Hold the Cheese! Jalapeno Poppers | Dairy-Free

I crisped up some minced pancetta and mixed it into some dairy-free, Raw Nacho Cheese Sauce. The result was quite tasty! I had my jalapeno poppers, sans the cheese, and was completely satisfied.

In support of my son and the diet he follows (GFCF), I gave up dairy. Well, sort of. I can endure the temptation of Noosa’s Strawberry Rhubarb Yogurt (barely!) and the call of Alden’s Mint Chip Ice Cream (I plug my ears). Oddly, it’s a platter of Jalapeno Poppers that inevitably brings me to my knees.

I don’t know what it is about jalapeno poppers. I find them utterly addicting and would like to kiss the man —and I’m convinced that it was a man—who first grilled up a batch of these green boats of hachacha bacon and cheesy goodness.

Over the 4th of July, I was making poppers with the usual cream cheese, bacon bits and shredded cheese for company that was coming. With a few jalapenos leftover I thought I’d do a little experiment.

I crisped up some minced pancetta and mixed it into some dairy-free, Raw Nacho Cheese Sauce. The result was quite tasty! I had my jalapeno poppers, sans the cheese, and was completely satisfied.

Dairy-Free Jalapeno Poppers

Gluten-Free | Casein-Free | Corn-Free | Dairy-Free | Egg-Free | Fish-Free | Peanut-Free | Potato-Free | Rice-Free | Shellfish-Free | Soy-Free | Wheat-Free | Grain-Free | Sesame-Free | Sweetener-Free | Yeast-free | GFCF | Easily Vegetarian

Makes: 12-16 poppers
Prep Time:  30 minutes
Soak Time:  2-4 hours
Grill Time: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients:

6-8 JALAPENO PEPPERS
1/2 cup RAW NACHO CHEESE SAUCE (see notes)
2-3 tablespoons crispy fried PANCETTA or BACON BITS
2-3 tablespoons thinly sliced GREEN ONION (optional)

Directions:

Slice jalapenos lengthwise and deseed using a small spoon. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Fill each pepper half with “cheese” mixture.

Grill on low 10-15 minutes or until peppers are tender and cheese is heated through. Allow to rest 3-5 minutes before serving.

Notes:

To balance the saltiness of the pancetta, cut back the measure of salt from 1 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon when making the Nacho Cheese Sauce.

Try to keep the cheese mixture thick by adding as little water as needed to achieve a smooth dip consistency. If you’ve made it on the thinner side, you can add a tablespoon or two of tapioca flour to the cheese mixture to thicken it up.

On Lexie’s List to Try: Grilled Appetizers

Grilled Shiitake Mushrooms on Rosemary Skewers over at Martha Stewart

Beef and Asparagus Negmaki over at Martha Stewart (using honey and gluten-free soy sauce)