Jack-O-Lantern Peppers
I've been spending a lot of time outside recently. I've been doing a lot of outdoor running. I used to run a lot--running was my first foray in to adult fitness, but I ran too much over two years and got burned out. Which led me to try just about everything else NYC has to offer (Barre, Spinning, HIIT and finally Crossfit). This year, however, my girlfriends decided to sign up for a half marathon in Big Sur, and I happily agreed to join them. It's in a few weeks, but I've been really lucky to be able to do most of my training runs and all of my long runs outside. Plus, the puppy has to get outside and get his exercise so we've been enjoying the mild Fall temperatures.
I think it's the way I've been experiencing Fall this year that led me to think about Pumpkins. I haven't carved a pumpkin in years. In fact, I can't remember the last time I carved a pumpkin. Maybe in college? IDK. Something in me this year was really wanting to decorate our apartment for Halloween and carve a pumpkin. With a small puppy (who eats EVERYTHING) and a traveling husband (who's home 48 hours a week) it didn't seem like the best idea.
So I channeled my carving spirit in to a something productive...Jack-O-Lantern peppers! This is a pretty typical stuffed pepper recipe--ground beef, cauliflower rice and spices--with a cutie and festive little twist. On the outside of the bell peppers, I carved Jack-O-Lantern faces. So now you have a dinner that (kind of) smiles/grimaces back. You're welcome. I made a classic orange jack-o-lantern, a nerdy looking yellow guy and a creepy Dracula style red pepper.
I think this is a perfect, nutritious, vegetable rich pre-Trick-or-Treating dinner. Bake these up before you head out on Halloween night and you'll know that at least you and your kids are getting tons of veggies before the sugar-high kicks in. Maybe they'll even be SO full they won't be able to eat much candy...isn't that how it works?
What You'll Need:
4 Orange, Red or Yellow Bell Peppers
1 LB ground beef (you could use turkey or chicken too!)
half a yellow onion, diced
1/2 bag pre-riced cauliflower (you could use quinoa or regular rice if you prefer, just cook it beforehand)
1 TBSP coconut oil
2 tsp each oregano and basil, dried
1 tsp salt and pepper
1/3 cup tomato sauce
What I Did:
Preheat your oven to 350.
In a cast iron skillet, melt the coconut oil, then add the onions. After about 2 minutes, add your ground beef, and break up with a spoon. Once the ground beef is mostly cooked, add the cauliflower rice, spices and tomato sauce.
Cover and reduce the heat. Allow the cauliflower rice to cook for about 5 minutes.
While the cauliflower is cooking, slice the tops off your peppers and clean the inside. Use a pairing knife to cut jack-o-latern faces on your peppers--the spookier the better!
Stuff each pepper with a quarter of the mixture. Place your peppers standing up straight in a baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes.
Plate them up for your family...bonus points if some of the "brains" spill out!
