Jicama Peppermint Patties

The other day I was munching on some fresh jicama sticks. I tried dipping them in coconut oil and chilling them. It made a nice candy-bar texture over the cool, crunchy inside and my imagination started spinning with the possibilities. What about peppermint patties?

I peeled a chilled jicama and cut it into quarters and thin slices. Then, with a fork, I dipped each slice in a dish of liquid coconut oil infused with a few drops of peppermint oil and laid them all out on a wax paper lined cookie sheet which went in the fridge to chill.

Then when they were chilled, I gave them a second dipping in melted chocolate (Mine was a mixture of unsweetened baking chocolate melted with a small amount of organic coconut sugar and coconut oil. You could use any favorite dark chocolate.) and returned them to the wax paper sheet and chilled again.

The result was convincingly scrumptious.

Things I want to do differently next time. 

1.) Use less coconut oil in the chocolate mixture - it melts too quickly out of the fridge. So you have to eat them really fast - which isn't difficult - but I want something a little sturdier.

2.) Let the chocolate dip be not too warm when coating the slices for the second round because the coconut oil melts off and dilutes the chocolate mixture.

3.) Make more to share - they are too good to keep to yourself. My husband ,who'd rather have a sugary fully-loaded dessert or none at all, and declines most of my healthy creations, declared these to be really good.

Come over and have one before I eat them all.

Simply Delicious Chayote

1 large chayote squash

Wash and dry chayote. Cut in half along crease, remove inner seed and cut each  seeded half crossways into halves. Cut pieces into 1/4 inch thick slices.

In large skillet, melt on medium high heat:

1 Tablespoon coconut oil

Add

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 Tablespoons ginger, minced

When ginger and garlic are golden, add chayote slices and cook, stirring till all pieces are coated with oil. Reduce heat slightly and cover, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes or till squash is translucent and crisp-tender. When chayote is nearly done cooking, add and stir in:

1/2 tsp. sea salt

Dash of ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped walnuts.

Cook 5 more minutes, or till walnuts are golden. Remove from heat and add

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley.

Delicious served with roasted chicken.

Leftover Chicken Collard Wraps

Leftover roast chicken has many wonderful uses, but it can also become wonderfully ho-hum if you eat chicken often. This tasty wrap filling takes advantage of leftover chicken's tendency to turn to mushy shreds as it forms a creamy filling for collard leaves.

Simmer in small saucepan till tender:

1 large carrot, grated

2-3 Tbsp. water or broth

2 Tbsp. coconut cream or coconut butter

 -- you could try subbing in 1/4 cup coconut milk for the two above ingredients - I find coconut cream easier to keep on hand and dilute as needed

Add: 

1 - 1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken

1 Tbsp. sesame butter

Salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, cinnamon, chili powder to taste - depending on how your chicken leftovers were seasoned and what you are in the mood for.

Dash of broth or coconut milk as needed to prevent sticking.

Stir chicken and carrots in sauce, cooking on medium low heat until simmering and thick, and resembling something like tuna salad (but much better smelling!). Remove from heat and  allow to cool slightly. Stir in some chopped fresh parsley or chives if they're handy.

Prepare 2 or 3 collard leaves for wrapping. Wash, pat dry and remove fat stem from lower end. For small leaves, cut upwards an inch or so into the leaf to remove as much stem as possible without compromising the leaf's wrappability. For large leaves, simply cut leaf in two sections on either side of the stem for two stemless wraps.

Place 2 or 3 Tablespoons of filling in each leaf and wrap as for egg rolls or burritos. The warm filling wilts the leaf just enough to make it soft and easy to eat. Enjoy immediately.