I’m back! This weekend was the first time I took a day off in months! No joke! It was so fun… I enjoyed every second of it. One of the highlights was that my dear friend, Rachel and I headed to San Francisco for the Against All Grain launch party and dinner. Of course, it took forever to find parking in San Francisco, so we missed the party, but we were on time for dinner.
Dinner was catered by Zenbelly. Simone Shifnadel, executive chef and founder, organizes these dinners that she calls Paleo Popups. They are awesome. If you ever have a chance, you MUST attend one. The menu is all Paleo, farm to table, and amazing! The tables were set up community style, so it was a very fun opportunity to chat with like-minded people. Rachel and I hit it off with the people at our table! Below is a picture of us with our new friend, Cristina. In addition, it was really fun to meet both Simone and Danielle, face to face. We have been talking over email, facebook, instagram for months, but hadn’t met yet in person. Danielle is super sweet and her new book is gorgeous! I am going to make her curried short ribs tomorrow, so be on the lookout for a review soon.
This was the only photo that we managed to snap of the dinner because we were way too busy yapping and stuffing our faces. The main course was lamb loin with preserved lemons over a butternut squash puree with garam masala. It was out of this world! Seriously.
I had to end the lovely weekend with a celebratory dessert. These chocolate covered bananas are delicious and very simple to make. I think they would make a perfect Paleo treat for a kids party!
Popsicle sticks (I use this kind)
Double boiler or DIY version
Parchment paper (I use this kind because it is bleach and chlorine free)
5 ounces dark chocolate chips (I use this kind because it is gluten, dairy, nut and soy free)
1 tablespoon coconut oil (I use this kind)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 medium bananas, peeled and halved crosswise
1/2 cup shredded coconut (I use this kind)
- In a heatproof bowl, combine chocolate chips, cinnamon and coconut oil and place it over a pot of simmering water.
- Stir until mixture is melted and smooth. Keep a close eye on it to make sure that it doesn’t burn. It takes about 3 to 5 minutes. Set it aside and allow it to cool.
- Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Insert sticks into the bananas.
- When the chocolate is ready, dip the bananas into the bowl. I actually found it easier to spoon the chocolate over the bananas. Tilt the banana and allow the excess chocolate to drip off and back into the bowl.
- Use your hands or a spoon and sprinkle the shredded coconut over the banana. Repeat on all sides, until it is covered.
- Place the banans on the parchment lined baking sheet and set in the freezer for 30 minutes or until chocolate has hardened.
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Hiya!
Just curious: if you take the banana-cicles out of the freezer or fridge, does the chocolate re-melt, or does it stay hardened? TIA for info! 🙂
Hey Jen! I took them out for an hour on Monday, and took them to the beach with us. It was warm out and they surprisingly didn’t melt. I think just like any chocolate, they will melt if the temperature is too warm, but they are pretty resilient, they can last a while in mild temperatures. Hope that helps!
This is unrelated. but where do you usually purchase pastured chicken and eggs in the bay area? How about beef oxtails? Thanks! 🙂
Hi Jennifer! We get all of our beef, including oxtail from http://www.morrisgrassfed.com/ .. We have visited their ranch before and it is amazing. They are incredibly responsible and knowledgeable ranchers. I highly recommend them! As far as eggs, we get them through our CSA http://www.liveearthfarm.net/ … but, the eggs mostly come from Fiesta Farms… Those guys are awesome too! Hope that helps!
My kids are going to love this little treat! Making it tomorrow before I head out to LA. Thanks for the recipe! Also, I was telling my husband that I probably talked your ear off, but honestly it was so refreshing to be around people that understand the paleo lifestyle and who are just as, if not more, passionate about it than I am. You are doing us all a favor by sharing your recipes, tips, and product ideas so thank YOU! 🙂
Hi Cristina! I was telling my husband what a great time I had talking with you! Hope it’s okay that I shared your picture, I was going to text you and ask, but it was late.