Dry Rub

This is a rub that can be used on any kind of meat although, my love of pork ribs pretty much uses up all my rub. Easy to apply, simply put 10-12 chicken wings, or 4-5 chicken legs, or a half rack of ribs, or some pork chops, or even a couple of steaks, in a zip bag with a couple of tablespoons of this rub and shake. Once the meat is coated, be sure to massage it (or rub) it in so that the meat absorbs the dry rub.

I use a pint jar to mix this in:

1/2 cup paprika
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 tablespoons sea salt
1-2 teaspoons stevia, 1/2 teaspoon monk fruit powder, or 1/2 cup date sugar
4 tablespoons herb mixture such as Mrs. Dash, McCormicks, or something like Grill Mates
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
1/4 cup carob powder or cocoa

Cover and shake the jar vigorously in all directions to mix the ingredients. This will stay fresh in the air tight jar for several months.

Strawberry Jam (sugar free)

This is one of my favorite times of the year — strawberry season. What a wonderful treat fresh picked strawberries are; they make so many great things, so much more than just strawberry shortcake. I should probably tell you that I was never able to make jellies or jams, tried for years without any success. But when I discovered Pomona’s Universal Pectin, it works every time! Like magic!

Here’s a delicious and easy recipe for sugar-free strawberry jam. Note that you can also make raspberry, blackberry, peach, apple, pear, plum, prune, etc., jams using this method.

Wash and hull:

9 cups fresh strawberries

You can either mash them with a potato masher or puree them in your food processor; it all depends on how smooth you want your jam. If you like pieces of strawberry in your jam, use the masher.

Follow the instructions on Pomona’s Universal Pectin* to make calcium water.

Put in a 3 quart or larger pot:

8 cups strawberries, pureed or mashed
4 teaspoons calcium water

Bring to a boil.

While you’re waiting for the strawberries to heat, combine:

3/4 cup agave nectar with
4 teaspoons Pomona’s Universal Pectin

I find the pectin mixes best into the nectar if you add the pectin to the agave rather than adding the agave to the pectin. Use a small whisk to blend.

When the strawberries are bubbling, stir in the pectin-nectar mixture. Continue heating for several minutes (2-3) to dissolve the pectin. Remove from heat. Pour into water bathed jars. This should make 4 pint jars and a 1/2 pint jar.

You can either put these filled jars into a water bath for 10 minutes or, I prefer the easier method of just letting them cool completely and then placing them in the freezer.

Use Pomona’s Universal Pectin because it’s specifically created to work with low or no sugar recipes.

Egg-Free Mayonnaise

Its been quite a few years since I was able to use mayonnaise products since I became allergic to eggs. Most mass-produced mayonnaise also includes oils that I can’t have like canola or soybean. About three years ago, I learned about agua fava, the liquid that you drain off the can of beans, like garbanzo or kidney, which can be used as an egg substitute. I resisted this for quite a while since I didn’t relish the idea of using this liquid — really turned me off in fact. Last year, I really wanted some cole slaw and was tired of my vinaigrette version. It tasted like the Cain’s mayonnaise I grew up with! I was thrilled. So, with summer approaching and the time for cooler foods, here’s my recipe for egg-free mayonnaise using agua fava and some salad recipes to go with it. And the great thing about it is that you don’t have to worry about it spoiling like you do egg-based mayos.

Put in a blender:

1/3 cup agua fava
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons vinegar (I like the rice vinegar but feel free to use your favorite, or lemon juice if you like)

Start blender on a low setting and begin slowly, and I mean really slowly, drizzling in oil. You’ll add 1 cup of oil total for a thick mayonnaise, or 1 1/4 cup for a thinner dressing. I like to use 1/2 cup olive oil and 1/2 cup avocado oil. Makes me feel less guilty using oils that are actually good for us.

Makes a little over 1 cup of mayonnaise. Use in your favorite recipes. Most people won’t be able to tell the difference between this and the mayo you buy.