I’ve been on a health kick lately, mostly in response to the dreaded “quarantine fifteen.” I’ve also been trying to clean out my freezer before heading to the store, which inspired me to whip up one of my favorite comfort foods- stuffed peppers. These are so easy to make, and can be easily adapted to whatever you have on hand. Plus, they are perfect for one person because you can freeze the filling for later, and only bake what you need.
I adapted the traditional stuffed peppers recipe that we all know to include lean proteins, whole grains, and fresh herbs, rather than the traditional beef and rice version. (I also used red and orange peppers because they taste better than green peppers, in my opinion.)
Healthy Stuffed Peppers Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 package ground turkey
- ¼ cup red onion
- 1 red bell pepper per person
- 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ cup fresh basil, julienned
- 2 tablespoons garlic (I use the jar version)
- 3 tablespoons good parmesan cheese
- Shredded mozzarella cheese to taste
Directions
- Prepare the quinoa to your preference- I like to cook mine with a little bit of olive oil to avoid stickiness. Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat, cook the turkey until evenly browned.
- Remove and discard the tops, seeds, and membranes of the bell peppers. Arrange peppers in a baking dish with the hollowed sides facing upward.
- Lower the heat in the skillet and add the onions to brown them.
- Then, add the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper, and fresh basil.
- Allow the mixture to cook on medium-low heat for about fifteen minutes, and add in the good parmesan cheese and garlic.
- Spoon an equal amount of the mixture into each hollowed pepper.
- Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees F, covered with tin foil, until the peppers are tender. Fifteen minutes before they are ready, top the peppers with mozzarella cheese to melt, and finish baking. Enjoy!
These peppers are so easy to make, and fun to be creative with. I think that next time, I might add in some chunky tomato sauce for extra flavor. I also want to try a spicy version with some hot sauce and cayenne pepper!