BACON – NEED I SAY MORE? I stopped eating meat last June and I must say I don’t really miss it. BACON, however, which really should be it’s own food group, is a different story… There is something about bacon’s crispy, fatty, salty deliciousness that is just so irresistible! I know people who are vegetarians, except for bacon.  I mean, there is a Bacon of the Month Club!   So when I stumbled upon a recipe for Sweet Smokey Coconut Bacon on Pintarest (via www.tohealthblog.wordpress.com ), I realized a stroke of brilliance was before me, bacon without the guilt.

I have been hooked on Avocado Toast for breakfast these past couple of weeks. I’ve been trying to recreate my favorite appetizer, Avocado Bruschetta, from Picco Restaurant in Larkspur, which has chorizo crumbled on top. I have been substituting dry toasted pine nuts and flakes of Maldon Sea Salt which I was pretty happy with -Until I heard about COCONUT BACON! I let my fingers do the walking (thank you google) only to find that there are many, many recipes for coconut bacon on the internet. How did I not know this? Two of my favorite flavors together sounds like a match made in heaven. The recipes call for varying combinations of coconut flakes, maple syrup, smoked paprika, cloves, Braggs Amino Acids, Liquid Smoke or Soy Sauce. For those, unenlightened folks like me, Braggs Amino Acids is a gluten free soy sauce substitute that has beneficial amino acids.  I tried one batch with liquid smoke and one without and I liked it better without, but that is a personal taste. I know a lot of men people love that smoky flavor .  So does it really taste like bacon?  Not really, but it makes a tasty substitute that is  mostly monosaturated fat and Omega-6 fatty acids, which are extremely beneficial for  the body.  For nutritional info on coconut click here:  (http://www.ehow.com/about_5304349_health-benefits-coconut-flakes.html)

Avocados have gotten a bad rap as a high fat, high calorie food when they  are actually quite healthy and are nutrient dense. (Calories that Count).   ‘Nutrient density is a measure of the amount of nutrients a food contains in comparison to the number of calories. One-fifth of a medium avocado (1 oz.) has 50 calories and contributes nearly 20 vitamins and minerals, making it a nutrient-dense food choice.  They are naturally sodium and cholesterol free and contain mono and poly unsaturated fats (good fats).’  For more information on the benefits of amazing avocados click here. (http://www.californiaavocado.com/avocado-nutrients/)

Avocado Toast with Coconut 'Bacon'

• Servings: 2
• Time: 30 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

2 slices good bread (sourdough, ciabatta or whole grain )
1 Tbsn olive oil, coconut oil or butter (optional)
1 half ripe avocado
Salt (I like coarse or flaked sea salt)
2 Tbsn pine nuts (optional)
2 Tbsn coconut ‘bacon’ (recipe below)

• Brush tops of bread with oil and broil for a few minutes until golden.  Or you can toast in a toaster and then brush with a bit of oil.
• Dry roast pine nuts in a medium fry pan until golden.  Remove from heat.
• Pit, peel and half avocado.  Slice.  Place half of slices on each piece of toast. Or you can ‘smash’ it on the toast with a fork.
• Top with coconut bacon and pine nuts.  Sprinkle with salt.  Enjoy!

Coconut ‘Bacon’

1 cup  coconut flakes

1 Tbsn liquid aminos (or soy sauce)

2 tsp liquid smoke (optional)

1 tsp maple syrup

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

4-6 cloves ground (or 1/4 tsp pre-ground cloves)

2 tsp  water

• Mix the aminos, syrup, paprika, cloves, liquid smoke and water together in a bowl until well combined.  Gently stir in the coconut flakes, trying to coat them each thoroughly and soak up the liquid.  Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir again gently.

• Preheat over to 300°F, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes.  Store them in a plastic bag or container.  Does not need to be refrigerated.

[/recipe]