Tag Archives: appetizer

Bacon Wrapped Fresh Figs with Honey and Almond Butter – Paleo and Gluten Free

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Bacon Wrapped Fresh Figs with Honey and Almond Butter

bacon wrapped fig almond butter gluten free appetizer dessert My local store RARELY has fresh figs available so when I see them I squeal like a little girl. No seriously, it’s totally audible and people stare lol.

Fig season is so short and scarce. They are a fragile fruit and spoil quickly so when I can get my hands on them I use them immediately. But if you’ve ever had a fresh fig, you understand the joy of stumbling upon them.

bacon wrapped fig almond butter gluten free appetizer dessert

I’ve made blue cheese and honey figs and that’s usually my go to fig recipe because it’s so simple and quick but…..I stumbled on THIS RECIPE at taylormadeitpaleo.com and must bow down to Taylor because the combination of flavors in this recipe is totally mind blowing. But as she puts it “your paleo mind will be blown”. With a description like that, I had to try it. Turns out, Taylor was right.

bacon wrapped fig almond butter gluten free appetizer dessert

These decadent figs would make a beautiful appetizer for a dinner party or a special treat for a night in. Either way, you haven’t had figs until you’ve tried this recipe.

bacon wrapped fig almond butter gluten free appetizer dessert

Bacon Wrapped Fresh Figs with Honey and Almond Butter
 
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Recipe type: Paleo, Gluten Free
Ingredients
  • 5 fresh figs (I used black mission), cut in half lengthwise and stems removed
  • 5 pieces of bacon, cut in half
  • Honey
  • Creamy almond butter
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. Slice bacon in half making 10 pieces.
  4. Stem and halve your figs making 10 pieces all together.
  5. Lay each piece of bacon on parchment paper and a fig on top of each piece, sliced side up.
  6. Drizzle a little less than a ¼ teaspoon of honey on top of each fig, wrap bacon around fig and turn over so that the fig is now face down and the bacon halves are secured under the fig.
  7. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until the bacon is cooked and browned.
  8. Remove from oven and serve topped with a small dollop of almond butter.
  9. Unbelievably delicious!!
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Paleo Asian Ground Chicken Lettuce Wraps

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Paleo Asian Ground Chicken Lettuce Wraps

asian chicken lettuce wrap pf chang appetizer protein low fat paleo gluten freeI had some organic ground chicken so I went browsing and found this awesome PF Chang-like Paleo Lettuce Wrap recipe at CaveGirlCuisine.net. I normally will find a recipe that inspires me to recreate a healthier version but this recipe needed very little change at all. The only edit I made was that I used cooking sherry instead of white wine vinegar, otherwise everything was the same.

I was so impressed at how fast this meal came together. No complicated instructions, uses just 1 pan and you only have to dice up a few things. Easy peazy lemon squeezy right?

asian chicken lettuce wrap pf chang appetizer protein low fat paleo gluten freei’m a sucker for anything that can be used in a lettuce wrap. I found this non-gmo living butter lettuce at my local grocer a while ago and fell in love. They last forever because it’s live and I use them to make blt’s or tuna “sammiches”, etc. I don’t eat bread but who needs to with these little convenient lettuce cups?

live butter lettuce cups wrapsThis recipe yielded 10 – 11 lettuce wraps so we had leftovers since it’s just the hubby and I. Just keep the chicken mixture in the fridge in a covered bowl and reheat as needed. It reheats really good. Throw a few slivered almonds and green onions to garnish if you want to get all fancy 🙂

asian chicken lettuce wrap pf chang appetizer protein low fat paleo gluten free

 

A second round of these has already been requested. I’m going to try them with organic ground turkey next. I’m confident they will be just as good, just a little less fat which isn’t a bad thing. Enjoy.

Paleo Asian Ground Chicken Lettuce Wraps
 
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Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 10 butter lettuce cups
  • 1 lb. ground chicken
  • 5 ounces shiitake mushrooms, finely diced
  • ⅓ cup scallions, chopped (the white part, reserve the green part for garnish)
  • 4-5 cloves garlic, minced OR 3 teaspoons already minced from a jar
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
  • ¼ cup slivered almonds
  • 3 Tablespoons coconut aminos (can sub with soy sauce but then it wouldn't be paleo)
  • 1 Tablespoon cooking sherry OR white wine vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon Scriracha hot sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon raw honey
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
  1. In a medium/large skillet heat sesame oil and add ground chicken. Cook until almost done. You will be cooking it longer when the other ingredients are added so you don't want to overcook it in the beginning.
  2. Add mushrooms, scallion, ginger and coconut aminos. Cook until scallions and mushrooms are softer.
  3. Stir in garlic, almonds, sherry, mustard, Scriracha, honey and salt. Cook off most of the liquid over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
  4. Spoon mixture into lettuce cups, top with slivered almonds or the green parts of the scallions as a garnish.
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Gluten Free Avocado Fries

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Gluten Free Avocado Fries

avocado fruit good fat creamy vegan gluten free panko healthy fries

I love love love avocados and can never find enough ways to incorporate them into my diet. Not only are they rich and creamy but they can be used as a substitute for eggs in baking, as a great substitute for mayo in dips, great in pretty much any lettuce wrap, etc.

avocado fruit good fat creamy vegan gluten free panko healthy fries

Let’s not forget the nutritional goodness of the avocado. Did you know that the avocado has nearly 20 beneficial vitamins and nutrients. It is also full of good fats.

I used gluten free panko crumbs but you can make your own by crushing gluten-free corn flakes (a little tip from my good friend Tracy). Plus you can use any spices you prefer in the almond meal/flour mixture. Make em spicy, make em sweeter, it’s up to you.

avocado fruit good fat creamy vegan gluten free panko healthy fries

I dipped mine in a ranch flavored greek yogurt dip but a nice lemon dressing or chipotle would be great too. If you serve these for a party, offer a variety of dips for everyone’s tastes.

avocado fruit good fat creamy vegan gluten free panko healthy fries

{ I always choose organics whenever available }

Gluten Free Avocado Fries
 
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Recipe type: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 2 ripe (not too ripe) avocados
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup gluten free panko crumbs (can sub with crushed gluten free corn flakes)
  • ½ cup almond meal/flour
  • ¼ tsp paprika
  • ⅛ tsp cumin
  • dash salt/pepper
  • Cooking spray (I used coconut oil spray)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425.
  2. Place a wire baking rack on top of a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray.
  3. Set up 3 bowls: 1 bowl for almond flour, paprika, cumin, salt/pepper tossed to combine everything. 1 bowl for 2 whisked eggs. 1 bowl for panko crumbs.
  4. Press avocado slice into flour mixture covering on both sides then dredge through egg and finally press into panko crumbs on both sides.
  5. Transfer breaded slices to wire rack.
  6. Once all slices are prepared and on the wire rack, give your slices a spray with cooking spray and bake for 10 minutes.
  7. After 10 minutes flip over, spray again lightly with cooking spray and bake for an additional 7 minutes.
  8. Enjoy.
  9. Store uneaten fries in the fridge and microwave for 20 seconds to reheat.
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Paleo Mexican Shrimp Cocktail

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Paleo Mexican Shrimp Cocktail 

paleo shrimp cocktail mexican avocado tomato jalapeno cucumber lime onion

I know Spring will be here eventually but you would never know it from the snow storm we had yesterday. In APRIL no less. I wanted to make something fresh and fabulous to remind me that one day we will be in shorts having backyard parties and will feel the warm sun on my face.

paleo shrimp cocktail mexican avocado tomato jalapeno cucumber lime onion

This recipe is so easy. Look at all the colors. So there you go, it’s easy, pretty, Paleo, delicious, makes a great appetizer or summer salad.  I made lettuce wraps with mine.

paleo shrimp cocktail mexican avocado tomato jalapeno cucumber lime onion

Paleo Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
 
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Paleo Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
Author:
Recipe type: Salad, Paleo, Seafood, Protein
Serves: Many
Ingredients
  • 1 lb medium shrimp (cooked, peeled, deveined)
  • 1 cup red onion, diced
  • 1 cup cucumber, peeled and diced
  • 1 stalk of celery, diced
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, minced
  • 3 fresh chopped roma tomatoes with juice
  • 3 tbsp lime juice
  • 1½ tbsp hot sauce (I used sriracha)
  • 1 avocado, chunked
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste
  • **Optional: 1 tbsp chopped cilantro**
Instructions
  1. Slice shrimp into chunks, I cut mine into thirds.
  2. In a large bowl, combine everything, adding avocado last.
  3. Let marinate in the fridge for about an hour.
  4. Serve. Yes, it's that easy.
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Fresh Pineapple Chia Seed Jam

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Fresh Pineapple Chia Seed Jam

After trying and loving my Blueberry Chia Seed Jam the hubby put in a request for pineapple chia seed jam, he loves pineapple and I love when hubby makes requests. Plus it gave me the perfect reason to try out my new food processor. I sprinted to the closet and whipped that baby out!

Let’s make Fresh Pineapple Chia Seed Jam

(this delicious jam is also paleo and gluten-free which makes it even more awesome)

pineapple chia seed citrus jam jelly fruit condiment paleo gluten free fiber protein

I FINALLY got to put the food processor to work. After pulsing the pineapple, I pulsed some Peppadew peppers to make a small batch of pineapple pepper jam all for myself.

pineapple chia seed citrus jam jelly fruit condiment paleo gluten free fiber protein

I only used about a cup of pineapple because I don’t make my chia jam batches too large as they don’t contain preservatives and aren’t canned in the traditional method. They will keep in the fridge for a week or two. Plus it’s so easy to make that if I run out it’s no big deal to whip up another batch but if you eat a lot of jam, you can certainly double the recipe.

pineapple chia seed citrus jam jelly fruit condiment paleo gluten free fiber protein peppadew pepper

If you would like to add Peppadew peppers to your pineapple jam, just add the peppers in the last few minutes of cooking the pineapple, before adding the chia seed gel. I put the details in the recipe below.

I love spooning the pepper jelly or blueberry jelly on top of some cream cheese and dipping with sea salt quinoa chips. Dee-licious!

Now don’t crinkle your nose but the hubby likes to top a scoop of vanilla ice cream with blueberry chia jam or pineapple jam. I swear it’s good. Taste just like a sundae.

Fresh Pineapple Chia Seed Jam
 
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Fresh Pineapple Chia Seed Jam
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 cup fresh pineapple (chopped small)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon raw honey
  • 1½ tablespoons chia seeds + 3 tablespoons water
  • **Optional - 3 or 4 Peppadew peppers or jalapenos if making the pepper jelly variation**
Instructions
  1. Soak chia seeds in the 3 tablespoons of water and set aside to gel, stirring after 10 minutes.
  2. Put chopped pineapple in food processor just for a few pulses to get rid of the big chunks.
  3. Place pulsed pineapple, honey and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
  4. Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low. Continue to cook for about 30 minutes until the liquid has almost completely evaporated and the pineapple is soft. Add water as necessary, based on how juicy your pineapple is to start with. The pineapple will be broken down and should look like it's starting to gel.
  5. Remove from heat and stir in your chia seed gel stirring constantly for a few minutes. The chia seeds will try to crawl up the sides of the pan so stirring helps keep them incorporated into the pineapple.
  6. **Optional: To make pineapple PEPPER jelly, simply add 3 or 4 finely chopped Pepperdew peppers or jalapenos to the pineapple in the last few minutes of cooking, before adding the chia seed. I love pepper jelly spooned on top of cream cheese with some quinoa chips. So good.**
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