5 Popular Condiments You Can Make At Home and NEVER Buy Again!

Chances are, if you've got even half-baked cooking skills, you've attempted to make everything from homemade cakes to pies and brownies. However, there are a few items in your refrigerator or pantry that you've probably never thought about whipping up from scratch on your own – things so basic that you probably never even give them a second thought. For starters, I am talking about those friendly condiments – the 'who-knows-how-old' packets that collect in your kitchen drawers. But why not make a meal that's entirelyhomemade, right down to the ketchup and mayo? It is the only way you'll be able to harvest the natural, fresh power of those items without all the added preservatives and sugars that come with even organic condiments.

1. Ketchup

Let's start with the obvious. Ketchup is probably where many of us get our daily dose of tomatoes. But next time you whip up a batch of homemade fries, ditch that store-bought red sugary glop and make some of your own. Here's a cool video to get you started: Another recipe by Chocolate Covered Katie calls for the following:

• 3 cups of cherry or grape tomatoes
• ¼ cup of sliced onion
• 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• Sugar to taste (or not)

The recipe instructs you to preheat your oven to 400 ℉, roast the tomatoes and onions for roughly 45 minutes and then blend with the other ingredients. Cool in the refrigerator.

2. Mustard

David Lebovitz has put together great recipes involving mustard seeds before, and now you can make your own and reap the anti-inflammatory benefits. The ingredients you'll need, as per David Lebovitz's recipe are:

• 1/3 cup of mustard seeds
• 1/3 cup of white wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup water or dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• Pinch of cayenne pepper

The recipe then instructs you to combine all ingredients in a stainless steel bowl and let sit for 2-3 days. Then, place them in a blender and grind until smooth.

3. Vegan Mayo

Mayo is great, but vegan sandwiches are left a little high and dry without it. But luckily, Alissa Segersten over at Nourishing Meals has an interesting egg-free mayo recipe. Her ingredients are as follows:

• 1 cup of raw cashews that have soaked for 3 hours
• ¼ cup of water
• 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
• ½ tablespoon of mustard powder
• ¾ tablespoon of sea salt
• 6 tablespoons of olive oil

Add all of the ingredients after the cashews have soaked – except the olive oil – into a high-powered blender and stop when the mixture is thick and creamy. Then, add the olive oil and blend, until it is combined and smooth.

4. Hot Sauce

Fancy yourself some heat? Don't worry, we've got you covered there as well! Check out this video from White Thunder BBQ. (How could a hot sauce recipe not be EPIC coming from a name like that?)

5. BBQ Sauce

Speaking of BBQ, Bryant Terry over at The Kitchn has quite a surprising pomegranate-peach BBQ sauce recipe. The ingredients are as follows:

• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup of chopped red onion
• ¼ teaspoon of sea salt
• ⅛ teaspoon of cayenne
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 1 cup of diced peeled peaches
• 1 cup of tomato sauce
• ¼ cup of water
• ¼ cup of red wine vinegar
• ¼ cup of pomegranate molasses
• 3 tablespoons of fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons of Tamari
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1 large chipotle chile
• 2 teaspoons of minced fresh sage

Once you've got that slew of ingredients gathered together, warm your oil in a small saucepan, add onion, salt, and cayenne and sauté this mixture until the onion is soft. Add your garlic and continue to sauté. Then, transfer this mixture over to a blender and add the rest of the ingredients – except for the sage – and blend until the mixture is smooth. Then, pour your sauce back into your pan and stir it occasionally until thick. Stir the sage in and let it simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. www.culinarynutrition.com>