Tangy Coconut Date Dip (vegan, paleo, AIP)

Today we threw a good old fashioned birthday party for Nikhil and Felix, who are both January born.  The party was in the afternoon between lunch and dinner, so I put together an array of healthy and yummy snacks that all happened to be vegan, and gluten-free of course.  This Coconut Date Dip is a little treat that I whipped up on Friday afternoon with ingredients I already had in my fridge and pantry.  I served it with Granny Smith apple slices and it was a big hit at the party, especially amongst the parents.  Sweet and tangy with complex notes of warm ginger and cinnamon, it boasts a great texture that would also work well as a spread for toast or crackers, paired with strawberries or pear, or just straight from the spoon for an energizing, fiber-filled bite.  I'm not sure if my boys had a chance to try out this snack today (they were too busy having a blast with all of their pals), but I'm guessing they'd love it.  I think I'll offer it up with crackers tomorrow after school. We'll see what they say!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup dried unsweetened coconut

10 Medjool dates, pitted

3 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice or calamansi or sour orange juice

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup water

Pinch of fine sea salt

Place all ingredients in a food processor fitted with an "S" blade, and blend until a thick paste has formed.  If your Medjool dates are a bit dry or tough, you can soften them up  by soaking them in a bowl of hot water for 5 minutes before adding to the food processor.  Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.  For best taste and texture, let your dip come to room temperature before serving.

Enjoy!

Wilted Kale with Orange & Ginger (paleo)

A dear friend of mine invited us over to her place yesterday for a lovely day-after-Thanksgiving get together.  Nikhil and Felix are good buddies with her two girls, so it turned out to be a fun playdate for the kids, and a relaxing afternoon for us adults. I had bought kale at the farmers market on Tuesday knowing that I wanted to make a hearty green salad for Friday's meal, but I was undecided about the specifics.  This warm, citrusy salad is what I threw together at the last minute as my offering to the table, and I thought that it turned out pretty tasty!  Oranges are back in season again, and they come together nicely with fresh ginger, golden onions, and a sprinkling of crispy bacon to create a fragrant kale dish that is both a little sweet and a little savory.

INGREDIENTS:

1 large bunch of kale

2 tbsp virgin coconut oil

1/3 cup thinly sliced yellow or white onion (shallots would work well too)

1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (you can also use mandarins or clementines)

1 tsp orange zest

2 1/2 tsp crushed ginger

1/4 cup chopped crispy bacon

sea salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Start off by cooking your bacon.  I already had some chopped bacon leftover from our Thanksgiving meal on Thursday, so I just threw that into my mix.  If you are starting from scratch, you'll need about 3 strips of bacon.  After the bacon is cooked, cooled, and chopped, prepare your kale by first washing it, then remove the tough stems from each stalk and roughly chop the leaves. Heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and add the onions to the pan.  Add a pinch of of salt to the onions, then saute until they are lightly browned.

Place the kale in the skillet, and drizzle another tablespoon of coconut oil and about 1/4 teaspoon of salt over the top.

It'll seem cumbersome in the skillet at first, but as the kale starts to wilt down, it'll get easier to stir.  Add in the fresh orange juice, orange zest, crushed ginger, and chopped bacon and give it a good stir. Once everything is incorporated and the kale is just wilted, remove it from the heat and do a taste test.  You can add more salt and even more orange juice or ginger to your liking.

I hope you enjoy this warming, wintery dish!