Bruh. You want this paleo bacon recipe.

Look. I’m going to be real with you. I don’t have a lot to say about this recipe. It’s delicious. I invented it when I was craving ‘Million Dollar Bacon’ from First Watch. It turns out that this whole food version of their brand of indulgent bacon isn’t as sinful after all!

Realistically, I do have to write at least something about this paleo bacon recipe so that the SEO and copyright gods shine their light upon me. Here are some thoughts about the cooking process:

1. You can make the bacon as crispy as you’d like! You can simply control this by how long you bake the bacon for the initial 15 minute bake, e.g., If you’d like crispier bacon, add 5-6 minutes. If you prefer bacon that’s a little more limp, it may not get as caramelized, but you can reduce the initial bake time by 3-5 minutes.
2. If you’re on an AIP protocol, stick to the recipe as written without the optional ingredients and ensure you have a brand of compliant bacon.
3. Parchment paper is a must. You’re working with sugar, and this will stick to your pan or foil extremely well.
4. BE WARY, of sugar dripping when you transfer the bacon to a plate. Cooked sugar is never fun to get on your skin.

Ingredients in Candied Bacon

Bacon – duh! I prefer to get a thicker cut of bacon. Those are the instances where I may use a little more sugar simply because the bacon is bigger. Use your best judgement to not overinundate your bacon with sugar.

Coconut Sugar – …be that as it may, adding extra coconut sugar to this recipe is dangerous. I only say this because it just gets more delicious.

Chives – I think these are essential. Remember, the wispy, skinny herbs are chives. The thick green onions with roots are green/spring onions. Both are delicious, but chives are more delicate.

Crushed Red Pepper – Not an AIP ingredient, but a delicious addition. Aleppo pepper is even better!

Cracked Black Pepper – Not an AIP ingredient, but a delicious addition.

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Candied Bacon

This is the paleo bacon recipe that will have people questioning whether or not you're actually on a diet. This candied bacon recipe is decadent, delicious, indulgent and it's AIP and Paleo compliant!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword autoimmune paleo, bacon, breakfast, gluten free, low carb, paleo

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 327kcal

Ingredients

• 8 strips Bacon thick cut is best, but any will do!
• 6-8 tsp Coconut Sugar
• 3 tbsp chopped Chives
• Optional:
• 2 tsp cracked black pepper
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper

Instructions

• Pre-heat oven to 375ºF/190ºC
• Lay bacon out flat in a sheet pan prepared with parchment paper. Place into oven and baked for 15 minutes.
• Remove bacon from the oven, and sprinkle ½-1 tsp of coconut sugar on each strip of bacon.
• Return to the oven for 5 more minutes, or until sugar is melted.
• Transfer bacon to a plate and garnish with chives. Add cracked black pepper and crushed red pepper, if using, and serve!

Nutrition

Calories: 327kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 497mg | Potassium: 188mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 285IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Candied Bacon appeared first on Chaos & Wellness.

I was raised on the Standard American Diet…

That means a lot of my meals consisted of a protein, a vegetable, and a starch. Both of my parents worked, so meals were something mom could get on the table fast. We ate a lot of stews with mashed potatoes (sometimes from a box— those were my favorite nights.), Arroz Con Pollo, grilled meats, and other creations my mom would come up with. One of my favorites was this chicken dish in white gravy, that she served with steamed white rice and microwaved, canned green beans.

This was the only dish that I seemed to enjoy green beans in, when I didn’t otherwise. My mother would take the time to brown brown pieces of chicken– sometimes, bone-in, which made the resulting gravy especially delicious with the body that only bones can add to a dish. Then she’d sprinkle in flour, creating a roux from the drippings and fat. From that roux, she would essentially make a béchamel, adding milk and garlic and onion, then simmering the chicken until done.

I didn’t know that word then. Béchamel? I didn’t know the mother sauces then– all I knew was gravy! Truthfully, I don’t think she even knows that word. However, she knew the techniques to make this humble dish for her family.

In the interest of speed and 90’s nutrition, a lot of our vegetable side dishes were canned veggies. Sometimes with butter. However (innately, being who I am) I would always choke them down first. Usually before I finished the rest of the meal. Mom would often add a dash of onion or garlic powder for some extra flavor, with the occasional pat of butter if she wasn’t watching her waistline. (Again— 90’s nutrition knowledge).

I couldn’t have the last taste in my mouth be those briny, tinny tubes of mush, slightly held together only by the undoubtedly decimated cell walls that still remain. Each grey-green forkful was certainly no treat; it never was exactly my favorite. However, I was not one to finish a meal without having eaten my vegetables.

Green beans are not my idea of peak “foodie”. That said, this dish opened up my mind to vegetables in other forms. Green beans were far more tolerable in my mind, when mixed with rice and covered with gravy. There is a big difference between green beans cooked just this side of done, versus green beans that have been cooked down so long that they’ve been stripped of flavor and nutrition. 

As someone who doesn’t consume a SAD, I don’t get to enjoy the sticky-sweet sauces or fresh vegetable stir fries from American Chinese joints. This is a dish I like to serve with any Asian-inspired entrées or even as a dish for a tapas menu. It’s light on ingredients, but heavy in satisfying umami flavors from the shiitake and coconut aminos that will leave you feeling a bit more satisfied.

I cook the green beans until they’re only just done, where most of the bright green color still remains, providing a firm, plump texture and earthy, vegetal goodness. I believe this green beans recipe is a great way to wake up the flavor of the ingredient, while providing something a little different from the “norm” to savor.

Shiitake-Garlic Green Beans Recipe Ingredients

Shiitake Mushrooms – I love these mushrooms for their meaty texture and deep umami flavor. I love using mushrooms as if I’m using aromatics in a recipe. Try adding some to soups or stews to add some body and nutty, earthy umami flavor. I like to keep them dry, so I can use them whenever I’d like! Just reconstitute them and use as usual.

Green Beans – Green beans are legumes and technically not paleo. I consider them a delicious part of my regular, grain-free diet. They’re rich in nutrients and chlorophyll, which I consider a critical component of good nutrition. So enjoy this green beans recipe!

Garlic – Not enough can be said about the benefits and flavor garlic adds. If you really love garlic, you can add a few extra cloves. Why not?

Coconut Aminos – If you’re soy-free, these are a blessing. This is important to have on hand, if you love Asian-style foods. My favorites are Big Tree and Coconut Secret!

Avocado Oil – this oil is essential in a healthy kitchen. I use this for high-heat cooking and stir fries. This oil is also versatile enough to be used in salad dressings and mayonnaise.

Equipment:

• Sauté Pan with Lid 
• Spatula

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Shiitake-Garlic Green Beans

Green beans recipe with an Asian flair to serve with any Asian-inspired entrées!

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Vegetables

Cuisine Asian-Inspired

Keyword gluten free, green beans, keto, low carb, whole30

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 sides

Calories 127kcal

Author ChesCooks

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp avocado oil or cooking oil of choice
• 4 cloves garlic chopped finely
• 1 cup shiitake mushrooms sliced
• 12-16 oz green beans trimmed
• 1/4 cup Coconut Aminos
• 1/2 cup Water
• Salt & Pepper TT omit pepper if not tolerated

Instructions

• Heat sauté pan over medium-high heat, and add cooking oil of choice into the pan.
• Add chopped garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
• Add sliced shiitake, and sauté for 1 minute.
• Add in Green Beans along with 2 tbsp coconut aminos, water, and salt to taste.
• Cover and cook on medium heat until green beans are cooked through.

Notes

This Shiitake-Garlic Green Beans Recipe has become a favorite in my house! I serve it with any of my Asian-inspired entrées, adding a fresher component to heavier dishes, or rich umami flavor to otherwise boring green beans. This green beans recipe is vegan, grain-free, keto-friendly, and Whole30 compliant.

Nutrition

Calories: 127kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 351mg | Potassium: 363mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 587IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg

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