Submitted by: Karen Stoychoff Inman

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients: The Vessel
12 Jalapeno Peppers (fresh & whole)

The Filling*
12 ounces Sweet Potatoes, roasted & peeled
3 teaspoons adobe sauce (from canned chipotle peppers)
3 tablespoons Pancetta (Italian Bacon), browned & chopped
3 tablespoons shallots, minced & sweated

The Batter & Dredge
2 Eggs
1/4 cup coconut milk
2 teaspoons adobe sauce
1/3 cup coconut flour
1/8 cup organic unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup almond meal**
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Garlic Herb

Plus …
2 tablespoons coconut oil

The Dipping Sauce
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon crushed / minced garlic
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 cup washed, stemmed Cilantro leaves
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions: Wash, dry & roast the sweet potatoes in a 375-degree oven until tender. You can also microwave, if you’d prefer.

While the sweet potatoes cook & cool, brown the pancetta in a frying pan, turning once (you want this crispy, but not burnt); remove from pan and set aside. Mince the shallots and sweat them in the pancetta pan until translucent; do not brown. Chop the pancetta and add it to the shallots. Remove the pan from the heat, give it a good toss to combine.

Peel the cooled (yet still warm) sweet potatoes and place in a bowl. Add the shallot / pancetta mixture and 3 teaspoons of adobe sauce. Mash the sweet potatoes and set aside.

Wash & dry the jalapenos. Slice off the top and remove the ribs & seeds from each jalapeno by carefully running a butter knife along the inside, and then dumping the contents. Set the cleaned jalapenos aside.

In three separate bowls mix the following:
Bowl #1: Fork beat two eggs with 1/4 cup coconut milk and 2 teaspoons adobe sauce.
Bowl #2: 1/3 cup coconut flour mixed thoroughly with 1/8 cup unsweetened coconut.
Bowl #3: 1/2 cup almond meal* mixed with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Garlic Herb.

Fill each jalapeno to the top (and just a bit over) with the sweet potato mixture. Once all the jalapenos are filled, take them one at a time and complete the following. It helps during this next step to keep one hand responsible for the dry stuff and the other from the wet stuff:
>  Submerge completely in the egg mixture
>  Roll until covered in the coconut flour mixture
>  Submerge again in the egg mixture
>  Roll until covered in the almond meal mixture

Melt the coconut oil in a large fry pan. Once hot (but not smoking) add the battered jalapenos. Turn until each side is golden brown. Remove the jalapenos from the pan and place on a baking sheet. Bake in a pre-heated 375-dgree oven for 6 minutes, or until the peppers are tender. Serve warm with Cliantro Lime Dipping Sauce.

To make the dipping sauce, place garlic, lime juice & cilantro in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth. Slowly add the extra virgin olive oil until the desired consistency is reached. Taste; season. You can serve immediately, but the tastes really come together after a few hours in the ‘fridge.

Notes: * If you have leftover filling, no worries! Toss it in a container and refrigerate for up to four days. The filling makes a great post-workout snack, or side dish.
** You can buy almond meal, but it is super easy to prepare. Simply toss almonds in the food processor and whirr until desired consistency. Or, toss almonds in a freezer bag and slam with the side of a 5# plate until desired consistency.