Gluten-free Homemade Teriyaki Sauce (and lots of healthy & frugal snack ideas for game day)

Four ingredients: soy sauce or tamari, rice wine, a garlic clove, and dried or fresh ginger. A couple minutes on the stove, and you have a delicate teriyaki sauce without refined sugar. Marinate chicken wings or legs in this sauce, and you have a delicious, healthy main dish or a great protein-rich dish to set out to snack on during a football game.

Oh yes, my husband and I aren’t sport fanatics, I am at least aware that football season is upon us. And for those who want to indulge in some tasty snacks during a football game, making a proper meal of it (while keeping it fun and healthy) is the best bet, in my opinion. And teriyaki chicken wings are a great crossover dish from your dinner table to the couch during a football game. I have some other “football” worthy snack ideas too, but first, back to the teriyaki.

I have a lot of teriyaki recipes on my blog, but the reason I decided to add one more, is because this one uses rice wine (mirin) instead of sugar. The great thing about using wine is that while it still contains sweetness, its flavor is more complex. This creates a more complex teriyaki sauce that is both pungent and delicate at the same time. Joel and I really enjoyed this new version, while my oldest prefers our other favorite version using coconut sugar. And then this recipe for teriyaki chicken wings is yet another favorite! Either way, it’s hard to go wrong.

Now before we get to our super simple recipe, let me give you some other healthy and frugal snack ideas for the game. (This post part of my 52 ways to save money on a healthy diet, because it is possible!)

Chip Dip Ideas: I love making a layered Mexican chip dip using Mexican beef (my recipes is included in my Mexican Quinoa bowl recipe), homemade Mexican beans, sour cream, or unsweetened yogurt, guacamole, salsa, shredded cheese, etc. Really, it’s hard to go wrong with this! I have made it dairy-free lots of times, just by using plenty of guacamole for the “creamy” factor. Of course you can always simply make guacamole, like this simple version. Or what about a frugal Curried Bean Dip? Or, you can combine the beans and avocado for a Spicy Avocado hummus! For other chip dip ideas, check out my Pinterest Board here.

Potato Skins: Following a basis recipe for potato skins can actually be quite healthy and frugal too! Potatoes are always a good deal, so it’s great to utilize them when feeding a crowd. To make it more of a meal, check out this delicious bruschetta stuffed potato version. 

Popcorn: Our movie nights are often celebrated with stovetop popped popcorn, then drizzled with butter and unrefined salt. So simple, and so delicious! For special occasions this caramel corn recipe is very popular. The bowl is always empty when we bring this to parties!

Caramel Apples: If you are looking for something sweet, it is tempting to serve these caramel apples – even though it’s not traditionally considered “football fare”, they are so delicious, no one will complain. Plus, I am seeing the new crops of apples start appearing in the stores, so it’s a good time to make them!

Eggs: Back to a more protein-rich snack food to set out, why not deviled eggs? I share a very simple mayo-free version here, which I really like.

Cold Cuts: And for the more sophisticated in taste, you can always try out setting out olives, marinated tomatoes, soft cheese, meats, and crackers.

Ice Cream: Ice cream is one of the best things known to mankind. Truly. I make mine with coconut milk for a great dairy-free version. Here are a couple versions: Coffee flavored, Mint Chocolate Chip, Chocolate, Vanilla, and Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream 

Of course, serving hamburgers (you can even do them paleo-style, if you want), quality hotdogs, meatballs (serve with toothpicks), meatball subs, and even tacos, can make your snacks into a full meal deal.

So those are just a couple of ideas. I’d love to hear yours!

Now on to the promised teriyaki sauce.

Simple Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

 

Author:

Kimi @ The Nourishing Gourmet

Print

 

The longer you keep this sauce, the more ginger-y it will become, so keep that in mind when deciding how much ginger to use. I personally (as much as I like ginger), make it very mild. Then I can always add more dried or fresh ginger when using it to marinade chicken, if I want. But the sauce itself will be mild enough to drizzle over vegetables and rice too!

Ingredients

• 1 cup soy sauce or tamari (use tamari for gluten-free)
• 1 cup of mirin (rice wine)
• 1-2 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
• 1 inch of fresh ginger, cut into three pieces, or ⅛-1/4 teaspoon of dried ginger

Instructions

1. Place all of the ingredients in a wide saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for five to ten minutes, or until the mixture boils down to about 1 cup’s worth.
2. Cool, fish out the garlic and ginger and refrigerate. Will keep indefinitely.
3. To marinate chicken wings or legs, coat the meat with the sauce and marinade for 1-4 hours. Cook at 375 for 45 minutes, or until cooked through and browned.

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KimiHarris

I love beautiful and simple food that is nourishing to the body and the soul. I wrote Fresh: Nourishing Salads for All Seasons and Ladled: Nourishing Soups for All Seasons as another outlet of sharing this love of mine. I also love sharing practical tips on how to make a real food diet work on a real life budget. Find me online elsewhere by clicking on the icons below!

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