Superbowl Appetizers

Guacamole Bacon Stuffed Pepper Poppers

Ingredients

• 1 lb sweet baby peppers
• 2 ripe Haas avocados
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/2 handful cilantro, chopped
• 1 t chili garlic or hot sauce
• salt, to taste
• 8 oz bacon, chopped & crisped up

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Prepare the peppers by cutting off the stems, then cut the peppers in half, lengthwise. Pull out the white membrane and seeds. Place the peppers on a baking sheet and bake until tender, about 10 minutes. Alternatively, you could leave the peppers raw.

Meanwhile, assemble the guacamole by mashing together (with a fork) the avocados, lime juice, cilantro, hot sauce and a good pinch of salt.

Use a small spoon to fill the peppers with guacamole. Top with bacon crumbles.

Mango Salsa

Mangos, 3 (2-3 cups cubed)

Red pepper, ½

Jalapeno, 1

Red onion, ¼ cup

Cilantro, ½ cup tightly packed

Juice from 1 lime

Salt and pepper

1. Cut mango into cubes. 
2. Dice red pepper, jalapeno and red onion.  These should be diced pretty small, since the flavors are intense. 
3. Remove cilantro leaves from stem and chop them. 
4. Mix all chopped ingredients in a bowl.
5. Stir in lime juice, salt and pepper.
6. If possible, let this sit overnight before serving so the flavors all meld into a mind-blowing medley of perfection. This is a delicious topping over an avocado, fish or corn chips.

Butternut Squash Chips

• 1/2 large butternut squash, peeled and de-seeded
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1 tsp sea salt

1. Carefully cut the squash into slices about a cm thick.
2. Heat the coconut oil over a high heat until it is very hot.
3. Add the chips to the pan (do them in batches if your pan isn’t big enough, don’t crowd them in – they shouldn’t touch each other) and fry, turning once until brown on both sides.
4. Remove from pan and generously sprinkle with salt.

Lemon Artichoke Chicken

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons grass fed butter
• 2 shallots or 1/2 an onion or 1 leek light green/white parts only – chopped
• 2 cups chopped/quartered artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup of capers, drained
• juice of two lemons
• 2 lbs bone in chicken or 4 small chicken breasts or thighs or mix it up
• optional: crumbled bacon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a a large, oven-safe skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add shallots/onions/leeks and saute’ until they are translucent. Add the artichoke hearts, capers and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Place the chicken in the skillet and top each with some of the lemon-mix that is already in the skillet. Place the entire skillet in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or when the chicken reaches 165 degrees internal temperature.

(image from paleomom.com)

Perpetual Soup or Bone Broth the Easy Way 

(from nourishedkitchen.com)

By Jenny Published: December 7, 2011

·                                 Yield: As much or as little broth as you want, my family consumes about 2 to 3 quarts of broth each day.

·                                 Prep: Perpetual min

Perpetual soup: Bone broth can be made in a slow cooker using this simple technique.

Ingredients

·                                 1 whole chicken (or the frame of a roasted chicken)

·                                 2 sweet bay leaves

·                                 1 tbsp black peppercorns

·                                 any vegetable scraps you have on hand

·                                  filtered water

Instructions

1.                                Place one whole chicken or the frame of a roasted chicken into your slow cooker with sweet bay, black peppercorns and any vegetable scraps you have on hand. Cover with filtered water and cook on low for one week.

2.                                After twenty-four hours, you may begin using the broth. As you need broth or stock, simply dip a ladle or measuring cup into the slow cooker to remove the amount of stock you need. Pour it through a fine-mesh sieve or, preferably, a reusable coffee filter which will help to clarify the broth. Replace the broth you remove from the slow cooker with an equivalent amount of filtered water. If you’re using a whole, fresh chicken, you may also remove chicken meat from the slow cooker as desired for stir-fries, in soups or in 

3.                                At the end of the week, strain off any remaining broth and discard or compost the bones. The bones from your chicken should crumble when pressed between your thumb and forefinger. Their softness is an indication that much of the nourishment from the bones – minerals, amino acids – have leached from the bones and into the broth you’ve enjoyed all week long. Wash the insert of your slow cooker and start again.

Read about the benefits of bone broth here: http://nourishedkitchen.com/perpetual-soup-the-easiest-bone-broth-youll-make/#ixzz2pZGgy62n

The Holidays Derailed You. Accept it, Jump Back On and Move Forward

The holidays are a unique time of year. Sometimes (or for some of us, every year) the road we charge on full speed ahead, toward health and well-being, can steer us in a different direction. Not the wrong direction. Just a different one.  Embrace it, knowing that it's OK to venture off of your solid path onto a different path once in a while to enjoy a different bit of scenery.  Embrace the holiday traditions. Enjoy the busy schedule, the hustle and bustle. Enjoy the treats and goodies and time spent with family and friends.

Know that your solid road of health and well-being awaits your return. Chose to accept it and the move forward, rather than allowing the guilt of “falling off the wagon” or “completely failing to adhere to your program” swallow you up into that deep dark rut that feels nearly impossible to get out of. That guilt that consumes you is far worse than the Christmas cookies, mashed potatoes and gravy, hot chocolate and champagne you enjoyed with your loved ones. 

Accept that your workouts were pushed aside because you decided to spend that time beautifully wrapping presents or baking holiday treats or ringing bells or caroling. Know that the road you have paved isn't lost to you during this time of year, it's there waiting dutifully for your return. Relish the moments you spent during this holiday, jump back onto your road with vigor and excitement, ambition and renewed energy.