“Have you ever have one of those days?”
That line generally precedes a negative story doesn't it? Let's get back to that in a sec…
As you know, I prefer savory snacks over sweet, but I think everyone will enjoy these Paleo Valentine's Strawberry Bacon Roses with a Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar Reduction. Ka-Pow! You may have seen bacon roses on Pinterest or Facebook, but as is our style, I wanted to add some extra pizazz. And chocolate. It is Valentine's Day after all…
Back to my question: Have you ever had one of those days, when you wake up and just love the world and need to share that with everyone you come in contact with? Well you are in luck because I am having that right now I and I came across a Facebook post, “You need to know…”, by a guy named David Limacher (I asked him if he was ok with this) which has inspired this Valentine's Day e-card that I have here for you and the rest of the world – something that we all need to hear, even from ourselves:
(hidden messages within)
I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love your individuality. I love you. I love you. I love you. All of you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I am not afraid to say it. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. Share your love with the world. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. Share food-love. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. All you need is love. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. Do you feel the universe's love for you? I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I don't always know how to show it effectively, but I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. Love each other. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. You are worth it. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. Love like you'll never be hurt. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. Love nature. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. Love your body. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. Love your neighbor. I love you. I love you. Embrace your sexuality. I love you. Love yourself. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. Tell someone you love them. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. Be gentle with yourself. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. Love right now. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. There is more love in the universe for you than you can imagine. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. Love what makes you you. I love you. I love you. I love you. Give someone a hug. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. Share love generously. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. Love your potential. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. Be creative. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. Be a beacon of light in the world. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. Believe in love. I love you. I love you. I love you. Smile at me again. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.
Share some love, share some Paleo Valentine's Strawberry Bacon Roses. Or don't, and eat them all yourself #thisiswhyimsingle haha. This is better than man-flowers (ie. beer) – and more paleo.
I was just having a conversation about the name “The Primal Desire” and what people generally assume it's about, when it hit me: how did I not suggest licking this balsamic reduction off your partner this Valentine's Day! Now go get some! FOOD-LOVE!
Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar Reduction
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
This reduction can be used to make a lot of dishes amazing. Drizzle it over coconut ice cream; add it to meats; enjoy it with fruit; you eat cheese? Yeah, it's good with that too. And don't forget to try it in salads!
Ingredients
- 1 bottle (500ml) balsamic vinegar
- 3 tsp cacao powder
Instructions
- In a sauce pan on low-medium temperature gently simmer balsamic vinegar.
- Stir periodically as vinegar volume reduces and approaches a liquid-honey-like consistency (remember that it will continue to thicken as it cools so don't overdo it – I speak from experience). The required time will vary greatly depending on the diameter of your pot, the vinegar you use, etc. but expect it to take somewhere around 1/2 hour.
- As the vinegar begins to thicken stir in cacao powder and continue to simmer until done.
- Remove from heat and transfer to a squeeze-bottle if you've got one (trust me, this will make your life so much easier in using it).
Notes
There are infinite flavor ideas available here. Add some chili powder. Drop the cacao and replace it with cinnamon sticks, maple syrup or honey, citrus rind, fresh rosemary, etc. The possibilities are truly endless.
The other way to do this is just buy some balsamic reduction and mix in cacao.
If you use a lower quality vinegar, you may need to add honey or maple syrup to sweeten it a touch.
- Category: Valentine's
Paleo Valentine's Strawberry Bacon Roses
Ingredients
- 12 pieces bacon
- ~12 fresh strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Loosely cover a 12-cup muffin tin with tinfoil, pressing down to dimple the foil into each cup, and using a toothpick, stab a couple drainage holes in the bottom of each dimple.
- Slice strawberries as thinly as possible.
- Lay a strip of bacon down with the fat-side down.
- Spread strawberry slices along the top edge of the bacon, leaving about 1/2 an inch on each end uncovered.
- Squeeze a thin strip of chocolate balsamic reduction over the strawberries (too much will just make a huge mess and drip out the bottom).
- Starting rolling the bacon at one around a toothpick as tightly as you are able (be sure that the strawberry slices do not get squeezed out).
- Stand each roll upright in it's own tinfoil dimple, the toothpick stabbing through the tinfoil. Press the roll down the toothpick so that it sits against the tinfoil.
- Bake for 45 minutes.
- Allow to cool enough to handle. If you want to create a bouquet, replace the toothpicks with longer bamboo skewers and arrange in some greenery (this is where your creativity comes in).
- Serve with the balsamic reduction bottle so that another little squirt can be added to the rose just prior to eating.
- Enjoy, and share the love with others!
Annabel says
February 13, 2015 at 5:43 amIt is an original idea to make flowers that way! I love strawberries!
Raj says
February 13, 2015 at 10:08 amThanks Annabel!
I also tried making them with pineapple, but the enzymes broke down the bacon too quickly and it didn’t go with the chocolate as nicely.
Happy Vday!
Ayngelina says
February 13, 2015 at 8:08 amThese bacon roses make me laugh every year but I’ve never seen anyone post how to make them, nice job.
Raj says
February 13, 2015 at 10:14 amThanks Ayngelina (love that spelling btw),
I’d never seen them before this year. I had an idea of what I wanted to do with the ingredients, but when go googling “paleo valentine’s” I found this presentation and thought it was the perfect match.
The other sites that show you how-to all use plastic bouquets and actually replace the rose flower with the bacon, which looks cool, but isn’t real greenery so much better (even if the greenery was just as expensive as the flower arrangements themselves were?)?
bakersbeans says
February 13, 2015 at 8:19 amLove this, Love bacon! Such a great idea!
Raj says
February 13, 2015 at 10:15 amThanks BB!
Happy Valentines Day!
salmadinani says
February 13, 2015 at 1:02 pmWhat a great idea!
Raj says
February 13, 2015 at 6:29 pmThanks Salma. Even better when it’s easy to do, eh?
Sarah | (Cooking for) Kiwi & Bean says
February 13, 2015 at 6:20 pmWow!!! This is a valentine’s day gift that my husband would actually appreciate :-).
Raj says
February 13, 2015 at 6:29 pmThat’s what I’m talking about Sarah! Yeah!
schmalzphotography says
February 14, 2015 at 10:06 pmSuch a fun idea!! How can you go wrong with bacon though right?
Raj says
February 14, 2015 at 11:01 pmGood point – But it’s always nice when you can improve on it.
Adam Trainor says
May 18, 2015 at 6:42 amFinally, a way to say “I love you” that anybody can get behind. Brilliant.
Raj says
May 18, 2015 at 10:04 amWhy is it that people always bring chocolates to people at work as a thank-you or Merry-Christmas, instead of something everyone can appreciate? Like this.