Portland company Abby's Table offers creative sauce solutions for sprucing up fruits and veggies

If you're in Portland and you haven't yet heard of Abby's Table, it's only a matter of time before you do. After sampling Chef Abby's sauces one fateful day at our neighborhood New Seasons in SW PDX, I brought the last jar of Dream Date home with me as I couldn't imagine life, or bananas, without it. Thoroughly impressed not only with the package's labeling, ingredients and forethought into suggesting that we re-use the container, I was lucky enough to get in touch with Chef Abby Fammartino and shoot a few Q's her way. Here are her A's:

1. What sauce recipes or pairings have you found to be a hit with toddlers or teens?

For toddlers, the easiest pairings are simple: use the sauces as dips for fruit and veggies! Apples, pears, strawberries or bananas are a hit dipped in Dream Date. Also, a healthy way to add protein and sweetness to any smoothie is to add 2 tablespoons of Dream Date - this is also a hit among toddlers and parents alike.

To get your toddler to eat more vegetables, try carrots, cucumbers celery sticks or snap peas dipped in our Nude Ranch. This is my niece, Enza's favorite snack!

For teens, it's all about healthy fats and delicious flavor. Most teens need a lot of energy to fuel their active lives. Parents have to be creative to find healthful ways to make delicious snacks and meals that include vital nutrition and little to no artificial ingredients. Here are two favorites:

For a dairy-free, soy-free version of a creamy pasta alfredo, toss 1 jar Nude Ranch with 1 pound of hot pasta, 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil and a pinch or two of sea salt. Add steamed broccoli and optional chicken and toss until creamy and equally divided. Voila! An easy meal rich in vitamins and healthy fats that keep the body going.

For quick snacks, try Nude Ranch spread onto a turkey sandwich. Instead of mayo, try Nude Ranch in a tuna or potato salad. The Turmeric Coconut Sauce is great on roasted potatoes; simply toss a good amount of sauce with the potatoes at the end before serving. Turmeric is anti-inflammatory so it's a good ingredient for athletic teens.

Lastly, for a sweet treat, whip together equal amounts almond butter and Nude Pudding and use as a frosting for a cake or cupcakes. Our Nude Pudding is avocado-based (!), so it's a delicious and nutritious snack on its own, with fruit or as a spread on toast with banana.

2. Best sauce recipe for finicky eaters, big or small, that ideally gets kids to eat veggies and fruits?

For finicky eaters big or small I think the best recipe is our Nude Ranch tossed with Roasted Broccoli. This can be added to the Creamy Alfredo recipe or enjoyed on its own as a side dish.

To encourage fruit intake, try a spreading Dream Date onto toast and topping with sliced bananas. A way to get dates and bananas into a snack that is tasty!

3. Why gluten free sauces?

I focus on gluten free sauces because I am trying to offer delicious food to the most people possible. I want to encourage every type of eater to share meals together, to build community through food. Gluten-free diets are on the rise, by doctor's orders, for elimination diets to determine allergies, or by a person's choice to eat a cleaner diet. Many people like myself simply feel more alert, happy and productive enjoying a whole foods based diet that doesn't include wheat or gluten. More than being gluten free, however, I categorize my sauces as vibrant food based dressings and condiments - fresh and fabulously useful.

Abby's Table is a Portland company, headquartered at 609 SE Ankeny St., Portland OR.