bacon & fig dip

mmmm… bacon… 

here’s another recipe in ode to bacon. this gluten-free, creamy dip is surprisingly easy to prepare and makes for a great appetizer for your next dinner party, gameday or — you guessed it — baconpalooza!

the bacon:
– heat up 1-2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil in large saucepan on medium heat
– add 5-6 strips of country-style bacon to pan
– fry bacon in pan for a few min until slightly crispy on both sides
– remove from heat & set aside bacon on plate to cool
– pat bacon w/ papertowels to remove excess fat & oil
– reserve bacon fat in pan to add to dip mixture

the dip:
in a small mixing bowl, mix & fold together the following ingredients together until well-combined:
– 1/4 cup low-fat, plain greek yogurt
– 100g chevre frais
– crispy-fried bacon (rough chop into bacon bits)
– 5-6 small dried figs (rough chop into small pieces)
– season w/ ground black peppercorns
– drizzle bacon fat leftover from pan

food styling:
– serve immediately, best served warm
– pairs well w/ gluten-free chips or your fave crackers
– store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge

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roasted eggplant dip

looking for a simple & healthy afternoon snack? look no further…

all you need is fresh eggplant, plain greek yogurt and some basic pantry staples to whip up this simple roasted veggie dip. perfect with blue-corn tortilla chips — or, if you’re really on a health kick — carrot sticks or sliced bell peppers. yummers.

pre-heat oven to 375F

prep the eggplant:
in a large prep bowl, toss the following ingredients together until combined well:
– 1 large eggplant (sliced into half-moons)
– drizzle extra-virgin olive oil
– dash of sea salt
– season w/ ground black peppercorns

roast the eggplant:
– add eggplant chunks in an oven-safe roasting pan lined with cooking parchment paper
– season w/ ground black peppercorns
– roast eggplant chunks for approx 15min at 375F
– remove eggplant from oven and set aside to cool for a few minutes before blending

leek & chèvre brûlée

baked cheese? yes, please! many of us know and love the dessert fave, crème brûlée. total crowd pleaser. this time around, put the brûlée in the cheese with this fantastic savory appy — leek & chèvre brûlée.

this culinary experiment was inspired by (and adapted from) an easypeasy recipe from my fave cooking show on the telly – cbc’s best recipes ever (thanks, kary osmond!). based on ingredients on-hand in my pantry, here’s my take on this fantastic, savory appetizer… it was a fab hit at a dinner party i recently hosted for some good friends on the weekend! :)

leeks are part of the same family as onion and garlic, so they add some really fantastic flavour to soups, dips and other dishes.

prep the leeks:
– cut off the dark green ends and slice leeks lengthwise in half. rinse well w/ cold water in between layers to remove excess soil & sand.
– chop 2 leeks into small bite-sized pieces. yields approx 2 cups chopped leeks.
(tip: as a leek novice, i turned to one of my fave mags, real simple, for a step-by-step video on how to prepare leeks. super helpful!)