Chipotle Pepper Pockets with Avocado Crema

My favorite thing about Super Bowl Sunday food is definitely the apps. It's my favorite way to eat, sampling a variety of different foods small-plates style. On this particular Sunday of the year, the spread is not usually very healthy, full of chicken wings and dips and soaked in a sea of cheesy goodness. Hey, I'm not complaining! I love it as much as the next person. But it is nice to have a healthier option that's not your token veggies and dip. Cue these chipotle pepper pockets.

I've made these a few times and they are a crowd pleaser, something that people bring up weeks after the party. Not only are they healthy, they are jam packed with flavor! 

If you haven't used it already, adobo paste is awesome. I used the brand Doña María, add water and brown sugar, and it's a great sauce for taco meat or anything else you can think of. Add a little cayenne, or chipotle peppers in this case, to spice it up and it's all the better.

Chipotle Pepper Pockets with Avocado Crema 

Makes 12 pockets

1 red bell pepper

1 green bell pepper

1 yellow onion 

1 1/2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely diced (1 small can)

1 tablespoon of adobo paste 

3 tablespoons water 

2 teaspoons brown sugar

Phyllo dough

Avocado Crema 

2 ripe avocados

1 cup plain Greek yogurt 

1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped

2 limes, Juiced

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 clove garlic

Preheat the oven to 375°F. 

Heat a pan with some olive oil over medium heat. Add to your diced onions and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until they are beginning to look translucent. Then add your diced red and green peppers, and sauté for another seven minutes until vegetables are soft and beginning to brown. 

Then, add the chipotle peppers and sauté until fragrant. Add the adobo paste, water, brown sugar and mix until the sauce is set. Remove from heat and prepare the pockets. (Note: this mixture will be very spicy! That is a good thing, it allows the crema to have it's amazing cooling effect.)

Cut the phyllo dough into about 4 inch wide strips. 

Arrange them in alternating directions in each cupcake tin, three strips to each tin.

Fill each pocket with your vegetable mixture and fold the strips over to seal the pocket. 

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Allow to cool if you minutes before you add the crema.

While your pockets are baking, make the avocado crema. Add all the ingredients in to a blender, and blend until smooth. When the pockets are cool enough, put a dollop of the crema  on top and serve immediately. Enjoy!