Winter comfort foods are the best. When I think of my favorites, warm healthy stuffed bell peppers are right up there.
To be fair, I live in Sacramento, California, so I can’t complain about the freezing temps. There is no shoveling snow for this girl.
But the last few days have been our coldest and rainiest of the past few months.
Which definitely got me in the mood to cook something for dinner using the oven. Stuffed peppers seemed like the perfect weekday dish.
My mom used to make stuffed peppers with beef when I was little.
In the spirit of lightening this dish up, I switched mine to Jennie O’s 93% lean turkey meat.
Another switch from Mom’s, I cut the peppers in half and “stuffed” them more open sandwich style.
They are easier to eat and the little bit of cheese I put on each one melts evenly over all the meat, instead of being only reserved for a small section on the top.
Healthy Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1.3 lb 93% lean ground turkey
- 1 garlic, minced
- 1/4 red onion, minced
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 4 large sweet bell peppers (red, orange, or yellow are my favorites!)
- 1 cup fat-free chicken broth (I used my homemade bone broth! So easy- recipe to come in an upcoming post, but broth out of the box or can works just fine.)
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
- Olive oil spray
- 6 tbsp part skim shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
Heat oven to 400°F.
Prepare the brown rice according to the package. Many times, brown rice takes about 30 minutes, so if you start this right away it will be ready when your meat is cooked.
Lightly coat a medium nonstick skillet with the olive oil spray heat, and then bring your pan to a medium heat.
Add onion, garlic, and cilantro, then sauté for about 2 minutes. Then add ground turkey, salt, garlic powder, and cumin. Cook the meat mixture for 4 to 5 minutes, until the meat is completely cooked throughout.
Add 1/4 cup of tomato sauce and 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Mix well and simmer uncovered, on low, for about 5 minutes.
Add the cooked rice to the simmering meat.
Cut the bell peppers in half (lengthwise), and remove all the seeds. Spoon 2/3 cup of the meat mixture into each half of a pepper and place them into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
Top each with about 1 tbsp cheese. Pour the remainder of the chicken broth on the bottom of the pan.
Cover tight with aluminum foil and bake for about 45 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and serve right away.
And that’s it! Added bonus, your house will smell amazing!!
My husband and I each had two peppers, so we had enough for another whole meal.
And of course, after your delicious meal, you have to snuggle up on the couch under a blanket and watch a show or two.
We are currently catching up on The Affair. Is anyone else watching Season 3?? Can this get any weirder?
But such a good show.
I love how they depict the same day from two different characters… and how they recall the same situation in completely different ways. A good reminder that two people won’t experience the same thing from even the same exact situation!
