Stuff It!

  I do mean stuff it, peppers that is. This is the time of year when schedules seem to be especially frantic and people frazzled. From holiday preparations to Christmas parties, shopping and school concerts, it seems we are running in and out of a revolving door.
  This is a recipe that I found on Pinterest that is very quick to throw together, uses ingredients we always have on hand and is also something you can prepare ahead of time to make the evening rush less hectic You can also double the recipe and freeze the meat mixture to thaw at a later time and stuff  fresh peppers.
  I usually use ground turkey for any of our meat recipes but after whipping up some meatballs ,I had some ground beef left to use up. The Divas did not notice at all so you can use either.  Depending on the size of the peppers used we sometimes have leftovers which are used in a wrap for a lunch for the Divas. You are providing protein, vegetable, grains and some dairy, so it is a complete meal and fills those tired tummies on a cold night. 

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef OR turkey

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 white onion, minced

1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin powder

Salt and pepper to taste

3 large sweet peppers, washed

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups cooked rice

Olive oil spray

1/4 cup reduced fat shredded cheese

 

Directions:

Heat oven to 400°. Spray a little olive oil spray in a medium size saute pan and heat on a medium flame. Add onion, garlic and cilantro to the pan.

 

 
 
As much as I love chopping and prepping, I am not a fan of the lingering garlic odour on my fingers.  After trying a few garlic presses I found a great and sturdy one at Ikea that is easy to use and easy to clean.
 
 

 


Saute about 2 minutes and add ground turkey.
 
 

 

Season with salt and garlic powder, and cumin and brown meat for several minutes until meat is completely cooked through.

Add 1/4 cup of tomato sauce and 1/2 cup of chicken broth, mix well and simmer on low for about 5 minutes.



 






This chicken broth is sold at Costco and is the Home Goodness brand. Organic and a case of six is less than $8.00.







 
I also have a favorite tomato sauce I buy at Costco as well. The Simply Natural brand is also organic and has incredible flavor. This is delicious on pastas and for making homemade pizzas. Now all you have to do is STICK TO YOUR LIST and avoid all aisles that you don't need items from. Challenge your self to see if you can make it in and out of Costco without  breaking the bank.




Combine cooked rice and meat together.
 
 

 
 
Another time saving tips is to use Uncle Ben's Whole Grain Brown Rice as shown here. Amazingly I did NOT buy this at Costco, and it can be found in all grocery store. You mix water and rice and have to option of adding butter. Boil, simmer and let sit and your rice is done in 10 minutes. I always make extra and use in a fried rice stir fry for the Divas for lunch.

Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise, and remove all seeds.
 
 

 
 
 Place in a baking dish. Spoon the meat mixture into each pepper half and fill it with as much as you can. Place all stuffed pepper halves on the baking dish and pour the remainder of the chicken broth on the bottom of the pan. Cover tight with aluminum foil and bake for about 35 minutes.
 
 

 
 
 Top with shredded cheddar cheese and bake another 5 minutes until cheese melts.  The Divas like this with a small salad and they both usually eat a whole pepper!
 
 

 
 
My carnivore companions know that my dinner is a vegetarian option. I mix black beans with the extra rice, tomato sauce, season with cumin and garlic and substitute vegetable broth.
Either version is quick, healthy and delicious.
 
 
Bon Appetit!