Paleo bacon wrapped jalapeno "poppers"

Who doesn't love jalapeno poppers?  People who hate spice, and cheese, and life, apparently. (I'm teasing!!) And, sadly, me, but not due to their taste... most bar jalapeno poppers are caloric bombs due to the cheese, the breading, and, of course, the deep fryer.  Sigh.

But that doesn't mean I can't enjoy a fabulous spicy bite of jalapeno with some "cheesiness".  Especially when it's wrapped in bacon.  And especially when it is relatively healthy!

Introducing my Paleo-friendly bacon-wrapped jalapeno "poppers". Inspired by this "Bacon-Apple-Jalapeno Pop 'Ems" recipe from Aarti Sequeira, I performed a makeover of the recipe to be Paleo friendly.  My one dilemma?  What to stuff these puppies with, since cheese is not strict Paleo.  And a light bulb went off when I remembered one of my favorite recipes where I learned a technique for how to turn avocados and roasted red peppers into a mock-cheddar cheese dip.  

Boom.

A brilliant idea was born.

Here's how I made these simply delicious Paleo bacon wrapped jalapeno "poppers"!

Start by making the "cheese"-filling.  Combine 1/2 a 14 oz jar of roasted peppers with 2 ripe avocadoes, top with a healthy dose of garlic powder and onion powder, as well as salt and pepper, and blend in a food processor until smoooooth....

Then, scoop into a bowl, add chopped Granny Smith apples and scallions, as well as more salt and pepper if desired, and mix together...

...next, prepare the jalapenos.  Remove the top, halve them, and remove the seeds and ribs (please, for the love of all that is nice, please do not do this step without protection for your hands... otherwise, the oil from the jalapeno seeds will burrrrrn you and it's NOT fun, trust me).  Now, you can stuff each jalapeno half with the apple-"cheese" mixture...

...then wrap with half a slice of turkey bacon...

...place on a Pam-sprayed, foil-lined baking sheet and pop into a 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes until all nice and crispy...

...CONSUME with zest!!!! Expect yumminess :)

Here's the full recipe!

Paleo Bacon-wrapped jalapeno "poppers"
Recipe inspired by Aarti Sequiera and Juli Bauer of PaleOMG!

Ingredients
2 avocados
½ 14oz jar of roasted peppers
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
½ lemon, juiced

3 large scallions, roots sliced off, green and white parts minced finely
1 large Granny Smith apple, cored and minced

20 jalapenos
20 strips thin-sliced turkey bacon, chopped in half

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Make your "cheese" sauce. Place avocados, roasted peppers, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and lemon juice in a food processor and puree until smooth.

3. In a large bowl, place the "cheese" sauce, add the scallions and apples, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper if desired.
4. Slice off the stems, and slice each jalapeno in half lengthwise. Remove the membranes and seeds.
5. Fill each jalapeno half with the cheese mixture; fill until just over the rim of the jalapeno. 

6. Wrap each pepper with a bacon half.

7. Place each "popper" on the prepared baking sheet and pop into the oven for 30 minutes. 

8. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes.

9. Devour!!!!

Coffee spice rubbed flank steak with caramelized onion and date compote - PALEO friendly!

I love Food Network.  There are certain shows that I DVR to ensure that I don't miss a fabulous recipe.  One of the shows I watch religiously (even repeats) is Aarti Party, hosted by Aarti Sequeira, the Season 6 winner of The Next Food Network Star.  She is a fabulous, fun chef who fuses traditional Indian flavors into all her cooking, whether traditional Indian or not.  And I love it.

I've made a few of her more traditional recipes before, but this time, I decided to try her recipe for "Giddy-Up Steak with Onion-Date compote".  I barely altered her recipe (I didn't use brown sugar in the rub, did not miss it!), and I'm so glad, because it is FABULOUS and I will definitely make this again.  You have this fabulous coffee spice mixture over a succulent piece of delicious flank steak, and top it with a savory and sweet caramelized onion mixture with decadent dates?  Yes. 

Meaty and sweet.  My new favorite combination!

Here's how I made this delicious Coffee-spice rubbed flank steak with caramelized onion and date compote (and yes, I changed the name because I'm not as creative as Aarti! :) )

I started by caramelizing the onions, because you need time to properly caramelize the onions.  So I sliced the onions (4 large yellow onions), added EVOO to a large skillet, and once the oil was hot enough, added the onions and a bit of salt.  Stir, coating the onions with the oil, and reduce heat to low.  Cover the skillet and let the onions sweat it out!  Stir every now and then, and if the onions have too much water, take the lid off and cook off some of the water.  You'll end up cooking the onions for 45 minutes or so.

While the onions are cooking, now you pit and mince your dates.

While the onions are cooking away, make your spice rub.  Combine chile powder, ground coffee, coriander powder, ground black pepper, kosher salt, and garam masala together, stirring so everything is well combined.  

****Side note on the ground coffee: I don't drink coffee.  But this past winter while in upstate NY, I actually tried a cup (it was 9 degrees outside with a windchill of well below 0), and it was this fabulous K-cup by Donut House - the flavor was Chocolate-Glazed Donut, and I actually liked it.  So my Dad bought a Keurig machine for my apartment so he could have a hot cup of coffee when he visits, and so I bought my own K-cups, and yay was that lucky, because that's what I used and the chocolate flavored coffee makes this recipe even MORE fabulous!!!! End of side note****

Pour half the rub mixture over 1 side of the flank steak and massage into the meat. Turn the steak over and pour the other half over the meat and massage in. Set aside for the remainder of time it takes to cook the caramelized onions.

When the onions are caramelized, add the dates, balsamic vinegar, and water. Stir and cook, covered, for another 15 minutes.

Next, heat your grill pan (or a real grill if you're that fancy) over medium heat and coat heavily with Pam spray (or similar).

Once the grill pan is nice and hot (oil lightly smoking), throw your rubbed-down meat on. If the pan doesn't sizzle when the meat comes into contact, it's not hot enough.  Important to get that heat so the spice rub stays on and forms a crust.  After 4-5 minutes of cooking, flip the steak over, and cook another 4 to 5. Remove from grill pan to a cutting board, and allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes.

Slice the flank steak, spoon a healthy portion of the onion-date compote on top, and INHALE.  Go back for seconds so you can appreciate the flavors!!!

YUM!

Giddy-Up Steak with Onion-Date compote
Recipe slightly altered from Aarti Party

Ingredients

2 tablespoons chile powder
1 tablespoon ground coffee - HIGHLY recommend using Donut House's Chocolate Glazed Donut... that chocolate taste just makes this rub even more phenomenal!
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
1 (2-pound) flank steak

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 large onions, sliced very thinly
Kosher salt

8 dates, pitted and minced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup water
Pam spray

Directions
1.  Heat the olive oil in a very large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering (not smoking), add the onions, a pinch of salt, and stir to coat with oil. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn a deep caramel color, about 45 minutes.  If too much water, cook the onions without the lid to let some of the water cook off and to get a nice brown color on the onions. 

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine all dry rub ingredients (chile powder, ground coffee, coriander powder, ground black pepper, kosher salt, and garam masala) and stir together.
3. Pour half the mixture over 1 side of the flank steak and massage into the meat. Turn the steak over and pour the other half over the meat and massage in. Set aside for the remainder of time it takes to cook the caramelized onions. 

4. When the onions are caramelized, add the dates, balsamic vinegar, and water. Stir and cook, covered, for another 15 minutes.

5. Warm your grill or grill pan over medium heat and coat heavily with Pam spray (or similar).

6. Once the grill pan is nice and hot (oil lightly smoking), throw your rubbed-down meat on. If the pan doesn't sizzle when the meat comes into contact, it's not hot enough.  Important to get that heat so the spice rub stays on and forms a crust.  After 4-5 minutes of cooking, flip the steak over, and cook another 4 to 5. Remove from grill pan to a cutting board, and allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes.

7. Slice the flank steak, spoon a healthy portion of the onion-date compote on top, and INHALE.  Go back for seconds so you can appreciate the flavors!!!

PALEO Florida smoked fish dip

I noticed an appetizer on the menu of almost every single seafood restaurant here in South Florida: Smoked Fish Dip. Typically I stay away from dips because of the tons of calories that I imagine (rightly or wrongly) are in them due to the mayo/cream cheese/etc.  But a few weeks ago, I went for it. And it was DELICIOUS.  Smoky, creamy, spicy.  I wanted more!!

And then, one Sunday morning while drinking my freshly-squeezed OJ and reading my Sunday morning newspaper (Yes, I get the paper delivered!!), I stumbled across a recipe from a Miami chef. 

Voila.  I have the base.  Now how do I transform it into a healthy PALEO Florida Smoked Fish Dip.

Well, I did.  This dip was damn good.  I wanted to eat it all in one sitting, but trust me, it And it turned out gooooood!!

Here's how I made it...

First, I chopped or minced all the required veggies (celery, red onion, pickled jalapanos, capers, cilantro), plus lemon zest and salt....

...placed them in a pretty blue mixing bowl (the blue is optional, FYI)... and then I got ready to make the PALEO mayo...

...by using an Immersion blender to beat the eggs, lemon juice and salt...

...and after 15 minutes of adding the olive oil and coconut oil in, I finally had the consistency of MAYO!!!

...next I used my hands to pull apart the smoked fish (I used smoked salmon)...

...added it to the bowl...

....then I added the PALEO mayo and folded all ingredients in...

....and voila, a creamy, messy goodness...

....which looks LOVELY on top of some sliced tomatoes or celery sticks...

...but is also delicious just by itself :)

ENJOY!

PALEO Florida smoked fish dip
Recipe slightly adapted from chef Richard Sandoval

1.25 lbs smoked swordfish (or trout, or salmon)
2/3 cup PALEO mayo
1 T cilantro, roughly chopped
1/4 cup red onion, minced
1/4 cup capers, strained, finely chopped
1/4 cup celery, minced
2 T pickled jalapenos, minced
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt to taste

1. Add all the veggies, cilantro, lemon zest and salt into a mixing bowl.
2. Hand-"shred" the smoked fish, pulling it apart into little bite-sized pieces, place in mixing bowl.
3. Make the PALEO mayo (see here - an immersion blender is also an easy way to make the mayo, have patience!)
4. Add the mayo to the mixing bowl and fold all ingredients together, mixing well but not disrupting the fish.
5. You're done.  Eat.  Try this with some crackers (if you're not PALEO), veggies (celery, carrots,  tomato slices, etc) or just eat by the spoonful, I won't judge!

My next challenge

Every time another week, month, year, decade passes, I repeat the same phrase: how quickly time flies.

It's true. It's already mid-November. Less than 2 months, 60 days, 1440 hours... so much I want to accomplish.

My main goal?  I want to focus on my health.  I have to balance that with the obligatory responsibilities - kicking ass at work and studying for the CFP exam, which makes it tough but honestly I have no excuse.  Actually, I have plenty of excuses, but they are all flimsy.

So... let's break this down.

My goal: Focus on my health.

What does that mean?  Two parts:
1. Focus on fueling my body appropriately.
2. Focus on more consistent physical activity. 

So that sounds easy enough, right?

Ha... right... but what I really mean is wrong.

This isn't easy for me.  It should be, I really do have all the time in the world, and I have no excuses.

So I need support.  And love.  And encouragement.  Feel free to go Jillian Michaels on me and yell at me.  In fact, I would rather the tough love, so BRING. IT. ON.




One final thought... whenever you have a goal, you want to make sure they are SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timebound).

Specific: I need to define specifically what I want to do. 
Measurable: weight, measurements, and images have all been documented/taken. 
Achievable: F*** yes I can do this!
Realistic: Yes.
Timebound: For life.

Ha, but in reality, I'm going to set a date of February 14, 3 months/90 days from now.  Why?  Because that's the day I fly to Chile and spend 6 days hiking (at a high altitude) Patagonia, so I need to be in shape.  But it's also a reward for all my hard work.

So let's DO THIS.  Who's with me?!?!?

One Year Later: Done, Kinda... :)

There are 8,760 hours in a year.  That's a LOT of time.  And yet, it goes by SO QUICKLY.

It's been one year since I declared that I was, once again, challenging myself to do 30 things.  And while going through the process of completing all 30 challenges over the past 365 days, I changed my entire life.  I'm in a completely different place, both literally and figuratively...

I moved 1200 miles.  I went through some crazy sh*t...

After Sandy...

This is the reason why I love doing these challenges - it forces me to continuously learn and challenge myself, reminds me to continue doing things that I enjoy doing, and generally helps me get the most out of life. 

But this challenge, over this past year, also forced me to look at what was most important to me... forced me to face that I was not where I wanted to be, helped me identify the major changes I needed in my life, and gave me the tools to figure out how to achieve my goals.

And throughout this past year, the goals I began with shifted.  While I love having challenges to motivate me, and while, as an example, participating in a FlashMob would have been a cool experience, I didn't have the energy to devote to finding and training for a FlashMob because I was doing other amazing things with my life, things that were not on the list.

So... I didn't complete all 31 items... in fact, I completed only about half of the items... And while I'm slightly disappointed that I didn't check everything off the list, at the end of the day, completing something just to complete is meaningless... so I'm OK with only completed 20 out of my 31. That's still 20 items crossed off the list.

 
And more importantly, I focused on me, finding what my true purpose was, and in the end, made myself happy... and that's all that really matters.

So, one year later... one more year of incredible, life changing experiences... here's the rundown on how I did!

1. Become certified in Scuba diving - partially completed, but on hold due to the $$$$ required! :)
2. 30 days of shoes - originally this was "Teach a spin class" since I got certified last year, and it was kinda "eh"
3. Read 30 more books
4. Dress like a superhero for Halloween
5. See a Steelers game in enemy territory
6. Participate in a Flash Mob - not completed...
7. Create (and follow) a financial plan- This is my new job, so this is being deferred to next year :)
8. Become conversational in Spanish - uhhh... si? not really... definitely back on the list for next year
9. Take a stand up paddle board lesson - not completed, but so many opportunities to complete it in the future
10. Do the “Insanity” 60 day challenge
11. Visit my parents in Alabama =)
12. Do a Tough Mudder / Warrior dash type of race - not completed, but scheduled for Jan 2014!
13. Go Paleo for 30 days - I'm working on it... but not completed...
14. Go to a concert
15. Ride on the back of a motorcycle
16. Learn how to fly a helicopter
17. Eat at another 3 star Michelin restaurant
18. Cook 30 more new recipes, and blog about each one!
19. Travel somewhere else on my bucket list
20. Visit the NY Botanical Gardens
21. See "The Book of Mormon" on Broadway
22. Hang out at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Rooftop Bar - not completed as I moved out of NYC before they reopened for the summer
23. Go to Peter Luger's steakhouse
24. Run a race (10K, half marathon or marathon)
25. Take a writing class
26. See Fuerza Bruta
27. Get more involved with a non-profit
28. Complete the counted cross stitch piece that I’ve been working on for years! - ummm yeah...
29. Take pole dancing classes - now why didn't I do this one?!?!  Doh.
30. Learn how to change the tire on a car
31. Do something crazy 

So... are you disappointed?  Proud? Motivated? Mad? Inspired? Disgusted?  Let me know your thoughts... are you going to create a list? 

And more importantly, what should be on my next list? (HA!!  You know I can't stop doing these challenges!)

#18 Cook 30 more recipes...

As you already know, I really love food, and I love to cook.  This year, I really tried to expand my cooking repertoire and cook with ingredients that I had previously never worked with... and the results were delicious.  I wish I hadn't waited until the last minute to make half of these dishes, but at the same time... I don't care.  So here we go, a recap of #18 Cook 30 more recipes (and blog about each one):

1. Key Lime Pie with Chocolate Crust

2. Grilled Green Tomatoes with Corn and Pepper Salsa

 3. Pork Tenderloin with Figs and Shallots









4. Pesce all' Acqua Pazza








5. Crustless Broccoli, Tomato and Cheddar Quiche










6. Lobster and Brie Dip








7. Sweet potato-chicken hash with poached eggs and green chile hollandaise







8. Butternut squash mac&cheese with apple and caramelized onions



9. Overnight Kale Salad








10. Fig, Caramelized Onion and Blue Cheese Pizza









11. Pan-friend egg and turkey bacon over toast with avocado and Pico de Gallo









12.  Seared sea scallops, tomatoes and peas in a creamy saffron sauce










13. Chicken and zucchini balls










14. Power enchiladas








15. Parsnip and kale hash with farro and red onion









16. Leftover spaghetti with mushrooms and meat sauce









17. Grilled Cheese Pizza

18. Spicy sausage and pepper pasta with spicy cherry tomato sauce

19. Easy shrimp, peach salsa and avocado wrap

20. Garden Full of Goodness lasagna

21. PALEO Mexican-inspired burgers

22. Orange and rosemary shrimp and scallops

23. PALEO Roasted grape and bacon-wrapped filet mignon

24. Giada's Spicy red-wine spaghetti

25. Healthy veggie frittata

 26. Low cal Buffalo chicken mac n cheese

 27. Seared scallops with lemon, asparagus and thyme








 28. PALEO sweet potato, chive and bacon biscuits

29. Tilapia with capers, tomatoes and spinach

30. Curried crab salad with watermelon and arugula








I dare you to try just one of these recipes, and then let me know what you think!!!  Also, feel free to share your favorites "must try" recipes!!