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PlantPlate.com is here to provide the recipes, information, and practical advice needed to follow a healthy plant-based diet. Whether you're interested in improving your health, losing weight, or eating more sustainably, a whole foods plant-based diet may be the perfect solution for you.

My name's Emma, and I started PlantPlate in 2013 with the help of my husband Scott, a web developer and fellow plantivore. I’m a certified Plant-Based Nutritionist who loves to cook, and I've followed a plant-based diet for over a decade. Having lived in various locations throughout the world - sometimes on a shoestring budget, and often with irregular and demanding work schedules - I’ve had to constantly adapt my diet in order to make it work. It’s taught me a lot, and it’s motivated me to show others just how accessible and enjoyable this way of eating can be.

The recipes featured on PlantPlate are based on minimally processed plant foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. They're free from all animal products, processed oils and refined carbohydrates, and are made with simple and affordable ingredients. Our articles are aimed at providing you with plant-based know-how when it comes to shopping, cooking, nutrition and day-to-day living. We have answers to common questions and share practical knowledge that we have acquired through experience. Finally, the resources section contains links to books, DVDs, and video presentations from some of the world's leading experts on plant-based nutrition. It is our hope that these resources will help you to fully understand and evaluate the health benefits of this wonderful way of eating.

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Homemade Hot Sauce (Salt, Oil & Sugar Free)

RECIPE By PlantPlate
Are you the kind of person who just loves spicy food, often adding a kick of heat to your meals with a splash of hot sauce? Join the club! The trouble is, store-bought hot sauces or chilli sauces tend to be very high in salt, so several splashes can easily stack your sodium intake above healthy levels. The solution? Make your own delicious salt-free hot sauce at home, and enjoy that extra kick of heat without the extra sodium!

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Yield: Makes 2 cups

Notes:

My favourite chillies to use for this recipe are either regular long, red hot chillies (cayenne varieties) or green jalapeno peppers. You can, of course, try this recipe with other hot pepper varieties, such as habanero or poblano.

Make sure you remove the stems from the chillies before roasting, so that there is an opening at one end. If you don't do this, the heat can build up inside the chilli and you'll have a hot pepper explosion in your oven! (I learned that the hard way.)

Ingredients:

  • 14-15 fresh long red chillies (cayenne-type) or 14-15 fresh jalapeno peppers
  • 5-6 large cloves garlic, unpeeled
  • 6 pitted dried dates (or 3 large fresh medjool dates, pitted)
  • 3/4 cup white vinegar

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper or with a silicone baking sheet.

  2. Place the dates in a small heatproof bowl or a mug. Cover with 1 cup of boiling water, and set aside.

  3. Wash the chillies, and chop the top stems off. Place them in the centre of the baking tray, along with the garlic cloves. Bake for 12-18 minutes until the outsides are just starting to blacken, then remove them from the oven and leave to cool for 10-15 minutes.

  4. Place the vinegar in a blender. Add the dates, along with the 1 cup of soaking water. Remove the skin from the garlic cloves, and add the garlic to the blender along with the roasted chillies. Blend on high speed for 45-60 seconds until thoroughly pureed.

  5. Place a fine mesh sieve over a mixing bowl. Pour the chili mixture into the sieve, then pass the liquid through using a spoon or spatula. You should have a fine, smooth red sauce in the bowl, with all the chilli seeds and skins left behind in the sieve. Discard what’s in the sieve.

  6. Transfer the sauce from the bowl to glass jars or bottles. Leave to cool, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

 

Prepared hot sauce will keep, refrigerated, for up to 4 weeks.