives

1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tsp salt

For chips: Preheat oven to 400 degrees and cut each flatbread round into 8 slices (like a pizza). Place slices onto baking sheet and brush on olive oil. Sprinkle with seasoning salt. Bake for ~7 minutes, or until lightly brown and crispy.

For bruschetta: Add all ingredients to a medium bowl and gently fold to mix.

Add 2 Tbsp bruschetta to each chip.

Nutrition Info per 1/2 cup bruschetta and 4 chips: 217 calories, 11 g fat (HEALTHY fat), 7 g protein, 46 g carbohydrates, 8 g fiber

80--- Purple Velvet Blueberry Sauce

Bring on the berries! I love this time of year when the berry selection is fruitful! I always stock up and freeze a bunch for the winter months.

We had this sauce over whole wheat French toast. It was so much tastier and HEALTHIER than a sugary syrup!

My next plan is to put it over some lean cut pork chops with a side of Harvest Spinach Salad (coming up this week). How versatile! You can also make this sauce ahead of time and freeze it in an airtight container.

Blueberries are chock full of antioxidants. Many recent studies have shown that blueberry consumption may slow, or even prevent, prostate cancer. For example: Blueberry flavonoids inhibit matrix metalloproteinase activity in DU145 human prostate cancer cells: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16234852

Yippee! What great news! Men, eat up!

Purple Velvet Blueberry Sauce

Serves 6

2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen (not thawed)

1 cup 2% Greek yogurt, or lowfat plain yogurt

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/4 cup honey

2 tsp lemon zest

In a medium saucepan mix berries, lemon juice, honey, and lemon zest. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and maintain simmer for approximately 15 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in yogurt and heat through. Serve warm.

Nutrition Info per 1/4 cup serving: 46 calories, 0.8g fat, 3.2g protein, 7.5g carbohydrates