Jalapeno Poppers

Jalapeno peppers: a celebration of all things cheese, bread crumbs, and deep-fried…right? Not quite! You can make your very own Paleo-friendly version with this delicious combination of bacon, hot peppers, and juicy sausages – the almond cheese is optional, but it does add a nice coolness to the overall flavor.

Jalapenos not your thing? Don’t be afraid to use quartered bell peppers instead for a treat that runs more savory and less tongue-burning. You can save some prep time by hunting down Paleo-friendly mini sausages, but they can be tricky to get ahold of. If you can’t find them, just slice ordinary pre-cooked sausages into the right size. The particular kind of sausage is totally up to your tastes; I like a merguez but use whatever you like or you can get.

These are great party food because they’re really very quick to make, so you don’t have to miss the fun while you’re in the kitchen. Why not give them a try and show everyone that it doesn’t take a lot of weird gunk to make a great-tasting appetizer?

Jalapeno Poppers Recipe

SERVES: 4 PREP: 15 min. COOK: 20 min.

Ingredients

• 10 jalapeno peppers, sliced in half and seeded
• 10 bacon slices, cut in half
• 10 mini sausages or full sausages sliced in 10 pieces
• 1 cup almond cheese (optional)
• 1 tsp. chili powder

Preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 425 F.
2. If using almond cheese, mix it with the chili powder in a bowl.
3. Fill each jalapeno cavity with the almond cheese.
4. Place a sausage on top of each jalapeno.
5. Wrap each popper with half a bacon slice and secure with a toothpick if needed.
6. Place on a baking sheet, and cook in the oven for 20 minutes.
7. Serve warm.