Chocolate Hazelnut Spread (Homemade Nutella)

I know it’s a terrible idea to post a recipe for homemade Nutella right now. It’s June. You’re getting in a bikini/swim trunks in a couple of weeks and I know for a fact that all you’re focusing on is getting beach-ready.
You’re probably all about salads, smoothies, and juices. Yet here I am, presenting you with a luscious Chocolate Hazelnut Spread.
But you see this Chocolate Hazelnut Spread is made with only good-for-you ingredients and it’s so delicious it will make you feel better instantly.
And since it’s a known fact (or at least I like to believe it so) that happiness is one of the biggest factors in feeling and looking great you can understand why it totally makes sense to post a recipe for homemade Nutella right now.
Not to mention that it’s not like you have to eat more than a spoonful. It’s possible — though difficult — to exercise some self-control around chocolate and hazelnuts. Trust me.

Provencal Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

I am sometimes certain that I wait all year for the Giants to get back on the field, you know, the same way a kid waits for Christmas to arrive, niece C prepares for Halloween (are you going to be Elsa for the third year in a row?), and a “normal” person eagerly anticipates whatever sleek trinket Apple has coming this fall.

So you have to excuse my lack of focus — over the last four weeks all I could think about has been football and my fantasy football team.
But even in this ‘football state of mind’ the other night I was able to drag myself to the farmers' market at, like, 6pm and discovered that they had a ton of discounts.
I scored two pounds of organic heirloom cherry tomatoes for about 4 bucks and a bunch of other stuff for like $10 all together. I was super stoked about it.

Coconut Crusted Baked Avocado Fries with Sriracha Mayo

You should have seen my sister’s face when I told her that I would have brought avocado fries for lunch at her place.
Let’s say that her initial reaction was she wasn't really excited about it, at all.
Actually she frowned and said “Really? Avocado fries? What a way to waste some delicious avocado. Why don’t you make some yummy guacamole instead?”
I replied “Trust me, avocado fries are awesome. Plus I coat mine with shredded coconut and I bake them in the oven instead of frying them. They’re light, gluten-free, and delish. You’ll see!”
She wasn’t convinced, but my mind was set. I was going to make avocado fries. I would coerce her into tasting them, and she would love them.
That was my plan, and I knew it was going to be successful. It had to be successful.

Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

Sometimes I feel you guys should hang me by the feet from a tree and beat me with a stick like I was a piñata.
A lot of fun for you, a tad less for me.
But I won’t deny it, you would have the right to do so.
You see, I spend a lot of time on this blog telling you to use fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients yet, here I am presenting you a recipe with tomatoes - let me rephrase that - a recipe using only tomatoes, a lot of tomatoes.
Tomatoes are, by far, the most popular summer “vegetable” (although it's technically a fruit.)
The difference in taste, mealiness, and price is obvious when you compare a summer version with a winter one.
Of course you’ll see ripe tomatoes all year round in supermarkets, but there’s a very good chance that they come from South Florida (unless you live there, not local produce) or they’re picked green, halfway around the world, and ripened through artificial means.

Tomato and Eggplant Compote

There's a first time for everything. Our first steps, first kiss, first day of school, first love, first car, first job, first bungee jump, first trip abroad, first time stuck in an elevator for 30 minutes, first oyster, or first bout with food poisoning.
If we repeat an experience, it’s never the same as the first time. It couldn’t be, a repeatable first is by definition an oxymoron.
Then there are those firsts that we would gladly avoid repeating (put being stuck in an elevator and food poisoning on that list for me.)
Sometimes we learn a lesson from our firsts and sometimes we don’t.

Cheese Mushroom and Spinach Cauliflower Crust Calzone

It’s time to celebrate, people!
What you ask?
A recipe.
Because there’s a recipe on TheIronYou — posted almost two years ago — that has been viewed, clicked, gawked, and commented on over 350k times to date (I know, right?)
A recipe that has been featured in numerous online magazines and blogs. A recipe that you guys are in love with — almost as much as I’m in love with it. A recipe that I make (almost) weekly, because it’s one of my fave recipes of all time. A recipe that is a total winner.
Which recipe you ask?
**drumroll please**
The cauliflower crust calzone, of course. What else?

Avocado Hummus

In its purest form, hummus is a creamy, smooth dip that can be easily used to top just about anything. It might be one of the greatest culinary gift from the Middle East.
America has become obsessed with the rich chickpea spread, and for a reason. It’s not only delicious, it’s also super healthy.
The typical chickpea-garlic-tahini combination is as good as it gets — but why stop there?
Sometimes — just sometimes — I get tired of it. Not to mention, there are so many variations to the standard hummus recipe, it’s fun to play around.

Kale Chips 5 Ways

I was at a Christmas dinner party the other night and they served kale chips.
I thought that everyone in the whole wide world knew about kale chips, so I was a bit surprised when people started saying things like “Uh, what is this green stuff?” “Is that seaweed?” “That’s good, what is this?”
I mean, how long has the “kale chips craze” been going on? Three years, maybe even more.
Everyone has blogged, tweeted, facebooked, and even instagrammed about kale chips.
Is it possible that someone has not heard about ‘em yet?
Apparently...
Soooo for all those of you that haven’t tried kale chips yet (and btw who are ya?), or for those who have yet not tried making them at home, here is not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4 but 5 recipes to make kale chips at home.
Crispy, delicious and so very healthy kale chips.
If you haven’t done it yet I suggest you jump on the bandwagon and join the kale chips CRAZE asap.

Vanilla Maple Almond Cashew Butter

It’s Halloween week people. Time to raise the dead.
Nah, more like put your kids in a cool costume: it's time for some Treats 'n Tricks!
I’ve just heard on the news that the most popular kids' costume this year is going to be Elsa from Disney’s Frozen.
Apparently, thousands of girls have been waiting since December 2013 for their moment to 'Let it go’ this Halloween.
So expect a lot ice princesses knocking on your door.
It's such a phenomenon, someone has even suggested a new drinking game: “Drink every time a Elsa visits your house.”
Which might not be a very good idea after all - especially if a lot of Elsas will show up asking for candies. You don’t want to be “the drunk guy” that terrorises kids. Or do you?

Almond-Poppy Crackers

On a lazy Sunday afternoon, I found myself flipping through my mom’s Martha Stewart Living magazines looking for recipes.
Which is odd for me.
Not the “looking for recipes” part, I do that all the time. But the Martha Stewart Living mag part.
First off, I'm admittedly a Food & Wine Magazine guy.
I love Food & Wine magazine; I would not trade it for any other food magazine out there. It provides me with recipes and tons of inspiration.
Together with Triathlete, Kinfolk, Time and The New Yorker, Food & Wine is the only printed magazine I think it’s still worth buying.

Ultimate Sesame Coconut Chicken Fingers with Minty Yogurt Dip

Let’s be honest, sometimes being a dude blogger is tough.
The blogosphere is pretty much run by girls, moms, women.
Which is not a bad thing, at all. In fact, it is a very good thing, making the blogging world a kinder, more amiable place.
But there are certain topics - important to us, men - that are kinda off-limits in the blogosphere.
Such as consuming ridiculous amounts of cheap swill, farting in a crowded elevator, world’s loudest belcher, top drinking games, et cetera, et cetera. [Yes women of the world, though we look mature, we still think/act like kiddos — we haven’t grown up a bit!]
At the same time, we can’t talk about sparkles, rainbows, unicorns and glitter and expect to be taken seriously. We don’t have the knowledge to do it. Plus, we will subject ourselves to public humiliation and private doubt.

Spiced Raw Chocolate Mousse

I bought The Kinfolk Table almost a year ago and still pull it out whenever I’m lacking inspiration.
It’s a special book, because it is not your modern day cookbook.
The pages do not go between recipe and food photos.
There are people (chefs, musicians, writers, editors, bakers) sharing their stories, their houses, their food, their ideas.
The recipes are all personal, effortless and approachable.
The kind of food that goes through people’s kitchen routinely, not recipes written with the sole intention of writing recipes.
Recipes perfect for small gatherings (as the book’s title suggests), celebrating why it can be so good to sit down at a table and share a simple meal with others.

Yogurt-Covered Cranberries (A Paleo-ish Snack)

Every now and then, I have to give myself a pep-talk about snacking.
I’m big on snacking. I can’t help myself.
It’s mostly healthy snacks — such as a greenish juice around mid-morning, maybe some fruit during the afternoon, a protein smoothie after working out, or nibbling on dried fruit while watching TV at night.
Still, I should cut it down a little. Snacking is okay if it’s done in response to true hunger, but should never amount to mindless eating.
When I experience long intervals between meals, such as more than five hours - adding a snack might help deal with hunger, and ultimately make better choices at the next meal.
Along the same lines, after a kick-ass workout, a nutrient dense smoothie can help replenish the body of lost fluids, minerals and get rid of the starvation sensation.
I mean, we’ve all been there: you sit down for a meal at a restaurant so completely light-headed and starving that you don’t even remember eating the entire bread basket.
Or you’re so famished, the waiter doesn’t have to ask if you want the pie, because you’ve already gone ahead, and already ordered before you even ordered your meal.
But snacking just for the sake of snacking is a no no.

Chocolate-Walnut Avocado Brownies (Paleo & Vegan)

“I had a dream so big and loud
I jumped so high I touched the clouds
Wo-o-o-o-o-oh [2x]
I stretched my hands out to the sky
We danced with monsters through the night
Wo-o-o-o-o-oh [2x]”
Sometimes I hear song and it sounds so perfect rhythmically or the lyrics are so good that it bores into my head and it doesn’t let go. There, stuck.
I keep playing it on my iPod over and over again, and I keep hearing it in my head.
Take for instance “Best Of My Day My Life” by American Authors (FIY, lyrics above).
A good song, not a great one.
Certainly not as epic as “Here Comes Your Man” by The Pixies.
Still good, good enough that the other day it attacked me and stuck inside my head for the whole day.
I went for a 10 miles run and I swear, it was the only song I played on the iPod for the whole 1 hour and 5 minutes it took me to complete the run.
The song lasts 3:14, meaning that I’ve played it about 20 times...I know...

Black Olive Tapenade

So, Tapenade, huh?
First things first. It’s ‘tap-uh-naad’ not ‘tape-nade’ nor “tap-and-aid”. Please don’t ever call it tape-nade or tap-and-aid in public; especially in one of those upmarket delis where the staff feel compelled to correct your pronunciation with a condescending look. Like they have majored in French literature at Columbia Uni, while you’re nothing but an ignorant who has never set foot outside your home town.
I genuinely hate those food shops with surly and pretentious staff; where you are left feeling unwelcome throughout and a mere inconvenience in their day. Like they have something better to do notwithstanding the fact that you are actually spending 10 bucks for a ¼ lb of cherry tomatoes.
Overpriced food and paraphernalia with a side of indifferent customer service...deffo not my kinda spot.
That’s why I love Farmers’ Market instead. Vibrant gathering places, good prices, top quality produce; where it is common to see people lingering to chat with vendors and maybe even meet friends.
To me, a farmers’ market has a real sense of community, even in a big city.
Or maybe I’m just fooling myself and I’m seeing things that are only in my head.
Guys, am I becoming a tree hugger? Be honest.
The Iron Tree Hugger...weird.

Cauliflower Crust Grilled Cheese

Don’t worry people, I’m going to cauliflower crust rehab in a day or so.
They say the first step in solving a problem is to admit that you have a problem.
So, here it goes: “Hello, my name is Mike and I’m a cauliflower crust addict”
“Hello Mike”
“Over a year ago I’ve first tried cauliflower crust and since then I’ve been making it at least twice a week. It started out with pizza, then it was calzone, hot pockets, breadsticks and stromboli. I can’t seem to stop. I need help!”
Seriously though, when I made the cauli crust stromboli (about a month ago), I thought that was the end of my experiments with cauliflower crust.
Apparently not.
But before we move on, let me say this: If you’re sick and tired of this cauli crust thing, feel free to leave. It’s okay, we can still be friends (or at least I'll pretend to be your friend...)
If, instead, you’re willing to cope with my cauliflower madness in all its psychotic glory, then I can show you what I believe is one of my biggest achievement with cauliflower crust.
I made cauliflower crust grilled cheese! BOOM!

Almond Flaxseed Yogurt "Granola" Bars

Energy bars, granola bars, breakfast bars, protein bars, the grocery store aisles are full of them.
However, the majority tastes like artificial flavoring (ugh, fake chocolate and PB!), chalk, and misery.
Plus, they all have a way of “looking” healthy no matter their chemical/y flavor profiles and suspect textures.
To be honest, it’s actually pretty rare to find energy bars that are healthy AND tasty.
I, for instance, like Larabars. Each one has between 2 and 9 ingredients, all of which are whole organic foods like fruits and nuts.
Okay, I suppose the few with chocolate aren't "whole" foods in the strict sense (there must be some processing going on there), but here's the thing about Larabars: they actually taste pretty good.
Like fruits and nuts (except the lemon bar; I had it once and it really grossed me out.)
Oh yeah, because - and you probably already know this - I only eat things that taste awesome. I am not interested in bland, gross energy bars. Not worth it.
(Just to be clear, I haven’t received any money nor products to review from Larabars. I just like ‘em so much, I thought you should know!

(Hand Cut) Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Shoestring Fries

There are some things I’ll just never be able to grasp. Like physics. Or how the trashcan fills up so fast. Or where all my socks go.
For real folks, I have 18 unpaired socks.
And I’m sorry for them. Being a sock isn’t easy already (especially MY socks). But being an unpaired sock is even worse. Forced to make their own solitary way in a world of pairs.
A beautiful love story of Left + Right that started out in a factory faraway, and that ends in separation.
I held the dryer responsible for all these losses.
Because sometimes socks get lost before and after they go into the laundry, but most of the time it seems like the dryer ate them for a snack.
If you ask around, you'll find that pretty much everybody shares my suspicion for the dryer — evil machine.
Or maybe between the washing machine and the dryer, they run way. There's probably a huge black market in runaway single socks somewhere. Who knows...
Anyways, I have 18 unpaired socks, and I’m holding onto them in hopes that their twins will return from the space wrap before I do my annual sock purge.

Vanilla Berry Chia Pudding

When someone says “chia”, what is the first thing that pops into your mind?
For millions, the answer is “Chia pet”, the terracotta figurines where the chia sprouts grow within a couple of weeks to resemble the animal's fur.
Who doesn’t remember the Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia commercial?
“They’re fun, they’re green, they’re the greatest thing you’ve ever seen...I want a chia puppy for my school! I want a chia guy for the office! I want a chia tree with a color changing star light!”
Best.Commercial.EVER.
Seriously, name one commercial better than this one.
It's enticing. It's smart. It's forward-thinking. It's caring. It's sensitive.
It brainwashes you into running out and getting one of those super fun chia pets. It is actually so powerful I’m thinking of getting one right now.
In your face Old Spice!

Cauliflower Crust Garlic Breadsticks

Remember when you were a kid and you thought that being grown up just meant driving cars, not having to go to school and eat all the ice-cream and pizza you wanted?
Well, we all grew up. And we discovered that adult life is indeed about driving cars, (sadly) not going to school, and about the ice-cream+pizza part...well we figured out our metabolism is not as fast as it used to be, and as much as we would love to eat ice-cream+pizza 24/7, we really can’t (turning into a big tub of lard is a far too easy with that kind of diet.)
But we are also smarter than we used to and we have discovered new healthy ways to enjoy our favorite foods.