I think most people can relate to the feeling that dinner time can become kind of, well… boring. We settle into a routine. We go to the grocery store and buy the same foods, prepare the same meals, only making the things we are comfortable with or the things that we KNOW our family will like. Inevitably, we end up in a food rut. This is especially common in the paleo world where many people feel limited by the day in, day out protein/vegetable combination.

I’ve found that a great way to mix it up is by adding new and unfamiliar spices. This can be scary for some people. How do you know how much to add? What spices taste good together? Here’s a tip: start with pre-made spice blends if you are uncomfortable just adding spices at random. Choose ones like italian seasoning, curry powder, and chinese five spice. Head to an ethnic market and pick up some of their spice mixes. Be sure to check the labels for preservatives, gluten, and other chemicals that often sneak their way in.

For inspiration, here’s a meal that will delight most anyone using two very familiar ingredients; ground turkey and carrots. This is a very simple and inexpensive dish with lots of flavor!

Five Spice Turkey with Maple Roasted Carrots and Tahini Sauce

2 lb. carrots, cleaned and cut into 1 inch chunks.
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
sea salt

1.5 lb. ground turkey
1/2 onion, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
2 Tbsp. coconut aminos or Gluten-Free tamari
1 Tbsp. chinese five spice
sea salt
pepper

1/4 c. tahini
1/4 c. coconut aminos or Gluten-Free tamari
2 Tbsp. sesame oil

2 green onions, sliced thin for garnish
1-2 Tbsp. sesame seeds for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. In a bowl, toss carrots with oil, salt, and syrup.
3. Bake for 20 mins until tender
4. In a large skillet heat coconut oil.
5. Add turkey and begin to brown.
6. Add onion and garlic and continue to cook, breaking up chunks of turkey meat.
7. Add aminos, five spice, and pepper. Taste and add salt if needed (tamari/aminos will make it somewhat salty)
8. In a bowl, whisk together tahini, aminos/tamari, and sesame oil.
9. Pour half of the sauce into the skillet with the turkey.
10. Serve turkey over carrots with a drizzle of sauce, onion, and/or sesame seeds for garnish.