I don’t know about you, but I love making things from scratch—especially things that you’d normally buy at the grocery store. It tends to be a lot less expensive and more healthy when you do this. And it almost always tastes better. 

But it can also be a big pain in the rear. Once I ran out of homemade taco seasoning, curry powder, ranch dressing mix, chicken broth, marinara, and pancake mix. 

All in the same week.

After I spent a couple of days restocking, I decided I’d love to hire someone to keep my kitchen stocked with homemade staples. If I had to choose, I’d probably pick Tasty Kitchen member Laurie for the job. Cooking and baking from scratch is her gig! Plus, she’s super nice. (And she’d be fun to hang out with.)

Laurie’s recipe for Homemade Teriyaki Sauce caught my eye one day while browsing around Tasty Kitchen. I’m not a big fan of commercial teriyaki sauce because I find it way too sweet and full of other “stuff” I’d rather not eat, so making some from scratch really appealed to me.

I’m so glad I tried it! Laurie’s version is light and perfectly sweet. Luckily, it’s super easy. Here, I’ll show you.

You’ll need pineapple juice, ground mustard, pepper, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, soy sauce, and a sweetener.

If you happen to have allergies or avoid certain types of foods, you can do some substitution here. Because we avoid soy products and refined sugar, I used coconut aminos (a milder alternative to soy sauce) and coconut sugar (a less processed sweetener that has a similar taste to brown sugar). 

Also, if you can’t have pineapple juice, then Laurie suggests white grape juice as a good alternative. 

Just be sure to use fresh ginger and garlic!

First, peel the garlic and ginger and mince it in your food processor. You can also use a knife if you like. Just make sure the pieces are really small.

Add the sugar. 

Add the soy sauce. 

And the ground mustard. 

And the pepper. Then give the whole thing a thorough buzz.

Pour it into a quart-sized jar. I used a Mason jar because I’m in love with them.

Seriously. I have a drawer in my kitchen dedicated to mason jar lids and rings. You’d think that I also do my fair share of preserving, but I don’t. I’m just a weirdo.

Now pour in the pineapple sauce and give it a good shake.

Aaand … that’s it. Voilà! Teriyaki sauce. It’s ready to use!

I noticed that mine is considerably lighter in color than Laurie’s. I think it’s because coconut aminos is lighter in color than soy sauce.

You can use this like you would regular teriyaki sauce.

One night I had some naked drumsticks staring at me and begging for a marinade. 

After a good salt and pepper shower, I poured about a cup of the teriyaki sauce on them and let them sit for a while. (It really wasn’t that long, and I’d definitely let them marinate for several hours next time.)

After baking for about 40 minutes, we ended up with this: juicy, tender, flavorful chicken and some CRAZY good pan sauce that my kids practically licked off their plates! 

(Did you know pineapple juice is a natural meat tenderizer? It has something to do with the enzymes in the fruit, but don’t ask me how. That’s as scientific as I get.)

I’ve also used it in a vegetable and pineapple stir-fry and on some foil-packet grilled salmon. I think it’s safe to say that this will be a regular pantry staple. Luckily it keeps for about a month in the fridge!

Thanks so much, Laurie! Be sure to check out Laurie’s TK recipe box as well as her own beautiful blog, Simply Scratch, for more from-scratch recipe inspiration.

Printable Recipe

Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

by Laurie - Simply Scratch on February 7, 2013 in Homemade Ingredients February 7, 2013 Homemade Ingredients

See post on Laurie - Simply Scratch’s site!

5.00 Mitt(s) 1 Rating(s)

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: -

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 8

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Who knew making your own teriyaki sauce was THIS easy?

Ingredients

• 2 cloves Fresh Garlic, Smashed, Peeled And Roughly Chopped
• 1 Tablespoon To 2 Tablespoons Fresh Ginger, Peeled And Roughly Chopped
• ¼ cups Dark Brown Sugar
• ½ cups Tamari Or Soy Sauce
• ½ Tablespoons Dry Mustard
• ¼ teaspoons White Pepper
• 2 cups Pineapple Juice

Preparation Instructions

Place the chopped garlic and ginger in a blender or food processor and pulse to mince.

Add the brown sugar, tamari, dry mustard and white pepper into the food processor with the garlic and ginger and pulse until combined and the sugar is dissolved.

Pour the tamari/garlic/ginger mixture into a large jar and add in the juice. Shake and store in the fridge for a month (maybe longer)!

Note: Use tamari instead of soy sauce to keep this gluten free. Also white grape juice can be substituted for the pineapple juice if in a pinch!

 
 
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Be sure to check out Natalie’s own beautiful food blog, Perrys’ Plate, where you can see her growing collection of lovely recipes. There’s always something new to see there. Go visit now!

If you’re familiar with the paleo lifestyle, you might know that this dish doesn’t actually have rice in it. 

The first time I saw cauliflower used as rice, it blew my mind a little. Cauliflower is one of the darlings of the paleo world because it can be manipulated to replace grains in a lot of meals. I’ve used it in place of rice, pureed it to thicken soups, seasoned and roasted it as a vegetarian “steak”, mashed it in place of potatoes, and my favorite, used it as a base for a pizza crust.

No, I’m not joking. And it was all delicious.

Even if you’re not a paleo eater and avoiding grains, dairy, legumes, and sugar for various reasons, replacing grains with vegetables (particularly refined grains) can be a great way to increase nutrient density in a recipe. 

This Paleo-friendly Cauliflower Fried Rice recipe submitted by TK member Dani is a perfect example of grain-swapping. I’m excited to share it with you!

So is the cauliflower. It likes to show off.

I adapted this recipe slightly, adding a few more things (notes below), so you’ll need a whole head of cauliflower, salt, pepper, soy sauce (or tamari), mushrooms, coconut oil, an egg, fresh ginger, garlic, onion, green onion, a tomato, and cilantro.

If you’re a nit-picky paleo, you may not use soy sauce or tamari. I don’t mind it in very small amounts occasionally, but you can also use coconut aminos which is a good substitute. You may be able to find it at Whole Foods or other natural grocery stores.

First, dismantle the cauliflower, and cut it into fairly uniform pieces.

My food processor holds 9 cupd, so I did half the head at a time to ensure even chopping. If you have a larger one you may be able to do it all in one batch.

Pulse several times until the cauliflower is about the size of rice grains. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. 

Next, get the mushrooms prepped by wiping any dirt off with a paper towel, breaking off the stems, and quartering them. I used baby portabellas but any type of mushroom would do. Pulse the mushroom quarters in the food processor like you did the rice and transfer to a separate bowl.

You could just slice them into larger pieces and leave them big, but my little picky eaters aren’t into mushrooms, and I didn’t want to start a dinnertime battle. I minced mine out of survival. 

Next, prep the onion, ginger, and garlic. Peel them all, then cut them into chunks. 

Throw the ginger, garlic, and onion into the food processor and pulse to mince. That machine is going to earn its counterspace today. You could also use a knife. If you wanted. (I didn’t.)

Now you have three bowls of minced ingredients ready to go!

Yes, there is quite a bit of chopping in this recipe (and we’re not quite finished yet), but the dish comes together really easily and quickly. You could do all of the prep a day or two ahead as well.

Alright, time for some heat. In a large saute pan, heat the coconut oil to medium-high heat. 

Add the onion-ginger-garlic mixture and cook it for a minute or two.

Add the mushrooms and cook those for a few minutes as well.

Now for the cauliflower!

Add salt, pepper, and a splash of soy sauce (or tamari). 

Put the lid on, reduce the heat a bit, and let it steam for a few minutes while you finish up the mix-ins.

While the “rice” is finishing up, dice the tomato, and chop the green onion and cilantro. If you hate cilantro, just leave it out. (And then seek help. Ok, not really. But maybe.)

Remember that egg? Well now’s the time to pull it out. Beat it with a fork and cook it in a pan.

You can scramble it if you like, or you can make a flat omelet out of it and slice it up. Your choice.

You could also do it in the saute pan before you throw the vegetables in, but I have emotional meltdowns when I clean eggs out of stainless steel pans. So I do it in a small nonstick skillet. 

I made a flat omelet, rolled it up, then sliced it into ribbons. They’re much prettier than scrambles, but scrambles are perfectly fine.

By now the cauliflower should be finished, so go ahead and drop in the tomato and green onions …

And the cilantro and eggs.

Stir everything gently, and done!

If you want to add more protein, you could stir in some pre-cooked shrimp, chicken, or steak. 

Like I mentioned earlier, you could have dinner on the table in 15 minutes if you prep everything beforehand. I love quick meals like this! 

Thank you, Dani! Be sure to check out Dani’s TK Recipe Box and her blog Expat Cucina for more dinner inspiration!

Recipe notes:
1. I used brown mushrooms, but if that “dirty rice” look bothers you, just use white mushrooms.
2. I added two cloves of garlic, an inch of ginger, and one green onion to boost the flavor of the dish and substituted cilantro for the basil and mint out of personal preference. 
3. I doubled the recipe, but left the mushroom quantity the same.

Printable Recipe

Paleo-friendly Fried Rice (With Cauliflower)

by ExpatCucina on January 29, 2013 in Low Carb, Special Dietary Needs January 29, 2013 Low CarbSpecial Dietary Needs

See post on ExpatCucina’s site!

0.00 Mitt(s) 0 Rating(s)

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 1

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If you are a paleo-diet person or just on a low-carb diet, this recipe is perfect for you!

Ingredients

• ⅔ pounds Cauliflower
• 7 ounces, weight White Mushrooms
• 2 Tablespoons Chopped Onion
• ¼ cups Chopped Tomatoes
• 1 whole Egg
• 1 whole Egg White
• 1 teaspoon Coconut Oil
• 1 dash Soy Sauce
• 1 pinch Salt And Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon Chopped Basil And Mint

Preparation Instructions

Wash the cauliflower and place it into your food processor. Pulse it until pieces are the size of rice.

Wash and slice up the mushrooms, chop up onion and tomatoes.

Beat the egg and egg white with a pinch of salt and cook on a hot nonstick skillet (like an omelet). Remove and slice it up.

In the same skillet, heat p the coconut oil. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft. Add the mushrooms and stir around until browned. Next, add the minced cauliflower, a splash of soy sauce and salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and cook for about 5 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat and add the tomatoes. Stir around. Chop up some fresh mint and basil and add it to the pot together with the eggs. Stir everything together and serve immediately. You can garnish the dish with more chopped herbs if desired.

 
 
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Be sure to check out Natalie’s own beautiful food blog, Perrys’ Plate, where you can see her growing collection of lovely recipes. There’s always something new to see there. Go visit now!

A roasted chicken with bacon stuffed under the skin cooking over pieces of cauliflower and fresh garlic. You'll never look at chicken the same way again. Or cauliflower. You'll never believe how simple this is, too!