The Healthy Kitchen: How to sauce up your grain bowl

 I have been loving cooking with quinoa. But how can you adjust your bowls, so they are move versatile? Change up the sauce. You can use a basic build for your quinoa bowl and just change the sauce to totally change up the flavors.

You start with your basic ingredients of a bowl: protein, veggies, herbs/spices, and quinoa. The only thing you have to figure out is how do you want to flavor your bowl? I'm going to give you some ideas you can throw together that are healthy and can be used to make an outstanding bowl. 

Thai Peanut Sauce

3/4 C peanut butter made with just peanuts and salt

3 TBSP low sodium soy sauce

1-2 TBSP maple syrup or honey

1 TBSP toasted sesame oil optional

2 TBSP rice vinegar

2 small cloves garlic minced

1 TBSP lime juice

1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Add all ingredients to bowl and whisk. Add water slowly starting with 1/4 C until desired consistency is reached. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired

* Store for up to 10 days in the fridge

Creamy Wasabi Sauce

1/4 C mayonnaise

2 TBSP wasabi paste

1 TBSP rice vinegar

1 TBSP soy sauce

1 TBSP honey or sugar

Mix all ingredients together until they are fully combined, and you have a smooth sauce

Spicy Tahini Sauce

1/2 C tahini

2 TBSP soy sauce

2 TBSP lemon juice

4 TBSP water

3 cloves garlic minced

1 TBSP sriracha

Whisk tahini, soy sauce, and lemon juice until smooth. 

Add water 1 TBSP at a time until desired consistency.

Add minced garlic and sriracha until well combined.

*Store in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Lemon Honey Sauce

1/2 C chicken stock

1/4 C lemon juice

1 whole lemon zest only

1/3 C Honey

1 TBSP soy sauce

1 TBSP apple cider vinegar

1 TBSP cornstarch

1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes 

Whisk together all the ingredients. 

Cajun Sauce

1.5 C mayonnaise

1 TBSP Cajun seasoning

1 tsp onion powder

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

2 tsp tomato paste

salt, pepper to taste

Combine mayo, Cajun seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and tomato paste. Season with salt and pepper. Combine everything with a whisk. 

Hot Honey Sauce

1/4 C Raw Honey

3 TBSP salted butter

1 tsp ground Cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the honey, butter, cayenne, chili powder, and paprika. Cook, stirring, until the butter is melted, and sauce is warmed through about 2-3 minutes. Taste and add more cayenne as desired. 

Sweet Thai Chili Sauce

2/3 C sweet Thai chili sauce

1/4 C soy sauce

2 TBSP fish sauce

2 TBSP tahini

zest and juice of 1 lime

1in knob of ginger peeled and grated

1 garlic clove minced or grated

In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients until smooth and combined. 

Ranch Pork Glaze

2 TBSP honey

2TBSP Worcestershire sauce

2 TBSP ranch dressing mix

2 TBSP olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Whisk together until combined. 

Some simple condiments you can use to flavor a bowl is a balsamic vinegar reduction. herbs, sriracha, soy sauce, and teriyaki sauce.

*Some of the sauces obtained from recipes from Joanna Gaines and Teighan Girard, authors of the Magnolia Table and Half Baked Harvest cookbooks. Others found using Pinterest.