Paleo Spicy Turkey Stuffed Grilled Japalenos

With Memorial Day weekend around the corner, I've been working on some recipes for the grill for a party we're throwing.  Starters always seem to be a little tough, and while they can be a bit labor intensive, they're usually worth it.  Depending on the type of pepper you choose, these can have some killer kick, so be sure to warn your guests.  Also, with jalapenos, it can be a total mystery as to where they fall on the heat scale (not sure why), so test one out before you serve them. 

6-7 medium jalapenos (or any other small pepper)

1 lb ground turkey

1/2 tsp cayenne

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper
Juice and zest from 1 lime

Preheat grill to high.  Cut the tops off the peppers and remove the seeds/membranes* without puncturing the pepper. In a large bowl mix the turkey and spices.  Carefully stuff the peppers - mine took about a 1/2 tbs of meat mixture - and place in a jalapeno roaster**.  Turn grill down to medium and place on the grill.  When skins blister, remove from heat.


*Suggestion, when handling peppers, wear gloves.  If you don't wear gloves, wash your hands REALLY well before you touch anything - especially your eyes.

**If you don't have a roaster, channel your inner MacGyver and try and make something to keep the peppers somewhat upright so all the juices don't run out when you're cooking them.

Paleo Meat Cupcakes - Turkey & Pork Cupcakes with Jalapeno Butternut Squash Icing

Who says the cupcake craze has to be limited to flour and sugar laden sweets? (Also, I heard that BBQ is the new burgers, which were the new cupcakes, before they were the new frozen yogurt - finally a food trend I can really get behind).  These little guys pack a fragrant punch with all of the herbs, so try to use fresh if possible, and the sweet heat from the 'frosting' really brings that out. 

These turned out to be really tasty and fun, and if you leave the frosting off they freeze well. 

For the cupcakes:

1 lb ground turkey

1 lb ground pork sausage

1 tbs fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tbs fresh parsley, chopped

1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped

1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup almond meal

1 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

Preheat oven to 400 and spray a muffin tin with olive oil, or grease with coconut oil. Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a large bowl (using your hands works the best) and place meat mixture in to a muffin tin.  You can fill up the cups to the brim as the meat won't expand out and up.  Bake for about 20-25 minutes until cooked thoroughly. 

For the "icing":

1 small butternut squash

1 tbs coconut oil

2 tbs pickled jalapenos (plus extras for garnish)

Cut squash in half and remove seeds.  Wrap each 1/2 in foil and bake until tender.   Scoop out the roasted flesh and pulse in a food processor with the coconut oil (easier to work with if you warm it up) and jalapenos until you have a smooth paste.  Frost away! 

Paleo Epazote Stuffed Peppers

Sometimes all you need to get out of a cooking/eating slump is to discover a new flavor.  It can take a dish you make all the time taste different, so you'll never get bored even if you're repertoire isn't as thick as Mastering the Art of French Cooking. 

Epazote is a spice that some describe as 'medicinal' tasting  and is very popular in Southern Mexican cooking.   It has a bite, even a little citrus flavor, and if you can't find it you could probably use a combination of dried oregano, cilantro and lemon pepper.