Homemade Ketchup

One of the side dishes I had on my birthday last week was roasted potatoes. Potatoes are a rare treat for me because although I love them, I do not eat them very often since they can spike my blood sugar. A few days before my birthday, I had a random thought. Roasted potatoes would be great with ketchup!

Now, I'm not talking about store-bought ketchup, which is very unhealthy. I knew it couldn't be difficult to make my own, so I gave it a try. I am pleased with the results, if I do say so myself, so I thought I'd share my recipe with you. I did a little research online and gave it my own spin. Most recipes call for honey and sugar. I decided to use maple syrup (my pride and joy in the food world) and no other added sugar. I'm so glad I made it this way because it is delicious and just sweet enough the way it is.

Ingredients:

6 ounces tomato paste

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup water

3/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

*I recommend choosing organic ingredients whenever possible.

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat, whisking until smooth.

2. When it begins to boil, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

3. Remove from heat, cover, and cool completely.

4. Chill and store in the refrigerator.

I have quite a bit leftover and it's stayed fresh for a week so far. I will most likely finish it tomorrow. Since the potatoes were a rare treat, I've been using the leftover ketchup in various ways, such as a dip for grilled cheese sandwich (which was also a rare birthday treat), on popcorn, and on scrambled eggs. Yum!

Ketchup on popcorn

Ketchup on scrambled eggs (with kale)

Let me know in the comments if this is something you might like to try!