Applegate –  my natural response to this name is to envision farms.  And hot dogs – organic, grass-fed beef hot dogs to be exact.  The kid-in-me’s dream come to true – a hot dog I can eat anytime without the health consequences of a traditional mystery meat hot dog.  The creator of this hot dog, Applegate, is a company that seeks to create healthy, sustainable meat products (all of which I love).  They also carry a great mission – just read how awesome it is:

At Applegate our mission is to Change the Meat We Eat. By that we mean making good meat – the kind that’s raised humanely without antibiotics and hormones – accessible to as many people as possible. To achieve this evolution, we put our resources toward the people we think have the most potential to change our food system – eaters, farmers and innovators. Our work involves educating people about the important issues that impact their food, addressing the challenges faced by new farmers, and supporting big ideas that can improve the way good meat is raised, produced and distributed. (applegate.com/mission)

Does that not make you excited??  “To as many people as possible” they say!  To create change – so that everyone has access to good quality meat.

Applegate has a pretty cool history to – the childhood of Stephen McDonnell (Applegate’s CEO) has a lot to do with why he started the company. His mom was a wonderful cook and made a mean roast.  So, of course Mr. McDonnell became a lover of meat from a young age.  When bad cholestrol threatened this love – he went after finding a way to produce healthy meat.  Not long after this, Applegate was born. You can learn more about his story here.

It’s a company that is excited about its products – and was gracious enough to send me one of its new products to try and review for all of you!

The latest Applegate product: Mini pepperonis – pork and turkey.  Both antibiotic-free, hormone-free, chemical-free, and nitrate-free.  As well, they are both casein-free and gluten-free! Just good quality, natural meat.

My thoughts on these cute little pepperonis? – AMAZING.  Absolutely delicious.  A star on its own, and the perfect compliment to almost any dish.

Though I do love them just straight out of the fridge, my favorite way  to enjoy them is on Paleo English Muffin Pizzas.

Applegate Pepperoni English Muffin Pizzas (Paleo)

Prep: 5 min          Cook: 2-6 min          Serves: 1-2

Ingredients:

• 1 Paleo English Muffin (recipe below)
• 4-6 tbsp of your favorite Pizza Sauce (recipe option below)
• 4-6 tbsp of dairy cheese or nut-cheese (I used the nut-cheese recipe from Danielle Walker’s Against All Grain cookbook)
• 6-8 Applegate Mini Pepperonis

Directions

1. Preheat oven to broil (or use a toaster oven!)
2. Half the English muffin, place on baking sheet cut side up
3. Top each half with 2-3 tbsp pizza sauce, followed by nut cheese or dairy cheese
4. Add the mini pepperonis!
5. Place in oven or toaster oven until browned to liking – 2-6 minutes – Let cool for a couple minutes and then enjoy!

For the Paleo English Muffins

(adapted from Beauty and the Foodie’s recipe)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp coconut/almond/cow milk
• 1 tbsp coconut flour
• 1/8 tsp onion powder
• 1/8 tsp oregano
• 1/16 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp cream of tartar or Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/8 tsp sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (microwave option as well)

2. Add the coconut oil to a small 6 ounce round glass dish or ramekin – place in oven to melt as it preheats

3. In a small bowl mix all ingredients until well-combined.  Remove dish from oven, carefully pour in the batter

4. Place in oven for 15-20 min – until the top has a nice bounce and the edges have begun to brown (can also cook in microwave for 1 and half minutes)

5. Let cool a few minutes before popping it out

Quick Pizza Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 6 ounce can of tomato paste
• 2-4 tbsp water (to your desired thickness)
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp rosemary
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions:

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl.  At this point it is ready to serve, but to enhance flavor I let it simmer for 5 minutes or so in a small saucepan.

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Enjoy 🙂