Like many do as the winter season nears it’s end, Max and I have been attempting to keep up a balanced and nutritious lifestyle. To this regard, reducing our carb intake has been one method that is quite – and noticeably- beneficial. However, cutting out carbs creates it’s own issue: all of our meals begin to look the same! Some sort of grilled or baked protein served aside steamed or roasted veggies. BOOO-RING.
So, a few weeks ago, in an attempt to liven up our dinner menu, I whipped up a new recipe- and I have made it weekly since. It is flavorful, satisfying, fun, and (perhaps best) you don’t miss those pesky carbs at all! Thus, I present to you today my recipe for Taco-Stuffed Peppers!
Here’s What You’ll Need:
- 4 bell peppers
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1-2 cloves of minced garlic (to your personal preference)
- 1 medium chopped sweet onion
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 package of Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice (or 4 servings of any rice you like. Feel free to reduce, substitute, or omit the rice accordingly.)
- 1 can of tomato sauce
- 1 can of black or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup of corn (fresh or frozen)
- as much cheese as you want for topping (I used spicy asiago, but feel free to use regular mexican, queso, cheddar, or none at all!)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- red pepper flakes, to taste
- salt and pepper, to taste
- fresh cilantro, chopped
- sliced avocado, for serving
Here’s Your Method:
- Begin by sauteing your onions and garlic in olive oil.
- Meanwhile, begin preparing your rice.
- Add the ground turkey, salt, and pepper to the saute pan; brown the meat and drain off the fat.
- Then, add the rice, beans, corn, sauce, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes. At this point, you can also mix in some Tabasco, hot sauce, or chopped jalapenos for an extra bit of heat! Stir the mixture and allow it to warm through and thicken, until the flavors are nicely spread throughout.
- Slice off the tops of your bell peppers, and take out the seedy insides.
- Line the peppers in a baking dish, using a bit of balled up tin foil as a “crutch” if one won’t stand on it’s own.
- Fill each pepper with the meat sauce mixture, and bake, covered, in a 400 degree oven for forty minutes.
- When your timer sounds, remove the cover of the baking dish and top each pepper with cheese and cilantro. Bake for five more minutes, or until your cheese is nicely melted.
- Serve alongside sliced avocado or some chopped greens, and enjoy!
Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy this recipe! As always, feel free to experiment and change it up! I do usually estimate on the measurements and just go by how it feels and by our own taste preferences!
Leave me a comment letting me know how you enjoyed this recipe, or what you would like to add/change about it! Sharing is caring, and maybe I will feature your idea in my next post! 🙂
