better for you stuffed peppers
(3 ratings)
On Superbowl Sunday we ran out of propane for the grill so dinner plans changed. I had planned to make ground beef and turkey burgers. I changed it to stuffed bell peppers instead so I could use the ground meat. I only had 1 cup of white rice so I added lentils to stretch it. It was so good I think I will use them from now on. They got rave reviews. This ingredient list looks long, but it includes 3 components to the dish and is a complete meal when done. **I have made these since using quinoa in place of the rice. They are not only good but good for you made this way.
(3 ratings)
yield
6 serving(s)
prep time
15 Min
cook time
1 Hr 15 Min
Ingredients For better for you stuffed peppers
- RICE & LENTILS
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1 Tbspolive oil
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1 cwhite rice, if using brown rice, cook 25 minutes longer.
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1/2 clentils, dry
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4 cchicken or vegetable broth
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1/2 tspseasoned salt
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1/4 tspblack pepper
- ITALIAN CRUSHED TOMATO SAUCE
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1 - 28 oz cancrushed tomatoes
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2 tspdry basil
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1 tspdry oregano
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1 tspitalian seasoning
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1/2 tspgarlic powder
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1/4 tspblack pepper
- MEATLOAF BELL PEPPER FILLING
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1 lblean ground beef
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1 lblean ground turkey
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1/2 mdonion, grated on lg blade of box grater
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3 clovegarlic, grated on sm grater
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1/2sleeve of whole wheat saltine crackers, crushed
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1 lgegg, slightly beaten
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1 1/2 cof the cooked rice & lentils
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1 1/2 cof prepared tomato sauce
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1 tspseasoned salt
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1/2 tspblack pepper
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1/2 tspgarlic powder
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3 lggreen bell peppers (i sometimes add a cpl pablano peppers since i like some spice)
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1 - 8 ozbag of shreaded cheddar or mozzarella cheese
How To Make better for you stuffed peppers
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1Heat olive oil in 3 qt saucepan with tight fitting lid, Add rice & lentils and cook stirring frequently till rice becomes opaque, about 5 min. Carefully pour in the broth and seasonings. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Fluff with fork and set aside 1 1/2 cups for filling. Cover rice to keep warm. Set aside.
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2Make sauce by mixing crushed tomatoes and seasonings together. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of sauce for the filling.
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3Cut green bell peppers in half from stem end to bottom and remove veins and seeds. Place peppers in microwave and cook for 5 minutes.
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4Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare 9"x13" pan with cooking spray and pour remaining sauce in the bottom of pan. Place pepper halves on top, open side up and set aside.
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5In a large bowl mix the 2 meats together and stir in crushed crackers, egg, onion, garlic, spices, and sauce. Mix well and fold in rice & lentils.
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6Stuff peppers with meat mixture amd cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and put shreaded cheese on top of each pepper. Return to oven uncovered for 15 more minutes or until cheese is melted and looks good.
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7We served ours in a bowl with rice & lentils in the bottom, a pepper on top and about 4 big spoons of sauce from the pan over top...OMG! These were sooo good! Everyone loved them.
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