Magic Sauce

First off, Happy World IBD Awareness Day/Week! I hope anyone who finds this page/blog finds hope (and some awesome recipes/ideas, of course). In recognition of this day, I would like to RE-share my original story here, and inform you that I am quite certain I have found my CURE. For those of you who are out there feeling sick and isolated, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. For those of you out there suffering, there is hope. For those of you who feel like you are getting the run-around from a doctor, or like you've been stuck in a loop of sickness, medication, and remission, then back to sickness (start cycle over); I urge you to seek a more natural route: see a functional/integrated doctor, and/or try an IBD-friendly diet (GAPS, SCD, paleo, ketogenic, Whole 30) like I did. I bet you will notice a difference--quickly!

Secondly, I'm going to keep this blog short and sweet. You need this recipe. Period. I have made a MAGIC SAUCE--a roasted garlic cream sauce--that I want to share with you which I have been putting on EVERYTHING savory (goes GREAT on top of veggies). And with 2 main ingredients, it's SO EASY to make! It's also chock-full of garlic-y goodness (anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, antimicrobial); is low in sugar, high in fat, and moderate in protein; and paleo, vegan, and keto-friendly. Sooo here you go! You can thank me later.

Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

1 head roasted garlic (*see note below)

1 cup soaked cashews (*see note below)

Water (as needed; about 2-4 tbsp, depending on how thick you prefer your sauce)

Salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions:

In a blender, blend all ingredients until it reaches desired consistency (start with less water, and add more as needed).

• You can eat this cold as a dip, or warm by heating it on the stovetop on low until it is warm, or in the microwave.

• You can also use raw garlic for a stronger garlic flavor, but reduce the amount to only 2-4 cloves of garlic.

--which I have been putting on EVERYTHING savory (goes GREAT on top of veggies to enhance flavor). And with 2 main ingredients, it's SO EASY to make!!! It's also low in sugar, high in fat, and moderate in protein; and paleo, vegan, and keto-friendly Sooo here you go! You can thank me later.

*Roasted garlic:

Preheat oven to 400. Rip off a square of tin foil. Cut bottom off head of garlic. Place garlic bottom-down, then drizzle with oil of choice (I use olive for this), then wrap foil up and gather at the top. Bake for 40-50 minutes, then remove from oven. When cool enough to handle, squeeze the cloves out through the bottom, leaving and discarding the "skin". Mash.

**Storage: I get nervous about storing garlic due to botulism, so I would use immediately, or store in the fridge for no more than a day.

*Soaked cashews:

Option 1 (quick): in a bowl, pour very hot filtered water over cashews--leaving about an inch of water on top. Let them soak for 15 minutes; drain.

Option 2 (long): in a bowl, pour filtered water over cashews. Let them sit at room temperature for 4 hours, or refrigerate overnight. Drain.

Storage: I would only store this in the fridge for no more than 3 days, since it contains garlic, which can spoil quickly. I actually prefer to make this sauce into "ice cubes", and throw on the stovetop as needed.

MACROS for 1 serving (4 servings per recipe): Calories: 183; Fat: 14g; Sat fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 1.5mg (<<not including salt added); Potassium: 36.1g; Carbs 10g; Fiber: 0.2g; Sugar: 0.1g; Protein: 6.6g

I hope you enjoy this as much as I have! If you make it, I'd love to hear what you think!