These bacon-wrapped water chestnuts are marinated in coconut aminos and sprinkled with just a hint of coconut sugar for the perfect salty-sweet-crunchy appetizer!

Happy New Year, friends!! 2014 is going to be a BIG year. I can feel it in my bones. Let’s kickoff the year with a new recipe and new book!

Tell me you’ve seen this book.

No? Then let me tell you that you NEED this book.

Kelly Milton put together this fabulous collection of flavor-packed savory and sweet recipes that are sure to make your reputation as a Paleo party planner reach legend status.

What sets Kelly’s book even further apart is her fearless tackle of the tough topic, Paleo & alcohol.

She shares a thorough introduction to Paleo entertaining, info-graphics to quickly answer your question “what booze IS Paleo-friendly,” and over 20 recipes to help you embrace your confident, healthy, mixologist self.

Paleo Happy Hour Bacon Water Chestnuts | Fed+Fit-1

If you’re looking for a new book to kickstart a healthier, tastier, and well-rounded Paleo lifestyle year, this is the one for you. It’s beautiful, informative, includes over 100 recipes, and each dish will blow you away.

Paleo Happy Hour Bacon Water Chestnuts | Fed+Fit-2

THE GIVEAWAY

I believe you will enjoy this book so much that I’m giving you a copy!

Find out how to enter the giveaway on my Facebook page.

You can also order your own copy here!

Find Kelly Milton on her blog, the Paleo Girl’s Kitchen, here.

THE RECIPE

Paleo Happy Hour Bacon Water Chestnuts | Fed+Fit-4

The fabulous Kelly generously gave me permission to share one of her unbelievably tasty recipes here with you today!

You may have seen bacon-wrapped water chestnuts before – but you haven’t seen them like this!

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We’re going to marinate the water chestnuts in some coconut aminos, roll in a little coconut sugar {do I have your attention yet?}, then let the bacon do its magic.

These little morsels come together in no time and will quickly become the party favorite.

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Let’s get to work!

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We’re starting off with a couple 8 ounce cans of water chestnuts.

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I got a new can opener for Christmas! My thoughtful boyfriend {Austin} decided it was time for me to have a can opener that doesn’t cut jagged edges or push the lid in the can. Happy happy!

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To marinate the water chestnuts, I recommend you use coconut aminos. If you have a hard time finding coconut aminos {which tastes JUST like soy sauce – maybe even better} then you can use the gluten-free soy sauce, Tamari.

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Drain all the water out of the cans and then replace it with the coconut aminos. Let them marinate for 15 minutes.

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In the meantime, we can cut up our bacon! I think that really cold bacon is much easier to cut – so pop it in the freezer about 10 minutes before you plan to prep.

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Cut the pound of bacon in half.

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Then cut each of those pieces in half.

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Kelly’s instructions are to bake the water chestnuts in a glass dish that has been sprayed with avocado oil, pouring the bacon grease out during the cooking process so that they will crisp. I’m going to throw out a slight alternative – cook them on a wire rack! The bacon grease will drain down into the lined baking sheet while the bacon crisps wonderfully on top.

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While your 15 minute timer for the marinate is winding down, we grab our last ingredient! Coconut sugar is a great Paleo-friendly dry sweetener I recommend you keep on hand. Austin uses it to sweeten his coffee!

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Pour about ¼ cup into a bowl.

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Got all your pieces ready? Don’t forget the toothpicks!

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Take each water chestnut from the coconut aminos marinade and roll it in the coconut sugar.

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Get a good coating!

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Wrap this sugar’d water chestnut in one piece of the bacon.

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Then pierce with a toothpick.

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Lay on the wire rack!

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Repeat for the rest of the water chestnuts then place the sheet in the oven at 400 F for 30 – 35 minutes, or until wonderfully crispy.

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When these come out of the oven, your house will smell incredible.

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Great for entertaining! Everyone who was lucky enough to grab a bite LOVED them.

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They’re sweet, salty, crunchy, crispy, and hard to stop eating.

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Paleo Happy Hour’s Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts

5 from 1 vote
By Amber Goulden
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Servings: 4 -8 servings
From The Paleo Happy Hour, the perfect little appetizers for your next gathering!

Ingredients  

  • 2 8- ounce cans of whole water chestnuts
  • coconut aminos {or tamari}
  • 1 pound bacon each piece cut into 4's
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
  • avocado oil in an oil mister {if you bake in the glass dish}

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 400 F.
  • Drain the water chestnuts and leave them in the can. Cover with the coconut aminos and let soak for 15 minutes.
  • Drain water chestnuts then roll in the coconut sugar. Wrap with a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick.
  • Spray a glass baking dish with the avocado oil then lay pieces inside or simply place the pieces on a wire rack over a baking sheet.
  • Bake at 400 F for 30-35 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp.
  • Let cool then enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 594kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 784mg | Potassium: 433mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 42IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 2mg

Additional Info

Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 -8 servings
Calories: 594
Keyword: bacon wrapped water chestnuts, water chestnut appetizer

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About the Author

Cassy Joy Garcia, NC

Cassy Joy Garcia, a New York Times best-selling author, of Cook Once Dinner Fix, Cook Once Eat All Week, and Fed and Fit as well as the creative force behind the popular food blog Fed & Fit.


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9 Comments

  1. These are awesome, but I add a chunk of sweet onion and a square chunk of unsweetened pineapple under the bacon, next to the water chestnut. You will never get them out of the kitchen before they disappear.

  2. SO creative! I love that you soaked the chestnuts then rolled them in coconut sugar. Sounds amazing!