5 Ways To Use Chamoy Sauce

I had to make a separate blog post on this sauce because there are just too many ways to use this crack sauce “aka” chamoy sauce.

You can go straight to the mango melon sorbet with chamoy sauce post for the recipe, or you can grab it here:

CHAMOY SAUCE

• ½ cup fresh lime juice (5-7 limes)

• 1-3 dried ancho chilies 

• 1 - 10 oz jar organic apricot jam

• 1 tsp salt

• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

To make the chamoy sauce

1. Tear the stem off and deseed the ancho chilies. Submerse dried chilies in boiling water for a few minutes until the chilies are soft. 

2. In a high speed blender, place the soft ancho chilies along with the entire jar of apricot jam, lime juice, salt, cayenne pepper, and a ladle or two of the water that the ancho chilies were in. 

3. Blend on high speed until extremely smooth. Taste sauce and adjust flavors if need to (i.e. I typically add an additional ½ tsp cayenne pepper because I like it super spicy!) as well as sauce consistency. This should make about 2 cups worth. If you are unsure about the sauce consistency, look at the pictures above for reference. 

4. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. 

Now that you have the beloved sauce recipe, let’s get into 5 ways to use chamoy sauce!

To get a visual: check out IG reels below!

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A post shared by Candace Dorsey| From the Roots (@fromtherootsblog)

1| Mango Melon Sorbet

You can grab the recipe here

2| watermelon slices

3| Mangonada

• 1 cup mango chunks, fresh or frozen

• 1/2 cup coconut milk, coconut water, or water

• Juice of 1/2 lime

• Tajin or chili lime seasoning, for the rim

• chamoy sauce

• Tamarind stick, for serving (optional)

Directions

1. Rim a glass with a lime wedge and tajin seasoning. Squeeze chamoy sauce inside the glass using a swirling motion.

2. In a blender, add mango, liquid, lime juice, and a handful of ice and blend until smooth and creamy.

3. Pour the mango smoothie into the prepared glass about halfway, then layer the smoothie with chamoy sauce, repeat with more smoothie picture and top with chamoy sauce, tajin seasoning, fresh mango, and tamarind stick if desired. Enjoy!

You can also use this chili lime smoothie recipe as well!

4| Mango Slices

5| Fresh watermelon juice / Watermelon margaritas

Here are some quick recipes:

Spicy Watermelon Margaritas

Strawberry Watermelon Mint Agua Frescas

Watermelon Lime Refresher

Watermelon Ice Cubes

Red Curry Sauce

Red Curry Sauce - A tried and true healthier version of the traditional red curry sauce. Less than 10-ingredients, gluten-free, dairy-free, keto, and paleo-friendly.

Y'all. This sauce is what dreams are made of! As an obsessive curry lover, I’m always on the prowl for a good curry recipe; whether it be from a restaurant or from a blog. Well, low behold, I found the perfect red curry sauce at this local Asian restaurant that used to be but only a block away from me! Needless to say, curry ran through my veins in those four years of living in that area!

So now that I am many...many blocks away from that restaurant, it was only a matter of time that I started to recreate the sauce. Long story short, we have arrived! 

Luckily for you, this is a much healthier version but tastes just as creamy, full-bodied curry sauce that you ever laid your taste buds on! For this recipe, I used many condiments that I already had in my pantry, as I am sure you have them in yours as well. 

And don’t fret if you don’t have them, I listed all the products I used for this sauce in the recipe notes below.

One condiment that transforms this umami flavor bomb sauce is using miso paste. Now, I understand that soybeans are not considered “paleo”, but most paleo eaters will choose to add this into their dishes because of the way it’s prepared. 

Miso is the product of fermented soybeans, water, fermented grains (called koji), and salt. Koji, the final product of fermented rice, barley, or soy, requires the use of a fungus called Aspergillus oryzae, which activates the fermentation process. Asian cooking often requires a number of fermented products like miso, which are all fermented with koji. So that umami flavor you get when eating at an Asian restaurant will most likely have miso in it! If you would like more health facts on miso paste from a paleo perspective, here’s the link.  

One thing I will note is that I created this recipe for a sponsored post for Vital Proteins. I used them for two reasons. One is that it’s a fun and creative way to incorporate collagen peptides into your meals and two, it is used as a thickening agent. 

If you don’t mind having a more liquid sauce then it’s fine without using collagen peptides. But if you are a pro in the kitchen, feel free to experiment using other thickening agents like flour or arrowroot starch. I will report back if this work but for now, collagen powder is the way to go!

Feel free to use this sauce on just about anything and everything! Next week, I will be posting a chicken curry nacho recipe but in the meantime, here are some ways you can use red curry sauce: on eggs, chicken, rice, veggies, dipping sauce, condiment, pasta, marinade/sauce for a protein source, or just straight out of the bowl - possibilities are endless!

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A post shared by Candace Dorsey| From the Roots (@fromtherootsblog)

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with! 

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Red Curry Sauce - A tried and true healthier version of the traditional red curry sauce. Less than 10-ingredients, gluten-free, dairy-free, keto, and paleo-friendly.

Ingredients

• 1 can unsweetened coconut milk 

• 2 Tbsp red curry paste

• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

• 2 Tbsp curry powder

• 2 scoops collagen peptides (optional but helps to thicken sauce)

• 2 tsp (heaping) organic white miso paste

• 1 Tbsp liquid aminos

• 1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger

• 1 tsp pure maple syrup

• Juice of ½ lime

Directions

1. Prepare the curry sauce by adding all ingredients into a blender or nutribullet and blend until the mixture is in a sauce form. *If you do not have a blender, you can sub fresh ginger for ginger powder so that the sauce is smooth and consistent in texture. 

2. At this point, taste the sauce and see if it needs more umami (miso paste/liquid aminos), cheesy (nutritional yeast), bitter (lime juice), spice (curry paste/powder), or salt.

3. Pour sauce into a small saucepan and heat on medium heat. Stir sauce until the sauce is about to boil and turn the heat off. Make sure you are constantly stirring so as to not burn the sauce. 

4. As the sauce cools down, it will thicken. Collagen helps to thicken the sauce so if you are adding more collagen, make sure the sauce is hot enough for the collagen to blend well so that you don’t get clumps! 

5. If you are making a meal like chicken curry with rice and vegetables, heat the sauce into the cooking veggies if using a skillet to do this. If not, serve over anything and everything!

6. Store in an airtight container for at least two weeks in the refrigerator. 

Notes: 

Products that were used in the curry sauce: coconut milk, curry paste, collagen peptides, nutritional yeast, white miso paste, curry powder, maple syrup, liquid aminos. 

Roasted Acorn Squash with Maple Tahini Drizzle

Roasted acorn squash with maple tahini drizzle - perfect for that simple healthy side dish for Thanksgiving!

Who else is excited for Thanksgiving like me? The food, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, napping after being full!? Thanksgiving will be here before you know it so if you are hosting Thanksgiving at your house or wondering what you can bring as a side dish, you are probably planning everything now!

As a side dish, this acorn squash with maple tahini drizzle will soon become a yearly Thanksgiving staple. The squash is cooked in one pan while the drizzle is made in a small jar, making clean up quick and painless. The recipe will not take up much space or equipment so you can continue spending more time on the turkey and other fixings. Not only is it quick to make, but the ingredients are also very simple!

Bonus! I have teamed up with Wayfair on how to make your Thanksgiving table setting simple yet beautiful! The pieces I have chosen were inspired by my home roots. Thanksgiving is all about family so the colors were inspired by my mother’s favorite color, purple, speckled in the centerpiece with gold furnishings all centered around a rustic/country theme. You may think the rustic theme has been overdone, but personally, I love it! I grew up in Georgia so I was often surrounded by country beauty.

To make your table setting really pop, add fresh flowers like mums, black-eyed susans, and magnolias. Adding foods like pumpkins, persimmons, pomegranates, and pears will tie the theme together.

Get creative and have fun!

Wayfair Thanksgiving Table Ideas:

Farmersville Buffalo Table Runner // More Table Linens	Pumpkin Decorative Accent // More Thanksgiving Decorative Accents	Ceramic Petite Pumpkin Cocotte // More Dutch Ovens & Braisers	Place Card Holder // More Place Card Holders
Cucina Wood Cutting Board // More Cutting Boards	Pacifica 10" Dinner Plate // More Plates & Saucers	5 Piece Flatware Set // More Flatware Sets	Lebanon Glass Champagne Glass // More Wine & Champagne Glasses
Round Wire Napkin Rings // More Napkin Rings	Sunderland Napkins // More Cloth Napkins	DIY Flower Black Eyed Susan // More Artificial Flowers	Mum Floral Arrangement // More Floral Arrangements
Magnolia Leaf Garland // More Garlands & Swag	Faux Persimmon Stem // More Floral & Flower Stems	Salt and Pepper Shaker Set // More Salt & Pepper Shakers	Rustic Decorative Bowl // More Decorative Bowls
Stoneware Covered Casserole // More Baking Dishes	3 Piece Candlestick Set // More Candle Holders	Thankful Serving Platter // More Serving Dishes & Platters	Regina Cake Stand // More Cake Stands

I was not financially compensated for this post.

Bonus: To turn this recipe into a soup: Peel the skin off of the acorn squash and blend into a blender with 1 cup plant based milk. Feel free to season to taste and add maple tahini drizzle to garnish!

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INGREDIENTS

ACORN SQUASH

• 2 acorn squash

• 2 Tbsp EVOO

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 2 tsp raw cane sugar

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp pepper

MAPLE TAHINI DRIZZLE

• 1/4 cup tahini

• 3 Tbsp water

• 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup

• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar

• S+P season to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Cut acorn squash in half and take out the seeds. Then slice each half into 1/2 inch slices.

3. In a large bowl, toss acorn squash, oil and seasonings to combine.

4. Transfer to two sheet pans lined with parchment paper.

5. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until squash is cooked through and edges are crispy. Will need to flip for the first 15 minutes.

6. While the acorn squash is cooking, add all ingredients for the maple tahini drizzle in a small mason jar and whisk until combined.

7. When the acorn squash is cooled, pour the maple tahini drizzle over the acorn squash and top with pomegranate arils and peptitas.

The Best Spicy Vegan Cheese Sauce

A delicious and super addicting spicy vegan cheese sauce that’s perfect for mac and cheese, dips, baked potatoes and more! 

Ever since I found out that I was intolerant to dairy, my world crumbled before my eyes (pun intended)! So, you are trying to tell me that I cannot have mac and cheese, cheese on my pizza or queso from Mexican restaurants!? Are you trying to kill me!?

Since then, I have been scouring the web for the best dairy-free alternatives! To be honest, it’s hard finding alternatives that are not overly processed or inexpensive. But even though grocery stores are getting better at providing alternatives, it’s nice to know I can make something quick at home with staple ingredients that are always on hand. And I can do it on the cheap!

This is where I bring you to my most favorite recipe of them all, spicy vegan cheese sauce! When I was making a batch to take photos, I literally ate half the macaroni and cheese and the entire dip with chips within two hours; it is that addicting!

What makes this my favorite is that it’s crazy how easy and fast it is to make it! You see all these vegan cheese recipes with a million ingredients and the direction list are fifteen steps long and you're sitting there like, “Who has time for that?”

That’s why this recipe is easy. Simply boil the potato and carrots until mushy, transfer them to a blender along with the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Boom, that’s it! Double boom because the sauce is already hot so no need to transfer it to a skillet or oven to heat up.

Even if you are not vegan or dairy free, this recipe is great to serve to your kids or that picky eater that struggles with incorporating veggies into their diet. Even better, you can get away with hiding them in popular dishes like mac and cheese, baked potato and chips and dip!

You could also use this recipe on a few From the Roots classics like kale and pesto cauliflower rice,  Verde carne asada tostadas, turkey meatballs, and sweet potato hash breakfast skillet.

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with!

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A delicious and super addicting spicy vegan cheese sauce that’s perfect for mac and cheese, dips, baked potatoes and more! 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large russet potato (skin off)

• 2 large carrots

• 1 can (10 oz) low-sodium rotel (spicy)

• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

• 1 Tbsp juice of fresh lemon

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut potatoes and carrots into cubes and add to boiling water. Boil until vegetables are mushy.

2. Drain vegetables from water and transfer to a high powered blender. Add the rest of the ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth and creamy.

3. May add additional salt if bland or more nutritional yeast for desired “cheesy flavor.”

4. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to a week.

NOTES

1. If you are making this into a dip, garnish with smoked paprika, diced green chilies or jalapenos!

2. For a more spicy taste, simply add hot sauce or green chilies for that desired taste.

3. Warning: if you use a regular can of Rotel, this sauce will taste "tomato-y" and not like a cheese dip flavor.

Salsa Verde

Easy to make salsa verde with avocado salsa verde option. Just roast tomatillos and jalapenos and blend with a few ingredients to make the perfect salsa verde. 

Out of any salsa variations, salsa verde is my absolute favorite! There is just something about the winning combination of the tanginess from the tomatillos to the fresh hints of lime and cilantro that really butters my biscuits! Unfortunately, most restaurants and grocery stores do not provide a cleaner version of salsa verde -- they’re usually filled with high amounts of sodium and preservatives. That is why I created this guilt-free salsa verde so I can continue eating as much salsa as my heart desires!

This is a recipe that relies heavily on fresh produce, and, especially, in this case, fresh tomatillos.  For tomatillos, it can be hard sometimes to distinguish the good from the bad because a tomatillo is wrapped in a papery husk. When you are choosing, look for small, firm tomatillos with tight-fitting husks.

Inside that papery husk is a bright green fruit with a fresh, almost citrusy flavor! The tartness can be a little overwhelming, so for this recipe, it is best to roast them. Roasting the tomatillos will bring a smoky and sweet flavor to the salsa, pairing perfectly with the garlic and cilantro.

Salsa verde obviously goes well with chips, but you can definitely (and should!) get creative with adding salsa to other food! Verde salsa goes well with anything classic red salsa would go with, so think morning eggs, burritos, or my sweet potato hash breakfast skillet recipe.

Here’s another suggestion - you can make this salsa verde creamy using avocados. Sometimes when I meal prep, I’ll make both versions of the salsa because I like having options! Simply add one avocado to the blender, which will give the salsa a wonderful richness in addition to the creamy texture. Check out the recipe below!

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo with #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with!

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Easy to make salsa verde with avocado salsa verde option. Just roast tomatillos and jalapenos and blend with a few ingredients to make the perfect salsa verde. 

INGREDIENTS

• 12 medium tomatillos (husked, cleaned and dried)

• 1 fresh jalapeno

• 1/2 small white onion

• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1/2 lime squeezed

• 1/2 tsp salt

• S&P for taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Place tomatillos and jalapeno onto a parchment paper lined sheet pan. Turn the oven on Broil - low. Broil on one side for 4-6 minute and 4-6 minutes on the other side until you see splotchy black spots. (Keep an eye on them!)

2. Let them cool and add to a processor along with the onion, cilantro, garlic, lime, and salt. (If you are wanting less spicy salsa, take the seeds out of the jalapeno first).

3. Blend until smooth but slightly chunky consistency.

4. Season to taste with additional S&P and/or lime juice.

5. Avocado verde salsa - In the processor, add 1 ripe avocado and blend until desired consistency.

NOTES

1. The salsa may appear thin but will thicken after it has been chilled in the refrigerator. Tomatillos contain pectin which is a natural thickening agent.

2. Store in the fridge for up to a week. If you are making this recipe with avocados, store in the fridge for up to three days.

3. Both the verde salsa and avocado salsa freezes beautifully. Just add your cooled salsa batch to a freezer bag and freeze for up to one month. When you are ready to use the salsa, thaw in the refrigerator until ready to use!

4. Recipe adapted from Cookie and Kate