The Easiest Recipe Ever: Bacon Wrapped Dates

I am not much of a cook and I've never brought anything but a bottle of wine to an event. This Thanksgiving I wanted to do something. Something easy, fresh, something that reflected my dietary style but would be embraced and ate up by others.

A week ago my paleo, runner boss made bacon wrapped dates for a large event. I wasn't to sure about them as I am not the biggest bacon fan. Let me tell you people swarmed them.
I cant describe the flavors.
They were so unique and I instantly fell in love.

My boss shared his "secret" recipe.

Ready?

Pitted Dates
Thinly sliced bacon

Overwhelmed by the ingredient list? I know I was...

So here is how to make them...

You will get each slice of bacon and slice it in half. Half a slice is all you need to successfully wrap your date.

I found it most helpful to cut off the ends of the bacon as they tend to be fatty and uneven which made it hard to wrap the dates.

Next get your date and slice it in half.

Lie your bacon strip down and tightly roll it over your date making sure to firmly press the end of the bacon strip against the date.

Place it onto a ungreased cookie sheet.

Repeat!

Place in the oven at 350 for 12 minutes. You will need to take them out of the oven at 6 minutes and turn them over.

Once out of the oven place them on a plate with paper towels and gently press the bacon wrapped dates to get rid of any excess grease.

Let them sit and cool.

Place them on a new plate, poke tooth picks in them and you will have an appetizer or hors d'oeuvre everyone will be grabbing at!

DIY Gluten Free, Paleo Rosemary Crackers



 

 

Tonight I'm going to a jazz on the green with some friends.  We intend to lounge around on an oversized blanket sipping on red wine and relaxing.

In lieu of this occasion I decided to make my own gluten free, paleo crackers to go along with our wine and cheese.

(We like to keep it classy-as runners we don't get to do this often).

 

Here is what you will need:

 

1 3/4 cups of almond flour

(Not sure how to make your own almond flower click here for a simple recipe)

1/2 teaspoon of sea salt

2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary

(Not sure how to strip rosemary click here for 3 simple steps)

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 egg

 

 

 

In a large bowl combine almond flour, sea salt and rosemary.

In a separate bowl whisk egg, and olive oil

Combine all ingredients and mix.

Once mixed, roll the dough into a ball.
Get a cookie sheet and line it with parchment paper.

 

Now the next step I tried several different ways but I believe this is the best way to do it.

Lay your ball of dough on the parchment paper and press with your hands so that the dough spreads evenly. Try to form it into rectangle.

 

Next, your edges won't be very smooth so get a cookie cutter and trim the edges.

 

 

Take the excess dough and add it to a corner on the side.

 

 

Bake at 350 for 13 minutes or until a slightly golden

Allow to rest on tray for 30 minutes

 

Enjoy! 

 

 

To check out other healthy recipes head over to Candy Fits page!

Also, checkout this new site I just found from Girl Meets Nourishment.

I linked up to her Unprocessed Food Fridays!

How to Strip Rosemary

I started growing rosemary early this summer and its gotten out of control.

 Its huge. Its awesome.

The problem is I had not idea how to use it in cooking.

 It was just a big bush in my yard.

So I did my research and now know how to strip rosemary.

(You will want to know how to do this because I'm going to share recipe this week calls for fresh rosemary)

So here are three easy steps to prep fresh rosemary for baking.

 

Find a branch that will easily snap off.

Now simply pinch the top of the stem and with your other hand and run your fingers against the direction of growth.

 

Next place your freshly cut leaves in to a pile and rock your knife over them and...

wahla.

 

Fresh Rosemary.

 

 

Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies

As you know I have been trying to eat foods in their most natural state. I mentioned in last week's blog that I craved milk with cookies well this week I craved cookies. So I shall share a paleo cookie recipe.

Yay.

Its really very simple and no different then cooking regular chocolate chip cookies you just trade out ingredients!

Click HERE for a Non-Paleo to Paleo Conversion chart.

 

So here is what you will need:

 

1/3 cup or 5 table spoons of coconut oil, melted  (butter replacement)

1/3 cup or 5 table spoons of coconut oil, melted (to be warmed)

3 tablespoons of pure maple syrup (brown sugar replacement)

3 tablespoons of raw honey (refined sugar replacement)

1 ½ tablespoon vanilla extract

2  cups almond flour (click HERE to learn to make your own)

¼ tsp sea salt

½ tsp baking soda

2/3 cup dark chocolate chips 

 

 

 

In your mixing bowl combine coconut oil, honey, maple syrup and vanilla. Allow this mix to sit for a moment and warm up some of your coconut butter.  Add the warm oil to your mix. It will only take a minute for all of the oils to separate- I thought it was kind of neat.

Stir them.

 

In a separate bowl, stir your homemade almond flour :),  baking soda and salt.

Once mixed add your dry ingredients into your mixing bowl with the wet ingredients and mix until dough forms.

Once formed slowly add your chocolate chips.

 

 

Just like with all cookie dough put your mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Curious why our mothers had us do this for years when baking as children?

Apparently, putting warm dough into the oven causes your cookies to spread before they have the chance to set. 

As a result your cookies become crispy and run in to another. The cooler the dough the less it will spread (Source)

 

Go ahead and preheat oven at 350 (I always forget to do this until its time to use the oven!)

 

After your dough has been in the fridge for 30 minutes gently press small rounds on to a ungreased cookie sheet.

I personally don't strive for perfectly round cookies. I just love and eat cookies despite their shape. But here is your chance to be Maratha Stewart and make them fancy lookin'.

Bake 8-10 minutes. After baked allow to sit.

Don't touch them!

Resist their goodness until they are cooled and wah-la.

 

A yummy and healthier version of the traditional chocolate chip cookie.

 

 

 

 

 

Check out Candy Fit's page for other health and fitness enthusiasts recipes here

DIY Almond Flour

Ok, so the other day I let you in on how to make your own Almond Milk here so today I'm going to tell you what to do with all that glorious pulp.

First things first really make sure you drain your pulp with your cheese cloth. Your pulp will already be moist when you lay it out in later steps but you don't want it to be wet.

Once drained, cut paraffin paper and lay it on a cookie sheet. Pour your pulp onto the sheet and spread out liberally. Now, put it in the oven at 170-200 for three hours ever so often checking on it and moving the flour around.

After three hours your flour should be ready. The flour will be a little chunky so pour it into a blender and let er go for about 1-2 minutes until it has a finer texture.

Once done you should put it in an air tight container. It will good for one week. Now, if you are not going to be doing any baking pop that container in the fridge for a later time.

Now tell me, wasn't that easy? I so feel like a domestic Goddess right now and considering how expensive almond milk and flour is making your own is so much cheaper!

Let me know if you have any questions! If you make some let me know how it turns out!

Oh and to find other great recipes check out Candy Fit's site today.

DIY Almond Milk

As you know I have been trying to change my diet up lately. Basically, if I don't know what an ingredient is on a label I don't by it, its that simple. With that I have also veered away from dairy. Its just a personal choice.

My problem is I crave the delicious taste of milk.

I mean cookies and water just doesn't cut it so I decided to make my own milk, almond milk.

 

When I say this is easy I mean it.

I am a busy, busy person and I just don't have time slaving away in the kitchen but this recipe met my standards.

 

What you need:

Water

salt

1 cup of raw almonds

cheese cloth or a kitchen towel

 

What to do:

 

Take one cup of almonds and pour 2-3 cups of water over them. Add 1/2 tsp of sea salt this will help break down the inhibitors etc. (The salt is important)

 

Allow the almonds to soak for 12 hours.

 

After 12 hours drain your almonds.

 

Place your almonds in a blender and add 6 cups of water or whatever amount of liquid your blender permits. Leave some wiggle room in the blender. The mixture will foam up and you don't want it to over flow. Trust me ;)

 

Blend for several minutes allowing for a creamy texture.

 

Now get your cheese cloth and strain the milk from the pulp.

Really focus on aqueezing all the liquid out!

(Now, my cheese cloth didn't grab all the pulp so I had to strain several times.)

 

oh, and SAVE THE PULP put it aside!!!

 

 

Once strained your almond milk is complete! I told you it was easy!

 

 

If you wish to sweeten your almond milk try using vanilla, agave, or stevia.

Store your milk in the fridge for up to one week.

 

Now the pulp! Keep it! I will tell you how to make your own almond flour from it Friday!

 

Do you have any  recipes for household staples that are really easy to make?

 

This post is part of What I Ate Wednesdays hosted by Peas and Crayons

and Mommy has Two Hands