Entree

Sweet and Sour Chicken (paleo, starch free)

sweet and sour chicken - paleo - gluten free

Sweet & Sour Chicken was one of my most favorite dishes to get at Chinese Restaurants when I was a kid, but it has been so many years since I have dared to eat anything that resembled the “real thing”. Baking the chicken in the coating of sesame seeds gives them the perfect light “crunch”, and the apricot based sauce provides a naturally tangy sweet, while the vinegar provides the lively sour.  I am sharing this recipe as another sneak peak into the Pure and Simple Paleo, Low Starch Cookbook I will be releasing soon. My cookbook is filled with recipes that are truly pure and simple, easy to prepare, and absolutely satisfying. If you try this recipe, please let me know what you think below in the comments! And if you do any modifications, please share those too!!…

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Cherry BBQ Sauce

Raw Vegan Cherry BBQ Sauce Recipe (tomato free!)

Pictured: Totally Raw Fruits & Veggies “Grilled” in my Food Dehydrator with my Cherry BBQ Sauce Coating, Phto by Mercedes Geyer Photography

~ This Skewer will be part of the appetizer for my upcoming Sold Out Taste of Summer Raw Food & Wine Dinner at J Wrigley Vineyards on July 27th! 

The first time I made a batch of this goodness a few years ago, my hubby & I agreed I could easily bottle it up and sell it! But there is so much going on right now in my life & with Betty Rawker (some of my favorite raw goodies are now being sold in some stores in Oregon!) that I just don’t have enough time to bottle and sell a tomato-free, corn syrup-free BBQ sauce, but I am more than happy to share this wonderful recipe with you!

For anyone out there like myself who is highly intolerant of tomatoes, I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!! This Cherry BBQ Sauce is seriously better than any tomato based product I have ever tried, I promise!

Also, please feel free to adjust the ingredients like the sugar & spice to your liking. This is only a guideline, setting the stage for you to perfect it in your own way!

The folks who make Hoskins Raw Living Blackberry Vinegar are friends of mine here in Oregon, and while I love using their living blackberry vinegar in this recipe, you are free to use any vinegar you please!!

Cherry BBQ Sauce Recipe:

  • 2 cups dark sweet cherries (fresh or frozen & defrosted, pits removed)
  • 2 Tablespoons Hoskins Raw Blackberry Vinegar (or use apple cider vinegar or coconut vinegar)
  • 1 Tablespoon coconut aminos (or tamari)
  • 1 Tablespoon minced dried onion (or 1 teaspoon onion powder)
  • 1 to 2 Tablespoons maple syrup (optional)
  • 1 Tablespoon black strap molasses (not raw, but adds great BBQ flavor)
  • ½ teaspoon raw mustard
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger (or 1/4 teaspoon ginger extract)
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • optional: 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder (if you add chipotle this sauce is no longer nightshade free)

Blend ingredients together in a high speed blender. Serve with fresh or dehydrated veggies, or use in place of regular BBQ sauce when grilling. This stuff is absolutely amazing when served cooked or raw!

marinating raw veggies

Marinated “Grilled” Veggies

  • 1/2 cup cantaloupe
  • 1/2 cup red pepper
  • 1/2 cup red onion
  • 1/2 cup peach
  • 1/2 cup zucchini
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (for your friends who can enjoy tomatoes)

Marinade:

  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 pinches sea salt
  • 8 wood skewers

Cut each fruit and veggie into LARGE chunks. Hand toss in a bowl with marinade, then carefully stick the chunks of fruit and veggies onto the skewers. Lay on a dehydrator tray, and dehydrate at 115*F for 2 hours. Apply Cherry BBQ Sauce and dehydrate another 1 to 2 hours. The fruit and veggies will take on a “grilled” look yet still be full of rawsome flavor. Serve with a side or drizzle of fresh Cherry BBQ sauce. Enjoy!

rainbow skewers

Also featured on Raw Food Thursdays:

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