Bacon-Wrapped Figs Stuffed with Cayenne Peanut Butter

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For my first recipe post-hiatus, I've created something amazing. These taste like peanut butter and jelly, with bacon. All that's missing is bananas and Elvis would be turning in his grave.

I hear he never died, you know. 

Next time I bring an appetizer to an event, this is it. The ratio of required prep time to flavor is rather favorable, so your dish can be the star of the show without too much work. Between the slight kick from the cayenne in the peanut butter, the sweetness of the fig, and the salty flavor of the bacon, this appetizer has just about everything you could ever want... all wrapped up into a bite size piece.

These are for my sister and inspired by my friend Diane.

Bacon-wrapped Figs stuffed with Cayenne Peanut Butter
Servings: 8-12 food items
Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 8-12 dried figs
• 4-6 strips of bacon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine peanut butter and cayenne pepper and mix well.  
3. Remove fig stems and cut figs in half. Stuff with peanut butter mixture and then place back together.
   
4. Cut bacon strips in half so that you have two strips of the same length but now half as long as they were before.
5. Wrap reconstructed figs with bacon strips. 
6. Bake until bacon is golden brown, about 20 minutes. As it gets hot, the peanut butter mixture will liquefy a bit more and some of it may seep out.
   
7. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Tofu Bi Bim Bop

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Bi Bim Bop tastes like the heartiest salad you've ever had. A single fried egg adds buttery moisture while adding health benefits, too. Tofu is a light substitute for meat and is coated in Italian seasoning to pack a lot of flavor punch. Stir it all together and life couldn't be better. Well, maybe with more Sriracha...

I have wonderful memories of true Bi Bim Bop. When I lived with a gaggle of girls in Memphis, there were inevitably a few Saturdays when we woke up at noon and required spicy food and a "Friends" marathon. Bi Bim Bop was always the go-to. Oh, and a Route 44 Diet Cherry Limeade from Sonic. Don't forget that. 

Since then, I frequently find myself wanting Bi Bim Bop. Have a cold? Want Bi Bim Bop. Don't have a cold? Still want it.

But the problem was that I had no idea what was technically in Bi Bim Bop. So I made my own. And it is definitely not the same. It's better :) Instead of rice or noodles, you've got everything good for you... chunks of smooth, seasoned Tofu. Lots of Spinach to mix in. Chives (mmm!). Feta Cheese. Sriracha. And an egg.

Below are the technical directions, but don't be fooled: If you cook all these ingredients and throw them together in a bowl, you will have succeeded. With this dish, you'll end up stirring it all together, anyway!

Tofu Bi Bim Bop w/ Italian Seasoning

Servings: 2 per recipe (or bump it up to 4 by using 4 eggs)

Ingredients:

• 1 package Tofu, extra firm, cubed
• 2 tablespoons White Wine Vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
• 2 cups Spinach, ripped
• 1 cup Spinach, not ripped
• 1 tablespoon Chives, sliced
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons Feta
• Sriracha, to taste

Directions:

1. Lightly grease a pan (I do this by adding a small amount of olive or canola oil, then using a paper towel to move it around and soak up any excess puddles).
2. Cut up Tofu into small cubes and place in a pan over medium heat.
3. Pour white wine vinegar over the cubes and then distribute about half of the Italian Seasoning
4. Flip and season Tofu. After 2 minutes, flip the tofu. Sprinkle Italian Seasoning on top. Then, repeat a third time 2 minutes later. This doesn't have to be exact, but is a nice way to coat at least 3 sides of your tofu in the italian seasoning. If you'd prefer to skip this step, feel free to just cook for 4 minutes before proceeding to the next step, and add the rest of the italian seasoning then.
5. Add ripped up spinach and chopped chives on top of and in between the tofu pieces. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Then, break two eggs over the mixture. Try to keep the yolk intact and let it cook alongside the spinach and tofu. 
6. After 2 minutes, add feta cheese, sprinkling over other ingredients in the pan. Cover and cook for another minutes.
7. Remove from heat. 
8. To serve, first place 1/2 cup of Spinach (the Spinach you didn' rip) in a bowl. Spoon out the parts of the tofu, spinach, feta and chive mixture that is not touching the egg first, then top by spooning the egg (and whatever else has become connected to it during cooking) on top. Try not to break the egg!
9. Add Sriracha, to taste
10. When ready to eat, use a knife and fork to break the egg yolk and stir everything together. Then eat!

Barbeque Tofu over Tri-Color Hot Quinoa

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Here comes summer! All the goodness, heat, and spice of BBQ fused with stir-fry-like Tofu and Scallions over a hot bed of sweet and savory tri-color Quinoa. So packed with protein that even Popeye has switched to this dish! Enjoy :)

This is an A+ meal. That means CalorieCount.com thinks that this meal is utterly amazing and fabulous for your body. It's the perfect serving size for lunch or dinner -- at just over 300 calories (based on 4 servings per recipe), this dish will keep you full and satisfied. It will also deliver about 30% of your recommended daily fiber intake, almost 70% of your daily calcium requirement (wow!), and about 20 grams of protein. That means slim body, strong bones, strong muscles. What's not to love?

I guess I should also mention how delicious this dish is. Eat it hot if you can. The dish is already hot (spicy), but when you mix the southern barbeque flavor with hearty quinoa, you get a truly delicious treat that will make you smile. Just have a glass of milk ready if you're going heavy on the cajun spices!

BBQ Tofu over Tri-Color Hot Quinoa

Servings: 4-6
Calories: 318
Prep Time: Overnight (suggested for Tofu) or 30 minutes (but a loss of flavor!)
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Ingredients: 

• 1 block Firm or Extra Firm tofu (generally about 80grams)
• 2 tablespoons BBQ Sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's)
• 1 tablespoon Chia Seeds (optional)
• 1 cup Tri-Color Quinoa, rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups Water
• 1 tablespoon Cumin
• 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons Pickle Juice (left overs from a jar of pickles) OR 1/2 cup Broth (Vegetable or Chicken broth)
• 1/2 tablespoon Cajun or BBQ Seasoning (depending on your flavor/spice preference)
• 4 stalks of Scallions (Green Onions), chopped until about 1/4 inch from the roots

Directions:

1. Press Tofu. Remove Tofu from packaging and wrap in a clean kitchen towel (you may choose to add a layer of paper towel before the kitchen towel). Then, press the tofu by putting large books or something else that is heavy and flat on top of it. Make sure to put this on a cutting board that will catch any excess water. There is not much, but there is some. Pressing tofu overnight causes the holes or pores in the tofu to expand, meaning that the tofu will pick up the most flavor the following day while cooking. If you're in a pinch, you can press the tofu for only an hour or two.
2. Cut and Marinade Tofu. Cut tofu into bite size pieces. Then, in a tupperware container or large bowl, gently toss tofu with 1 tablespoon of BBQ Sauce and a few pinches of Chia Seeds (Chia Seeds optional).
3. Cook Quinoa. Combine Quinoa and water and bring to a boil, then add cumin and cinnamon, cover, and reduce heat to simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes, still covered. Before serving, fluff gently with a fork.
4. Cook Tofu. In a wide skillet, over medium-high heat, pour a thin layer of pickle juice/broth (this helps keep the tofu from sticking without using olive oil). Add Tofu and use a spoon or brush to add a light layer of BBQ sauce, then sprinkle 1/2 of the dry Cajun/BBQ seasoning on top. After 5-7 minutes, or when the Tofu begins to golden on the bottom, flip each piece, brush additional BBQ sauce, and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 of dry seasoning on top. Add chopped Scallions into the pan to finish cooking with the tofu. After another 5-7 minutes, remove from heat and place on top of plated Quinoa.
5. Top with any additional BBQ sauce and seasoning you desire!

Sriracha Polenta with Kale Chips

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This dish is not for the faint of heart. Grilled polenta slices look like corn bread but taste like the smooth-talking cousin of Quinoa; crispy Kale chips add a delicious, salty crunch; and Sriracha adds the flavor of fresh hot chilies and sweet garlic. It's hot, hot, hot! 

A few weeks ago, Justin and I had dinner with my parents in Wicker Park and I had my first taste of Polenta. "What is this stuff?" It looks like cornbread... but tastes like Quinoa. Whoa. Insert my "OMG" face here. You can bet I went back for seconds on that one...

Since I'd already had the good fortune to meet Polenta, it seemed like fate had intervened when it caught my eye at a recent trip to the supermarket. You mean it's already made and rolled up in a tube? Score! [Go ahead. Call me lazy. Do it. My boyfriend is taller than your boyfriend.]

In need of a quick dinner fix one night, I popped out the Polenta, ripped up some Kale, and went heavy on the Sriracha. My tongue may or may not still be burning. I can neither confirm nor deny... because I can not feel my tongue! Alright, I may be slightly dramatic. All I'm saying is... have some milk on hand; this dish is not for the faint of heart! [Or you can skip the Sriracha... if you absolutely must!]

Sriracha Polenta with Kale Chips

Calories: 30 each

Prep Time: 2-5 minutes

Cook Time: 10-16 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients:

• Polenta (prepared, bagged in a long roll)
• Sriracha Sauce (to taste)
• 1 Recipe Kale Chips (requires 5 large leaves Kale, 1 tsp Olive Oil, and 2 pinches Sea Salt or Garlic Salt. Feel free to cut the Kale Chip recipe in half, or just have the leftovers as a side with the Polenta!)

Directions:

1. Slice and cook Polenta. Slice Polenta into 1/2"-1/4" thick rounds. Place in a lightly olive oiled skillet over medium heat. Continue to check and flip each polenta piece once they begin to brown (about 5-8 minutes).
2. Bake Kale Chips. Use this recipe for Kale Chips.
3. Final Prep! Remove Polenta from the stove and stack two pieces high. Drizzle Sriracha over each stack (careful, that stuff is hot!) and top with Kale chips!

Recipe | Skinny Spinach and Asparagus Dip

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Let's talk about things we love, shall we? Ok, I'll go first... You know what I love? I love the taste of the totally-bad-for-you spinach dips you can get for $6.95 at T.G.I.Fridays or Applebees or some equally unimpressive yet easy restaurant. But I never order them.

In fact, I can't even remember the last time I walked into a T.G.I. Friday's, sat down, and ordered a Spinach and Artichoke dip. Really. I know it exists... but I can't remember doing it.

Why? Because it's so bad for you. Like, ridiculously bad for you, throw your diet out the window, you're overdosing on sodium kind of bad.

That's crap to me. Why do those restaurants insist on sour cream and butter and salt (oh my!)?

There's got to be more to life than that, right? (Am I dramatic enough yet?)

Okay, so that's my first favorite thing (and a total tangent about the health content of chain restaurant dips). My second favorite thing? Greek Yogurt. Why? It's good for you. And you can put it in just about anything.

Do you see where I'm going with this? Unhealthy spinach dips + super healthy greek yogurt = ???

Any guesses? Did I just hear you say "Skinny Spinach and Asparagus Dip?!" WOW! Good guess. That's IMPRESSIVE!

And so, by using Greek Yogurt instead of the typical sour cream base, this comfort appetizer goes from HORRIBLE to HEALTHY.

Looking for other healthy appetizers to use? Check out the food section of my website or go specifically to Lettuce Wraps, Grilled Eggplant Nachos, Spicy Pumpkin Fries, or Whole Wheat Quesadillas.