Are you a dipper?

I AM!
"Food is a vehicle for sauce"-Mike Bancroft of Chicago's Co-op Image Hot Sauce. I agree! I love dips, spreads, and sauces SO much that sometimes I find myself looking for something, anything JUST to enjoy the former. Jazzin' up food = fun. Bland food = not fun. Some of my favorites are salsa, guacamole, ketchup, spicy mustard, spinach artichoke, Sriracha hot chili, horseradish, BBQ, hummus, babaganoush, pesto, nut butters.... I'll stop here cause the list just goes on and on. I will never deny a dip- given its vegan friendly. On the sweeter end I love honey, maple syrup and on occasion agave. Maple syrup mixed with raw cacao power= hello best homemade chocolate sauce ever!

For ketchup, barbeque, etc. I had to find a brand that doesn't add sugar (since avoiding processed and refined sugar is my 'thing'). I really like Organicville. Very tasty and its well worth the switch from high-fructose corn syrup laden Heinz (my apologies to Heinz as I owe much to the family and company that will be providing me the gorgeous 388 acres of farmland at Chatham's Eden Hall Campus. In respect of this... I can't bash Heinz too much :) If I wasn't so anti-HFCS trust me I'd be lovin' on that Heinz 57.

While I should be putting up some enjoyable recipe for my fave- I'm out of town and without all my recipes. To make up for this, I will mention I have been on the hunt for a healthier version of Nutella to satisfy this void. While there are plenty of HFCS-free versions out there, including Chicago's local Futters, I still have not come across one that isn't sweetened with some variation of corn syrup or cane sugar. Next week I am making it a priority to come up with my own batch of chocolate hazelnut spread sweetened with local honey. Stay tuned for a recipe soon.