You might have heard last week, but I'm kind of having a moment with dark chocolate. Some people aren't big fans of the super dark stuff, but whatever! More for us, right? And with Hurricane Sandy on her way and a weather report calling for snow in Roanoke, I felt like there wasn't anything better for me to do last night than whip up some Paleo hot chocolate.

When I was in high school, my family and I used to go skiing every winter with one of my best friends, Patrick; and the Starbucks at the resort had "drinking chocolate," which I'm pretty sure was just melted Ghirardelli chocolate with a splash of half and half in it. They were served in adorable tiny cups, and Patrick and I used to sit for hours by the fire and nurse them slowly because they were so rich they would make us sick. But they were delicious, and the perfect drink for a blustery day.

Here's to riding out this storm safely by a warm fireplace with a delicious beverage, and, if you're lucky, someone you love by your side.

Ingredients:

Makes two mini hot chocolates or one regular sized one.

Half a cup of unsweetened coconut milk

Half a cup of unsweetened coconut creamer 

(It comes in a little carton like half & half)

2 tablespoons melted dark chocolate

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cinnamon sticks, as a garnish

1. Combine the two coconut milks together in a saucepan on the stove over medium heat.

2. Add the chocolate and vanilla, then stir until incorporated.

3. Pour into little cups and garnish with chocolate drizzle and a cinnamon stick.

Cheers. I promise to make a vegetable for you next time.

This recipe was inspired by several things. First of all, fall is the perfect time for apples, isn't it? But more than apples, I have been eating a lot of dark chocolate recently. Like, really dark. I eat it at night, with a glass of red wine, while I read or listen to music. It's really nice, and it makes me feel fancy. And finally, I don't think I need to remind you how much I love bacon.

I sent my mom a text message before I left work last night that said, "Do we have apples, bacon, and chocolate?" and believe it or not, she didn't say, "Get a grip, Megan!" She actually said "Let me check," and then "Yes," so I rushed home with excitement.

This is what we're going to do--we're going to dip some apples in dark chocolate and then we're going to cover them with homemade bacon bits--because, why not? Ready? Let's do it.

 

Ingredients:

One Honeycrisp apple

A bar of dark chocolate (I kept it Paleo with this one)

Several strips of bacon

1. Cook the bacon until it is really, really crunchy. You're going to turn these into little bacon bits.

2. Once it's cooked, chop it up. I used a chopper to get it as fine as possible. 

We're talking almost bacon dust, people.

3. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler.

4. Slice up your apple and set up an assembly line with apple slices first, then chocolate, then bacon.

5. Dip a slice in the chocolate, let it drip a little, and then sprinkle the bacon bits on the chocolate.

6. Plate them, show your friends, and feel like a culinary genius for a few minutes. 

Two things I consistently hear from people who are having a hard time with Paleo are "it's too expensive" and "it takes too much planning." And I know; it's not cheap, and it's not easy if you have to just grab something and go. But don't give up!

No matter how much you spend or how long it takes you to prepare each week, though, your health is worth it. And isn't that what it's all about? Feeling good and eating well? But it doesn't have to be so costly and time-consuming.

I am so excited to announce that eMeals, a fabulous meal planning service, is launching a Paleo plan that is going to make your shopping and cooking and planning so ridiculously easy. Someone from eMeals reached out to me a few weeks ago and I have had so much fun learning about this company. I'm so excited about my new partnership with them! If you are in school, or you work full-time, or you feel lost about Paleo, or you just wish you had a personal assistant (I know that's not just me!), then this plan is going to be perfect for you.

They sent me a test plan and I was so impressed with the recipes and easy instructions--they even include a shopping list as well as a list of staples needed for the week that might already be in your pantry, so you don't go and accidentally buy a new bottle of olive oil or mustard if you already have some. And they leave little notes for you, like "marinate ahead," so you don't come home from a long day at work to make the Maple Glazed Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potato Wedges and realize that you should have prepared the chicken the night before.

They've really thought of everything, and they offer more than just a Paleo meal plan--you can choose from a huge variety of different plans. And it's as low as $5 a month! I really can't say enough wonderful things about eMeals, so I thought I'd whip up a couple things from the menu they sent me and show you what we're working with!

Everything I've made so far has been delicious and so easy to prepare. I really hope you'll give it a try! 

It's cheap, it's easy, and it's Paleo--you've run out of excuses! It might be time to make the switch!

PS Use code PALEO for 10% off!