Make your own oil-free version of the popular product Bitchin' Sauce at home. It's wonderfully rich, creamy, garlicky, and cheesy and tastes amazing on pretty much everything! Yield: makes a little more than 1 cup
½teaspoonrice vinegar, optional (for extra zip!) - or apple cider vinegar
Instructions
Equipment note: if using almond butter, a standard blender is fine. If using whole raw almonds, a high-speed blender like a Vitamix is needed to fully break down the nuts.
Combine all ingredients except vinegar in a blender. Blend on high speed until the almonds are fully broken down, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
Taste the sauce and add the vinegar if you'd like more acidity. Blend again.
The sauce will thicken as it cools. If it's already thicker than you want, add another tablespoon of water and blend again. Refrigerate for an hour or two to allow the flavors to mingle. If you need to thin the sauce later, simply blend or whisk in a bit of water.
Notes
Almond butter option - use a heaping ⅓ cup raw creamy almond butter and reduce the water to ⅓ cup. Also reduce the salt to ¼ teaspoon, then add more after blending if desired.Almond butter creates a thinner sauce, which is why you need to reduce the amount of water. This also means the flavors are more bold. Don't be afraid to tweak the amounts of any ingredient after blending and tasting.Nut-free - raw sunflower seeds are an excellent replacement for the almonds. Use the same amount, ⅔ cup.Store leftover sauce in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If the water separates just give it a good stir. Can also be frozen for up to 1 month.