5 Processed Foods to Create at Home
By Sandy Schroeder
When you decide to make your own version of a processed food you will probably eat healthier, save money and enjoy the flavors more. Each time I do it, I wonder why I ever bought the processed version.
Here are five foods that you can easily make better at home, suggested by care2.com.
Salsa fresca – Check the labels of the salsas you buy and then consider making your own to get a fresher taste without preservatives. If you keep salsa on hand most of the time, this version can be quickly whipped up in small or large batches. For salsa fresca put chopped tomatoes, onions, salt, cilantro, lime juice and your favorite hot peppers in the food processor and pulse. You can easily reduce salt, add more ingredients or fire roast a batch.
Soup stock- Skip buying boxed or canned chicken or beef broth and use beef bones from the butcher or a whole chicken to make your own flavorful broths that you can use as a base for noodle or vegetable soup, or freeze for future recipes. You can shred the chicken for chicken salad or chop it up for a chicken and noodle casserole. In the process you will be reducing sodium, cutting costs and enriching flavor.
Homemade salad dressing – Bottled dressings often come with a lot of extra sugars and preservatives and a high cost per ounce. Check a site such as Epicurious.com for recipes and create your own version to toss with fresh greens. Start with lemon juice, or vinegar, olive oil and fresh herbs such as basil or dill.
Rich tomato sauces – Skip the extra sugars and thickeners as you make your own sauces for pizza, pasta, and chili. Use cherry tomatoes, garlic, basil and olive oil as a base. Later you can make more sauce to freeze, buying tomatoes in bulk, or growing your own.
Hummus – Increase the flavor and lower the cost as you use cans of chickpeas, black beans, white beans, green beans or yellow lentils and garlic. Add one-third cup of liquid as a mix of extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and water for each can of beans used. Add a tablespoon of tahini per can of beans, plus garlic, and blend to desired smoothness. Serve with pita chips.
This is just a small sampling of the homemade foods that can easily top the supermarket processed versions.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in San Antonio, Tex.