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I have a confession to make. I have a bit of a sauce problem. Dipping sauces, sauces for salads, sandwiches, roasts, tacos- I love them all! In my opinion, a meal isn’t complete without at least one sauce… although 2, 3 or 4 sauces at a meal in my house is not unusual. It’s becoming a bit of a problem as I drive everyone crazy- they think dinner is ready and then I announce that I need to make a sauce. Eye rolling is becoming a bit of a problem too.
Sauces are the life of almost any recipe; I like to think that the secret to the best tasting sauces comes from using the freshest ingredients. Skip the overly processed ingredients that result in a less than stellar dish and invest your time and effort in rich, tasty, body-nourishing sauces.
When friends or family members come to me for advice on how to get started with clean eating, I generally get them started with the information found on my getting started with clean eating post and then I go ahead to share some simple clean eating sauce recipes that help convince them that they can stick to a clean eating lifestyle.
Whether vegetarian, paleo or vegan, there is a clean eating sauce recipe out there for you and I have taken it upon myself to share a couple of them with you. Some of them can be eaten as stand alone meals or used as dips and dressings. Whichever option you want, I have got you covered.
Kale Walnut Pesto
Recipe found on Well Vegan
Great for pasta, sandwiches and a dollop would do wonders in a soup, this sauce is not only quite versatile, it’s also super easy to make, vegan and amazing.
Cilantro Lime White Beans Hummus
Recipe found This Gal Cooks
The cilantro and lime give such an unexpected but wonderful flavor to this sauce while the white beans gives it that lovely creamy texture.
Vegan Caramel Sauce
Recipe found on The Edgy Veg
On first glance, my mouth watered instantly, it’s so yummy the texture is simply divine! The blend of caramel and coconut milk makes this sauce perfect for salty snacks like popcorn and is also great as a topping for desserts.
5-Minute Vegan Cheese Sauce
Recipe found on Daiya Foods
Because that neon yellow, plastic nacho cheese just doesn’t cut it anymore. Don’t miss having your cheese with this delectable sauce, it’s perfect for pouring over your favorite vegetables or even as a dip.
Cauliflower Cream Sauce
Recipe found on Spoon Fork Bacon
If you are going dairy-free then this creamy sauce is the perfect alternative for you. It’s quite savory but surprisingly simple and easy to make.
Peanut Sauce
Recipe found on Epicurious
This nutty, spicy sauce goes suberbly on everything from meat to salads to stir-fry. Keep a batch in the fridge, you’ll find a million uses for it!
Creamy Carrot Tomato Pasta Sauce
Recipe found on Vegetarian Astronomy
On a quest to find the perfect dish? Start with this veggie packed sauce (although the whole meal is yummy- and it’s a one pot meal, so cleanup is minimal!). Hint: it also freezes well, so make a big batch for this delicious, versatile sauce.
Creamy Dill Dressing
Recipe found on Go Dairy Free
Here’s yet another dairy-free sauce for you but this time around, it comes packing a zesty punch. Plus, it has a prep time of just 5 minutes!
Vegan Chickpea Curry
Recipe found on Hurry the Food Up
I have three words for this exotic sauce. Appetizing. Spicy. Aromatic. Best served over white rice or basmati rice.