Easy Read Recipes by Leanne Foreman

Real food recipes in an easier format that makes it as easy as possible for as many as possible to read and follow a recipe.

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Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

by Leanne Foreman

Tis the season of adding pumpkin pie spice to pies, lattes, smoothies, oatmeal and muffins. If you live outside of the USA or Canada, you may find it difficult to find a jar of Pumpkin Pie Spice in the spice section of the store. No problem! Here is a homemade version.

If you don’t have Allspice, you can replace it with a teaspoon more of cinnamon.

The amount in the jar in the photo is double this recipe as I use it for my Pumpkin Pie Spiced Chia Pudding, Pumpkin Pie Oat Porridge, and Pumpkin Pie Baked Oatmeal.

Cabbage and Carrot Kimchi

Adapted from a recipe by Changing Habits

This easy-to-make kimchi will provide your gut with some beneficial natural probiotics. Kimchi will add extra flavour and goodness to any meal, especially stir-fries, eggs, and even toasted cheese sandwiches.

Kimchi is like spicy sauerkraut and is as common in Korea as sauerkraut is in Germany. I have been a fan of sauerkraut ever since my extended stay in Tuebingen, Germany in 1985.

Despite this love for sauerkraut, I had never been brave enough to try Kimchi – only because I thought it would be too fiery hot. That is until I saw an easy Kimchi recipe on the website of Changing Habits and figured I could make my own. This way I could have some control over the level of spiciness.

This was the first fermentation I had ever attempted. I was totally surprised at how easy it was. Like a lot of others, I was a little worried about accidentally creating some unknown biohazard. I read that in order to avoid this, a necessary first step is to start with clean equipment and sterilised storage jars. The good bacteria produced by the fermentation process will actually fight any minor bad bacteria in the jar or in the gut. However, do discard the kimchi if you see mold on the surface or smell or taste anything that is not a clean sour taste.

Dietary preferences

If you are following a Keto diet and use Kimchi only as a condiment, then this small amount of carrot is allowed.

Ferments are not recommended for a Low FODMAP diet.

Some people, especially children, who are not used to eating a diet rich in probiotics may, at first, find fermented foods difficult to digest. Some even have to start with as little as half a teaspoon or less and build up from there. If there is a consistent problem with digesting fermented food, then please seek medical advice to discover the reason why.

Kimchi Ingredient Shopping

The choice of chillis will determine the heat intensity of the Kimchi. Traditional Kimchi uses gochugaru, a Korean chilli powder. Gochugaru is a milder version of red chilli flakes because it does not include the seeds and membrane of the chilli. The seeds and membrane are where most of the heat is. I prefer using fresh ingredients when I can, so I chose the mild red chillis that I often use and can easily buy at my local fruit and vegetable shop. To help you decide which chillis to use, click here for a guide to some of the types of chillis, what they are best used for, and what their heat factor is.

If you prefer to use the tamari sauce and not the fish sauce, choose an organic variety such as Pure Harvest.  This will avoid GMO soybeans that have been sprayed with glyphosate (the active ingredient in zero and roundup).

Pegans (Paleo plus Vegan) can use coconut aminos instead of fish sauce or tamari sauce.

Kimchi Preparation Tips

As mentioned before, start with squeaky clean hands, utensils, and sterilised jars. Click here for three different ways to sterilise the jars before filling them with the Kimchi.

Once the Kimchi is fermenting, some recipes suggest opening the lid daily. The fermentation process produces gas bubbles and opening the lid allows these bubbles to escape and prevent any unwanted explosions of trapped gas. I didn’t open the lids and had no problem, but figured I should warn you of the possibility.

When the Kimchi has reached a level of sourness that is to your liking, store it in the refrigerator with the lid sealed. It will continue to ferment but at a much slower rate.

 

Homemade BBQ Sauce

by Leanne Foreman

1. Why Rethink Store-Bought BBQ Sauce?

Have you ever read the ingredient list on store-bought barbecue (BBQ) sauce? Many varieties contain large amounts of sugar. Often, close to half of the sauce is refined sugar, which adds flavour but provides little nutritional value.

Store-bought BBQ sauce also commonly contains maltodextrin. Research suggests maltodextrin may negatively affect the intestinal environment. Some studies indicate it may contribute to chronic inflammatory disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease and metabolic syndrome.
You can read more here:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25343982/

Before I understood this, I often let my son use BBQ sauce on almost everything. It helped encourage him to eat. Looking back, I wish I had known there were healthier options.

2. A Simpler, Healthier Alternative

This homemade BBQ sauce is easy to prepare. It contains approximately four times less sugar and is free from refined sugar. There is also an optional addition of chilli powder if you enjoy extra flavour and mild heat.

The sauce is always a favourite in our home. Guests often request the recipe after trying it. It is a simple way to serve something tasty while improving nutritional quality.

3. Bottling and Storage Tips

I often reuse clean tamari sauce bottles. Before filling them, I sit them in boiling water to help sterilise them.

When pouring hot sauce into bottles, allow the mixture to cool slightly first. Sudden temperature changes can cause air expansion inside the bottle. This may force sauce to spit back out during pouring.

A wide-mouth sterilised jar can make this process easier. The larger opening allows air to escape safely. If using a jar, you can carefully pour the sauce in while still hot and seal it immediately. This reduces the chance of bacterial contamination.

4. Food Safety and Shelf Life

Vinegar acts as a natural preserving agent. Foods with a pH below 4.6 generally do not support the growth of dangerous bacteria such as Clostridium botulinum.
More information can be found here:
https://www.fda.gov/food/laboratory-methods-food/bacteriological-analytical-manual-bam-clostridium-botulinum

When bottles are properly sterilised, I have safely stored unopened sauce in the refrigerator for up to two months. Once opened, I have stored it successfully for up to one month. However, a conservative recommendation is to use it within 10 days.

Storage time depends heavily on:

  • How well the containers were sterilised

  • How clean utensils and hands are during use

  • Consistent refrigeration

In our home, the sauce is usually finished well before one month.

5. Important Safety Warning

Discard the sauce immediately if you notice:

  • A rush of gas when opening

  • Mould growth

  • A sour or unusual smell

  • A noticeable change in flavour

6. Easy Ways to Use BBQ Sauce Regularly

To avoid waste, I either gift a jar to friends or include BBQ-friendly meals in my weekly meal plan. These include:

  • Homemade hamburgers

  • Pulled organic pork

  • Nitrate-free bacon and eggs

  • Frittata

  • Mixed grill meals

7. Final Thoughts

If I could go back, I would have skipped store-bought BBQ sauce altogether. This homemade version is simple, flavourful, and nutritionally improved. Try it yourself and see whether you still enjoy the high-sugar store-bought options.

Summary

  • Store-bought BBQ sauce often contains high amounts of refined sugar.

  • Many brands include maltodextrin, which may negatively affect gut health.

  • Homemade BBQ sauce has nearly four times less sugar than store bought.

  • Proper sterilisation helps extend storage life.

  • Acidic foods below pH 4.6 help prevent harmful bacterial growth.

  • Always discard sauce showing spoilage signs.

  • Planning meals around BBQ sauce helps prevent waste.

Vegan Creamy Coriander and Lime Dressing

by Leanne Foreman for Millen Farm

This super easy Vegan Creamy Coriander and Lime Dressing is also oil-free for those who want to avoid oil. It gives any salad a fresh-tasting lift while avoiding the additives that are in most store-bought dressings. It is particularly delicious as a condiment for my Spicy Zucchini Fritters.

If you don’t like coriander, then easily turn this dressing into a Mint and Lemon Dressing. Simply replace the coriander with fresh mint and the lime juice with lemon juice.

You can adjust the consistency from a thick dressing to an easy pour dressing (as shown in the photo) by adjusting the amount of water used.

 

Quick Blender Aioli

by Leanne Foreman

Avoid the additives found in store bought aioli and easily make your own with a stick/immersion blender. This aioli is wonderfully creamy and so delicious with sweet potato fries, in a salad dressing or as a dip for raw vegetable sticks.

There are two culinary distinctions between aioli and mayonnaise. The first is that aioli contains garlic, and the second, is that aioli is made with extra virgin olive oil rather than a lighter tasting oil that is usually favoured for mayonnaise.

 

Ingredients information for Aioli

There has been some controversy about the purity of oils labelled “extra virgin”. An article in the Sydney Morning Herald stated that, “the global industry has been rocked by a series of scandals, with a recent US 60 Minutes segment revealing up to 80 per cent of extra virgin olive oil sold in America did not meet legal grades because they have been adulterated with cheap sunflower or canola oil, or are a different oil altogether – scented and coloured with “a few drops of chlorophyll”.”

To avoid this, I source locally produced olive oil. If you live in Australia, click here for a great article written by Choice Magazine. It even covers how to store and cook with extra virgin olive oil. Basically, store it in a cool dark place and use it within six months. When using extra virgin olive oil for cooking, I don’t use temperatures over 180 degrees C (350 F).

I also use extra virgin olive oil in the Date, Cinnamon and Rosemary Cake. This is actually my favourite cake recipe.

 

Preparation Tips for Aioli

I have used a wide-mouthed “Ball” preserving jar but if you don’t have something similar, try to find a tall narrow container.

 

This is how the mixture will look when it starts to cream. From this point, you slowly raise the stick blender up the jar as it mixes.

If by chance the aioli won’t cream together or separates, simply add 2 teaspoons of boiling water and remix with the stick blender. I know first-hand that this works. I was impatient and didn’t want to wait for my eggs to reach room temperature so had to use this rescue method myself.

Apricot and Almond Chia Jam

by Leanne Foreman

This week’s recipe is a refined-sugar-free jam or fruit spread that is super easy as well as delicious on toast, pancakes, or waffles. It is also fabulous stirred through plain yoghurt or homemade ice cream.

If you want a nut free option simply leave out the flaked almonds.

500 grams of pitted fresh apricots is approximately 8 apricots.

Beetroot Dip & Olive Tapenade

These dips are super easy and super nutritious because they are made from raw ingredients.

The Beetroot Dip has been kindly contributed by Leah Follett and the Olive Tapenade by Rowena Jayne. Like me, both of these women have a passion to help as many as possible to live a healthy and happy life.

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