Spicy Sesame Ginger Sauce

In honor of surpassing 2,000 blog views and nearly 50 recipes, I'll be posting a few BRAND NEW recipes this week! That's right, recipes that I have made up myself. I'm sure there will be plenty of improvements to be made in the future, but if they taste good on the first try I'll share them!

My first of the series is a spicy sesame ginger sauce that can be used in a stir fry or as a dipping sauce. I'd like to figure out how to make the sauce thicker without affecting the flavor, so I'll be doing some research and adding an update in the next couple of weeks. This recipe coated a stir fry worth 2-3 servings, so you may want to double it if your want more saturation or are using a larger recipe. If you do, remember the cardinal rule of doubling... Don't double the spices unless you want to end up with something so spicy you can barely eat it! I speak from experience.

Spicy Sesame Ginger Sauce
By Caroline Mac

Ingredients:
2 T water
2 1/2 t sesame oil
2t rice vinegar
1 t soy sauce
1T plus 1/4t minced ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 t red chili pepper
1/4 t agave syrup
2t sesame seeds

Whisk together all ingredients until thoroughly blended. Add to stir fry or use as dipping sauce.

Enjoy!

Fig and Apricot Quinoa Salad

What happens when Caroline plans on making a recipe and then loses the link? She completely improvises and creates her own version! This turned out to be one of my favorite recipes yet. This dish is great both warm and cold and tastes so refreshing!

Fig and Apricot Quinoa
By Caroline Mac
Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup chopped apricots
6 fresh figs, chopped in large pieces
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
3 T lemon juice
1t minced ginger

Step 1: Combine quinoa and vegetable broth in a sauce pan and heat until boiling. Lower heat and let simmer until all broth is absorbed by quinoa (about 15 min.). Remove rom heat and fluff quinoa with a fork.

Step 2: Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, and ginger until thoroughly blended.  Set aside.

Step 3: In a large bowl, combine quinoa, apricots, figs and parsley. Stir until evenly mixed. Drizzle with dressing and stir until dressing is evenly mixed in.


Enjoy warm or cold!